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Lesson 24: Jesus Goes Home

One evening Jesus and His friends were talking together. Their faces were very sad. “I am going away soon,” Jesus had said. “I am going back to live with my Heavenly Father.”

“We will go, too,” one of the friends said. For they wanted to be near Jesus all the time.

“No, not now,” Jesus said tenderly. “I am going to prepare a home for you, and when it is ready you may come to live with Me.”

Day after day passed. One day Jesus and His friends went up on a mountain. They sat down. Everything was quiet. Jesus talked to them lovingly and His friends listened closely, for they felt that He would soon leave them.

Then something wonderful happened. Jesus began to rise slowly. Up, up, He went, higher and higher toward heaven. They watched Him until they could see Him no longer, for a cloud hid Him from sight.

They stood looking up into heaven. Their faces were sad. “How lonely we shall be without Him!” they thought.

Then two angels appeared. “Why are you standing here?” they asked. “Why are you so sad? Do you not remember the things Jesus told you?”

The friends remembered how Jesus had told them why He was going to leave them. He was going to prepare a home for each one. Then they were happy again, for they knew that when the home was ready they should go to live with Jesus and the kind Heavenly Father.

Some day all those who have trusted in Jesus as their Saviour, by asking Him to forgive them of their sins and to come into their heart, will go to that heavenly home. Jesus is preparing a happy home for each one that belongs to His family. When it is ready we will go into the other room, in the Heavenly Father’s house. Some people call it dying, but we know that it means they have gone to live with Jesus.

As you listened to the beautiful stories about Him, did you not wish that you could have seen Jesus and have put your arms around His neck, or given Him flowers? Did you not wish you could have heard His kind, loving voice? In the heavenly home we shall see Jesus and listen to His stories. We shall show our love to Him. Everyone will be happy there. Nobody will be sick, nobody will cry, nobody will be hungry. Everyone will love and help Jesus and be near Him.

If you have never received Jesus as your Saviour you can do so today by praying a prayer something like this: