Life is short and then what? What will happen to me after I die?

This is an
uncomfortable question which creeps into our minds from time to time and were
not always willing to acknowledge or discuss this unknown. Or is it unknown?
Some people seem to know exactly what will happen to them when they die. How
can they be so sure? Which of the following scenarios fits what you believe about
the after-life?
1. I am a good person so Im going to Heaven.
2. I could never be good enough for Heaven so I must be going to hell.
3. Everyone is going to Heaven. God is a God of love. Why would He send
anyone to hell?
4. All religions lead to Heaven so everyone will be just fine.
5. Ive got to go to Heaven because the thought of hell is pretty nasty!
6. Hell is reserved for terrible people like Hitler and mass murderers. It could
never be for me.
7. Im not worried about Heaven or hell; I just want to live life to the fullest!
8. I will be reincarnated as a dog, cat or butterfly, etc.
9. There is nothing after this life. We are evolved beings who just live and die.
Even though there are many beliefs about Heaven and hell, God is very clear
about who is going where. In this lesson, we will find out how we can know that
we are going to Heaven. Or if you already know Jesus personally, we will discuss
how to share the message of salvation so others will know that they are going to
Heaven.
Truths that Transform:
1. We have a sin problem.
We are too dirty to get into a perfect place like Heaven or to have a relationship
with a holy, pure God. Sin can be described as any part of our lives that misses the
mark of Gods ideal. When described like that, we should all agree that we have a
major sin problem. We live in a world that is broken because of the sin we choose
in our lives. Heaven is a perfect place. Only perfect people can go there. I have
never met a perfect person other than Jesus. I sure want to go to Heaven, so what
can we do about our sin problem?
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

2. Sin requires justice and punishment.

As much as we hate to admit it, every one of us realizes deep down that we
dont deserve the perfect fellowship with God that we desire. We dont deserve
Gods presence. In fact, we deserve hell. There I said itI deserve hell. That is
terrible news. Romans 6:23 tells us: For the wages of sin is death . . . and the
last part of the verse is the Greatest news . . . but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. God has made a way for us.
He came in human flesh through His son Jesus to live a perfect life and to take
our punishment and die in our place so that we can have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John
3:16).
4. What do we do to receive the gift?
This is amazing: we just have to realize that we are sinners, we need to accept
Jesus punishment on the cross as a gift for us and we can decide to follow HIM! It
is a FREE gift! Jesus died and suffered the pains of hell for us! Wow!
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that
times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19).
Repentance means to make a 180-degree turn in your life from your ways to
Gods ways and ask His forgiveness and follow Him with all your heart. We cannot
do this on our own strength. We rely on Gods Spirit to help us.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For
it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can
boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We cant get to Heaven by being good because none of us are good enough. We
need Gods free gift of love.
5. Why did Jesus have to die for us?
Couldnt God just say everything was okay and we could just all go to Heaven
the way we are? God is Holy, completely perfect. If we would go to Heaven the
way we are, it wouldnt be perfect anymore. Gods holiness and justice requires
that sin be paid for. And yet God took the punishment for us. I want to follow a
God like that.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death
through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all
sinned But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by
the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the
gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to
the many! (Romans 5:12-15).
6. What if I am too bad to be savedmy sins are too great?
Jesus came to die for sinners. That was His purpose. Paul, the writer of
Timothy, thought he was the worst of sinners, but thats who Christ came for.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinnersof whom I am the worst (1
Timothy 1:15).
7. Why is it important that Jesus rose again?
He conquered death once and for all! When we rise again in Heaven, we will
live forever with HIM!
Jesus said to her [Martha], I am the resurrection and the life. He
who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives
and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:2526).
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the
fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead
(Philippians 3:10-11).

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great
mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
8. How is being a follower of Jesus different from other religions?
Jesus wants to have a relationship with His people. Most other religions are
works-oriented. You have to be and do this and that before you can be in good
graces with the god(s). Christianity is different. The King of this universe invites
us into fellowship with Him, and our good deeds flow from our relationship with
Him.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a
loud voice, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living
water will flow from within him (John 7:37-38).
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest (Matthew 11:28).
If you have not decided to follow Christ, choose to serve Him today. Ask Jesus for
forgiveness, ask Him to be your Lord, Master and Savior. Then ask someone who
serves Jesus how to best grow in your new journey!
then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serveBut as
for me and my household, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15).