Ramblings from Retirement – Better than a Lifetime Guarantee

Ramblings from Retirement – Better than a Lifetime Guarantee
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
April 3, 2021

If you have not learned the simple and hard lesson that there is nothing guaranteed in life you had better learn it fast. What the Jewish people understood was the fact that life was fleeting. Many hoped there would be an afterlife but most believed there was not and that you would just “sleep” in the bosom of Abraham forever. Jesus changed all of that though.

Jesus related to Nicodemus, “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:13-18 NIV)” Later he would ask Martha who was in grief over the death of her brother Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26 NIV)” And he would teach over and over that “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Luke 9:22 NIV)”

Now like I said before there isn’t much in life that is guaranteed but Jesus not only guarantees eternal life, he proved it by dying on a horrendous cross, and rising from the dead. This is a historical fact and not some made up myth like some would have you believe. (If you believe the delusion that the story of Jesus is just a made up myth, go read some actual history.) You see there are those who fear the resurrection because if it is true then what Jesus said about himself is true as well. And friends I guarantee it is true. Jesus told those who doubted the truth of it by telling them “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. (John 14:1-4 NIV)”

If what Jesus said is true about his self what does that mean for your life? How do you measure up and where do you stand in your belief of Jesus?

We live in a cynical age whereby we distrust those in power, we distrust the news media, and we often distrust those who try desperately to sell us a bunch of garbage we really do not need. And with all the false narratives we have had to swallow this past year concerning viruses, elections, street violence, and broken political promises it is difficult for people to trust what they might hear about Jesus. They like the idea of him being a gentle man, a kind soul, who went about doing good but a Savior who lives and can save them for eternity? Please. Yet the indisputable historical biblical fact is that Jesus did indeed walk this earth, he did preach and say the things recorded of him, and he did die on a cross and rise from the grave. In fact, in front of many witnesses he miraculously ascended physically into heaven!

Now the last thing I want to leave you with this coming Resurrection Sunday, 2021, is that Jesus also stated unequivocally, unmistakably and indisputably that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)”, now whatcha gonna do with that guarantee buckos? That’s better than a lifetime guarantee.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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