Lesson 41 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"I am the way, the truth, and the life"  (John 14:6).

Notes

Away from Home

Jesus had left His beautiful home in Heaven where He had lived with His loving Father. He came down to this wicked earth and lived more than 33 years. He had no home here. He was hated by some of the wicked people because He told them that they were wicked and could not go to Heaven unless they stopped doing what was bad. They did not like to hear that, so they planned to kill Him.

But Jesus knew how wicked the people were and how much they needed Him to help them to be better. He came to be crucified so that all people could have their sins forgiven and go to be in Heaven with the Father and with Him. It made Him sad to see the wickedness of the world. We read that He wept, but we do not read that He laughed. He knew that He had a hard trial before Him -– the Cross.

Going Home

When Jesus talked to His disciples about leaving them, it made them sad because they did not quite know that He meant that He was going back to be with God in Heaven. So He tried to tell them about that place He was going to prepare for them, too, if they believed what He told them and obeyed what He said.

He said, too, that He would come back for them and take them with Him to that wonderful place, to be with Him always.

The Heavenly City

If Jesus prepares the place, we know it will be a beautiful one. He knows how to do all things. He has the power to do everything. He owns everything. He can create anything. We know He loves beautiful things, because He has given us so many lovely things -– the blue sky, the white clouds, the sun, the bright moon and stars, the lakes, the green trees, the birds, and the many kinds of flowers. If the flowers and trees are beautiful here, how much more beautiful will the flowers of Heaven be! We read in the Word of God about the trees with twelve kinds of fruit. It also tells us about the river with the green trees on its banks. The Bible tells us about a lovely rainbow round about the throne of god.

Sometimes before God calls people to come to be with Him He lets them see a little of Heaven. Some people have seen the streets of gold; some have seen flowers; some have seen the angels; some have seen happy people. Some have seen the bright light -– Jesus is the light there. Some have heard the sweet music.

Heavenly Music

We have heard sweet music here on earth, but it is not so sweet as the music will be in Heaven when the angels sing, and the people whom God has saved sing around the throne of God, thanking Him for His love and for their happiness in being up there with Him.

We read in the Bible about those who play golden harps. And we believe there will be many kinds of musical instruments played in Heaven by those who will play them beautifully. God has told us in His Word that ears have not heard such sweet sounds as there will be in Heaven. We cannot even imagine how beautiful it will be.

But if we are going to sing God's praises in Heaven we must begin here on earth. We must be made ready here to sing the heavenly songs up there.

No Sorrow There

We read in God's Word that no one is sad in Heaven; no one cries; no one is ever sick; no one dies. It must be a very happy life there -– not for a few years, but forever.

The Way to that City

There is something we must do, too, to be made ready to live in such a place. Heaven is a clean place, and those who will live there must also be clean in every way. They must have their sins washed away, and be made holy. Jesus gave His life that all who wants to be made good enough to be in Heaven with Him can be.

We should be very thankful to Jesus for what He has done for us; and for the beautiful Home we shall have if we obey Jesus, trust Him, and love Him. Someone has said that those who want to walk on the golden streets of Heaven must be as pure as the gold of those streets. The Word of God tells men how to be made pure. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.” We thank Him for showing us the way.

Bringing Others with Us

A person would be very selfish if he did not want to bring others with him to such a wonderful place as Heaven. We need to have Jesus teach us how to get ready, and how to help others to be ready, to go to be with Jesus when He comes for those who love Him. We should be glad that someone told us about Jesus and we should always be faithful in telling others about His love.

A little girl in India learned in the mission school about Jesus and Heaven and God. She learned that it was a wonderful place to which good people went when they died. Her parents lived in a village where they worshipped idols, and did not know about a loving Father in Heaven. When the little girl went to her home in the village, she told her parents about this beautiful place. Her mother said, ”Yes, when you die you can go to that lovely place, but when I die I cannot go there. You must stay with me and be where I am.” Then the little girl went back to the mission school and asked if some missionary would go to her home and tell her mother about Jesus so she, too, could go to Heaven.

Questions

1. What is another name for Heaven? [JHN:14:2].

2. Who may enter Heaven [PS:15:2].

3. Why did Jesus come to earth? [JHN:3:17].

4. Do we know when the Lord is coming to take us to Heaven? [MAT:24:36].

5. The wicked people cannot go to Heaven. To what place will they be sent? [PS:9:17].