Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Will you see Jesus?


Today we got the unfortunate news that a man my mother used to work with passed away. I remember his friendly smile and the way he took right to my little boy. We went to lunch with my mother one day at a popular steakhouse that has "stuffed" animals on the walls. You know real ones. Well this man spent most of lunch toting my little boy around letting him touch the animals. He was such a good man. But alas we mourn as those who have no hope. He is not looking at Jesus right now. That is so hard for me to fathom. I know it happens more often then we like but it does happen and I am having problems wrapping my mind around it. I know my mom witnessed to him more than once. But he chose to reject the one Way, relying instead on his goodness. I thought tonight I would share some verses telling us how to know that when we die we will see Jesus.
Romans 3:10 tells us that, "There is none righteous no not one."
Romans 3:23 tells us that, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23a tells us that, "the wages of sin is death..."
Hmm... this looks pretty gloomy. Lets see what else the Bible says.
Romans 5:8 gives us a breath of fresh air telling us, "But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."
So above we see that everyone is a sinner but here we see that while we were sinners Christ died for us as a act of love from God.
Of course John 3:16 reminds us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. "
We even see in Matthew 18:14 that, "Even so it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."
God does not want us to die and go to hell. That was never His intention.
But how do we receive this love of Jesus?
Romans 6:23b tells us, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Thats right it is a gift and how do we receive a gift? We simply reach out our hand and take it.
Romans 10:9 spells it out for us, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved."
When I taught VBS this past summer we had a very simplistic way for the children to share Jesus with their friends.
ABC: Admit you are a sinner, Believe that Jesus is Gods only Son, Confess Him as your Savior and Lord.
We used many of the above verses to go with this but I really like the way it is simple and easy to remember.
I pray that I never have to mourn as one who has no hope again. I pray that from here on out everyone I come in contact with will accept this free gift.
Its hard because now a days there are so many "good" philosophies/theories on heaven and how to get there. Folks the Bible is clear!
John 14:6 tells us that"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
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.
We cant get to heaven without Jesus. There is no other way. Not our works or goodness.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.
Romans 3:10 There is none righteous no not one.
We will never be "good enough" for heaven. Only Jesus who was perfect is good enough for heaven. He died on the cross and took our sins on Himself so that we could be considered "good enough" for heaven. Through His death we were cleansed.
I pray if you have any doubts as to whether you are truly a child of the King that you will go through the ABCs and reassure yourself or maybe make a new covenant with God.

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