The Bottom Line
After the Lord created the heavens and the earth He created Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden was paradise - there was no death, no pain, no sorrow, no suffering, no sickness, no disease and food was in abundance. But most importantly Adam and Eve knew the Lord - they had a relationship with Him. They walked and talked with Him in the cool of the day - they communed and fellowshipped with their Creator.
The Lord gave Adam and Eve a very beautiful thing - the free will to choose.
He told Adam and Eve that they could eat from any tree in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Adam and Eve chose to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And when they did they lost their innocence - they saw evil and darkness for the first time and as a result death, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness and disease entered the world and they were sentenced to till the earth and toil for their food.
But most tragically the relationship between Adam and Eve and the Lord had been broken. The evil and the darkness which they now knew separated them from their pure and holy Creator and they could no longer walk and talk with Him in the cool of the day. The communion and the fellowship which they once enjoyed was gone.
In spite of Adam and Eve’s decision to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil the Lord put forth a plan by which He would restore everything back to the way it was in the Garden of Eden - He would send forth His Son (the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, the Sent One) into the world.
According to Hebrew thought the role of the Messiah is that of restoration - the restoration of Man’s relationship back to his Creator and the restoration of heaven and earth back to the way it was in the Garden of Eden.
The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus at his first coming accomplished the first part of the restoration. Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us. Jesus died so that you and I might live. Jesus is the antithesis of the apple in the Garden of Eden. And just as Adam and Eve chose to eat the apple and died it is up to you and me to choose Jesus and live.
The Lord gave you and me a beautiful thing - the free will to choose.
And if you and I choose Jesus then through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit our relationship with the Father can be restored - we can once again commune and fellowship with our Creator.
Just as the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus at His first coming accomplished the first work of restoration the power, glory and majesty of Jesus at His second coming will accomplish the second work of restoration.
2 Peter 3:13
But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
At the second coming of Jesus He will establish His Kingdom which will have no end. There will be a new heaven and a new earth - one where there will be no death, no pain, no sorrow, no suffering, no sickness, no disease and food will be in abundance.
But most importantly you and I will know Jesus and the Father in all of Their fullness, majesty and glory because we will see Them face to face.
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
When Jesus returns the restoration will be complete and you and I will be able to walk and talk with Jesus and the Father in the Garden of Eden.
So…
Have you been restored?
The Bottom Line
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
Unfortunately, most people think that if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds that they will go to heaven.
They think that by saying nice things and by doing good deeds that they will earn the right to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Unfortunately however, they have missed the point.
Whether or not a person will go to heaven is not based on what they have done but on whether Jesus knows them or not.
John 10:27-29
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
So…
Does Jesus know you?
Do you hear His voice?
The Bottom Line
What must we do to get into heaven?
Some say we must repent of our sins. Others say we must believe in Jesus who died for our sins. Some say we must be baptized in water. Others say we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Some say we must pray the sinner’s prayer. Others say we must answer an alter call. Some say we must become a member of a church. Others say we must receive Jesus into our hearts as our personal Savior. Some say we must be good and live by the golden rule. Others say we must love our neighbor and do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
So what must we do to get into heaven?
Mark 1:16-20
As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.
Matthew 19:27, 28
Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
When the disciples were still fisherman and Jesus called them they simply dropped what they were doing and followed Him.
So…
Have you dropped what you’re doing and followed Jesus?
Or are you still fishin’?
The Bottom Line
There are two questions which we must all ask ourselves. The answer to the first question will determine our spiritual destiny and the answer to the second question will determine our place in the Kingdom of Heaven.
John 10:14
“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,”
The first question we must ask ourselves is…
Do I know Jesus?
Not, what religion am I?
Not, am I a good person?
Not, how many good things have I done?
Not, have I read the Bible?
Not, do I speak in tongues?
Not, do I know who Jesus was?
But the question we must all ask ourselves is…
Do I know Jesus?
If we can answer yes to this first question then we must ask ourselves a second question…
How well do I know Jesus?
Is Jesus someone I met once a long time ago?
Is Jesus a casual acquaintance who I call on when I get myself
into trouble?
Is Jesus my Friend?
Is Jesus my best Friend?
Is Jesus my Brother?
Is Jesus my Bridegroom?
The second question we must all ask ourselves is…
How well do I know Jesus?
So…
What is your spiritual destiny (do you know Jesus)?
What is your place in the Kingdom of Heaven (how well do you know Jesus)?
The Bottom Line
Jeremiah 9:23, 24
Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
John 17:3
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
So…
Do you understand and know the Lord?
Do you have eternal life?
