America’s biggest mall is located in King of Prussia, PA, boasting nearly 2.9 million square feet of selling space. Nine anchor stores combine with four hundred specialty stores. Five of Egypt’s great pyramids could fit in the Plaza and the Court of the King of Prussia. The ’95 expansion added enough new concrete to fill the Capitol building from floor to dome – twice – and enough marble to Pave an aircraft carrier. It is BIG!
Unless you know exactly where you are going, you need to locate an information directory. These information centers list each store. Now that you know the store’s location, one more piece of information is essential. Because of the many entrances and the numerous information directories, it is necessary to look for the words “You are here.” With this bit of information you can begin to move toward your destination. If the directory did not include, “You are here,” you might wander aimlessly and never find the desired location.
Amid the confusion and complexity around us, we would all like to reach Heaven when we leave this earth. We must find the information directory or we will wander aimlessly and be lost. The Bible, the Word of God, is our only accurate directory. The Bible tells us simply that there are only two destinies for man following life. The one is Heaven, a place of fellowship and everlasting enjoyment with God. The other is Hell, a place of separation from God and everlasting punishment due to our sin.
Just as the directory guides you, so the Bible clearly outlines the way to Heaven. The Son of God stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). God’s Word tells us that each of us has sinned and faces the consequence of sin. It also makes it plain that man can do nothing in himself to remove the guilt and punishment for sin. Our good living, our good works, our church attendance do not change our guilty position as seen by a Holy God. These are assets in our relations with our fellowman, but not with God.
As a result, a great “distance” separates man and God. How can that distance be bridged? The Bible states, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:5-6). Peter wrote, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2;24).
Does the Bible have a “You are here” marker? The Lord Jesus said, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Who finds it easy to acknowledge that he is lost, that he is a sinner who needs forgiveness, that he deserves to be in Hell? Naturally, we prefer to think that something in us merits God’s favor. Actually, if we could gain God’s favor by our actions, why then did God send His Son to bear the shame and suffering of Calvary?
Here are three people who came to God’s “Information Directory” with many “Assets”, and this is what they discovered. A religious leader came to the Lord Jesus and was told that he needed a complete change, a new life through personal faith in Him. He said to him, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Saul of Tarsus eventually had to acknowledge that God was right and he was wrong, despite his sincere religion. He later wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15). A Roman centurion, although religious and good living, heard the Apostle Peter preach “peace by Jesus Christ”. Peter told him, “whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). Each of these that came into the blessing of sins forgiven and the assurance of eternal life first found out where they were located.
Now, let me be personal. Where are you? Have you ever faced the fact that “You are here” as outlined in the Bible? Are you ready today to begin on the way to Heaven? All that’s required is to accept the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. The result is the assurance that you will be in Heaven with Christ for all eternity. He has declared, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” John 3:36). If you never discover from the Bible, “You are here,” you will never arrive in Heaven for eternity.
