How Do I Get to Heaven? A Simple Answer From an Unlikely Teacher

The Heart of the Message: While walking through an old cemetery in Culver, Indiana, Pastor Dan Edmondson came across a 100-year-old gravestone with a simple, faded carving of a hand pointing to heaven. That image became the starting point for a message on how a dying criminal next to Jesus answered one of life’s biggest questions in his very last moments. Pastor Dan walks through Luke 23:39-43 to show that getting to heaven was never about having it all figured out, it was, and still is, about a humble, honest heart.

Looking for the full service stream? Watch Here

What does the story of the thief on the cross teach us about salvation?

The thief crucified next to Jesus had no time left to fix his life, prove himself, or get his theology in order. Pastor Dan points out that all he did was turn to Jesus and say, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus responded immediately with the promise that the man would be with Him that very day in paradise, showing that receiving what Jesus offers has never depended on having everything worked out first.

Why does humility matter so much in the Christian life?

Pastor Dan explains that humility isn’t about thinking poorly of yourself, it’s about repentance and honestly admitting that there is nothing you can do to earn God’s grace. He shared a line from C.S. Lewis describing people not as imperfect creatures who simply need improvement, but as rebels who need to lay down their arms. That posture, he said, applies just as much to lifelong church members as it does to anyone walking in for the first time.

What does it really mean to believe in Jesus?

Drawing from Romans 10, Pastor Dan noted that confessing Jesus is Lord and believing God raised Him from the dead is what saves us, but he was careful to add that this has to come from the heart, not just the mouth. He mentioned that even demons acknowledge who Jesus is, yet that alone doesn’t save them. Real belief, he said, shows up in what we actually treasure and trust, not simply the words we say.

Scripture Focus

Anchor Verse: Luke 23:42-43
“Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'”

Additional passages referenced:

• Luke 23:39-41
• Romans 10:9
• Job 38:4