Last summer we had a bird get into our garage. WE don’t know how long it had been in there when we heard it flying around hitting the walls and ceiling. WE tried to help it find the way out the big opening but it wouldn’t go out. It would fly up to the ceiling toward the opening but always go above the garage door which was up on its track. Sometimes it would rest on the door itself. After a long time of chasing it, the bird finally flew towards the back wall into the corner behind a freezer and a refrigerator. WE could hear it flopping around back there. WE moved some junk and finally got the bird out with the broom. WE carefully scooted it outside and shut the garage door so it wouldn’t get back in. It was just lying there on the driveway. The next morning it was gone.

There are a lot of people like this bird. They are trapped but they don’t know it. They try to get to heaven by doing good works. Like the rich young ruler they ask, “What must I do to be saved?” They try to follow all of the commandments and do many other good works but they just work themselves to death without getting anywhere.

Jesus told us the following:

Matthew 5:19-20 (NRSV) 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Some try to keep all of the commandments. They, like the rich young ruler, think they have kept them all but have they? There is no one that ever lived except for Jesus Christ who did this. So how does one get to heaven? One must surrender his life to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can get to heaven except through him. When one accepts Jesus as his Savior then he has the righteousness of God which is far better than the righteousness of the Pharisees. One must put himself totally into the hands of Jesus Christ. When one does this, he will be free just like the bird that was helped out of the garage into the open where it was free. The Christian will be free in Jesus Christ to know god’s love fully and to freely give that love to others.

An odd thing is that some birds that have found their way outside of the garage or have been helped outside still want to come back inside for some reason. The same thing can happen to someone after he becomes a Christian. He wants to live his best but gets caught up in a lot of do’s and don’ts. There are some churches that have lists of things the people should and shouldn’t do out in the world. This is like flying back into the garage. He is not free but is trapped into trying to keep the commandments again.

Galatians 5:1 (NASB95)

1 1a It was for freedom that Christ set us free ; therefore b keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a c yoke of slavery .

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Give your life to Jesus Christ and be led by his Holy Spirit. Don’t fall into legalism with all of its do’s and don’ts. When you belong to Jesus Christ you are free to love. You will do what he wants because you want to and not because you feel like you have to.

Now if you are flying around in your own garage, get out of there and really soar!

By Dean Masters homefurn@preferred.com