Imagine : There is No Heaven
Born 9 October 1940 In Liverpool, he grew up with his mum and step father. At the tender age of 15 he was given an acoustic guitar. In 1956 at the age of 16, he formed the Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. In 1971 the song, Imagine, would become his most famous post Beatle song…
The opening stanza goes like this:
Imagine there’s no heaven; It’s easy if you try; No hell below us; Above us, only sky
9 years later on a cold December night in 1980 , John Lennon exited his limousine enroute to his Manhattan apartment. Moments later 4 shots of an assassin’s gun would ring out and would end his life. As ironic as it is, John Lennon “Imagines” no longer the reality of a heaven and a hell…Even though Lennon was raised an Anglican, he didn’t live a life imagining the words of Jesus.
After His return from 40 days and nights in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4). I checked out the Wikipedia article of John Lennon & his personal website John Lennon to see if it is mentioned anywhere that he repented and returned to a life of faith in Jesus Christ…they do not.
I am not in a position to determine what side of the great gulf John Lennon currently resides in…but he is in one of two places….either Abahams bosom or Hades ( Luke 16) awaiting the judgment day resurrection. Even though it is too late for him, it isn’t too late for you…
Yes dear listener it isn’t too late for you…because you are still on this side of the grave. Believe me when I say, we will all walk through death’s door one day. Once on the other side we will await the judgment day resurrection…non-believers to the Great White Throne Judgment & believers to the Beam Seat. (Rev 7; Rev 20)
The Bible reads in Acts 17:
So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent…[repent? Why should I repent?] because He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.”
Repentance is a heartfelt realization that you have sinned against a holy God…
Have you ever been speeding in your vehicle only to see a set of flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror as the headlights signal for you to pull over…as you come to a stop you have a sinking feeling…this is a heartfelt realization that you have broken the law and now you await the consequence
Dear reader, you personally have broken the Laws of God and one day you will kneel before Him and give an account for the sinful deeds done in the flesh….unless you repent.
So the officer approaches your vehicle and asks for your drivers license, registration and insurance…as you hand them to him, you acknowledge as he explains you have been speeding. Immediately you apologize for and declare you will never do it again… while he returns he sympathizes with your words as he hands you your citation.
Your apology is not repentance. No it is simply remorse for getting caught. As you roll up your window you are going through a series of emotions; anger, frustration, regret…the list is exhaustive. You now gaze at the citation and see that the officer has assigned you a court date set.
Dear reader:
- Have you ever told a lie? If so then you are a liar who has broken the Ninth Commandment.
- Have you ever stolen anything? If so then you are a thief and have broken the Eighth Commandment. The value of the item is of no matter…If I opened your wallet it doesn’t matter if I took out a $1 bill or $100 bill, I am still a thief.
- Have you ever looked upon another member of the human race with lustful thoughts? If so you have broken the Seventh Commandment. Jesus said, “whoever has looked upon another with lust for them has already committed adultery in your heart.”
So how are you doing….we have only looked at 3 of the Commandments and there are 7 left?
You might say yes Rodney I have sinned but everybody does…Gods understand…Doesn’t He?
So today is your court date for your speeding citation. As you are sitting in the gallery amongst a group of others. As you gaze around you see the officer who gave you the ticket. The Judge enters the chambers and after you rise and then sit again the proceedings begin. After a few cases come and go before the Judge it is now your turn.
As you approach the docket the Officer also rises to approach. The judge looks at you and reads the infraction…”You were clocked going 44 mph through a 25 mph school zone. How do you plead?”
You reply, “ I am guilty your honor but I will never do it again, I promise.”
The Judge retorts that “your reckless behavior not only endangered a community but you could have injured or even killed a child.”
You acknowledge, “ Yes I understand but I go through there everyday at the same time and the sidewalks are empty.”
Dear reader, do you think the Judge will understand your reasoning or rationalization?
Do you think any reasonable Judge should excuse your behavior? Is your promise NOT to lie, steal or commit sexual sins again satisfactory to the Judge regarding your guilt?
When you stand before Him should He excuse your behavior? If you die in your sins you will have to pay the penalty for your sins. The Bible reads, “ the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6)
You know what wages are correct? Economically, they are an exchange of money for your time…But in the spiritual sense they are payment for your performance.
That performance is the result of choices you have made…choices to do what you know you should not be doing…this is called violating your conscience. You see your conscience is God’s intrinsic way of prodding you to do good and shun evil.
Unfortunately for many of my listeners you have been violating your conscience for years; suppressing truth with your unrighteousness.
Back to the courtroom:
The Judge looks directly at you and announces you have broken the county ordinance. “I am instituting the minimum sentence of a $500 fine and 30 days in the county jail.”
The bailiff approaches you as he reaches for his handcuffs. You are startled as you turn to the Judge and begin to plead for mercy. The tears welling up in your eyes are falling on deaf ears. “If you would have injured a child your life would be 1000 times worse right now” the Judge states.
Dear reader, what will your personal judgment day look like? Will you be receiving rewards for your good deeds done after repentance? Or will yours be one characterized by screams, toments as you are thrust into the lake of fire with the devil and his angels?
Do you know what God did for humanity so they can escape the fires of hell?
As the bailiff begins to walk you out the courtroom side door a voice is heard from the gallery. “Judge, I will be happy to serve this offender’s sentence.” You turn to see the unrecognized voice of an unknown man. The Judge begins to question the man’s motives and intent. Having been satisfied that the man is mentally competent and cognizant of his freewill offering, the Judge grants his request.
The cold handcuffs that once encircled your warm wrists are now around his. As he is led away you sit in your seat weeping uncontrollably. You glimpse towards the man one last time as he slips through the doorway…you never see him again.
The Judge states you are free to go. As you leave the courtroom you vow to yourself never to speed again through that school zone…THAT IS REPENTANCE!
Dear reader God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind. In doing so humanity is set free from the penalty of sin. That ransom is not accredited to you personally unless you repent of your lawless & rebellion against a holy God.
Only by repenting of your sinful lifestyle and exchanging it for a righteous lifestyle, will you be forgiven. If you reject God’s offer of forgiveness then you will be sent into the lake of fire to spend an eternity of torment.
Jesus said: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life…(John 3)
The apostle John wrote, ‘he who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3)
Imagine now what John Lennon knows!
