Heaven and How to Get There

For today, we're here in John chapter 13 and 14 for those of you who are new to our Bible study John chapters 13 through 17 are Typically known as the upper room discourse Because this is a lengthy conversation that Jesus has in an unknown upper room of a home somewhere in Jerusalem where he shares the last Passover meal with his disciples before he's crucified and in this intimate setting just with the 12 and now Judas has exited. So now it's just with the 11 Jesus shares some very personal things some very important things Just before his crucifixion and so in this private rather intimate setting that he shares with his disciples Disciples over this last Passover meal There are some important things for us to glean because as I've been saying even though Jesus hand selected 12 as his disciples Disciple just means student or follower. And so in that sense anyone who loves Jesus your follower of Jesus you are his disciple and you are his student and Thus the things that he says here between chapters 13 and 17 in these five chapters by extension He's saying to us so we should take note of these things now We've already looked at the first part of chapter 13 where Jesus teaches us to serve like he serves He washed his disciples feet. He wasn't implementing a new ordinance of the church, but he was setting an example of servitude And he he's teaching us I want you to serve like I serve and Then last week we looked at the latter part of chapter 13 where Jesus is teaching us to love like he loves Not as the world loves not as the world has defined love and hijacked true love to you know Manipulate that term to just be whatever at once for whoever but true love as Jesus personifies it that we should do as he does because Jesus says by this will all men know that you're my disciples if you love one another and Then we come to this last part of chapter 13 which segues into chapter 14 where Jesus is going to teach us I want you to go Where I'm going. I want you to go where I'm going and he's going to pivot here and what he's going to talk about primarily is heaven and So the title of my teaching today is heaven and how we get there So I need to backtrack as we read here

I need to backtrack a little and reread the verses that we read last week because he makes a Statement in in the middle of what we read last week that then Transitions into chapter 14. So if you'll back up with me in John 13 verse 33 Where he? Affectionately refers to his disciples as little children. He says in verse 33 little children I shall be with you a little while longer. You see what he's saying there I shall be with you a little while longer You will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come And so now I say to you So see that's important for us to hear but then he says what we studied last week verse 34 a new commandment. I give to you That you love one another as I have loved you that you Also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another Verse 36 Simon Peter said to him Lord, where are you going? And Jesus answered him where I am going you cannot follow me now But you shall follow me afterward and Peter said to him Lord. Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake and Jesus answered him Will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly? I say to you the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times Then chapter 14 this whole conversation just continues chapter 14. Let not your heart be troubled Jesus says You believe in God believe also in me in my father's house or many mansions if it were not So I would have told you I Go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also and Where I go, you know and the way you know And Thomas said to him Lord. We do not know where you are going. And how can we know the way? Jesus said to him I am the way the truth and the life No one comes to the father except through me. Let's pause there and pray Father it is good to be in your house and to open up our Bibles and to hear what you have to say to us today Yes, even in our day

We pray Lord that no one would take these words to be some out-of-date conversation but that we would realize you're speaking to us your truth even even to this generation so thank you Lord and we pray that we would have ears to hear and a heart that would receive what you're saying here especially as it relates to heaven as our eternal home so Lord for those who don't know about heaven I prayed today they would learn and for those who already know about it that we would be reminded of this precious promise that you have opened wide heaven through your sacrifice on a cross so give us ears now to hear and to receive we pray in Jesus name and everybody said amen well I think it's interesting in the passage that I just read with you that after Jesus exhorts his disciples to love one another he even says it's a new commandment I'm giving you a new commandment love one another as I have loved you by this will all men know you're my disciples if you love one another what I find interesting is that the disciples don't have any questions or comments about that part about love even though it's a new commandment he actually says a new commandment I give you they have no questions about it I mean it's almost as if it goes right over their heads like a Tina Turner song what's love got to do with this right they're just like what's for some of you too young to know what that's about I'm sorry I'm sorry to date myself but but it's as if they're like they're not even concerned about the love part why well it's because what Jesus said in verse 33 and he comes back to talk about it also but in verse 33 when he talked about only being with them a little while longer and that he was going away and they couldn't follow him at least not yet that's where their ears perked up they're like okay the love stuff okay we got it but wait a minute where are you going and they actually have three questions Peter has two Thomas has one Peter's question first is verse 36 of chapter 13 back up a little bit verse 36 Simon Peter said to him Lord where are you going that's question number one and Jesus answered him where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward next verse verse 37

here's question number two Peter said to him Lord why can I not follow you now and then Thomas has a question jump down to chapter 14 verse 5 Thomas said to him in verse 5 Lord we do not know where you are going and so how can we know the way now we today have the benefit of seeing the whole story of the Bible and so we have an advantage that his disciples did not they only knew in part what he was saying but we have the advantage of you know seeing from cover to cover so we understand the whole story and what Jesus was trying to tell his disciples prophetically about what was about to happen in the coming days and weeks we know historically because we see how the whole thing played out and what Jesus was trying to tell his disciples was that after his crucifixion he would rise from the dead the Bible tells us that Jesus then appeared to people over a period of 40 days and that then Jesus ascended back into heaven from the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem and he's trying to tell them all that in advance we have the advantage of knowing those things unfolded we have the history of it but they didn't quite understand what he was saying so they have all these questions but the Bible records just that Jesus was crucified dead and buried three days later he rose from the dead 40 days after that he ascended back into heaven from the Mount of Olives it's recorded in Acts chapter 1 I'll just read it you don't need to turn there just a few verses Acts 1 9 to 11 says now when he had spoken these things when Jesus had said these things while they watched while his disciples were watching he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel these are angels and they said men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven this same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven notice that will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven now that's loaded what they say there because a lot of what they are referring to is the Second Coming of Christ he's going to come again and the Bible says when he comes again bodily he will come to the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem the Mount of Olives will split in two there's going to be a great earthquake that's for another

Bible study but the main part I want you to hear is the angel said yeah as you saw him ascend where he went was back into heaven and so Jesus is giving his disciples here in John 13 and 14 this preview here they are having this Passover dinner together and he's saying listen fellows here's what's going to happen I'm going away and where I'm going you can't come at least not now But you will be able to come later Now this is where Peter pushes back in verse 37 and he says back in chapter 13 verse 37 He says Lord, why can I not follow you now? And then he and then he adds I will lay down my life for your sake now You know What's worse than saying something foolish is to say something foolish in front of Jesus and then get corrected by Jesus in front of all your friends Because Peter just you know, he's saying he's like I'm gonna follow you all the days of my life and Jesus like really Really look at verse 38. This is where this is where Jesus predicts that Peter will deny even knowing him when push comes to shove Verse 38 Jesus answered him. Will you lay down your life for my sake? Now I intentionally pause there because I wonder did Jesus pause there There's like this holy hush in the upper room where everybody's looking at each other like whoo. He just got called out. Whoa Will you will you lay down your life for my sake and Jesus adds most assuredly I say to you the rooster shall not crow Till you have denied me three times Before the sunrise Peter when the rooster crows before that You're gonna deny even knowing me three times Will you really? Follow me Will you really lay down your life for me So there's this part of Peter's life of tragic failure and One of the things I love about Peter's life is It's a picture of all of us to some degree There will be human failure there will be times where we disappoint the Lord

There will be times when we grieve his heart and sin against him But Peter's life was not only marked by tragic failure. It was also marked by tremendous restoration An entire chapter the last chapter of John will get to eventually chapter 21 is devoted to this Devoted to this conversation that Jesus has with Peter in restoring him So again, he's a picture of our lives We'll get to that later but for now this conversation that Jesus has with his disciples is all about heaven and For two reasons it's important for us to see this for you note-takers. He talks about heaven One to prepare them his disciples for his departure from earth after his resurrection He's about to leave them He's been with them for three and a half years and serving together in public ministry, and he's about to die Rise again and then ascend back into heaven. He's and he's letting them know in advance. I'm gonna leave you I'm not gonna permanently leave you. In fact, we'll get to some chapters later in John where he says I'm gonna send a comforter He talks about the Holy Spirit. I'm not gonna leave you like orphans, but I'm going away I'm gonna be departing from this earth But some of the things he says there secondly is also to prepare them and us For our departure from earth when we die That's why this is important for us to study We have to be ready Because one day we shall all die Benjamin Franklin was right. There are only two things that are certain death and taxes and We're more familiar with taxes because we pay them all the time Not as familiar to with death because that only happens once in a lifetime But we will all die and so What Jesus says here about heaven is important for us to hear now Years ago Rolling Stone magazine did a survey of the top 100 rock songs of all time Number one was Bob Dylan like a Rolling Stone Song number two was Mick Jagger. I can't get no satisfaction

But the number three most popular rock song of all time according to this survey in Rolling Stone magazine number three was Imagine by John Lennon The Beatles sang it in 1971 imagine. There's no heaven Right, you know that song if you don't you need to listen to that. It's tragic But it's it's a you know, it's Americana. Now. Why do I say it's tragic as melodious as the tune is You know, it's dark. The language is dark Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today Yeah, well, thank you, but I'm not going to quit my day job. But here's my point. Doesn't that sound melodious? Did you know in 2018, if you were watching the Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018, that song was a featured song in the opening ceremonies. And 35,000 people in the stadium and millions more watching at home were swaying to that song that's about what? No heaven, no hell, no eternity. This life is as good as it gets. Try to aim for world peace and then die and get eaten by worms. That's what the song's about. Just people living for today, no real hope of heaven, no real realization that there's a hell. And so it's a very dark song, but because it's put to this really soothing melody, people are swaying and singing. They have no idea. They're singing about a song that glorifies no hope. Really?

And that's the number three song of all time. Well, let me tell you what the Bible says. There is a heaven and there is a hell. Both are real. Both exist. And now John Lennon knows. I mean, he knows. I didn't say which place. I just said he knows. His song is not right. And I do hope that his widow, Yoko, learns the truth before she ends up saying, oh no. That's a funny joke. Now my 30-year-old son in the back, I'm like, did you get the Yoko Ono joke? He says, no, dad, I'm sorry, I didn't even get it. Okay. So if you're 30 or younger, you have no idea, but her name is Yoko Ono. Okay, anyway, Yoko Ono. All right, so. Just pray for me. Now you know how to pray for me. But what we know, again, that Jesus was trying to say to his disciples here was that following this crucifixion and resurrection from the dead, Jesus would ascend back into heaven from where he had come. Look again in your Bibles, verse 36, chapter 13, 36. Jesus said, where I am going, you cannot follow me now. But look at the rest of the verse. But you shall follow me afterward. You see, he was saying to them that they and we could also go to heaven when we die. Because through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus opened heaven wide to all who would believe and receive.

Heaven is a choice. Heaven is a choice. And Jesus died on the cross to keep as many people from going to hell as possible and to open heaven for anyone who would so choose to surrender their life to Jesus and enter heaven as their eternal reward. But you have to make that choice. And I'm believing that today some of you and some of you online are going to make that choice and you've never made it before. You came in here not really fully assured that when you die, you will go to heaven. And I pray that if that's you, you will leave here with full assurance that you are going to go to heaven. But you have to choose this. Now let's talk about heaven. And I'm going to take the advice of the great British preacher of the 19th century, Charles Spurgeon, who truly said this. One time Spurgeon said to his students when he was teaching them in seminary, raising up young pastors, he said, alright now look, when you talk about heaven, I want your face to beam and glow with enthusiasm. And when you talk about hell, just your normal face will do. So I'm going to try to beam here because I'm talking about heaven today. This is what Jesus is talking about, heaven. For you note takers, heaven is mentioned more than 275 times in just the New Testament. Another 300 plus references in the Old Testament. Heaven saturates the Bible because this is where God wants us to ultimately go. Heaven is the habitation of God and the eternal home for those who trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I've given you several verses up there, let me just refer to a couple of them. Psalm 103, 19, the Lord has established His throne in heaven, it's His habitation. And His kingdom rules over all. And also there in 2 Corinthians 5, 6-8, Paul talks about how as long as we are in this

body we are away from the Lord. Because we're living on earth, but he but he says the moment we die He says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord Because when we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior and we experience physical death our spirit Departs from our body and goes to be with the Lord now the Bible also says that later we get a glorified body But this is a beautiful promise that we will go instantly into the presence of the Lord Because it's not only the habitation of God. It's the eternal home for all who believe in Jesus in Addition heaven is located somewhere above the earth beyond outer space Now there's a passage that Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 and he writes it in the third person But we know because he switches it to first person later that he's just trying to be humble about his own experience but he talks about a vision that he had and Actually what scholars believe he's referring to when he was almost Brutally martyred for his faith left for dead. He recovered, but there's a chance that when he was so stoned so So I said brutally martyred, but he didn't wasn't actually martyred They attempted to martyr him But they just brutally beat him that he probably had some kind of what we would say is like out-of-body Experience and he went to heaven he had this vision He had this experience and he writes about it in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 And he talks about how he was caught up to the third heaven now There are not three heavens what he was talking about is what we would say is the first heaven is Earth's atmosphere The second heaven is outer space The third heaven is the dwelling place of God. That's the actual heaven that is beyond Earth's atmosphere and outer space so somewhere beyond Paul writes in that terminology the third heaven Also heaven the Bible describes has streets of gold the gates of pearl walls of jasper Foundations of precious stones and a crystal clear river running through it You know as much as we might appreciate Earth's beauty when you go to certain places

Nothing about this earth will compare to the glory and wonder and Spectacular beauty of heaven. I mean we just can't even imagine In fact, Paul says that no eye has seen no ear has heard neither has it entered the heart of man Well, God has prepared for them that love him But all you need is one additional color on the color wheel to to bring a whole nother spectrum of colors I mean it just it's it's unimaginable to us no, I know that there are some people who have written about how they died and went to heaven and Wrote books about it, and I don't want to discount all of that. Although some I think should be discounted But but the main book we should be reading to understand what heaven is Like is the Bible because the Bible describes it in these terms and it's going to be a beautiful and glorious Place Something else about heaven the Bible says it is illuminated solely by the presence of God in his glory in Revelation 21 23 It says the city had no need of the Sun or of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God Illuminated it the Lamb is its light Just the splendor of God will illuminate heaven. No need for Sun. No need for the moon to reflect the light of the Sun God's glory is brilliant enough The Bible also tells us and I like this heaven is a place of no mores The Bible says there will be no more death No more mourning No more crying or pain. No more sorrow. No more sin. No more sickness Can I get an amen? I mean it will be a beautiful existence Unencumbered by all the things that weigh us down and trouble us today The grief that we go through the mourning when somebody dies The devastation when they get some kind of a terminal Diagnosis all these things that weigh so heavy on us on earth. All of that will be gone When we're in his glorious presence, no more suffering. No more pain. No more disease. No more sickness. No more sorrow No more crying wonderful eternal home With the Lord and then also heaven is a place of reunions with loved ones and friends who knew Christ as Savior

This is probably one of the most encouraging things about heaven The fact that we will know our loved ones when we get there. I gave you a few scripture verses there in Matthew 17 there's a story in Matthew 17 about the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus takes Peter James and John up on a high mountain where he is transfigured before them. The Bible just says he becomes this glowing white presence and they are watching Jesus. And then the Bible says that appearing with Jesus were Moses and Elijah. And Peter, in a moment to try to capture this so that it doesn't evaporate, he says, why don't we build three shelters? One for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Now, how in the world did Peter recognize Moses and Elijah? They lived and died centuries before him. The reason he knew them was because God had inspired an understanding that that's who they are. They were recognizable, even if they had never met. In fact, in John chapter 21, there's this story when Jesus appears before his disciples in his resurrected form, in his glorified body. And he was recognizable. And the Bible says we will get a glorified body like Jesus. So in other words, we retain some of the likeness. And if you don't like your likeness, guess what? In heaven, it's only better than on earth, okay? So you'll only look even better, but we retain a resemblance so that people will recognize us just as Jesus' disciples recognized Jesus after he rose from the dead.

I say all this because, listen church, this is the hope of the church. This is the hope of the church. If we live but for this life, pity on us. But heaven is that glorious ultimate reward, the home of all who believe in Jesus and this glorious reunion. That's why Paul says we grieve when someone dies that we love. He says we grieve, but not like those who have no hope because the people who have no hope have no hope of ever seeing their loved ones again. But us who know, we who know Jesus know that we will see our loved ones again who know Christ because heaven will be a place with the glorious reunions. Looking forward to that. Now in this text here in John 14, Jesus talks about mansions. In John 14 verse two, in my father's house are many mansions. And the Greek word there for mansions is monay. But listen folks, it just means dwelling or home. The same Greek word monay is used a few verses down further in John 14, look at verse 23. In John 14, 23, Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. The word home, same word, monay. It's not mansions there in verse 23,

it's mansions in verse two. But the word monay just means abode, dwelling, home. Okay, so don't get all wigged out, all right? Don't be thinking that when you get to heaven, you're gonna be living like the fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Stop that. Okay, it really, it appeals to our Western materialism. But I just want you to know, friends, listen, when you get to heaven, there will be no materialistic pursuits. There will be no covetousness. There will be no obsession with material things, the size of the house. Am I gonna have a 10,000 square foot house that I'm gonna be living in in heaven? Praise God, no, stop that. Okay, let me tell you who you're gonna be obsessed with, not the home you're living in. You're gonna be obsessed and captivated with Jesus. And you're gonna be around the throne worshiping him and enjoying life in heaven in a glorious place. So all that Jesus means there, you know, we latch onto that word mansions and we instantly think, you know, big house. All Jesus means there is, there is room for you. In fact, that's the rest of the verse. And I go to prepare a place for you. There is room for you. But you have to choose it. You have to choose to go there.

Which leads us to the last question that Thomas asked there in verse five of chapter 14. He says, how can we know the way? How can we get to heaven? How can we get to heaven? And Jesus answers it in a very bold way, making an exclusive claim in verse six. He says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one gets to the Father except through me. Now that dispels all the questions, like, well, is the way to get to heaven, is it by being as good as you can? Is it by spiritual acts? Maybe if I just pray a lot and fast a lot, then I'm good to go. Is it by penance or absolution by a priest? Is it trying really hard to do good things? So that hopefully your good things outweigh your bad things on the day that you die and the scale is tipped in your direction Well, listen friends the answer to all those questions is none of the above None of the above because you know, the problem with all those questions is it puts the burden on you? Are you gonna be good enough? Will you try hard enough? Will you live right enough? You know what the Bible teaches that God put the burden on his son Jesus not on you And Jesus died so that we can be forgiven of our sins and he opened heaven wide to all who believe that he is the way The truth the life and that no one gets to God except through him. We have to acknowledge a few things That we're all sinners a Bible states our condition very clearly. We are all sinners We were born into sin. We commit sin. We are guilty by birth. We are guilty by works So therefore there's nothing good enough I can do to compensate for my sinful condition Try as hard as I might God Knowing this sent his son as the only Savior because every sinner needs a Savior But the only Savior is Jesus listen friends

Do not believe the lie that all paths lead to God When Jesus said I am the way the truth the life no one gets to the father But by me he's making an exclusive claim if you think that Jesus is just one of many ways to get to God Then you've just made him out to be a liar and no liar is a pathway to God Therefore Jesus is either the only way or he's no way at all You cannot be on the middle ground on that You have to make a decision Either Jesus said what he said is completely true or you discount it altogether if you discount it altogether There is no remedy for you The only hope we have is in Jesus He dies on a cross because of his love for us because he knows we can't save ourselves So God sent his son to save us to rescue us to redeem us and the Bible says in Acts 4 12 Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name Given unto men by which we must be saved and that name is Jesus Jesus Yeshua Hamashiach Yeshu Jesus Isa Amisa, whatever language you speak we're talking about Jesus Christ. The Lord is the only way to salvation Will you believe him and receive him? The Bible says everyone who calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved I'm gonna close by reading a letter that I recently received from a young man I'm gonna read the letter to you. It's not very long Hello pastor Gary, my name is Caleb Goff And I have acute myeloid leukemia. I Am 15 and I have been in this battle for over one and a half years on June 16th, my doctor said my body is so weak that there is a very small chance that this treatment will work With all of my money

$844 in his savings. I Don't want it to go to waste. I want to give it to someone that can make a difference. I Really wrote this letter to ask you to pray for me, please and all of the sick kids all over the world We have been watching you online since I was diagnosed Even though this horrible event Was for the greater good Because I found Jesus and I gave myself to him He has a plan And so if I need to go home to heaven earlier than I will But I would still like to be with family on this planet. I Am praying my family is praying But I want my pastor to pray as well signed Caleb Goff Sadly Caleb was taken home early He went to be with the Lord seven weeks ago on September the 7th His parents Don and Karen and Caleb's brother Noah met with me not too long ago and Gave me that check for eight hundred and forty four dollars made out to the church to be used for u.s. Outreach and I told them and I told pastor Mike Frick our Pastor of outreach that when our team goes to Florida to help with Samaritan's Purse next month with the rebuilding of homes and lives down there and West Florida, that we're taking Caleb's money and we're gonna multiply it several times over and we're gonna use it in his memory to help people who are in need down there just as he wished. Pray for Don and Karen and Noah. They're here today in the service somewhere and I don't necessarily wanna call them out but I wanna honor them and thank them for their son and to remind them, yeah.

And to remind them that they will see their son again and their brother again. Because see, Caleb had the assurance of knowing where he would go when he died. Be it 15 or 95, at some point, we have to know where we're going. Caleb had that assurance. The question is, do you? Caleb was walking streets of gold now, hearing the melody of angelic choirs. There's no more pain, there's no more suffering and his family and friends will see him again. I pray that you have that same assurance as a 15-year-old to know that when you die, you will go to the very place that Jesus said, I'm preparing for you. Bible says, all the days ordained for us were written in his book before one of them came to be. Our days literally are numbered and I pray that if you don't know for certain that you will go to heaven when you die, today, pray and receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Would you bow your heads with me? Lord, your word tells us that we are all sinners. There's none righteous, no, not one, but you, Lord, died for the unrighteous to bring us to God. You are the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to you any other way. You are the way, the truth, the life

and I pray, Lord, that anyone who doubts where they will go when they die today would not leave with that doubt still in place, but that they would turn to you right now and trust you as Lord and Savior. May the testimony of a 15-year-old challenge us. I'm gonna pause in my prayer and I'm just gonna invite you, with your heads bowed, eyes closed, if you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I invite you to trust him today. I invite you to turn to him, to acknowledge that you're a sinner like everyone else, to put your faith and trust in him. He's the only way to be saved. Don't believe the lie of the world that many paths lead to God. There's only one path and his name is Jesus. And he died on a cross to open heaven wide for you because he wants none to perish, but all to come to repentance. Will you repent today? Will you turn from your sins and turn to the Lord? It begins with a decision. I invite you to pray a prayer right now and make this decision. And you can pray this prayer right where you're seated. With your heads bowed, eyes closed, if you would say, that's me, Pastor Gary, I wanna pray that prayer with you.

Just raise your hand right now so I can see. I'm not gonna call you out, I just wanna know who I'm talking to. Amen, amen, God bless you. Yes, God bless you. Just lift it up high. Just say, I wanna pray this prayer with you. So when you pray, pray this with me. Yes, God bless you. Yes, up in the rake, God bless you. Yes, yes, God bless you, sir. Many hands. So where you're seated, just pray this prayer with me right now. Just say, Lord Jesus, I thank you that you love me so much that you died on a cross for my sins. I surrender my life to you. I ask you to forgive me of my sins, to come into my life, to be my Lord and Savior. I turn from the way I've been living, and I turn to you, and I thank you that you love me so much. I surrender to you my life. I trust you as my Lord and Savior. From this day forward, I make a decision to follow you. Thank you for saving me today. I pray this by faith in Jesus' name. And everybody said, amen.

Listen, before you're dismissed, if you prayed that prayer with me today, we'd love to give you a Bible. No strings attached, just a free Bible to remember today's decision. So there'll be a pastor or two down front here with Bibles. Same thing goes for online. If you prayed that prayer, the number should be on your screen. But if you text the church at 703-844-9969, we'll mail you a Bible wherever you are around the world. God bless you all. Have a great day. Heaven is gonna be a wonderful place. Amen.