There exists a town named Paradise located in Butte County, which is in the northwest foothills of California's Central Valley, in the Sierra. I've never been to Paradise; however from what I've read and seen through photographic evidence it looks to be a wonderful place. Still, as wonderful as Paradise may be, it isn't Paradise.
The words of Jesus, as written Biblically in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13 and 14 say: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Yes, small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, but, please don't be discouraged. Those words of Christ are instead an encouragement! To wit: earlier in Chapter 7, in verses 7 and 8 to be specific, the words of Jesus are: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Through true faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will see Paradise at the end of this rocky road we travel on Planet Earth. When Jesus was crucified, His cross was not alone. There was a cross on either side of Him; on each of which hung a convicted criminal. There was an exchange between Jesus and the two felons as they hung there at Calvary, and it is detailed in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23, verses 39 through 43:
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him (Jesus): "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
I underlined Christ's words "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" in order to emphasize them. The point is that because of faith in the Christ that hung next to him, the convicted criminal would pass into an eternity of paradise in Heaven. It didn't matter what that criminal had done. All of his sins were being paid for by the one who was fully God and fully man, bound and nailed next to him. That scofflaw, unlike his partner in crime on the third cross, believed that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Faith in Jesus is the small gate and the narrow road. Instead, too many choose to take the broad road and wide gate without Him walking beside them, and that does lead to destruction.
He is resurrected from the dead: alive and present and there for you. He has a place for you in Paradise at the end of this rocky road. There, you will find no ghetto, no turmoil, and no pain. There will be no concrete jungle or searing desert heat. Misery is will be no more, agony salved and hunger will be satiated. Poverty will be replaced with riches in the spirit. All tears will be dried and death but a distant memory. Yes, all of our fears and tears will instead be joy and laughter...
His blood bought you a mansion in Paradise. Oh, how He yearns for you to be with Him there forever. There isn't a single good deed that will get you through the narrow gate or a bad action that will deny you entry. Through faith in Christ alone that gate swings open at the end of the road.
In Christ's Service,
Jim
No comments:
Post a Comment