MUB
09-05-04
MATT 7;13-14
INTRO;
6 WEEKS FROM YESTERDAY, WE KICK OFF OUR 40 DOP. I AM GETTING MORE
AND MORE EXCITED. I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT, AND I AM SURE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AS WELL. THIS MORNING WE WILL HAVE OUR SMALL GROUP LEADERS, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, WHEN SERVICE IS OVER, THEY WILL STAND IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BUILDING, YOU GO AND FIND THEM, AND JOIN THEIR GROUP. THEY WILL HAVE SIGN UP SHEETS ON THE BOARD, AND AS SOON AS THEY HAVE THE TIME AND DAY OF THE WEEK PICKED OUT, YOU WILL KNOW IF THAT WORKS WITH YOUR SCHEDULE.
NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO, ANNE AND I, AND THE KIDS TOOK A WINTER VACATION TO BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA. WE HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE, AND THE PRIMARY REASON TO GO WAS FOR ANNE AND THE KIDS TO SEE SNOW.
NOW LET ME SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU, THAT WILL PROBABLY SHOCK AND AMAZE YOU, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DEEP DARK HIDDEN THINGS, THAT ONLY GETS SHARED WHEN IT HAS TO BE, USING POLITICALLY CORRECT LANGUAGE, I AM DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED. (THAT MEANS I HAVE A TENDENCY TO GET LOST). NOW TO ADD TO THIS, I ALSO TEND TO BE FROM TIME TO TIME JUST SLIGHTLY HARDLY NOTICEABLY STUBBORN. NOW WHAT THIS MEANS IS, WHEN I GET LOST, I REALLY GET LOST, AND ASKING DIRECTIONS IS A CHALLENGE TO MY MASCULINITY. NOW ON THIS TRIP TO BOONE, NC., I GOT HOPELESSLY LOST, WHEN WE PASSED THE SAME SIGN FOR THE THIRD TIME, I KNEW I WAS LOST. THE VAN WAS NOT WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. I ACTUALLY STOPPED AND ASKED DIRECTIONS. ANNE FAINTED. I BELIEVE THE WORLD STOOD STILL.
WITH A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE WERE, AND HOW TO GET TO WHERE WE DESIRED TO GO, WE WERE ON THE ROAD ONCE AGAIN. AND WE DID IN FACT ACTUALLY ARRIVE AT OUR DESTINATION.
NOW THEN, AS WE CONTINUE IN THIS STUDY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS SPEAKS OF ROADS AND GATES .
JESUS SAID, ENTER THRU THE NARROW GATE. THE GATE IS THE ENTRANCE WAY. HE SAYS, THERE ARE TWO GATES, ONE NARROW –>THIS IS THE LIFE GATE.
THE SECOND GATE IS THE WIDE GATE. THIS GATE LEADS TO DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. NOW GET THIS, THE NARROW GATE IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO ENTER, IT WILL REQUIRE SOME EFFORT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE WIDE GATE IS VERY EASY TO ENTER, PLENTY OF ROOM, TO ENTER REQUIRES NO THOUGHT WHATSOEVER.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, CHOOSE A GATE TO ENTER. THIS IS OUR OWN PERSONAL DECISION. IT IS ALSO A DECISION THAT HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.
IN ADDITION TO THE GATES, JESUS TELLS US THAT THERE ARE TWO ROADS. THE ONE ROAD IS SMALL AND NARROW, IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TRAVEL, IT IS NOT THE INTERSTATE, IT DOESN’T ALWAYS RUN STRAIGHT, THIS IS THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, BUT THIS NARROW ROAD LEADS TO LIFE. THIS IS NOT THE POPULAR ROAD, MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS WILL NOT BE FOUND ON IT, YOU MAY WALK LONG DISTANCES ALONE. BUT, IT IS THE ROAD OF LIFE.
THE OTHER ROAD IS BROAD, MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE THIS ROAD, IT IS EASY TO TRAVEL. BUT THIS ROAD, LIKE THE WIDE GATE, LEADS TO DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
GET THIS–> THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXIT THE WIDE ROAD, AND GET ON THE NARROW ROAD OF LIFE. BUT ONCE AGAIN, A DECISION MUST BE MADE BY EACH OF US.
WHAT I AM TELLING YOU HERE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I MADE UP, THIS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE, THESE ARE THE WORDS OF JESUS. HE IS PREACHING THIS SERMON WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE LISTENING. JESUS SAYS, MANY MORE WILL CHOOSE THE BROAD ROAD AND GATE THAT LEADS TO DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, THAN WILL CHOOSE THE ROAD OF LIFE. THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO SAY. PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO HEAR THAT MANY WILL NOT CHOOSE LIFE, THAT MANY WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL. IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE OFTEN HEAR THIS SOFT SOAPED, EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN. THAT IS NOT WHAT JESUS SAYS. THIS IS NOT A PLEASANT THOUGHT –> IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. I AM NOT A HELL FIRE DAMNATION PREACHER.
NEVER HAVE BEEN, BUT–> IN ORDER FOR ME TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE WORD OF GOD, I MUST TELL YOU THAT NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO MAKE HEAVEN THEIR ETERNAL HOME.
JESUS SAYS, WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS –> THEY DRESS LIKE SHEEP, BUT THEY ARE FEROCIOUS WOLVES. THEY LOOK AND SOUND INNOCENT, THEY PREACH A FEEL GOOD GOSPEL, THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.
BUT INSIDE, THEY ARE RAVENOUS WOLVES, THEY WILL TEAR YOU APART.
(ILLUS. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG TEEN, I WENT WITH ONE OF THE COUSINS TO VISIT A FRIEND OF HERS, THIS FRIEND HAD A FOX TIED OUT ON A ROPE IN THE BACK YARD. THE FOX LAY QUIETLY, I WENT UP TO INVESTIGATE, WHEN I GOT ABOUT SO CLOSE, THE FOX WAS UP AND AT ME WITH TEETH GLARING. INNOCENT LOOKING, DEADLY DANGEROUS.)
THAT IS WHAT JESUS SAYS ABOUT FALSE PROPHETS. HE THEN ADDS SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE WHEN DEALING WITH THEM. DO YOU PICK GRAPES FROM A THORN BUSH? OF COURSE NOT. YOU GET GOOD FRUIT FROM GOOD TREES. THEY WILL BE KNOWN BY THEIR FRUIT. WHAT ARE THEY PRODUCING? WHAT ARE THEY IN IT FOR? POWER. PRESTIGE, PROFIT.
JESUS CONCLUDES THIS THOUGHT BY SAYING, NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME LORD LORD, WILL ENTER MY KINGDOM. MANY WILL SAY, I DID THIS, AND I DID THAT. BUT JESUS WILL SAY TO THEM, AWAY FROM ME, I NEVER KNEW YOU.
CONCLUSION WHERE ARE YOU ON LIFES HIGHWAY? YOU SEE IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND ARE DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED, YOU CAN GET ON THE RIGHT ROAD AND FIND THE RIGHT DESTINATION. JESUS AND HIS WORD WILL BE YOUR GPS.
IN THE GREAT OLD SONG, AMAZING GRACE, ONE LINE SAYS, I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND.
