THE TRUTH IS LIKE A BIG MAC Part Three Introduction Our job is to teach others the truth of God’s word. One simple way is to follow the example of Jesus and teach by parables. Jesus used simple truths in His teaching. Comparing spiritual things with material things helped people to understand easier. Introduction We have presented the importance of the truth and the salvation that can result. We compared the truth to a McDonalds Big-Mac sandwich. Today we are going to make some more comparisons along the same line of thought. The church is compared to McDonalds. The Beginning McDonald's began in 1940 when Dick and Mac McDonald opened a restaurant in San Bernardino, California. The first franchised restaurant opened in 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois and was owned by Ray Kroc. The company grew by following strict guidelines established by Ray Kroc The Beginning Established by God before the foundation of the world Matthew 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Mathew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: The Beginning Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 1Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, The Beginning Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” Jesus purchased the church with His own blood. Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood”. A Name The McDonald brothers decided to name their restaurant after their name. Over time it became famous and kept the name. The name of the church is one that designates the founder and owner. Jesus Christ. Romans 16:16 “the churches of Christ salute you” A Name Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Strict Guidelines There is a book you will find in every McDonalds. This book is their “bible”. It is the instruction manual. Every McDonalds store is guided by these strict guidelines. Any store that does not comply, will be warned and their franchise might be taken away from them. Strict Guidelines We have a book that details how we operate. We know if we do not follow the guidelines, our place in heaven can be removed. Acts 16:4,5 “Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe, So the churches were being established in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.” A Mission McDonald's brand mission is to be our customers' favorite place and way to eat. Our worldwide operations are aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to Win, which center on an exceptional customer experience – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion. We are committed to continuously improving our operations and enhancing our customers' experience. (from their web site) Value System Notice as we cover these one by one the similarity to the values given to us from the Bible. Just another reason to show that God’s plans work and are effective, and those who follow the principles and guidelines of God’s plans will be successful. Value System We place the customer experience at the core of all we do. Our customers are the reason for our existence. We demonstrate our appreciation by providing them with high quality food and superior service in a clean, welcoming environment, at a great value. Our goal is quality, service, cleanliness and value (QSC&V) for each and every customer, each and every time. We are committed to our people. We provide opportunity, nurture talent, develop leaders and reward achievement. We believe that a team of well-trained individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, working together in an environment that fosters respect and drives high levels of engagement, is essential to our continued success. Value System We believe in the McDonald’s System. McDonald’s business model, depicted by our “three-legged stool” of owner/operators, suppliers, and company employees, is our foundation, and balancing the interests of all three groups is key. We operate our business ethically. Sound ethics is good business. At McDonald’s, we hold ourselves and conduct our business to high standards of fairness, honesty, and integrity. We are individually accountable and collectively responsible. Value System We give back to our communities. We take seriously the responsibilities that come with being a leader. We help our customers build better communities, support Ronald McDonald House Charities, and leverage our size, scope and resources to help make the world a better place. We grow our business profitably. McDonald’s is a publicly traded company. As such, we work to provide sustained profitable growth for our shareholders. This requires a continuous focus on our customers and the health of our system. We strive continually to improve. We are a learning organization that aims to anticipate and respond to changing customer, employee and system needs through constant evolution and innovation. Conclusion Obviously there are other comparisons that could be made, but time does not permit. We must be mindful of what God has done for us and know how to explain to others about salvation and the importance of the Truth. In order for the truth to be effective for an individual, they must accept it as it is and without compromise. You can use this method to teach one in this manner and not be guilty of blasphemy or disrespect. This method could also be easy to remember. But remember there is no substitute for the real thing. The Bible. The Word of God.