Day 25. The Way to Heaven
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ
"I am the way — no man comes unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
A way always leads somewhere. Jesus is the way from earth to Heaven, and also from Heaven to earth. Through Him we get to God, and through Him — God comes to us. He is the true and only ladder whose foot rests on the earth, and whose top reaches up to the very glory of God. In His humanity, Jesus comes down to the lowest depths of human need and sorrow. Had He been God only, and not man, He could not have done this. The incarnation was the letting of the ladder down until it rested in the deepest valleys. There is now no spot of shame or guilt in this world from which there is not a ladder of light, with its celestial steps leading upward to God and Heaven.
For, while Christ's humanity brings the ladder down to earth's places of sorest need — His divinity carries the ladder up past the shining stars into the very midst of the glory of God. On one page of the New Testament we find Jesus on a cross, dying in darkness and shame, between criminals. We open another page, and we see that same Jesus in the midst of the heavenly brightness, wearing still the wound-marks — but crowned in glory. Behold the ladder from earth to Heaven!
A ladder is a way for feet to climb: Christ is the way, therefore, by which sinners can go up out of their sins — to the purity and blessedness of Heaven. One thing to especially mark — is that there is but one way. Christ is the only Mediator. We can enter the Father's family only through Him. Grace can come to us only through Him. There is, then, no choice of ways: if we do not go by this one way — we can never reach the Heavenly home.
Nor must we forget that a way is meant to be walked in. We must put our feet on this ladder and go up rung by rung — until we reach the topmost step, which will be Heaven!
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ