Willy Wonka

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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The Gospel according to… Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! 

Note – This idea was pinched from a talk by Duncan Smith (Catch The Fire Ministries) so credit to him! 

This is just for fun and for creative purposes – the story of Willy Wonka is obviously not about Jesus!

The Golden Ticket

In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the owner of the chocolate factory Willy Wonka hides 5 golden tickets in his chocolate bars which are on sale around the world. The lucky winners will go to the normally off-limits chocolate factory to be shown around by Willy Wonka and receive a lifetime supply of chocolate! Sounds good!

I’ve Got A Golden Ticket song – https://youtu.be/29_uSlEEPSk

The golden tickets were a free gift offered to the one who found the tickets. Although they could be bought, they couldn’t be earned because they were put there by Willy Wonka and no-one else.

The Factory

The reward for finding this free gift is to go through the gates to the factory which is like another world, to meet the owner of the other world who’s like a King and taste the flavours of that kingdom and to experience the goodness there. Those without the ticket and therefore those who don’t meet the conditions, can’t get in to the factory.

The ‘Gospel’ that Christians talk about means ‘Good News.’ Right back at the beginning of time, God (who is good) created a perfect world. But man and woman messed up and said no to God, believing that they should really be gods. So the world where man lived got messed up. But God was still involved, sending out good gifts (like chocolate) from the God-factory (the Bible calls this heaven). So God didn’t walk away from people. He had a plan – golden tickets available to anyone who ‘find them’. 

Willy Wonka and Friends

There are a limitless amount of these golden tickets which were created by Jesus. Jesus did something that meant the mess that mankind created could be sorted out and God and man could be friends again. You see, when man went wrong they locked themselves out from the ‘factory’. God didn’t kick them out, they broke the rules and this meant they had to leave. So man got separated from all God’s goodness and had to end up creating fake versions of happiness to cover up for God – fake things like fame, money, sex. 

God’s golden ticket means that those who say yes to Jesus can get in to God’s heavenly factory and can stay there for ever. 

But God also shares what he has with the people who say yes to Jesus. He makes things right and changes things for good. He rescues people and gives them a purpose and a life. He rescues people out of difficult lives, of pain, of hurt, depression, sickness, hopelessness and those who are like slaves. He sets people free who know there is more to life but who can’t seem to get out of bad situations or can’t stop doing bad things. He is a friend, a perfect father and someone who gives good gifts – even better than Willy Wonka does with the Oompa Loompas!

Oompa Loompas

Oompa Loompa song on YouTube – https://youtu.be/APj2ArUy6v4

The Way

The Golden Ticket isn’t the final destination. When you get on a train and you have a ticket, you haven’t paid money just to have the ticket! You pay the money for what the ticket gives you and where it gets you. 

The destination is God, his goodness and the amazing way he gives you value, purpose and freedom!

God is like a massively super-charged Willy Wonka and he certainly doesn’t do anything wrong! God offers hope and life. And then he gives people a job, a purpose, hope, a future in heaven (God’s never-ending chocolate factory!) and meaning.

God will do the same for you if you ask him. Your golden ticket is ready and waiting. 

The Bible says: “Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you’ll live as you were meant to live.” (Acts 16.31) 

Just say ‘Jesus, come and change me from the inside to the outside. Set me free from all the bad stuff and forgive me for what I’ve done wrong. Fill me with your good stuff, your Holy Spirit. Help me to live for you. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, then tell someone. Find a great church and get hold of God’s ‘chocolate making’ book called the Bible. You’re now part of God’s family and you are so welcome. This isn’t for wimps. This is real life that takes real courage but is really worth it with really amazing rewards. Just plug in to God and stay plugged in, no matter what life throws at you.

And remember, God’s chocolate factory is waiting for you! (And yes, there will be vegan chocolate available too…)

(Links checked April 2019).