“She’s got a ticket to ride” is the jaunty refrain from a hit song from the 1960s. The refrain is repeated a whopping 14 times during the song. Chances are, once you hear the song, you will never forget the refrain.
There are two reasons why a line might be repeated so many times. The first is that repetition creates music in our ears. The second is that the line has an important message that the writer wants emphasized.
Here is an important message we all need to hear over and over again so it remains imprinted in our minds: “We all have one ticket to ride.” That is, we each get one ticket when we are born into this world, and we get one ride through this life. One ticket, and one ride, and then when it’s over our eternal destination is fixed. It is important to hear this because we don’t get any do-overs. We can’t repeat our journey through life, and we can’t fix anything left undone.
One ticket, and one ride through life, and the worst thing people may leave undone in life is that they never come to God in repentance and faith. Never coming to repentance and faith in Christ, when their one ride through life is over, they will be sent out of the presence of God forever into the darkness of hell.
One ticket, one ride through life, and all those who remain impenitent and in a state of unbelief will exit this world forever to a lost eternity.
You have one ticket to ride. Your ride will not last forever. One ticket is all you get! What you do with the Lord Jesus Christ in your one ride through life will determine where you spend eternity. On the cross the Son of God gave Himself for sinners. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)). If you are ever going to get to heaven, you need to come by faith to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through faith in Christ, the worst sinner can get off the track that leads to destruction and get on the road that leads to life. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” the Lord Jesus said; “no man come[s] unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
God can save the worst sinner, but there is a class of people who won’t be saved: people who refuse to repent and turn to God by faith. Sadly, the darkness of hell is reserved for them. They live ignoring God’s love, they die rejecting God’s grace, and they will exist without access to God’s love for the rest of eternity. “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:3030And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)).
One ticket, one ride and then it is all settled for eternity. You have a ticket to ride. In this short life, please come to the Savior to receive the life that only He can give.
The lyrics of Turn, Turn, Turn help us to see another vital truth.