Is the Point a Place or a Person?

S - "No one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from there. And the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as the metal snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert. Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life. God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has confidence in him will have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!"  John 3 TS

O - Four ordinary words in these sentences with extraordinary importance.  Up, down, gave, sent.  All of them find their meaning and connection in the person of Jesus. Religion makes heaven or hell (up or down) the point of life after death.  Heaven makes the point of life before death and life after death a person (gave and sent).  The Jesus of religion is a necessary cog in a divine plan to keep people from hell.  The Jesus sent from heaven is the expression of God's love given to the entire world … 7.6 billion and counting. This love is not focused on place (heaven or hell) but on an ongoing forever relationship described in terms of sons, daughters, friends, brothers, sisters, mother and father.    

A - Jesus is heaven's message to all people.  It's a universal message.  He is not meant for a religious few or reserved for those who've garnered a "correct" perspective from historical, cultural, theological and linguistic information. Jesus is given to the world not as an offering of amnesty but as a living invitation to adoption. Jesus says "I won't leave you like orphans."  It's much less about where you are and much more about whose you are. If I'm just trying to get to heaven I could miss.  However, if I'm following, or with, Jesus I can't go to hell and I can't miss heaven. Confidence in him really is the way.  I accept heaven's invitation to adoption … I'll confidently follow Jesus day by day.   

P - God and Father who sent Jesus,

Thank you for loving the people of the world … all of them, including me.  Thank you for the person of Jesus who is the exact representation of your being.   In Jesus your point and love are crystal clear.  Thank you for loving us unconditionally. Thank you for making us/me confident in him.

Steve