John 14:1-14 I was intrigued as I watched a series about Egyptian burial rituals. Everything they did regarding mummification was to ensure the dead could travel safely to the afterlife. They had to be buried just right, have the right utensils, the correct words written all around them, anything and everything placed around the coffin to help them on their journey to the afterlife. The rich could easily attain this and feel safe in their hope for eternity. But the poor had very little hope. How could they? They didn’t have the right stuff. We are not like that for our hope is in Christ and Christ alone.
Jesus said the night before his sacrifice, “‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” It doesn’t matter how rich we are, our family background, nationality, gender, or how good or sinful we were. What matters is our faith in Jesus. Our eternal destination, that place Jesus is preparing for us, is not dependent on a bunch of rituals and it is not dependent on how good we have been. It is dependent on Jesus and Jesus alone. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
When we believe, our hearts can rest easy, we will be with the Lord forever. It is He that will escort us into eternal life. Jesus is our Hight Priest who did everything needed to ensure our eternal hope. Jesus is our sacrifice to cleanse us from all sin. And it is Jesus who is our guarantor. Paul said, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” -Romans 8:11
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. -1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 NIV
