Whenever I watch Jeopardy, I’m always amazed at how much some people know. Not only that they know so much, but that they have such quick recall. Even when I know the answer once or twice, I’m usually still reading the clue when one of the contestants is giving the proper response. I wonder if they have photographic memories. I also wonder what kind of reading lists they have. Maybe I’m just a sore loser, but most of the information seems pretty trivial.
I remember a fella who read books from the church library, but he owned very few books himself. When I asked him about it, he said that he borrowed books from the library. Since he remembered what he reads, he saw no reason to buy books. Me, even with underlining and highlighting in my books, I remember a very small percentage of the content.
I’m so glad we don’t have to know a bunch of facts in order to get into Heaven. There is an entrance test to be admitted to Heaven, though. It consists of one question. Jesus asked the question of His disciples. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15). How do you answer? Charlatan? Deluded? Savior? As one man suggests, Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.
Jesus didn’t show any signs of lying or deceiving anyone. Neither did He ever demonstrate that He was out of touch with reality. When you investigate His life, the only conclusion that you can come to is that He is exactly who He claimed to be, Lord of all.
When I was younger, I was taken to church. It never made sense to me why Jesus was crucified. After all, He did good for so many. When I was nineteen, I learned that the Bible teaches that Jesus voluntarily died for my sin. The light bulb went on. I finally understood why He was crucified. It was for me, to pay for my sin. The result of that enlightenment? That very night, I confessed my sin and asked Jesus to be my personal Savior and the Leader of the rest of my life.
Until you do that, all the trophies and diplomas you achieve won’t amount to anything when death visits you. God is not impressed by your brains (even if you win Jeopardy) nor by your brawn. The only thing that impresses Him is your answering the question about Jesus correctly and inviting Jesus into your life as your Savior.
It’s not just head knowledge, but honoring Jesus with your heart. “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” (Romans 10:9). “For God so loved the world (you) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes [trusts, receives] in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
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