The Road Less Traveled Pt.1 (2)

Easy as 123?

Matthew 7:13–14 NLT

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

I was recently reading an article about the world’s widest highway in China with 50 lanes one way! It made me think of those poor people who were trapped in their cars for hours on end coming back from holiday. Unable to move, bumper to bumper, can’t strength your legs, hungry, needing to go to the rest room and just packed in those cars. bumper to bumper, thousands of people, thousands of cars!

The parallel of this visual to the key verse just stuck with me. A wide road with so many traveling on it, thinking they are going somewhere fast but really headed nowhere even quicker. jumping into the fast lane to make more money, gain more prestige, boost your profile only to find more frustration then satisfaction.

Why is this the case for so many? Because we believe that the way to joy is on the wide road. We believe that the only happiness comes from where the masses travel. But this is not the case. There are three things we want to look at that Jesus points out to us.

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. - This is important to understand that this is a command. There is no alternative options here just the one and this is important because in a world where pluralism is very much alive and doing well Jesus is saying not the case. Pluralism says you have options to get to God, Maybe you prefer Islam, maybe He prefers Buddhism, and she prefers unitarianism. Jesus says No I am the only way to God the father.

John 14:6 NLT

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the door way, he is the one and only way in.

He is letting us know that, hey; here is the deal, you truly want to go to heaven? Then walk though this door. If you don’t want to go then there is a whole lot of other choices.

Which brings us to our next point that he says;

The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that away. The word broad is very interesting choice Jesus uses here, because he’s saying that it’s spacious, room to move around in, He gives a very vivid illustration in that He points to the land, the country as a whole. This may seem like an exaggeration, but He’s not trying to exaggerate, He’s giving a very descriptive illustration.

When you think of someone standing in the middle of a field, this is fine when your right up on them. But take a view from 30,000 feet and you loose sight of them really quick. Now imagine a whole country! Forget about it! They are completely out of sight. and it becomes almost impossible to find them if not impossible. You have to search really hard and long for them. (Someone get’s lost in the amazon forest and they could be gone for days if not weeks before they are found.)

This is a very great illustration Jesus makes because it is so true. If we are not careful it is easy to wonder off track and never find your way back.

But look at what Jesus says here

John 10:9 NLT

9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

Shepards would set-up rocks in the country to create a pin to keep their sheep in, with a little small opening a very narrow path in to keep the sheep at night. a good pasture of land so the sheep could rest and graze. The Shepard then would lay on the entrance to block it from the sheep getting out or predators getting in. He became the gate. To protect and cover. Jesus whole point in saying The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that away. is to say that my sheep know my voice and they will come into my fold for me to protect them.

They will not wonder off into the field or the country in which I am not there to cover them. But there will be so many who will chose that way of death. Yes death. not life because it’s just a matter of time before the predators of life attack you and kill you.

Jesus is the chief Shepard. He is the One who laid His life on the line for you.

Listen the gates of hell will not prevail over God’s Church. There will be attempts after attempts. But God will take care of His.

But the gate way to life is very narrow and the road is very difficult, and only a few ever find it.

The first thing we see is a repeated idea. The idea of a narrow gate. Jesus wants to make sure his listeners understand there is no alternatives. None, no additives. Just pure Jesus! That’s it! So we understand the importance of this because He repeats that. In other words He’s saying; Now listen, you can choose what really appears to be the good life, but know that in the end it only leads to destruction. Or you can choose the good life, but know that it is going to be a hard life to maintain. Jesus says this because the pull of the world is so strong .

Again why do we travel down the highway because it promises to get us to our destination faster. Until you realize everyone is taking it for the same reasons. Now you are jammed up! On a road to nowhere fast. Then He says the clincher, ONLY A FEW EVER FIND IT!

What is a few? I Don’t know the exact amount of a few but I can tell you this much, it’s a whole lot less then many! So many will choose death, because only a few will find the door way to life, and by the way it’s a difficult road to travel to get to life.

Proverbs 14:12 CEV

12 You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead.

Don’t look to the left, don’t look to the right. Keep your eyes on Christ.

John 6:66–67 NLT

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

Listen I want to close with this - Blackout

During WWII six Navy pilots left their aircraft carrier on a mission. After searching the seas for enemy submarines, they tried to return to their ship shortly after dark. But the captain had ordered a blackout of all lights on the ship. Over and over the frantic pilots radioed, asking for just one light so they could see to land. But the pilots were told that the blackout could not be lifted. After several appeals and denials of their request, the ship’s operator turned the switch to break radio contact--and the pilots were forced to ditch in the ocean.

A sad but truth not taken seriously, for sometime now we have all been hearing that the time is drawing near now. I said it a couple of weeks ago not scare anyone, but to tell you the captain is going to order that blackout soon and if you are not safe on the ship, safe through that narrow door, then I am sad to inform you. You will not make it. Don’t miss this opportunity. Will be challenging to walk this path of righteousness. absolutely and Jesus has already told you that. But will it be worth it? You better believe it will be! Amen!

Let’s close with prayer.