When I was a youth Pastor I met a teenager who was not a church kid. He had just moved down to Florida from New York. He lived on the same street as the church and he would see all the teenagers running around on Wednesday nights. One night this 15 yr old boy comes in and wants to know what is this? I said it’s a youth group. He said what's a youth group? So I told him and I welcomed him to come back on Wednesday's to check it out. Anthony started coming to the youth group and he saw that I would have the teens memorize Bible verses. Some kids would raise their hands and volunteer and some I would call upon. When I got to Anthony he would say was I supposed to do that. The next week he said I forgot all about it are we still doing that my bad next week Pastor Neil you know I’m good for it. This went on for several weeks I never really expected him to memorize a verse. Then one week he came strutting in and said, we still doin the Bible verse thing right? I said yeah why? you got a verse ready? He said yeah I got one I told you I was good for it. So we got started and kids were raising their hands and I said I think Anthony has a Bible verse memorized, and everyone got quite. Go ahead, Anthony… Ok he said, “Jesus wept”. I said is there more to it than that? nope, John 11:35 “Jesus wept”. He said its the shortest verse in the Bible Pastor Neil. I said oh I see what you did there. He said yeah you see what I did there it still counts though. I said yep it counts. would you like to know why Jesus was wept that day?
I got a call at 6:30 am on October 24th, 2019
the voice on the other end was crying and couldn’t tell me what they were calling about. My brother got on the phone and informed me that my Mom had died. I believe my mom is in heaven right now. My mom was a good person but that's not why I think she’s in heaven. My mom is in heaven because of what Jesus did. When Lazarus died his sister Martha ran to Jesus and said Lord if you would have been here my brother would not have died. Jesus told her your brother will rise, and then he told her that He is the resurrection and the life and he who believes in me even though he is dead yet shall he live. Jesus asked Martha if she believes this and Martha said yes I believe.
Jesus is still proclaiming that he is the resurrection and the life. and it still holds true that “Everyone who believes in Him will never die—ever. Do you believe this? Several weeks before my Mom passed away I shared this same passage from John chapter 11. I told my Mom that Jesus says he is the resurrection and the life and everyone who believes in Him will never die ever. I asked Mom do you believe this? and she said yes! That's why she’s in heaven she said yes to Jesus. Have you said Yes to Jesus? do you believe in Him? To believe means to trust. Put your faith and trust in Jesus today you’ll be glad you did.