Heaven: It's All About Jesus

When I was younger, and I was asked to imagine what Heaven would be like or look like, I began to think of places on earth that I loved to be.  An easy front-runner was Green Lake.  It was easy to start planning my eternal life in the beautiful outdoors, walking through Dawson Prairie or strolling down Memory Lane.

The truth is, Heaven will be unlike any earthly place.

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."

1 Corinthians 2:9

There is one truth that I know, that I hold surely in my heart - Heaven is all about Jesus the son, God the father and His Holy Spirit - the beautiful, triune God.

Here is what Jesus told us:

"I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:16

So who goes to heaven?  I am now walking into very hot water, I know.  But bear with me.

Here's the hot debate in our world today: we have Christians telling non-Christians that they aren't going to heaven.  Christians are telling other Christians that they aren't going to heaven.  There are even some Christians that might tell you that there are other ways to enter heaven besides Jesus.  There is a lot of finger pointing.  A lot of judgement.  A lot of condemnation.  Again, bear with me.

Jesus also tells us this:  that He is going to prepare a place for us.  He talks about His father's house.  JESUS is preparing a room for YOU, because Heaven is all about being with HIM.  

Just as we have misconceptions about the visual appearance of heaven, we may also sometimes have other misconceptions about what eternal life there will be like.  We think about Heaven as a place where we will never hunger, where we will find rest, where we will find peace - I believe all those things will be there because Jesus is there.  He makes those things possible in Heaven.  Heaven is about being in a relationship with Jesus the son, God the father and His Holy Spirit.
   

Heaven is God's house; it is His place that He sent Jesus to bring us to.  Jesus has extended the invitation.  Jesus offers to cover our sin.  Jesus offers salvation.  There is no one else that has made the offer to prepare a place for you in Heaven.  And Jesus is the only one that can.

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Jesus' statement in John 14:16 is not the means to an exclusive offer.  Heaven is an inclusive community.  Jesus talks about there being many rooms, He never mentions a specific number.  Just as He commissioned His followers to make disciples of all nations, He wants His community in Heaven to grow.  He is saying that this is what Heaven is about: living in community with Him.  He is saying choose Heaven, choose a life everlasting with Him.

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So here it is: 

Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life.  He is the only way by which we can spend life eternal in Heaven because Heaven is about Him.  I want to choose a relationship with Jesus Christ here during my time on earth because that is what my soul longs for in Heaven. 

~SP