John 14:2-3
There are many homes up there where my
Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When
everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can
always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you
plainly.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
This morning, I substituted
for the teacher in the pre-K Sunday school class at our church. Eleven
three- and 4-year-olds arrived in their Easter finery to hear this
weeks’ Bible lesson. Our scripture verse was part of John 14:2…”I go to
prepare a home for you.”[paraphrased for the little ones] The
teacher’s guide instructed us to discuss the crucifixion and the
resurrection and burial of Jesus. Our art project was to color a
picture of a tomb/cave…and attach a “stone” with a little brass “brad”,
so that the stone could be “rolled away.”
The hole in the cave –
or “portal”, as one 4-year-old described it – contained the words, “He
is risen.” This was a fairly heavy lesson for this age group, but some
of the older children had a decent grasp of the story and helped to
guide the conversation. And as I talked with Timothy, Zola and Nathan
at lunch and thought about what they gleaned from their morning Sunday
school classes, I asked myself…”What is the “take-away” for ALL of us on
this Easter Sunday?”
The people who developed our church’s
Sunday school curriculum seemed to want us to remember two things:
1)“Jesus Christ is risen”; and 2) He has gone to prepare a home for us –
with Him – in Heaven. The children and I talked about how glorious
heaven with Jesus will be. During our lunch, Timothy expressed concern
about dying and going to heaven, and I assured him that it will be
wonderful – that we will have a mansion to live in with Jesus, and all
sorts of amazing things await us.
I told Timothy that we don’t
know what all will be in heaven, but we might even have swimming pools,
trampolines and skating rinks. He instantly replied, “Man, I bet those
dogs and Mam-ma are having a GOOD time!” He was referring to my mom and
sister’s dogs who both died within the last year…and my grandmother who
left this earth two years ago. In his five-year-old thinking, Timothy
instantly connected with the only breathing beings he knew who had
died. And he pictured them in heaven with Jesus…”having a GOOD time.”
He had trouble understanding why we cannot see Jesus if He is indeed
alive. I told him that Jesus lives in our hearts, and we can feel Him
with us each and every day…and he clutched his heart and said, “He’s
right here!”
So today, as we celebrate how Christ rose from the
grave…how He lives in our hearts and is preparing amazing rooms and
mansions for us where we will live with Him for all eternity…let us be
joyful. We should each picture Jesus and those loved ones who gave
their hearts to Him and have gone to heaven ahead of us “having a GOOD
time.” We must desire to live in such a way that we will be ready to
join them when our “room” is ready!
The tomb was empty…the “portal” was open and angels had rolled away a stone so heavy that even Superman or Iron Man could not have
moved it singlehandedly! Only Jesus – or one of God’s angels – could
do such a thing! He suffered and died because He loves us…He rose
because a mere grave for mortal men cannot hold Him…and He rose to
heaven to live with God and prepare a place for us. It’s a lot to take
in…almost too much to consider…but such an incredible message for each
of us.
I’ve heard other people say this, but the longer I live,
the sweeter the thoughts of heaven become…and the more I appreciate what
Jesus did so that I can live there someday. Easter Sunday is a time to
celebrate…and shout…and praise God for His amazing gift of Jesus. He
is risen! Jesus is preparing a permanent home for those who give their
hearts to Him and invite Him into their hearts. I am one of them…are
you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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