“Walking the Highway of Holiness” – The Calvary Road
Isaiah 35:1-10
March 7, 2004
Purpose: In regards to the Holiness Highway, we can either be on it or off it. And if we’re on it, we may help others along as others help us.
INTRODUCTION
illus. - Down in the Florida Keys that are two roads. The original road is just two lanes wide and complete sections of it our missing due to old age and disrepair.
But running right along side the original is the newer road. It’s lanes are wider, the concrete newer, and most importantly it’s a complete roadway from Key Biscane to Key West.
While the first road is battered and falling apart, the second is complete and functional.
While the first road can be used for only limited purposes, the second has no limits as a roadway.
I invite you to keep these images in mind as we talk about another highway this morning. This highway, unlike the first, much like the second, has been built and is ready for travel. For those who have accepted Christ, this highway will be the one that leads them to their eternal home.
But their job is not done. We need to remember that all of us were off the highway at one time or another, that everyone has the opportunity to get on, and that we can travel this highway together. Today, we’re going to rediscover this Spiritual highway, and see what insights it gives us.
I. We all walked off this highway…
illus. – wandering around DC – couldn’t find the right road – got some bad directions – should’ve bought a map.
Did you know that the Bible says we’re all a bunch of screw-ups? Well, it doesn’t say exactly that, but it says that we all have sinned, we’ve all fallen short of God’s glory for our lives. And if we’re to take Isaiah’s word for it, than each of us has at one time, not been walking on this highway…
iilus. - Let me tell you about Farmer Joe…Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company (responsible for the accident) to court. In court, the trucking company’s fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. "Didn’t you say, at the scene of the accident, ’I’m fine’?," questioned the lawyer.
Farmer Joe responded, "Well I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the..." "I didn’t ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, ’I’m fine’!"
Farmer Joe said, "Well I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..."
The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. Please tell him to simply answer the question."
By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe’s answer and said to the lawyer, "I’d like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule Bessie."
Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.
Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, "Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her. How are you feeling?"
It was then that I said, "I’m fine. Just fine." (source: www.sermoncentral.com – Andrew Chan)
Today, there’s no need to lie by saying “I’m fine”. We, as the human race, are not fine. Since Adam and Eve, we’ve been born into a world of sin. We are sinful creatures, living in a sinful world, trying to survive with sinful options. We traveling down the broken, torn up, incomplete road. But thankfully there’s some good news.
transition – When Jesus died on that cross for us, to pay the price of all the sin past-present-future, he did it so that we would have the opportunity to get onto the complete highway’s on-ramp.
II. Everyone has the opportunity to walk the highway…
That opportunity comes when we realize that Jesus did all that for us. It comes when we are so overwhelmed by all that he has done that we have no other option but look to Christ for the forgiveness and leadership he wants so much to give us.
illus. - For instance, a car traveling on a highway needs to have proper and balanced inflation in all four tires to travel safely. No one would purposely drive any distance with the left front tire inflated at 32 PSI, the right front at 28 PSI, the left rear at 36PSI, and the right rear at 10 PSI.
Not only would that would be dangerous and unthinkable, but the car just would handle right. But it’s amazing how many people try to drive their Spiritual lives this way.
When we realize we need his forgiveness and leadership, God fills up the tires and we move forward. And as we travel life’s road, we can keep them filled as we remain in prayer, study the Scriptures, praise him in worship, and enjoy him in fellowship. (source: www.sermoncentral.com)
transition – Everyone has the opportunity to drive on the highway. Instead of driving on deflated tires, in danger of losing control, we can turn to God for his forgiveness and leadership, and begin traveling the road safely. And the best part is, that we don’t have to do it alone.
III. We need others to walk the highway with us…
illus. - In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon. Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture. The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wake-up call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early-morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood.
Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. “Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked.
‘Whitehorse’
“In that little Civic? No way! This pass is DANGEROUS in weather like this.”
“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy, if not very informed, response.
“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested.
Linda drew back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!”
“Not like THAT!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear.
In that way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”
All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains.
Caught in the fog of our dangerous passages through life, we need to be “hugged.” We talked about this type of fellowship last week. With fellow Christians who know the way, we can be lead safely by those ahead of us, and bring others along behind.
(source: Don Graham – www.sermoncentral.com)
There are many people out there that are ready to face their Spiritual dilemmas, but only find themselves in a fog. There are times when we need to be hugged. There are times when we need to be carried. There are times when we realize we can not do it alone. There are times when we are given the opportunity to invite others. Our ability to witness to our faith is not looking like we have it all together, it’s the ability to ask for help when needed, it’s the ability to bring others along with us on the journey. Christians who walk alone often find themselves struggling along the roadside as others pass. We need one another. We need to invite each other. We need to travel the highway together.
transition – So where does this leave us this morning…
When we realize that we have been, or maybe are, off the highway,
When we realize that through the grace of Jesus Christ, we have the invitation to enter the highway,
And when we’ve accepted that invitation and invited others to walk with us…
Then we get the truest sense of what this Holiness Highway is all about.
IV. Closing Invitation & Prayer
Hession said in the book that once we get onto the highway, “there it will stretch before us, a narrow uphill road, bathed in light, leading towards the Heavenly New Jerusalem. The embankments on either side slopes away into thick darkness, but on the Highway itself all is light…This is revival. You and I full of the Holy Spirit all the time, loving others and concerned for their salvation. No struggling, no tarrying. Just simply giving Him each sin to cleanse in His precious blood and accepting from His hand the free gift of His fullness, and then allowing Him to do the work (for others) through us…walking this highway is merely the day-by-day living of the life the Lord intended us to live. This is real holiness.” (p. 50-51)
God has restored a way for humankind to get back into fellowship. And it is simple. All one has to do is ask for forgiveness of what kept them off the road in the first place, and sincerely request for God’s leadership along the highway as we travel it together.
And maybe you’ve done the forgiveness and leadership thing and you still find yourself off on the edges, not making any progress. In our passage this morning the prophet told us to “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear…God will come and save.’ (vs. 3-4)
Get back into your Bible, pray and mediate, give God your Sunday mornings, and enjoy His fellowship once again. Whatever pride, envy, resentment, impurity, etc. that’s stopping you from continuing the journey, give it back to the one who said, “It is finished” as he bore the weight of all sin imaginable.
Simply put. God wants every single human being to be on that Highway. That’s what we’ve been created for. Despite our wandering, despite our weaknesses, despite our sinful natures, he sent Jesus to come, not to condemn but to save.
During this last hymn this morning, will you let him do just that?
If you want to get on the highway, all you need do is ask.
Ask for forgiveness. Ask for leadership
If you want to get rid of the baggage you’ve been carrying, let it all fall at His feet?
Your guilt or your perceived unworthiness…your struggling with your health…maybe you feel the need to pray for someone else, a family member or friend. This morning give that baggage God…let him lighten the load. The prophet said, “They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (v.10b)
And if nothing else, this morning you have the opportunity to recommit your life to Christ.
Don’t waste it. As the prophet told us, “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to
Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. (v.10a)” Let’s recommit ourselves to be
those ransomed people this morning.
So, as we sing this next song, if you need to come and use the altar or the front pew, please do!
Make sure you’re traveling the right highway!
Will you join me in prayer?
Gracious God, Heavenly Father, Awesome Lord…
We thank you for the highway. Even though, we have no concept of how glorious it will be, we know that we can catch a glimpse of it even in this day, as we focus ourselves to walking in your ways.
If there is anyone here, who needs to speaks to you, let them feel comfortable in doing so.
If there’s anyone here, that wants to join those already on the highway, help them to search for your
forgiveness and leadership in their lives.
And, Lord, each Christian here this morning needs to recommit their life to you, help them to get back
on the narrow, but bright highway which leads to your kingdom.
In the name of Christ we pray…Amen.
Closing Song – #733 – We’re Marching to Zion
Benediction
Grant us, O Lord, that what has been said with our lips we may believe in our hearts,
and that what we believe in our hearts, we may practice in our lives;
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
This sermon series is based on Roy Hession’s classic, “The Calvary Road” which can be purchased by calling Christian Literature Crusade (CLC) at 1.800.659.1240.
Note: If for any reason you did not find this sermon helpful or would like to make a comment or ask a question, please feel free to contact me at gb@clergy.net. Your input will help me personally and my congregation as I learn Spiritually and professionally.
