Two Roads

Introduction

In this context, Jesus is preaching the sermon on the mount. In this sermon, Jesus teaches his disciples about the radical values of The Kingdom.

Kingdom citizens have different views on Marriage and the sexual relationship.

Kingdom citizens have different views on how we treat our enemies.

Kingdom citizens have different views on possessions.

Jesus’ kingdom is just different. The citizens of this kingdom live radically different lives than the rest of the world. Because of this, some people might ask, “Why should I be a citizen of this kingdom?” Jesus starts to answer this question in chapter 7.

Two Roads

Two Trees

Two People

Two Houses

Using these images of “twos” Jesus teaches us why we need to be a part of his kingdom.

In this lesson, I want to focus on the two roads.

The reason why I want to focus on this is because Satan is trying to sell us something. Satan is trying to sell us on the illusion that his world is great. But in reality, his world is not great.

So, in this lesson, I want to talk about the two road, and I want to look at how these roads are different. One road represents God’s way of doing things, while the other road represents what Satan is trying to sell us.

Their Character (Broad vs Narrow)

Notice how these gates and their roads are characterized.

One gate is wide with a broad road.

One gate is small with a narrow road.

What does this mean?

Imagine walking 50 yards on a track. Is that easy?

Imagine walking that same 50 yards on a tight rope that’s suspended 100ft in the air. That’s much more difficult.

That’s the idea here. One road (God’s road) is narrow and difficult to travel, while the other road (the road of the world) is very wide and easy to travel...

The way of the world does seem a lot easier, doesn’t it?

In the world, you can live how you want to live. It’s your life, so make your own decisions. So much of our world revolves around pleasing us.

If you don’t like your food, send it back.

If you don’t like the way your nose looks… plastic surgery.

These are little things, but this applies to the big things as well.

If you don’t like your marriage, you can leave.

If you don’t like your pregnancy, you can bail.

If you don’t like your gender, then you can change it.

The way of the world seems so much easier because it allows us to do what we want.

That’s what Satan is trying to sell people.

Genesis 3:4-5.

Genesis 3:4–5 ESV

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

What is Satan doing here? He’s telling them that God’s holding them back. “If you will listen to me, you could make your own choices in your life. I’m offering you the easy life.”

Matthew 4:7-10.

Matthew 4:7–10 ESV

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

Here, Satan is doing the same thing to Jesus. “If you join me, I can give you all of this. I’m offering you the easy life.”

This is the way of the world… It’s all about me and my happiness.

God’s way is not like this. As a citizen of the kingdom, it’s not all about me, and that’s why God’s way is sometimes more difficult.

John 12:23-27.

John 12:23–27 ESV

23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

In this context, God compares our lives as Christians to his death. Was his death easy? Of course not. Christ didn’t want to go to the cross, but he made that sacrifice for us.

Just like Christ, we are to give our lives over to God. We are to sacrifice our wants and our desires in order to do God’s will.

This requires discipline

So, this is one of the differences between these two roads. The road of the kingdom is harder, while the road of the world is easier.

Their Popularity (Many vs Few)

These roads are also different in their popularity.

One road (the road of the world) is traveled by many.

The other road (the kingdom road) is traveled by few.

This isn’t surprising, though. We just saw how the kingdom road is more difficult than the broad road, so it makes sense that kingdom road is less popular. There are a couple of lessons for us in this.

Just because something is popular, doesn’t make it right.

Just think about what the majority is accepting of.

The majority is increasingly accepting of Sexual immorality.

Ruby Bridges

Some people will say, “all these people believe it, so it must be right. But, just because a majority believes something, it doesn’t mean it’s right. This in in scripture.

Exodus 23:2.

Exodus 23:2 ESV

2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,

God warns his people that the mob can be wrong.

Luke 6:20-26. In this context, Jesus is preaching what’s called the Sermon on the Plain, and he’s pronouncing blessings and woe.

Luke 6:20–26 ESV

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

He says that you will receive blessing when people hate you, and woe when people like you.

So, just because the majority believes something, it doesn’t make it right. Think about Jesus’ disciples. They had an incorrect view on the Kingdom and Judas.

Christians don’t follow the crowd.

Romans 11:32-12:2. In this context, Paul tells us about all of the mercies of God.

Romans 11:32–12:2 ESV

32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Because of those mercies, how should we live? We should live loyal lives to our God and King. This means we need to make sure that we aren’t conformed to the way that the world thinks. We need to think differently.

So, this is another way that these roads are different. The road of the kingdom is less popular.

I mentioned in the introduction that Jesus is telling his disciples why they need to listen to and follow him. If these were his only points, then Jesus is a horrible salesman.

But these aren’t Jesus’ only points. There’s one more difference between these roads.

Their Destination (Destruction vs Life)

These roads have a different destination.

One road (the road of the world) leads to destruction.

The other road (the kingdom road) leads to life.

This really is the point that we need to take home from the lesson.

I’ve said this over and over again, and I’m going to keep saying it. The world wants us to believe that they have life. “you aren’t really living if you are a Christian.”

They have it wrong. True life belongs with us.

The idea behind this point is that God give us what we want.

If we have honest hearts and we want to live lives with God, then God will give us that. He will give us life with him (eternal life).

If we have dishonest hearts and want to live as if God doesn’t exist, then he will give us that. He will give us eternity without him in destruction.

We see this idea played out in Romans 1:23-32.

Romans 1:23–32 ESV

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Both Paul and Jesus are trying to teach us that the road of the world lead to destruction.

Conclusion

Why do we need to follow Jesus? Even though the kingdom road is harder and less popular… It leads to life and that’s all that matters.

Which road are you on?