Daily Grace At Jesus` Feet 

January 29, 2010

Highway to Heaven!!

We read in John 13, Jesus Christ having a wonderful farewell feast and a happy hour with his disciples. While Jesus washing his disciples feet, He knew that time is coming soon when he will be betrayed, arrested, and crucified to take on Him the sins of humanity in its entirety. We read in John 13:3, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.” Jesus predicted His Judas' betrayal and also Peter's denial. Jesus started telling His disciples that He has to return to His Father’s house and so let their hearts not be troubled. Jesus tells His disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Further He tells them that in His Father's house there are many rooms and He is going there to prepare a place for them so when He returns back, He can take His disciples back with Him that they may be with Jesus forever (John 14: 1-4). His disciples were curious about where Jesus was heading to and how to get there. In the previous chapter, Simon Peter was asking Jesus, where He was going. Now Thomas asking the same question, "Lord, where are you going? and how we may know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

World religion believe in different ways to reach heaven. In Hinduism, the ultimate goal of life is to release atman (The Sanskrit word "atman" means "soul") and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Hindu God Brahman ("moksha" means “heaven”). To achieve moksha one has to fulfill dharma (“good deeds”). By way of doing the spiritual duties, obligations one fulfills dharma and creates good karma (“good duties”). When sufficient karma is collected, one’s soul breaks free from rebirth cycle and reunites with Brahman (goes to moksha). Till enough “good work” reaches the highest level as expected by Brahman (Hindu God), the person’s atman (or soul) is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (incarnation). Buddism teaches the way to life is through good philosophies of not doing harm to any creatures. Jainism says, the way of living to reach heaven is through non-violence (the idea of ahimsa). Jains (people having Jainism as religion) carefully avoid harming living creatures, and are usually vegetarians. Islam gives importance to daily duties in worship and other rituals as well.

Author Stephen Neill wrote in his book, The Supremacy of Jesus: “Hinduism says, You sin; you pay. In the Christian Gospel God says: You sin; I pay.” Jesus paid the penalty for your sins and my sins through His sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection. Jesus alone has the authority on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6). Jesus alone is the way to reach heaven. One do not need to do any rituals or good deeds to go to heaven (though good deeds results from following Christ), all the necessary obligations paid by Jesus Christ two thousand years ago by shedding His precious blood on the cross as a penalty for your sins and mine. All “done and accomplished” by Jesus Christ. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” The only essential component to find the way is to have “faith” in Jesus Christ. 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 - (John 3:16-17).

During the American Civil war a man was arrested for sheltering the enemy – Confederate soldiers retreating after a major battle in Virginia. His brother learned of his arrest and tries to argue for his release, because he was innocent. He talked with some Union officers who told him that only the President of the United States could free prisoners. So he decided to travel Washington to see President Abraham Lincoln and plead for his brother’s freedom. After many days of trying to see President Lincoln, being shoved aside by more important people, he was exhausted and had almost lost hope and given up. He went to a small park bench to rest, pray and think what to do further. Many people passed by. A small boy walked by and asked, “what is the matter?” The man quickly and slowly answered once again, “I need to see the President to free my brother, who was falsely arrested….but it is so hard to see the President of the United States.” The little boy said, “Take my hand and follow me.” Incredulously and weakly, the man took the boy’s small hand and walked. The man followed the by, past the Marine guards at the entrance to the White House grounds, as they let the little boy pass the waiting crowd. Pulled along by the boy, he was truly amazed, as the Marine sergeant at the desk on the porch let them walk past a dozen important looking people at the entrance to the White House itself. They walked up the stairs.  Finally, the small boy led him past President Lincoln’s private secretary inside and into the oval office. A bearded and weary president looked up from a mountain of war reports, smiled and asked the small boy, "And who is your friend, Todd?” Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s only son, had brought him directly into President Lincoln’s presence.

The incredibly special relationship we have with Jesus, God’s only son, is more than a family home. He is our complete connection to God, a source of everything we need in this world. Simply taking Jesus` hands is something all can do to boldly walk through the challenges of this world.

If you know sing the song “Jesus Paid It All” that was written by Elvina Hall in 1865 below:

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

When from my dying bed My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,” Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down, All down at Jesus’ feet.

Remember, Jesus Christ the Only FreeWay to Heaven!

Prayer: Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ who gave His life for me on the cross and shed His precious blood for my sins. I confess my sins and believe that you raised Him from the dead. Please forgive my sins. I want to enjoy Jesus Christ through out my life here and beyond in eternity. In Jesus Name…Amen!

May you have a Great Day!