Many countries, like Romania, still utilize passenger trains often. Some trains were old and dirty and weren’t very pleasant. Many of the newer trains – the “Blue Arrow” – are sleek and stylish and somewhat futuristic. Our Vacation Bible School this year uses the train as a metaphor for the journey to heaven. We imagine that the train is symbolic for the church of Jesus Christ.
You have to be in the church in order to get to heaven. That is the case because all the saved are in the church (Acts 2:47). Baptism is what puts us into the church (1 Corinthians 12:13) and baptism is what puts us into Christ (Romans 6:3-4). On the Romanian trains, generally speaking, once you get on the train, you don’t get off. You stay on until you reach your destination. Spiritually speaking, it is not possible to get to heaven if you quit the church. The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). If you turn your back on the church, you turn your back on Christ.
If you go to the train station in Bucharest, Romania – Gara de Nord – for the first time, you might be intimidated. There are lots of people walking around. It is a big place. There are a lot of trains sitting there, ready to move. It can be scary. But one sight you will see that might make you feel a little better – at least as an American – is the McDonalds in the train station. It is a little taste/view of home.
Approaching death can also be scary. The Grim Reaper has intimidated mankind for centuries. Even though it is so universal, it is also very frightening. But the one thing that should make us feel at ease as we journey aboard the Kingdom Express is that Jesus has already crossed over the railroad tracks. He knows what it is like. He is on the other side, waiting for us to cross as well. He’ll be there with us every step of the way.
To change the imagery just a little, the train conductor is the one who makes sure we are on schedule. He’s the one who takes our ticket. You might picture God as the train conductor on the Kingdom Express. He’s the Father and the one who initiates it all. Decisions begin and end with Him. He’s the one who decides who will be in heaven and who will not.
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Finally, if you want to get on board any train, you’ve got to have a ticket. In our spiritual imagination, the ticket is our access on board the train. It has been paid for by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). That’s God’s part. But we have to utilize the ticket. We have to give the ticket to the conductor. To access the blessing of having a ticket, we have to respond. That’s obedience. That’s our part.
Join us tonight for our second night of Vacation Bible School – All Aboard the Kingdom Express.
–Paul Holland
