Getting Others Into Heaven

Getting Others Into Heaven

One day there was a really kind rich man. This man really loved little kids, so he thought of something he could do for them. One day it hit him. He would build an amusement park. This would be the biggest and best amusement park in the whole world. There would be rides and games, ice cream and cotton candy, animals, water slides, puppet shows, and everything else little boys and girls would love to do. There would be no grown-ups allowed in this park. It would be just for kids.

You know what the best part of this park would be? Everything would be free. Nobody would ever have to pay anything to get in. Kids could come as often as they wanted, do as much fun stuff as they wanted, and they could stay as long as they wanted.

Well, the man got busy building the park. He hired a group of people to work on the park. They built roller coasters bigger than Superman at Six Flags. They built ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds. There were bumper cars and pony rides. There was a huge petting zoo, and you didn’t even have to put a quarter in the machine to get food for the animals. All over the park there were stands for ice cream and candy, cheeseburgers and pizza, cotton candy and soda. There were huge swimming pools and a nice sandy beach. There were games where you could win huge stuffed bears, but everyone was a winner. There was a theatre for plays and puppet shows. There was even a Big-Top Circus Tent with all kinds of crazy performers.

Well after many years of preparation, the park was finally ready to open. The man was so full of excitement. The park would be full of happy boys and girls. He would see them running and skipping, laughing and joking with their friends. Finally, the day of the Grand Opening came. The man thought, “I sure hope there’s enough room for all the kids to come. I hope we ordered enough French fries to feed them all.” And finally, the moment came, and he cut the ribbon, and opened the gate for all the waiting children to enter. But there was no one there.

Why? Why, the man wondered wouldn’t anybody show up to his perfect park. He tried to think of some reason. It wasn’t a school day, so that couldn’t be it. It wasn’t Sunday, so they weren’t all at church like good boys and girls. He tried to think if he forgot something. Nope. He didn’t forget a ride. He had plenty of good food. He couldn’t think of any reason why nobody would show up.

Does anybody have an idea for me, why nobody would have come?

That’s right. He forgot the most important thing. He forgot to tell people about his park. He was so busy making the perfect park that he forgot to invite the kids. He should’ve put up big signs on the side of the highway. He should’ve told all of the kids in his neighborhood. He should’ve put a story in the newspaper all about his grand park. But he forgot to tell anybody. Now all of his good deeds, all of his efforts were wasted. He had spent a lot of money and several years of his life to make kids happy, but it was all wasted. Nobody even knew about it. He wasn’t making any kids happy, because he forgot to tell them that he could make them happy.

Now that story had a really happy beginning, but a really, really sad ending, didn’t it. I told you that story, because it will help you understand something very, very important.

Who ever heard of someone as nice as that man? Who would give that much money to make people happy? I know someone who gave much more than money. And someone who is preparing a place far more grand than any amusement park. And this place is also free.

John 14:1-3, “1 "Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Maybe you’ve already guessed that I’m talking about Jesus. Jesus gave his own life to save us from sin. He gave his life so that we could be sin-free when we believe in him. And he said that when he left the earth he wasn’t just going to sit around waiting. No, he said the reason he was going was to prepare a place for us. He’s preparing heaven for us right now. And we know that heaven is a much better place than any amusement park. The gates of heaven are made out of giant pearls. The walls are made out of precious metals. The streets are paved with gold. Not just any gold, but gold so pure that you can see through it. Has anybody here ever been to Hue City? In Hue, there is a river, the Perfume River that runs straight through the middle of the city. And heaven has one too. There is a river that runs right down the main street of the town. And one either side of the river grow strong, beautiful trees. And these are fruit trees. All year round, they bear delicious fruit to be enjoyed by those there. Who here ever scraped their knee? Who ever had someone call you a bad name? Well, there will be no more pain, or sickness, or crying in heaven. Who ever had someone who loved them die? There will be no more death there. And you know what? There’s no sun there. They don’t need a sun, because God’s presence is there. And God’s presence is so glorious that it shines like the sun.