Good News and Bad News

by Skip Heitzig | December 15, 2023

When I came to Jesus Christ at age eighteen, I remember some bumper stickers people had put on their cars that said, "Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready?" and "Jesus is coming, look busy." I even remember one that said something to the effect of, "Jesus is coming, and boy, is He ticked off."

When Jesus was having the Last Supper with His disciples, He promised to return for them, but only one questioned Him: "Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'" (John 14:5).

We like to poke fun at Thomas. We like to call him the apostle from Missouri (the Show Me State): "I won't believe till You show me." But I like his honesty. None of the others understood; they were just nodding their heads. But Thomas was saying, "I have no idea what You just said, I don't know where You're going, and I sure don't know how to get there."

I'm glad he spoke up, because of Jesus' answer: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (v. 6). Now, Jesus had also told the disciples He was preparing a place for them in His Father's house (see v. 2), but not everyone will make it there, to heaven. But the Bible says, "The Lord is…not willing that any should perish"—that is, die eternally—"but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). The sad truth is many do perish, even though that is not God's design or desire.

Jesus' words "I am the way, the truth, and the life" is a narrow-minded statement, and it makes some people uncomfortable. It's dogmatic. He didn't say, "I am one of many ways" or "I will teach you the way." He said, "I am the way." But that's not what most people think. They think if there's a heaven, pretty much everybody is going there. The truth is very few people make it to heaven—not most, few.

Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

Peter said, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). That's narrow and dogmatic. But that's because it's true. Think of it this way: Math is very dogmatic. Two plus two always equals four, never five or three.

So, we face good news and bad news: The good news is Jesus is coming back. The bad news is Jesus is coming back. Whether it's good or bad for you depends on who you are. If you don't come through Jesus, you'll never get to the Father's house. You must come through Christ so you can be "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

Jesus could come at any moment. If your heart is ready, if your life is in tune with God, if you have trusted in Jesus and you come through Him—"the way, the truth, and the life"—you can say with the apostle John, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).

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