August 22, 2022
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You get pretty immune to the scenery on the roads that you travel all the time. Right? There's an entrance to an Interstate where I used to live in New Jersey that was like that for me. I used that ramp all the time, and there's a sharp bend in it and there are these big SLOW signs, and I was used to those.
One night I was driving that stretch, basically paying no attention to those familiar markers, and then I noticed something that wasn't usually there, and it stood out! It was a hand painted sign sticking up from the railing and it had a simple inscription that haunted me for a long time. It just said, "10-28-88 Together Forever." Now, I don't know why it was there. Maybe it could have been some kind of a romantic remembrance, but my hunch was that there was probably an accident on that treacherous curve and maybe even a couple died together there, and someone assumed that they would then be together forever. Not necessarily.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Together on the Other Side."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Thessalonians, and I'm going to begin reading in chapter 4, verse 14. "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him." Verse 16: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, 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 forever."
Oh, that's a great passage. Now, did you notice here how it uses that word "together" people who will in fact be together forever? And the people it's talking about are those it says who believe that Jesus died and rose again. We're talking about people who have committed themselves to the man who died for them, to the man who walked out of His grave under His own power so He could walk into our lives. They're committed to Jesus Christ.
Now, I feel like my Dad; he just died too young. He was just in his 50s when he died. But my Father and I will be together forever because we both have been to the same cross to have our sins forgiven. I could say even at my wife's funeral, "See you again soon, Baby. See you soon, together forever." But there's one thing that will keep you or someone you love out of heaven. God wants you there, but He can't let sin in, and you and I've got it. You've got it until you come to the cross where Jesus died to erase your sin. And then when you die, instantaneously you are with Christ and heaven. You are with Christ and heaven begins. It's a place where there are no goodbyes.
People look at the other destination and try to laugh it off. They think about hell and they say, "Hey, listen! We'll be together forever there. You know, I'll have my friends there." Well, if they're there you won't know it. The only eye witness account we have from hell is in Luke 16, and it points out that the man who is there has no company. He is totally alone forever, not hanging out with his friends.
But no one has to spend eternity there. Jesus took my hell so I don't have to. He did it for you. Is there someone you want to be sure is going to heaven with you? Well, then, don't wait until it's too late to lovingly tell them about Christ, who's the only way to get there, because He's the only one who paid for our sin. Maybe there's someone that you really want to have there: your Mom, your Dad, a child, a friend. Or maybe it's someone you sent on ahead. You know, maybe there's someone who did know Christ for sure and they're in heaven now. But, you know, their faith will not get you in, only yours will.
And so this could be that day. To not just know about Christ, but get to know Him personally. To actually personally take for yourself the life Jesus died to give you. It's eternal life in heaven. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ" the Bible says. Tell Him today, "Jesus, I am Yours."
We'd love to help you get that settled. Go to our website. It's ANewStory.com. Because the day you tell Jesus you're trusting Him as your Savior, you can write that date down and know then that you'll be together forever.