Free iPhone Like Heaven

I got an iPhone 5 for free!

I was perfectly happy with my iPhone 4 until I saw the 5. I wanted it bad, but my rational side said “Your phone works fine. Save your money.” Sadly, I had to agree. Stupid rational side!

However, by divine providence, the church I work at, Sagebrush, decided to cross over from the dark side! We had seen the light and were switching our work phones from AT&T to Verizon! As part of the deal, we were all promised a new iPhone 5 to be held on the day it released!

On the morning of the iPhone 5 release, people camped out at stores nationwide hoping to be the first to get it. They waited in lines for hours. Some got it. Others didn’t.

But I slept in, had a big breakfast, and the slowly drove to the store. When I pulled up hours after opening, there was still a line around the building! I thought, “Dang! This is what I wanted to avoid! Now I would have to wait in line for hours!”

Then doubt crept into my head as I saw more and more people getting into line. “What if they didn’t have one on hold for me? What if they just meant that I could get one when it was available? Uh oh. Am I not getting it today?”

I walk to the entrance. Verizon employees stand like bouncers, only letting in a handful of people at a time.

The guy at the door says, “Can I help you?”

Nervous I reply, “Um, yeah… I work at Sagebrush. I was told that we had this deal to get the new iPhone today…”

He looks at me and says, “You’re with Sagebrush?”

“Yes sir.”

“Come on in!”

He opens the door!

I’m sure everyone in line is thinking, “What! Why does this guy get to go in? I’ve been waiting here for hours.”

I go in. They ask my name. It’s on the list. I get an iPhone 5!

That is when I realized that this is a lot like how Heaven works. No, not that we all will get an iPhone 5. (It will probably be more like the iPhone 777.) What I mean is that you don’t get into Heaven because of anything you have done. Getting into Heaven is about who you know.

Jesus is the only way to Heaven. (John 14:6) You cannot get in with good deeds. You cannot get in just by trying to be a good person. It’s not about what you do. It’s about what was done for you.

God’s standard to enter Heaven is perfection. All of us fall far short of that standard. (Romans 3:23)

Everyone who puts their faith in Christ gets their name written in a big book (Revelation 21:27). Like a VIP list, everyone who’s name is on the list is covered by Jesus. They don’t fit the standard of perfection, but they know someone who does.

Just like the price for my iPhone was paid for me. Jesus already paid the price for us to enter Heaven. He lived the perfect life and died in our place. All we have to do is accept his free gift.

One day all of us will pass away. The only thing that will matter at that point is are you on the list t?

Too many people live their whole lives spinning their wheels trying to be a good person, but they never know Jesus. And, tragically, in the end they are left on the outside looking in.

It’s not about what you do. It’s about who you know.

Do you know Jesus? Have you put your faith in Him? Is your name on the list?