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Jesus Is... Sermon Series - Part 7

The Ladder to Heaven

Sermon follow-up 6/9/25

Introduction
In our journey through the "Jesus Is" series, we discover a profound truth: Jesus is the ladder to heaven. Just as physical ladders help us reach places we couldn't otherwise access, Jesus is our only connection to God and eternal life.

What Does It Mean That Jesus Is the Ladder to Heaven?
 
In John 1:43-51, we find Jesus in the early days of His ministry, intentionally seeking people to follow Him. After finding Philip, who then finds Nathanael, Jesus makes a remarkable statement in verse 51:
 
"Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

This declaration is significant for two reasons:
  1. Jesus begins with "Very truly" (or "Amen, Amen" in Greek) - a phrase that appears 25 times in John's Gospel, signaling something of extraordinary importance.
  2. Jesus is referencing Jacob's dream from Genesis 28, where Jacob saw a stairway between heaven and earth with angels ascending and descending on it.
By applying this image to Himself, Jesus is declaring: "I am that connection point between heaven and earth. I am the way to God."

Why Do We Need a Ladder to Heaven?
 
Throughout Scripture, we see God's desire to dwell with His people:
  • In Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve
  • In the wilderness, God dwelt in the tabernacle
  • In Jerusalem, God's presence filled the temple
  • In Jesus, God put on human flesh and came to earth
Sin created a separation between humanity and God. Jesus came as the bridge, the ladder, the only way to restore that connection.

What Happens When We Trust in Jesus as Our Ladder?
 
The Gospel of John repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus brings eternal life:
  • "Everyone who believes may have eternal life in him" (John 3:15)
  • "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life" (John 5:24)
  • "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life" (John 6:40)
When we trust in Jesus, we receive the assurance that death is not the end. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

What Will Eternal Life Be Like?
 
Our eternal future has two phases:
  1. Immediate presence with Christ after death:  When believers die, they go immediately to be with Jesus - "to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far" (Philippians 1:23).
  2. Resurrection and new creation:  Eventually, we will receive resurrected bodies like Christ's glorified body (Philippians 3:20-21) and dwell in a new heaven and new earth (2 Peter 3:13).
Revelation 21 describes seven things that will no longer exist: no more sea (chaos), death, mourning, weeping, pain, curse, or night. Our eternal home will be far more glorious than anything we can imagine.

How Do We Access This Ladder to Heaven?
 
Unlike Nathanael, who initially approached Jesus with skepticism ("Can anything good come from Nazareth?"), we must come to Jesus with faith.
 
The invitation is simple: "Come and see." When Nathanael encountered Jesus personally, his skepticism vanished, and he declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the king of Israel."
 
Similarly, we must move beyond merely knowing about Jesus to actually trusting Him. Romans tells us, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Life Application
  • When life gets difficult, remember that Jesus is our permanent connection to God. Unlike collapsible ladders that might fail, Jesus will never let us down. Our hope isn't found in this world's comfort, health, finances, or success, but in Jesus Christ alone.
  • Ask yourself:
  1. Am I trying to build my own ladder to heaven through good works, success, or self-improvement?
  2. Have I truly trusted Jesus as my only way to God, or am I just familiar with information about Him?
  3. How would my daily perspective change if I lived with the constant awareness of eternal life?
  4. When life gets challenging, do I find hope in temporary solutions or in the promise of eternity with Christ?
Like Nathanael, we all face a choice: Will we follow Jesus, or will we continue in our pride, trying to make our own way? The ladder has come down. Jesus Christ is firmly established as our way to God. All we need to do is cling to Him, and He will never let us go.