God's Highway

“God’s Highway”

Matthew 7:13-14

David P. Nolte

Sometimes it is refreshing to get off the major highways and onto the back roads which, many times, in the past, were the major highways. Going to Eugene via Hwy 99 may be slower but once in a while, it’s fun.

Life is in many ways like a highway. On it we take a trip from one point to another. The highway runs through valleys and crosses mountains. The road sometimes is smooth and sometimes a little rough. There are long, straight sections and there are curves to navigate. Sometimes the trip is uneventful and sometimes there is tragedy. It may be a sunny trip or it might be inclement weather. Usually we can travel at a good rate, but there are factors like accidents, slow traffic and construction that hinder more rapid progress.

Hopefully we can travel safely, happily, and to our desired destination. Even more importantly we are traveling on a highway that leads to eternity. There are two such highways: Satan’s route or God’s – both ending in eternity – but not the same place.

Jesus said, “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. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT2).

Solomon wrote, “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life.” Proverbs 16:17 (NASB).

Norm and Norma brought a great song about God’s Highway – not

a multi-lane autobahn with virtually no speed limit, but that narrow and difficult way that ends in glory.

“Highways here, highways there, on the land, and in the air. Roads that lead near and far to the fields of war; But there’s one Highway where no armies meet, a golden Highway were no war drums beat. God’s Highway is that golden Highway, and it’s safe, and straight and sure; God’s Highway is the only Highway that forever must endure.”

Consider some traits of that Highway:

I. GOD’S HIGHWAY IS THE NARROW WAY

A. Now some will react negatively to that concept. Well, take that up with Jesus, the One Who said it. I like to say it like this:

1. The way to Heaven is as narrow as Jesus makes it: He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 (NASB).

2. The way to Heaven is as wide as Jesus makes it: He said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. . . . . For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:37 and 40 (NASB).

3. God’s Highway is as narrow as Jesus and as wide as whosoever will.

B. Many things in life are narrow and we are thankful it is so.

1. When the doctor prescribes, we want him to include only appropriate and correct meds 100% of the time; 99.44% is not good enough!

2. When we pay for groceries we want accuracy when the register tallies our cost. An amount with an error allowance of $10 or $12 is not acceptable.

3. Driving the wrong way on a road is not allowable.

C. So, just as the sun invariably rises in the East; and 2 + 2 = 4 every time; and truth is truth regardless of our opinion; even more surely, Jesus is the only Savior!

D. Here’s the Bible on that:

1. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18 (NASB)

2. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NASB).

3. “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:12-13 (NASB).