In John chapter 13:33, Jesus had just told His disciples that He is going to a place where the disciples cannot go. It is near the end of His earthly ministry.

Jesus tells them that they had believed God already, now it was time for them to believe Him. He is going to give them some good news about His return.

He indicates that His Father’s house has many mansions. He must leave to make preparation for His bride (the church) to live with Him. In Bible times, it was Jewish custom that the bridegroom make a place ready he and his bride to live, and when it is ready, he will come for her.

Jesus also promises to return to take His Bride away to be with Him in glory. It is definitely a picture of the Rapture. Note that He says that where He is (in Heaven), He will receive us unto Himself.

By way of observation, the Heavenly city (described in Revelation 21) is 1,500 miles square, or 2,250,000 square miles on the first floor. There are 640 square acres in 1 square mile. If each believer received 1 acre with his or her mansion, there is room for 1,440,000,000 lots. If each person received 5 acres, there is still room for 288,000,000 5-acre lots – all on the first floor! And remember – there are 12 floors!

Are you looking for His soon return! What a glorious day it will be for those who have remained faithful to Him – that they receive a full reward (II John 1:8)!

Many Christians are living a nearly joyless Christian life because they believe that their salvation depends on their enduring to the end. They may be working hard to resist some sins but also know that other ones may be present.

Their lives could be changed by understanding that we are saved by faith in what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross. It is not based on what we have done or do now. He died for us because we could not pay the price for our sin and still escape the fires of Hell. What a wonderful gift of salvation we have received.

What Jesus did on the Cross puts the believer into the family of God. When Jesus cried from the Cross: “It is finished,” He meant that everything necessary to give us a full and complete salvation was accomplished.

As Christians, we could not begin to merit anything from God – nor can we ever keep ourselves saved. Sin is still present with us. Jesus one-time death on the Cross and resurrection is forever sufficient for any need you or I will ever have. He not only saves us, but our text verse shows that He also keeps us.

We cannot consistently hold onto Him, so He holds onto us – and we cannot escape out of His hands – or His Father’s (John 10:28,29). Because of His power to hold us in salvation and give us eternal security – we can have joy and sleep well at night. Praise His Name!

Years ago, early on this Easter morning, the women arrived first at the tomb, thinking that they would have to get someone to help them move the stone away. The stone served as both a covering for the tomb and a seal.

There was also a guard of Roman soldiers at the tomb and they were ordered to keep it secure. A “guard” would normally consist of 24 Roman soldiers, which would take part in shifts. The unexpected appearance of the angel whose face was “like lightning” (vs. 4) had them terrified and frozen with fear. He moved the stone away – not to let Christ out, but to let others in to see that He was already gone.

While none of the 11 remaining Apostles, or any other disciples, were expecting a resurrection despite Jesus repeatedly telling them about it, the heavenly messenger delivered the shocking news to these women. The message was short and simple. He told them: “he is risen from the dead.”

If Jesus had stayed in the grave, we would never have known if God had forgiven our sins or not. He would have had to pay for them in Hell. His resurrection proves that all that Jesus said about salvation and eternal life is true. In Him is life, and simply trusting in Him to save us will result in a real pardon from God with eternal life in Heaven – all at the expense of Christ for us.

Since He arose from the dead – and He is the only religious leader to have done so – we can be certain of Who He was (the Son of God) and that His words truly are from God. In John 5:24, He said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

He is risen indeed!, and all who truly know Him know very well that He is alive – with power!

It needs to be remembered on this Good Friday, that the crucifixion was not an accident or unforeseen event in God’s plan. It was the main part of it.

To the Jews, the Scriptures seemed to present two irreconcilable views of the Savior (Messiah). One pictured Him as a reigning King Who would reign forever, the other picture revealed One Who would suffer and die.

Even though Jesus told His disciples multiple times that it would happen, it did not fit with their understanding of the coming of Christ. This resulted in great disillusionment when it happened. The day came when it was fulfilled. Jesus was put on a Cross between two thieves – as it was prophesied hundreds of years before.

Even the details about His clothes were fulfilled and they cast lots (dice) for His clothes (Psalm 22:18). It was also prophesied that they would give Him gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21).

Jesus’ crucifixion was the focal point of God’s redemption of the human race. He died to take our place so that no one must go to Hell. Since the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), Jesus died to take our place – the Spotless One for the guilty.

By believing on His death as your Substitute and His resurrection, you can be saved. Call on Him today to forgive and save you. Do not wait, for time is limited.

Near the end of His earthly life, when the leaders of Israel were determined to put Jesus to death, He spoke these words. Because of the impossibility, they are words that no mere human can utter.

Considering Who Jesus was, He had great power to do miracles. He commanded the wind and the waves and even death was no match for Him. Earlier, the Bible tells us that the Son of God was the One Who created all things, as seen in John 1:3: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” It is also seen in Colossians 1:16: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

Without a doubt, there was no force on earth – or outside of it, that could overpower the Creator. The only way Jesus could ever die was for Him to permit it to happen. Even if He did not do it, He still had power over the angels, and they could have prevented it – if He wanted them to.

In John 10:15, Jesus prophesied that He would die for His sheep (disciples). He said: “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” In this same verse, He also prophesied that He would come back to life – by His power.

Jesus soon coming crucifixion, burial, and resurrection were all planned before the earth was created. God would show His love for the world through what Jesus would do for us on the Cross and coming back to life – with a new and immortal Body.

You only have one chance to get God’s forgiveness. If you miss it and die without getting saved, there is no second chance. Trust God’s willingness to forgive and love for you and make Him your Savior today.

As we approach Easter, it must be remembered that Christ’s crucifixion was not an accident, nor was it an unexpected event in His life. Instead, it was the very reason He came to earth.

Jesus’ death on the Cross was predicted hundreds of years before He ever came. Isaiah 53 was written 700 years before Christ’s birth. David wrote Psalm 22 about 1,000 years before Jesus was born.

John the Baptist, in the text verse above, spoke these words at the very commencement of Christ’s ministry. He knew that Jesus came to be God’s special Lamb to die in our place. No other person could die for the sins of another and have their blood cover their sins in the eyes of God. The Bible declares, in Ezekiel 18:4, and again in verse 20 of the same chapter: “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

If we, as sinners, were to go free from the punishment of our sin, God would have to do it. Thank God, it is what He did through Christ’s crucifixion. He paid our full debt. And because He paid our full debt – there is nothing left for us to pay! It is why salvation is free to anyone. We can go free because of Jesus’ death and resurrection!

All that anyone needs to do to be saved from Hell is to turn from sin in your heart and believe on Christ’s payment for you. Although salvation is by faith, if you were serious about getting forgiven for your sin and disobedience to God, it is time to start living for Him and obeying the Bible.

From cover to cover, the Bible teaches that all people are sinners (Romans 3:10). As such, they cannot please God enough to merit salvation – no matter what they do.

Romans 8:7,8 makes this truth abundantly clear: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Since all the sinner does is displeasing to God, there must be a turnaround place at some point. Sin brings damnation – even just one (Romans 6:23). When the sinner realizes that all he does is condemning him, he wants to discover what does please God. Naturally, when people realize this, they usually start trying to live a better life and keep the Ten Commandments.

The change of mind is a form of repentance. But this kind is not the kind that saves. They must also repent of trying to save themselves by establishing their own goodness (righteousness).

Yes, Biblical repentance first involves a change of mind toward sin. But it does not end there. Being saved also means you stop trying to save yourself and put your faith in Christ alone to save you. He is the Gift of God for our salvation. He paid the debt we all owe because of our sin. Don’t reject God’s free Gift.

Once you trust Christ to save you, He changes the life and enables you to live for Him. No other religion can do this. It is because of Christ’s death and resurrection power to forgive and save that He commanded the disciples, in Luke 24:47: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Have you repented and trusted Christ to save you?

The leaders of Jesus’ day knew that He had not been given Scripture training in one of the formal schools. They were surprised that He could even read the Scriptures, which is evident in the previous verse.

Many people make a similar mistake today – they think that Jesus was just another Teacher or a good man. What needs to be realized is where Jesus learned what He openly taught. He did not invent it, nor did He hear it from some other teacher of the day. No, He was taught it from His Father – Who is God in Heaven.

The fact that God told Him what to say means that His message carries a much heavier weight to those who hear it. The Bible is God’s words, and you can be sure that God does not speak in vain – He expects obedience to His words.

Jesus also gave those who heard Him at that time a way to test His words. He said that if you will do what He said, you can be sure that His words are the truth from God. The proof of their Source is that His words will be confirmed as the truth in your heart as you obey them in faith.

Obedience is also necessary to understand the Bible correctly. The Holy Spirit reveals truth (illuminates) in the Bible as we obey Him. There are many blessings in the Word of God not received by those who only half-heartedly follow the Lord.

God wanted to make salvation available to all people. Because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), there had to be a sacrifice – but it could not have any sin of their own.

Only one Person could possibly qualify. God Himself came to our sinful and humble world. Jesus was that Sacrifice. To do so, He sent His Son to pay the cost for everyone’s sins, which He did on the Cross.

According to the above verse – and many others in the Bible – there is no one beyond being savable. The verse makes it clear that only believing on Jesus – that He paid your sin debt – and accepting that Gift for your personal salvation, is all that is needed for salvation.

As humans, we are more ready to forgive someone if they show some sincerity in their confession, along with an attitude of not committing the same offence again. God is the same way. Sin is the breaking of His law. When you are sorry for doing so, and want to please Him, He will forgive you – no matter how sinful your past has been.

The joy of believing on Jesus Christ to be your Savior is found in the first part of the verse: “He that believeth on him is not condemned.” Afterward, He is quite capable of helping you serve Him the way He wants.

What is preventing you from asking Him to save you from sin and Hell (condemnation) right now? Did you notice that the only sin that sends you to Hell because of your sin is not believing on Christ to be your Savior?