The Greatest Gift You Can Give Your Children
This summary and strategic rewrite draws upon a sermon by Jentezen Franklin, emphasizing the ultimate importance of securing one’s destiny in heaven, thereby escaping the Great White Throne Judgment and the eternal separation of hell. The message powerfully contrasts the pain and limitations of earthly life with the perfection and glory of heaven, highlighting the supreme importance of leading one’s family toward salvation.
The Urgency of Settling Your Eternal Destiny
The sources describe a future setting where the Great White Throne Judgment is delivered, and the “whole population of mankind” stands before it. The definitive criteria for eternal life is whether one’s name is written in the Book of Life; anyone not found written there “was cast into the lake of fire”.
The speaker confidently asserts that he will not be present at that judgment, and through God’s grace, his family will also not stand before the Great White Throne. This is because a decision has been made to “settle out of court,” declaring that “Jesus is my savior”. Every person will ultimately bow their knee and confess Jesus’s authority.
The Only Thing Worse Than Hell
The necessity of choosing heaven is paramount, as “whatever you do, you don’t want to go to hell”. However, the sources identify an even greater tragedy: the only thing worse than going to hell is if you take your family with you because of your hard heart. The commitment is made clear: “I’m not going to lead my family to hell, I’m going to lead them to heaven”. This decision is rooted in the declaration: “as for me and my house… we will serve the Lord”.
The Unimaginable Glory of Heaven
The urgency to escape hell is matched by the anticipation of entering heaven, which is a place of ultimate renewal and perfection. Revelation 21:4-5 promises a place where “God shall wipe all tears from their eyes”.
Heaven is characterized by the absence of all earthly suffering and limitations, demonstrating that “the former things are passed away”:
| Absence of Physical Pain and Distress | Absence of Social and Moral Corruption | Absence of Limitations and Failure |
|---|---|---|
| No more death, crying, or pain | No more politics, because the King of Kings will rule | No more failure or sin |
| No more funeral homes or graveyards | No more lying, deception, emptiness, or loneliness | No more disappointments, anxiety, or fear |
| No more disease, sickness, headaches, or toothaches | No more thievery, fraud, abductions, kidnappings, or murder | No more orphans or abandonment |
| No more cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or tumors | No more divorce or broken homes | No more poverty, hunger, or needs |
| No more cripples, blindness, or deafness | No more prostitution or sex trafficking | No more addiction, stress, alcoholics, or drug addicts |
| No more sorrow, anguish, or grief | No more jail houses or prisoners | No more floods, fires, earthquakes, or tsunamis |
| No more depression or suicide | No more mental health centers | No more heartbreak or tears |
The one sitting upon the throne declares, “Behold I make all things new”. This promise is affirmed as true and faithful, reminding people that this life is not just about the “here and now” but about heading into eternity.