Which Way?

Which Way?

Matthew 7:13-14

I. Introduction

A. Yesterday Lisa and I went to a wedding in the Gorge.  We started out on the interstates and went over to Winchester, and my GPS took me past the Mountain Parkway.  I immediately began to wonder what kind of two lane (or less) roads I was going to take. Sure enough, we finally took the exit to Mt. Sterling.  Two lane roads.  After going several miles, we ended up on a narrower two lane with no lines on the road.  Finally, we ended up on a no outlet road that turned to one lane gravel.  But it got us to our destination.  I could have stayed on the Interstate, but I would never have gotten me where I wanted to go

B. Several years ago, in a televised forum, this question came up.  Do all roads lead to heaven.  I was the only one that defended the truth that only through Christ could we arrive at heaven. 

II. Two Ways

A. Explanation

1. There are two ways that we can follow in this life

2. The wide/easy way – For the people of the Jewish faith this was just to go along with the religious people of the day – Best seen in Philippians 3:4-7

a. Follow the law

b. Follow the religion

c. Trust your heritage

d. Go with the flow   

3. The narrow/hard way

a. The harder way is to truly seek God and His righteousness

b. This is more than religion, but a change of heart

c. It doesn’t rely on heritage and background, but on true inward righteousness

4. The easy way is seen in our world today

a. Secular humanism– For those who want to make up the rules as they go along

b. Cultural Christianity– Prevalent where we live.  Not exactly biblical, but goes along with the modern philosophies and tries not to offend or be too radical

c. Easy believism– place our hope in our own actions like a prayer of repentance or baptism, but no real-life change showing true repentance and faith –

i. Rich young ruler– Matthew 19:16-22 – Chose ease of life and trusting in Himself over trusting Jesus

ii. Zaccheus– Luke 19:1-10 – Gave up His wealth to follow Jesus

B. Application

1. Many of us are looking for the easy road in this life

2. Many of us hope for eternal life after we die, but we aren’t willing to walk the narrow way. We want to have the hope of Jesus without becoming a new creation. 

3. We want Jesus to accept us and allow us to stay just as we are – no commitments and no changes

4. There are tons of people who are traveling the broad easy way because it is the natural default for sinners like us

III. Two Destinations

A. Explanation

1. Jesus offers two destinations based on the way you travel

a. The easy way that leads to destruction

i. The destruction of sinful living

A. This is when we choose to live in sinful and unrighteous ways and find ourselves under the consequences of sin

B. This is the natural default for sinners

ii. It is also the eternal destruction of the soul – Romans 6:23 – This is the hopelessness of those who never know the hope of forgiveness and eternal life

b. The way that leads to life

i. There is a righteousness that is necessary for us to see life

ii. We are not naturally righteous people – We are sinners

iii. That is why the road is narrow

c. We are called to seek the road to life and not destruction

B. Application

1. Today, many people are on the easy/wide way because they are not concerned with the destination at all.  They think the destination is found in this life and finding riches, wealth, and gratification.  But whether they recognize it or not there is a time coming when they will reach a destination and the only two choices are life or destruction

2. We are to invest ourselves in this search for the right destination

3. We should be seeking life, but that is the choice of the narrow way. It means there may be hardship, persecution, work, or just taking our eyes off our worldly prizes

4. Just like any travel, we must seek the final destination and stay on the right road to get there. 

IV. Two Gates

A. Explanation

1. The gate is wide that leads to destruction – it is the easy gate to get through

a. It is filled with pride and self-righteousness

b. It is filled with comfort

c. It is filled with religious practice

d. Sin is toleratedbecause overall we don’t believe we’re bad people

2. But the gate is narrow that leads to life

a. It is narrow because it is not the default.  It is narrow because it begins with conversations and thoughts I don’t want to have

i. I am a sinner bound for hell because of my sin

ii. I have no hope of life because the wages of sin is death

iii. But God made a way of forgiveness through the perfect righteousness of Christ

iv.Jesus dies as a sacrifice for my sin

v. Only when I humble myself and surrender to Christ will I know life

3. Ther are only two gates.  You can go through the wide, easy one thinking you can go through life on your own merits but it will lead to destruction

4. Or you can surrender to Christ, admit you are a sinner and find life

B. Application

1. This is the paradox of salvation –

a. Luke 9:23- And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

b. Matthew 16:25- For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

2. John 10 – Jesus says he is the good shepherd. The hey didn’t understand what he was saying to them.  He explains in verses 7-10 - So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

V. Conclusion

A. If there are only two ways and one leads to destruction, what should we as a church be doing about it?

B. So which road are you on? The wide easy road or the narrow hard way

C. Illustration – Most bypass patients don’t change their lifestyles – a 2018 study showed that after Coronary by-pass operation only 11.6% lived a healthy lifestyle in keeping with their condition.  Why?  Because it is easier to go with the flow and do what you want to do, but it leads to death. 

D. The only difference is if you are willing to surrender to Jesus

E. If you are on the wrong road the narrow gate is right in front of you.  Surrender to Jesus.

Philippians 3:4–7

4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Matthew 19:16–22

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Luke 19:1–10

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 9:23

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Matthew 16:25

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.