Be Great By Faith Series

A preacher was on a radio program where the interviewer was an atheist. The atheist demanded that the preacher NOT quote any scripture during the interview. “I don’t want to hear any Bible on my airways. You got that? No Bible on my airwaves.” So, then the interviewer started the program by saying: “I submit that you Christians are not respectful of my opinion. I believe I should be able to get into heaven because I’ve been a good person. What do you say to that?”

The preacher thought about it for a moment and then said “Let’s say you go to the wealthy side of town and approach a beautiful mansion. You ring the doorbell and when they answer the door you inform them that you expect to be able to move in. What do you think they’d do? You don’t know them and they don’t know you – WHY should they let you move in? It’s the same with heaven. You’re trying to tell me that God should let you into heaven just because you’ve come to His gates and demanded to be let in. But you don’t know Him and you’ve spent your life attacking His character. Heaven isn’t about how good you’ve been. It’s all about knowing Jesus. Jesus said that no one gets into heaven except through Him and you don’t know Him.” (From a sermon by Sean Busby)

Now that makes sense doesn’t it. Why would anybody let you stay in their house if they don’t know you? Particularly if you make it clear that you don’t like them and you don’t WANT to know them.

That’s essentially what our text this morning is all about. “To all who received him, who believed in his name, He gave the RIGHT to become children of God.” (John 1:12) We get into heaven because we WANT to know Jesus. And once we decided we want to know Him, and we want what He has to offer, then we weren’t some stranger knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s door. We get to move in with Jesus because we are given the right… to be children of God.

The Declaration of Independence has an intriguing phrase that says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator (God) with certain unalienable RIGHTS, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In other words – the Declaration declared that God gives us rights. But there’s one right that’s not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. And it’s a far greater right than any rights those listed in that document “To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the RIGHT to become children of God.” John 1:12

Essentially, we have the right to a vast and powerful inheritance because of our faith, all because we’ve BELIEVED in His name - all because we wanted to receive what Jesus offered us.

Now, as we enter the Thanksgiving season, we need to realize how thankful we should be for that inheritance. Think about this – what do you have on earth that’s more important than heaven. What would you be willing trade for an eternity with Jesus?

Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

What’s Jesus saying? He’s saying that there’s nothing on this earth that could possibly begin to equal the value of eternity with Jesus. What we have with Jesus is worth EVERYTHING, and NOTHING we have (on this earth) compares to Jesus and what He offers.

Francis Chan and the Rope illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5t5CXP9PlE (timeline 0 to 2:57)

OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br0nrszoPiw (0 to 2:36)

Paul said it this way: “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8

So, the question is - how much is eternity in heaven worth to you? What would you pay to get Jesus and what He offers? Well, our passage says that the way we can get Jesus is to RECEIVE Him on His terms, to BELIEVE in His name! “To all who received him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12