The Tale of Two Paths

Introduction

Good morning Church!

If you have your Bible’s with you, I’d ask you to go ahead be turning with me to the Book of Matthew, Chapter 7, and today we will be looking at Verses 13-14.

Jesus speaks very candidly here in these two verses about two different paths that lead to two different places with two extraordinarily different outcomes and that is what I want us to look at this morning with a special emphasis on the highway to hell.

And dear friend, if at the end of this message you find yourself on the wrong path, I can say assuredly that you need to get off that path before it’s everlasting and too late!

Because if you don’t, the outcome of your eternal decision will be one of a grave mistake!

It’s not the path that God wants you on and the outcome of staying on that path is not the outcome that God wants for you!

The Bible says it’s not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance!

This morning, as the Prophet Jeremiah stated.... “I set before you the way of life and the way of death” (Jer 21:8) and the decision as to which path you take is totally up to you but my job is to make sure you understand the consequences of making the wrong decision!

There’s an old saying that says, “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions” and my prayer this morning is that if you find yourself on that road today, that you won’t allow your good intentions to keep you there!

My prayer is that you would get off that Highway to Hell and get on the Highway to Heaven, Amen!

With that, if you have your Bible’s turned to Matthew Chapter 7, Verses 13-14 would you say Amen.

Introduction # 2

Jesus speaks of two different “ways” a person can choose to travel while on this side of eternity.

You can choose to enter through the straight gate and travel the narrow way or you can choose to enter through the wide gate and travel the broad way.

The word used here when speaking of the “wide” gate means “spread out or flat”, and then the word “broad” means “spacious or wide.”

On the other hand, the word used for the “straight” gate means “narrow” while the word “narrow” when speaking of the way means “to press hard upon, a compressed way, a way of trouble, affliction and tribulation.”

Two gates, two ways, two crowds, two outcomes.

One is the Highway to Heaven while the other is the Highway to Hell.

And what I want us to look at this morning are three differences between the two roads and finish it out by looking at the consequences of the choice you make.

The first thing I want you to see about the Highway to Hell is that it is Inviting.

The Highway to Hell is Inviting

The wide gate and broad way make it enticing to go that way.

There’s no struggle to go this way.

There’s plenty of room.

You don’t have to fight anyone for a position.

It’s so wide and open that you can choose to make your own path!

It’s Easy

It’s Flashy

It’s Enjoyable

On the other hand, the straight gate and narrow way aren’t as enticing.

There are obstacle’s you will face by taking this path.

You will face troubles, trials, tribulations, heartache and strife!

You may face persecution and there’s a good possibility some will even hate you for the cause of Christ!

John 16:33 — These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 15:19–21 — 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

2 Timothy 3:12 — Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Acts 14:21–22 — 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Now some would say, preacher that sounds like a horrible path to be on! The wide gate and broad way sounds so much better and you would be correct in the fact that it “sounds” better!

But the reality is, in the long run it’s not better!

Listen friend, the Bible says....

There’s pleasure in sin for a season!

The wide gate and broad way may be better for a season but that season will one day come to an end and then, reality is going to set in and destruction is the end thereof!

But do you know what the Bible says about the straight gate and the narrow way?

Psalm 16:11 — Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Listen, this morning if you’re playing the short game you’re in for a rude awakening on the other side of eternity!

You better be in it for the long game! You need to understand that this side of eternity is temporal whereas that side is eternal!

You can enjoy sin for a season and suffer destruction for eternity or suffer persecution, trials, tribulations, heartache and strife for a season and reap the joys of life everlasting!

The choice is yours!

Everything about this side of eternity is temporal even the one who rules this world!

You see the Bible says that Satan is the god of this world…little “g” god might I add. But he is the prince of the power of the air and man, does he think he’s something!

He’s the greeter standing at the entrance to the wide gate and broad way saying “come on in friend, the water is fine!”

He flaunts the ways of the world before your eyes, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and says “all these things shall be yours if you but enter in this way!”

But what he doesn’t tell you is that they shall only be yours for a short time!

He doesn’t tell you that one day you will wake up on the wrong side of eternity and all those things your heart desired will be gone, utterly and completely destroyed and now those things your worked so hard to have and enjoy will mean nothing!

The one and only thing that mattered on this side of eternity he was able to distract you from and now you are left holding an empty bag of goods!

All for nought!

Now, the only thing left for you is an eternity in a place of darkness, heat, exhaustion; a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, terrifying screams and crying out for help and taunting of devilish beings forevermore!

The Highway to Hell looks great, sounds great, seems great but the end thereof is the way of death and destruction!

On the other hand you have the Highway to Heaven.

It’s not easy. It’s not flashy. Sometimes, and I say sometimes, when you’re in the thick of it, suffering persecution and tribulations, it may not even seem enjoyable.

But praise God “weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning, Amen!”

This way shall be harder on this side but be of good cheer friend, Jesus has overcome the world and if you have put your trust in Him, you too shall overcome the world!

The prince of this world is temporal, but our King is eternal, praise God!

The thing that should keep each of us going are the remembrances of those who have gone before and chosen the straight gate and the narrow way, the Highway to Heaven, over the wide gate and the broad way, the Highway to Hell that leads to destruction!

Moses had an opportunity to choose the wide gate and the broad way but the Bible says in...

Hebrews 11:24–26 — 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

We see the difference in the two gates in Abraham and Lot where Lot chose the wide gate and the broad way that led to destruction while Abraham chose the straight gate and the narrow way that led unto life everlasting!

We read about Esther and Mordecai who chose the straight gate and the narrow way while Haman chose the wide gate and the broad way and we all seen what happened to him!

You see the same thing in king David and king Saul. Saul chose the wide gate and the broad way while David chose the straight gate and the narrow way. The broad way and the wide gate led to Saul’s demise while the straight gate and the narrow way led to David’s deliverance and salvation!

Over and over and over the Bible gives us instances of people who have chosen the wide gate and the broad way and destruction has been their end!

While those who have endured and chose the straight gate and the narrow way end up with life eternal and joys everlasting!

The Highway to Hell is Inviting and not only is Inviting but it is also Inclusive!

The Highway to Hell is Inclusive

We live in a world today where anything and everything goes!

If you don’t like the way God made you, change yourself.

If you don’t like the gender God made you, change yourself.

If you don’t like the gender God created you to like, that’s ok, go against everything God’s word tells you and like your own gender. No harm, no foul!

Do what makes you happy. It’s ok!

Like drugs? Do them...they won’t hurt!

Like alcohol? Drink it up…no worries!

Like sex? Have as much of it as you want with whomever you want! Fulfill those lustful desires! Nothing bad can come from that!

That’s the message of the wide gate and the broad way!

Anything that looks good, feels good, makes you happy is good for you! It’s Inclusive!

The way of the world, the broad way, makes you fit in and feel like you’re somebody!

It makes you comfortable and secure in your feelings!

It fulfills your fleshly desires!

But the problem is, no matter what you do to fulfill them, no matter what you fill that hole with, it can only plug the hole for so long!

Drugs eventually wear off! Alcohol eventually wears off! The exciting feeling of intercourse eventually wears off and before you know it, you have one of two options…do that thing all over again or find something else to fulfill the desires of the flesh!

So many people, wander through that wide gate and down that broad road, looking to fit it, looking to be in with the majority, looking for their next high when the only thing that can truly fulfill their desires is on the narrow road!

You see, Jesus didn’t say to fit in with the crowd but rather He said to stand out in the crowd!

Matthew 5:14–16 — 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The broad way says to fit it but Jesus says to stand out!

Instead of being in with the majority, be ok with being in the minority!

I heard a good one from an Adrian Rogers message…he said when Noah went into the ship he went in a minority but when he came out, he came out a majority, Amen!

Listen Church, it’s ok to stand out. It’s ok to let your light shine. It’s ok to be in the minority for Jesus said, “straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and “few” there be that find it!”

As I was thinking about these verses I got to thinking about John 6:66 which says...

John 6:66 — From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Jesus had preached a very hard message and the people were struggling to understand but He told it to them as straight as He could and many didn’t like the message.

They didn’t want to go against the grain.

They didn’t want to stand out in a crowd.

They didn’t want people to look at them funny.

They weren’t willing to give up their ways of the world.

They weren’t willing to get off that broad road that leadeth to destruction and the Bible says that from that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him!

Now it may not mean much to you, but I don’t believe in coincidences. Did you hear the chapter and the number of that verse? It was 666.

Six is the number of man and 666 has been attributed to Satan but and when you look at this verse and think of those numbers I can’t help but to see the broad way that Jesus speaks of here in Matthew Chapter 7.

They went back and followed him no more! The way of man is not the way of God! The way of man is the way of the world and ultimately the way of Satan!

The Highway to Hell is Inviting. The Highway to Hell is Inclusive. And lastly, Highway to Hell is also Instinctive!

The Highway to Hell is Instinctive

The natural born man’s instinct is not of God.

Romans 3:10–11 — 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

You see, the broad way appeals to the natural man and our fleshly desires.

Do what you want, when you want, you deserve it!

God wouldn’t have allowed this to be created if He didn’t want you to enjoy it!

The devil, that ole adversary of God has been around the block way more times than you and I can even count!

He knows all the tricks. He knows what makes man tick and he uses these schemes to keep men from coming to God!

That’s why the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil!

The word “wiles” means schemes!

Satan is a scheming snake and listen to me, if you think that broad way only appeals to the lost your wrong!

Paul was writing to the Christians in Ephesus not the lost!

You see, the wiles of the devil, the appeal of the broad road applies to the saved just as much as it does the lost!

He appeals to our Adamic nature and sadly, many allow those natural, instinctive inclinations to keep them from coming to know the one, true God or allow them to drive a wedge between themselves and God if they are saved!

Paul gave the Galatians a list of what the broad road appeals to.

Galatians 5:19–21 — 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 6:8 — 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Romans 8:1, 4-6 — 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

For us who have been born again we are told to put to death these old desires!

Ephesians 4:22 — “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”

1 Peter 2:11 — Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Romans 8:13 — For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Colossians 3:5–6 — 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Titus 2:12 — Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Galatians 5:24–25 — 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 — This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Listen this morning friend, the devil wants you to believe that you are fine just the way you are but God says otherwise!

We read in the Bible how that the first Adam was earthy and fleshly and how that flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God!

The devil says your fine the way you are but God says you must be born again!

The devil plays on our instinctive nature of the natural man but God says we must put the old man down and become a new man in Christ Jesus!

The Highway to Hell is Instinctive while the Highway to Heaven is Distinctive!

If you want eternal life you must step out from among the crowd!

You must distinguish yourself from the rest of the world!

You must get off that broad road and get on the narrow road!

You must put to death the desires of the flesh by walking with the Spirit.

And in order to walk with the Spirit, you must trust in Jesus!

The Highway to Hell is Inviting, it is Inclusive, and it is Instinctive and if you don’t want to end up there, then you need to get off of it now and get on that narrow road!

Closing

As we come to a close this morning, I want you to see just a couple more things really quickly.

Notice the very beginning of Verse 13.

It says to “Enter”, right?

Then look how it’s followed up there… “for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat.”

When I look at this verse I see a decision that has to be made by each individual.

If one wants to inherit life, he/she must make a move to do so.

YOU must enter in the straight gate and the narrow way for it is not natural.

If you will notice, you don’t have to enter the wide gate and the broad way for it leads you down it’s path automatically.

Every one of us sitting here this morning have walked down that broad path at one point in our lives. We were all at some point or another on the Highway to Hell.

Now, I’d dare some the majority of people here this morning have taken that step of entering the straight gate and the broad way but if you’re here and you haven’t, what you need to know is that you my friend, at this very moment, are on the broad way, the Highway to Hell that leads to destruction!

John 3:18 — He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If you are here and have never believed upon the Son of God, you have automatically placed yourself on that broad road that leads to destruction and unless you do something about it, destruction shall be your end!

Is that really what you want this morning?

This word destruction is a very interesting word. It is the Greek word (Apoleia) and it means “loss of well being but not of being!”

For those who may be on that broad road this morning, things may be going well for you right now.

All may seem good and you may be saying to yourself, “everything’s been going alright...no since in rocking the boat now!”

Dear friend, what you need to know is this…there is coming a day when all that’s been going well will come to an end and when it does the fall thereof will be great!

Destruction will be your demise and you will lose it all but you yourself won’t be exempt from the wrath to come!

Eternal darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be your inheritance and the worst part will be the absence of God!

One leads to life everlasting, the other to utter destruction.

“I set before you this morning the way of life and the way of death”

All that remains is the question of...which one will you choose?

“Many” Jesus said will choose the wide gate and the broad way that leads to destruction but a “few”, a few, will choose to step out on a leap of faith and enter into that straight gate and narrow way!

Won’t you be the one today who chooses eternal life over utter destruction?

Won’t you make that move right now as they come to get us a song?

Won’t you choose Jesus?

Did you know He has already chosen you whether or not you choose Him or not?

He died for the sins of the whole world and that means even your sins. He died for your sins but the only way your sins can be placed on His account and His righteousness imputed to your account is if you make Him Lord of your life today!

If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved!

Won’t you make that move today and ensure that you are no longer on the Highway to Hell!