Sweet Tea And Jesus

I had breakfast with a friend earlier today. We get together to talk from time to time. We talk about the Bible mostly sprinkled in with a few politics. Our get togethers usually last for a couple of hours.

Just before I walked out the door I noticed a little plague hanging on the wall of the cafe. It read, "Sweet tea and Jesus."

At first, I celebrated. Then I took a second look and the thought occurred to me. Shouldn't the sign read, "Jesus and sweet tea." Jesus never comes second to anyone or anything. He never plays second fiddle in the band. He never plays a supporting role in the unfolding drama of life. He is the maestro. The conductor. The director. The head coach. The CEO. He is the star. The headline performer. He is always the main attraction.

That is the world we live in. While many will agree Jesus is important, they just will not go so far as to say HE IS MOST IMPORTANT. Jesus falls way down the line for many people. People value things like food, sex, money, possessions, sports, music, houses, vehicles, pets, and much. Each of these things has been elevated to greater importance than Jesus rightly has exclusive authority to as His own.

None of the above listed things is bad in and of themselves. The point is Jesus is of greater importance than all of them and all else. He is to be our first love.
Revelation 2:1-5 (ESV) 
¹  “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
²  “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
³  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
⁴  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
⁵  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Jesus said, Matthew 22:37-38 (ESV) 

³⁷  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
³⁸  This is the great and first commandment.

John the Baptist got the order right. May we not forget it. 

John 3:30 (ESV) 

³⁰  He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

It is never sweet tea and Jesus. Even here in the deep south sweet tea comes after Jesus.