At Calvary
By Barbara Henderson
There is always something in your path that must be crossed to get to the other side. It could be a small creek. You could hop across that. It could be a big creek. That would require a bridge of some sort, or getting your feet wet. It could be a mighty river. You have to have a bridge or a boat to cross that. It could be an ocean. That requires a boat or an airplane. Now you can cross the English Channel by driving through a tunnel. There is a tunnel down around Mobile, Alabama too. You can either take a bridge over the water or take a tunnel under the water. I personally don't care for either one. The bridge is too high and the tunnel is well - a tunnel. Actually worse than a tunnel - it's a tunnel under water. It is really sort of creepy when you think about it.
There are some really fancy bridges across great gulfs of treacherous water. Examples are the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. These bridges are certainly modern marvels and make life easier for many people. But it is true that you still have other options to cross the water if you just don't want to get on the bridge. It is nice to have options. In Washington there are roads all around Puget Sound. But there is also an extensive ferry system. You can take a ferry ride nearly anywhere. It doesn't cost that much, it is very scenic, and just basically a lot of fun. When we go to Seattle we will often drive out of the way to Bremerton just so we can ride the ferry across the sound. But if we are in a hurry, we take the freeway straight into Seattle. So there really are a lot of ways to get from one place to another place. It is nice to have choices. However, keep in mind that building the roads and bridges is expensive. Building and maintaining the ferry system is expensive. Air transport is expensive. The different ways to get to the same place make less traffic and provide variety. It is really nice.
So, here on planet earth, there are usually several ways to get from one place to another place. This is done because of need, variety, and speed. However, there is usually one best way to get from one place to another, and that is probably the way most people will take most of time. The expense of building the best way is usually pretty high. By any standards, building a bridge like the Golden Gate would be very expensive. Building an airplane or ship is expensive.
All these things are on earth. It is within the capabilities of mankind to make more than one way to reach the same destination. But the way into heaven is different. Man cannot reach heaven on his own. God has made one way to get there. To go to heaven, you must go through Jesus Christ.
The way into heaven is like a great bridge. It spans a mighty gulf that no human can span on his or her own. There is no way the gulf between perfection and imperfection can be spanned by any human being. It took more than a man to build this bridge. It took God. It took a cross at Calvary.
The cost of the bridge from earth to heaven was very great. The builder of the bridge gave His life.
The capacity of the bridge is large enough that it will never be over crowded or require maintenance. It will not need to be inspected for cracks in the foundation. One bridge to span the gulf between God and man is sufficient.
There are those who suggest it is mean spirited of God to have made only one bridge across the great gulf.
Perhaps these people have not considered the initial cost of the bridge between God and man. It was a very expensive bridge. It cost God His son. Have they considered the capacity of the bridge? It provides plenty of space for everyone who wants to cross it. There is no over crowding.
Have they considered the safety of the bridge? The foundation of the bridge is God Himself. It promises safe passage to every one who sets out to cross the bridge.
So on what grounds could anyone demand an additional way into heaven? God already paid a terrible price for one bridge. Why should He be asked to pay the price for another bridge when the first is sufficient? Calvary was, is, and ever will be enough.
At Calvary we see the mercy of God extravagantly displayed. He spared no expense - what could have been more costly than the life of His son? We see a way into heaven that has room for everyone.
One way into heaven fills the needs of all who want to enter heaven. If mankind has trouble grasping one way into heaven, it would have been cruel to confuse them further with more than one way into heaven. The confusion about how many ways there are into heaven comes from God's adversary the devil. Don't be fooled.
Have you settled your eternal destiny? Do you know for sure that on the day of your death you will be with Jesus in paradise? Have you accepted the one way into heaven made at Calvary? If not, NOW is the time to:
Acknowledge you are less than perfect. That means you are a sinner. That is all a sinner is - someone who is not perfect.
Recognize that your imperfection has separated you from God. That separation has left an empty place in your heart that can only be filled by God.
Accept the offer of Jesus Christ to enter heaven through Him.
As a believer it is your duty to study the Bible. 2 Timothy 2:15 says
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Then open your mouth and tell the lost world about Jesus and what He did for all of us at Calvary.
Mathew 24:14 "Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Of course the song for this article is "AT CALVARY"
My favorite line is in the last verse "Oh the mighty gulf that God did span - At Calvary"
God Bless You.
Barbara Henderson
AT CALVARY
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/mid/a/t/c/at_calvary.mid
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Refrain
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.
By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.
Refrain
Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!
Refrain
Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!
Refrain
