The Road that is wide that leads to Destruction
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“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-
The harsh reality is this could be many in this room and it is certainly by the droves within the realm we have been called to minister. There is a road that is wide and leads to destruction and it is described as many are on that road. Jesus then goes on to say that there are many upon this road that think they are on the right road but in all actuality are fooled. They will give there plea and God will give His verdict. Depart from me you who practice lewdness.
Read .
Pray.
Recap from last week. Those who have humble hearts and seek to serve rather than to be served will be blessed but then Jesus brings into contrast those who would receive on of the these little ones receives me.
Whoever causes these little ones to stumble. not only refers to young children but all young believers.
Notice that this is not an unforgivable sin but woe to the one who has no covering or no advocate to defend him who d
The analogy portrays the seriousness of causing one to stumble. The line of offenses it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck and drown than to cause one to offense.
Wow this is pretty serious.
Woe to everyman that has caused division in a church for vain glory and have caused young believers to stumble.
Woe to everyone woman who handed down the faithful act of gossip and backbiting to the young rather than the glorious truths of Gods word.
Woe to every father and mother who has caused his children to stumble.
Woe to every business owner who sought riches more than Christ and burned relationships because of it.
Woe to every
Christ said it would be better for us to die prematurely than to cause one to stumble.
Luke 17:1-
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
tells us that offenses will come but to them through who they do come.
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”
He said, “Yes.”
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”
Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”
Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
tells us that offenses will come but woe to them through who they do come.
tells us that offenses will come but to them through who they do come.
gives us insight as well to if we are the one to whom the offense is done against. We are to confront our brother rebuke him with the heart and the eyes set on reconciliation .
With the hope of repentance we must be ready to forgive with no number set on our forgiveness.
Notice that this is not an unforgivable sin but woe to the one who has no covering or no advocate to defend him. For the man who sees his faults even in this matter will be one to repent. But to the one who has fallen here and become unre
IF we could only see what God sees how it would change our actions. If we could see the harm and the heart that our hands work and the end that it will bring into our lives. oh that it would change our steps. That we would hear the rebuke and listen of what Jesus is describing. Sin is serious.
IF we could only see what God sees how it would change our actions. If we could see the harm and the heart that our hands work and the end that it will bring into our lives. oh that it would change our steps. That we would hear the rebuke and listen of what Jesus is describing. Sin is serious.
Don’t dabble and think its going to leave you unscathed.
First lets deal with the reality of this truth that all men are up against. This word hell.
1147 γέεννα (geenna), ης (ēs), ἡ (hē): n.fem.; ≡ DBLHebr 1628 + 2183; Str 1067; TDNT 1.657—LN 1.21 hell, Gehenna, a Hellenized transliteration of the Hebrew, “Hinnom Valley.” A ravine just SSW of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. A place of trash fires and perpetually burning rubbish, hence the figurative extension of a place of eternal punishment (Mt 5:22, 29; 10:28; 23:15, 33; Mk 9:43; Lk 12:5; Jas 3:6)
When king Josiah was eight he took the throne and is described a one who followed the way of the Lord.
When he was eighteen the book of the law was found and Josiah took it and read it before all the people. Then he went throughout the kingdom removed the idols and those who made their living by them. the places of worship he tore down and dedicated his heart and soul to perform the words that were in the law.
Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.
2 kings 23:3
A place where king Josiah had desecrated where they had burned their sons and daughters with fire to molech is now a garbage heap that burns continually. This is where we get the word gehenna or translated in our bibles as hell.
This is the depiction that we get of a glimpse of what hell will be like.
V.44 the description of hell:
Their worm does not die
this brings out the eternal reality of those who go to prison of hell after the judgment. It is not for a moment but for eternity.
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The fire is not quenched
This brings out the reality that it will not be a party in hell but rather a place of torment.
His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Matthew
And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
This is why solomon tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that the psalmists tells us to teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
That we may not be led astray by our desires and passions to come to the day when our life is required of us and we only lived for the passing pleasures of our day.
The figurative language used by Jesus here in this text does bring to the top the reality and seriousness of hell as we just have seen.
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
If your right hand causes you to sin cut it off. it is better to go into life maimed rather than have two hands and go to hell.
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter life lame. Rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell.
If your eye causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire.
These are radical figurative analogies that should make us stop and think rather than to take literally and perform upon ourselves.
If your like me you are thinking no not my hand.
No not my foot
Certainly not my eyes.
How brutal life would be to willing do these things to oneself.
These are not the go to that someone performs to have their life better.
We live in a society were we are discovering to give these extremities back to people that they may enjoy life all the more.
But that is just the point. it would be better to have a life less enjoyable if it meant you were to enter into life.
But the reality we are faced with is none of us could stop their and become righteous. It would not be long before you were blind and began to have evil thoughts. To the point where you would have to cut off your brain for even our minds are evil.
no one in this instance would leave unscathed.
Think of the things we say that would convict us before God
Think of the deeds we have done with our hands
The places we have gone with our feet
Thoughts we have had with our minds.
Christ is saying if it were possible it would be better to cut those things off if it meant you could enter life.
Life eternal is better than the worse life temporal.
Here is the thing God in his omniscient power knows all things.
The bible talks about a day where He will judge the world in righteousness and truth.
Nothing will be hidden.
How we have treated our spouses.
How we have treated our children.
The websites we have visited and the movies we have watched to pleasure our flesh.
The gossip we have said that broke relationships
The money we have robbed from men
Every evil thought you had just in passing.
The impurities of our hearts and the impurities of our souls will all be on open display before God to righty judge us.
It is upon this basis that God will judge each and every man.
Rich man and Lazarus. Rich man faired sumptuously and the poor man had sores and laid at the rich mans gates wishing to just be fed eith the crumbs from the rich mans table.
Both died and the poor man was carried off by angels into Abrahams bosom and the rich man being in torment in hades lifted his eyes and saw Lazarus in his bossom.
Desired just the dip of Lazarus’ finger in water to cool his tongue for he was tormented in the flame.
But the stark reality Abraham tells the rich man is that he had receieved good in his life and lazarus evil but now he is comforted and the rich man is tormented.
Besides that there is a great gulf between us and you so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.
Then send lazarus back to my fathers house and warn my five brothers that they may not come here as well.
Abraham says they have moses and the prophets
But the rich man is convinced that if on was to rise from the dead they would repent.
And Abraham testifies if they wont hear moses and the prophets they will not repent even if one was to rise from the dead.
Maybe tell this story rather than reading it.
And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Luke 16:23
Life as we know it will not be how it always is.
There is one who has risen from the dead and testified unto the world that He is conquered sin and the grave.
It is by his resurrection and proclamation of freedom that has risen my dead heart from grave to testify before you the marvelous truths of Gods words and promises to those who turn to Him.
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
Herein the problem lies in the fact who can stand in His Holy place?
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He is Holy we are not. He is a consuming fire and we are consumable.
Psalms 24
That when that which is unholy enters into holiness is consumed.
So who then can enter into his presence?
Psalms 24
He who has clean hands and a pure heart.
Who has no lifted his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully.
The reality is there is none who have clean hands and a pure heart.
We all have lifted our souls to idols.
the resounding answer from this psalm is that no one would be able to stand but one.
The king of Glory.
the Lord of hosts.
This is the hope for man who had no hope.
Those who repent before the King and turn to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ will have hope.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
So then he who is free is free indeed.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:31-36
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-
Only God is one who determines the eternal punishment. He is a good Judge, righteous in all His works.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:31-
Repent while the day is at hand.
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
Read more context.
May we go forth church and proclaim the eminent judgement that awaits the world and the freedom that is found at the cross of Christ.
I pray that this truth would ever be on our minds until this life passes us by....Lt us live in light of it.
The wicked will not go unpunished
To those who do not know the Lord. The truth of Gods redemption has been proclaimed to you today.
I proclaim joyously that their is hope from this coming judgment and it is not found in my strength and power but Gods who proclaims to all men everywhere repent and believe in the sacrifice of Jesus that stood in our place.