“One Way to Paradise!”
March 27, 2011
There is a place called Paradise. I not talking about that town about 8 miles from Chico, California, where my friend Lloyd Tremain pastors the Church of the Nazarene. I have never been there, but a lot of people I trust have – so I have no doubt there really is a town called Paradise.
I haven’t been to heaven; have never seen it; but I believe there is such a place. Other than believing the Word of God when it says there is such a place, I can sense it. I can feel it in my bones. We all know by instinct that we are eternal and there is a wonderful eternal place waiting for us. Nearly every religion in the world talks of such a place. Nearly every people on the face of earth records their idea of such a place. Some call it Utopia, Zion, Nirvana, Happy Hunting Grounds, Paradise or Heaven. But we know there is such a place. Our bible talks of it.
Micaiah says, “I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left.”
2 Chronicles 18:18
“Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 124:8
Jesus spoke of Heaven as fact. He said, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” Mathew 5:12
"Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:1-2
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Acts 7:55-56
“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.” Revelation 4:1-2
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev 21:3-4
There are thousands of reverences to heaven in the Bible – these are just a few. Many great men of God have testified that they have seen that holy place. There are believable men. They were honorable and trustworthy and lived holy and sacrificial lives. By faith, I believe them. I especially believe Jesus. If it were not true – He would have told us. He didn’t refute what was said about heaven. On the contrary, He died to provide a way in which we may have access to that place. There is an eternal home waiting for us that we call heaven.
But how do we get there? That is the big question. If there is a place called Utopia, Zion, Nirvana, Happy Hunting Grounds, Paradise and Heaven – how do we get there. Some say it is through meditation. Some say it is by separating ourselves from what we call reality. Some say it is by being good. Do more good than bad – they say. Some say it is by believing in Allah or some god. If there is a place called heaven – how do we get there?
Jesus made it pretty clear. He said,
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” John 10:9
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
WOW! That is pretty hard to believe! Jesus is the only way to heaven? You can’t come to the Father in heaven except by going through Christ? That is pretty hard to believe. But Jesus said,
“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:11-18
Jesus made it pretty plain that He was the only one who could talk with authority on the subject because He was the only one who has ever been there. And He said that it is the one who ‘believes’ that has eternal life. Listen to Peter.
“Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone.” Acts 4:12 (CEV)
That seems pretty exclusive doesn’t it? That seems pretty narrow. Why is it that Jesus is the only way? Because of the consequence of sin. Sin, or rebelling against God, is punishable by death, Romans 6:23 informs us. The Bible says,
“... the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22).
“Without the shedding of blood” – there is no forgiveness of sins!
“...righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”
Romans 3:21-25
It was just as Jesus was beginning His ministry that John the Baptist saw Him walking in the town square or someplace and said to those near him,
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. He said that two different times.
What is the significance of Jesus being the Lamb of God? The Hebrews knew and understood. They knew without the shedding of blood there was not forgiveness of sin. They knew that the result of sin was death. The Old Testament Scripture was very clear about that. They were familiar with this Scripture in the Book of Numbers.
“‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the LORD for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for them, they will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.
“‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD and must be cut off from their people. Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’” Numbers 15:27-31
The people John was speaking to knew that sacrifice had to be made for sin. They knew if a person willfully and defiantly sinned – he was cut off from the Lord. They knew about unintentional sin and willfully defiant sin. And the sacrifice was for the unintentional sin. The defiant sin was only forgivable through repentance. In other words, they had to stop doing it – then seek forgiveness. The means of forgiveness was sacrifice. They knew that!
So when John called Jesus the “Lamb of God” they knew he was referring to the atoning sacrifice of God which paid the penalty for our sins. There is one way to heaven because only Jesus was able to pay the penalty for our sins. Some people think you have to work or suffer yourself. You don’t. Forgiveness of sins is completely and only paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross. Any work we do; any good we do; any fruit we bear is not for our salvation but merely an expression of our love and gratitude. There are some people about this time of year who do all kinds of painfully things – like getting nailed to crosses or walking the path Jesus walked in Jerusalem to the cross on bloody knees. All it does is show they don’t have the faith to believe that Jesus paid it all. We can do nothing to earn our salvation – but if we are saved we ought to do plenty to express our love and gratitude.
Let me give a little side note to those who are concerned for those who have never heard of Jesus. The Bible says,
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.” Romans 2:14-15
In other words, we know right from wrong. We will be judged according to the knowledge of right and wrong that we have. But that is a hard way to go through life. We Christians have a mandate to go and share the Good News and help people come to know Jesus. Jesus forgives us and frees us from sin. He sends the Holy Spirit to lead into the right way to live. Those people who don’t know Jesus will be judged differently than those who have received the Good News. God is fair and just and loves the whole world. He doesn’t want anyone to die and go to hell. I believe He comes to every person ever born at some point in their lives and gives them an opportunity to choose right or wrong. We all will be judged on what choices we make.
There is a place called heaven. There is only one way there. But I want you to know 3) that Jesus created us for relationship. Jesus loves you! You have heard that many times. John 3:16 is probably one of your favorite verses in the Bible. But I want you to know – Jesus “LIKES” you! He wants to spend eternity with you. John said,
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1
Jesus said, “I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
“I have called you friends.” Think of that! Jesus wants to be your friend! The creator of this world wants to be your friend. The creator of heaven, so wonderful it is beyond comprehension, wants to be your friend. Will you be His friend? Jesus said,
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me.” Rev 3:20
I remember when I first met Julie. It wasn’t long before we went out to dinner. Dinner is a place you can relax and share your thoughts and dreams to your friend. I wonder how many times I have sat around a campfire with a friend, chatting and visiting – just relaxing in our friendship.
Jesus wants to have that kind of relationship with you. He says, “Here I am! I’m at the door. I’m knocking! Will you hear me?” Some people are too busy talking or working or self-absorbed to hear. God says, “Be still! And know I am God.”
Quiet your heart and soul and mind. Listen to Jesus speaking to you right now. Do you hear Him asking to come in? Do you hear Him inviting you to be His friend.
Jesus said, “... whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” John 6:37
Jesus knows all about you. He loves you. He likes you. He wants to spend eternity with you. He has made this glorious place we call heaven and He has prepared a place just for you. Will you receive it? If you will - come.
