TODAYS READING : Luke13
There is a LOT of great stuff in Luke 13: Jesus calls people to repent, Jesus heals the crippled woman, Jesus grieves over Jerusalem. However, I’m convicted tonight to say that there is nothing like: Jesus teaches about entering the kingdom. I encourage all of you to read the entire chapter, but really give verse 28 some time. “And there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets within the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.”
I thought I had some great losses in high school and college when I may have been rejected by others…or lost a big game. When we lost to Peoria Manual in 1987, I thought that was the lowest moment of my life. Now, in my “mid-years”, I thought I may have experienced the most weeping I could have by losing my best friend of over 30 years and losing my mom. However, when you give it some thought, there will be nothing worse than losing a loved one for eternity…when we have the capacity to realize at the time it is happening that people we know and love are being cast into the depths for eternity. In this day and age, it is easy to think: “There will be another chance…there will be a do-over.” NO!!! No there won’t. When the roll is called up yonder, you’ll be there…or you won’t. There is no second chance…there is no do-over…there is no last minute pleading with loved ones that haven’t said Jesus is who He says he is. I recall someone saying about my best friend: “He was such a nice person, he has to be in heaven.” I didn’t say it at the time…as it didn’t seem like the time and place, although I wish I had…that is not why he is in heaven. I asked him if he believed in Jesus…that is why he’s in heaven. John 14:6…”I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
MT