What's Next

Monday, June 25, 2018

John 1:47:51 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said of him, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there in no deceit." Nathanael said to Him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered Him "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

This is another Jesus miracle. Nathanael is not nearby. He is definitely out of the "normal" sight line of Jesus. At the same time, Jesus sees Nathanael. Nathanael realizes this and concludes, "Rabbi [Teacher], you are the Son of God!" Done. End of story, right?

Wrong. Jesus takes it one step further. "You think you've seen it all. I'm here to tell you, 'You ain't seen nothin' yet.'" Angels ascending and descending on Jesus. That is a picture connected to Jacob and the ladder.Yet what does Jesus mean by that?  

In order to answer that question, we need to ask another question. Through whom do all people, including angels, go through to get to heaven? Jesus. Jesus is the ONE through whom we go to get to heaven. Through Jesus, we have life and have it to the full. Through Jesus, His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, we have access to heaven. Through faith in Jesus and His promises, we live a new life now and we will live forever. We have been saved. The means is the cross, like the ladder is in Jacob's dream. The rock on which the ladder sets, is Jesus' cross.

So... what's next? "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." That's it. Now, we're done. Dear God, lead us to believe or lead us to believe more fully, Amen.