DOWN THIS ROAD
TEXT
MATTHEW 7: 13-14
13) ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND
BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE
ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT.
14) BECAUSE NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT IS THE WAY
WHICH LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT.
INTRODUCTION
THE ACCOUNT BEING GIVEN HERE IS NOT THAT OF A CHOICE
BETWEEN A BROAD WHITE WAY WITH LOTS OF FUN AND A
NARROW, DARK, UNINVITING ALLEY.
THE ACCOUNT BEING GIVEN HERE IS A PICTURE OF A FUNNEL.
IF YOU ENTER THE FUNNEL AT THE BROAD END, IT KEEPS
NARROWING DOWN UNTIL YOU COME TO DEATH, DESTRUCTION
AND HELL. BUT YOU ENTER THE FUNNEL AT THE NARROW END,
THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND CHRIST. CHRIST IS THE WAY, THE
TRUTH AND THE LIFE. CHRIST SAYS “ I AM COME THAT THEY
MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE
ABUNDANTLY (JOHN 10:10). THE LONGER YOU WALK WITH JESUS,
THE WIDER THE FUNNEL GETS. ON THE CONTRARY,
THE ACCOUNT THAT IS GIVEN IS OF THE BAD WAY OF SIN, AND
THE GOOD WAY OF HOLINESS. THERE ARE BUT TWO WAYS,
RIGHT AND WRONG, GOOD AND EVIL; THE WAY TO HEAVEN AND
THE WAY TO HELL, ONE OF WHICH WE ARE ALL WALKING; NO
MIDDLE PLACE HEREAFTER, NO MIDDLE WAY NOW: THE
DISTINCTION OF THE CHILDREN OF MEN INTO SAINTS AND
SINNERS, GODLY AND UNGODLY, WILL SWALLOW UP ALL THE
TO ETERNITY.
THIS IS THE PICTURE OF THE LIFE OF A CHILD OF GOD, IT GETS
BETTER EVERYDAY.
4 POINTS
1) BE ON WATCH I PETER 5:8
2) THE WAY JOHN 14:6
3) WHAT IS OUR HOPE EZEKIEL 36:27
4) WHY DOESN’T THE WORLD BELIEVE 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4
I. BE ON WATCH
ENTER YE IN AT THE STRAIT GATE: FOR WIDE IS THE GATE, AND
BROAD IS THE WAY, THAT LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION AND MANY
THERE BE THAT GO IN THEREAT:
1) HERE IS AN ACCOUNT GIVEN US, THE WAY OF SIN AND SINNERS.
DOWN THIS ROAD MULTITUDES ARE ALLURED INTO IT; THE
GATE IS WIDE,, AND THE THE WAY IS BROAD, AND THERE ARE
MANY TRAVELLERS ON IT.
DOWN THIS ROAD YOU WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF LIBERTY
IN THIS WAY, BECAUSE THE GATE IS WIDE, ANS STANDS WIDE
OPEN TO TEMPT THOSE THAT GO RIGHT ON THEIR WAY;
YOU MAY WALK INTHE WAY OF:
1) YOUR HEART
2) YOUR LUST
3) PASSION
DOWN THIS ROAD THERE IS A CHOICE OF SINFUL WAYS
DOWN THIS ROAD YOU WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANE OF COMPANY:
MANY THERE BE THAT GO INTO THIS GATE, AND WALK THIS
WAY, IF WE FOLLOW IT WILL BE ONLY TO DO EVIL: IF WE GO
WITH THE CROWD, IT WILL BE THE WRONG WAY. IT IS NATURAL
FOR US TO DO WHAT THE CROWD DOES. WHAT MOST OF THE
CROWD DOES WILL CAUSE US TO PERISH. AND WE SHOULD BE
CAUTIOUS. IF MANY PERISH WE SHOULD BEE ALL THE MORE
CAUTIOUS.
DOWN THIS ROAD LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, DEATH, ETERNAL
DEATH AND AT THE END IS EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION FROM
THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
II. THE WAY
BECAUSE STRAIT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW IS THE WAY, WHICH
LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.
HERE IS AN ACCOUNT GIVEN US OF THE WAY OF HOLINESS.
DOWN THIS ROAD, THE GATE IS STRAIT, CONVERSION AND
REGENERATION ARE THE GATE, BY WHICH WE ENTER INTO THIS
WAY, IN WHICH WE BEGIN A LIFE OF FAITH AND SERIOUS
GODLINESS; OUT OF A STATE OF SIN INTO A STATE OF GRACE,
WE MUST PASS BY THE NEW BIRTH.
I HEARD MY LORD SAY ON THE OTHER DAY IN ST. JOHN 3:3
UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF
GOD”
DOWN THIS ROAD THERE IS A STRAIT GATE, HARD TO FIND, AND
HARD TO GET THROUGH; LIKE A PASSAGE BETWEEN TWO ROCKS.
AND BETWEEN THE PASSAGES, BY WHICH JONATHAN SOUGHT TO
GO OVER UNTO THE PHILISTINES GARRISON, THERE WAS A
SHARP ROCK ON THE ONE SIDE: AND A SHARP ROCK ON THE
OTHER SIDE: AND THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS BOEZ, AND THE
NAME OF THE OTHER SENEH. I SAMUEL 14:4
DOWN THIS ROAD THERE MUST BE:
A NEW HEART
A NEW SPIRIT
OLD THINGS MUST BE CHANGED, CORRUPT HABITS MUST BE
CHANGED, OLD CUSTOMS MUST BE CHANGED, BROKEN OFF.
WHAT WE WERE DOING ALL OF OUR DAYS MUST BE UNDONE
AGAIN.
IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS
HAVE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.
DOWN THIS ROAD WE MUST STRUGGLE AGAINST OPPOSITION
FROM WITHOUT AND FROM WITHIN.
DOWN THIS ROAD THERE IS A STRAIT GATE, FOR WE MUST STOOP
OR WE CAN’T GO IN BY IT.
DOWN THIS ROAD WE MUST BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN.
OUR HIGH THOUGHTS MUST BE BROUGHT LOW
WE MUST STRIP OURSELVES
WE MUST DENY OURSELVES
WE MUST PUT OFF THE OLD MAN
WE MUST BE ABLE TO FORSAKEN ALL AND PUT ALL OF OUR
INTETREST IN CHRIST.
DOWN THIS ROAD THE GATE IS STRAIT TO ALL, BUT TO SOME
STRAITER THAN OTHERS.
DOWN THIS ROAD THE GATE IS STRAIT; BLESSED BE TO GOD IT IS
NOT SHUT UP, NOR LOCKED UP, NOR KEPT WITH A FLAMING
SWORD.
DOWN THIS ROAD IS NARROW, WE ARE NOT IN HEAVEN AS SOON
AS WE GET THROUGH THE STRAIT GATE, NOR IN CANAAN AFTER
WE HAD CROSSED THE RED SEA. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO
THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.
DOWN THIS ROAD WE MUST TRAVEL A NARROW WAY, HEDGED IN
BY DIVINE LAW, WHICH IS EXCEEDINGLY BROAD AND THAT
MAKES THE WAY NARROW.
DOWN THIS ROAD WE MUST DENY SELF, CRUCIFY FLESH, RESIST
DAILY TEMPTATION.
DOWN THIS ROAD OUR DUTIES MUST BE DONE AGAINST OUR OWN
INCLINATION.
DOWN THIS ROAD IS SO STRAIT AND THE WAY IS SO NARROW, IT
IS NO SURPRISE THAT THERE ARE BUT A FEW THAT WILL FIND IT
AND CHOOSE IT. MANY PASS IT BY, OTHERS LOOK UPON IT, BUT
SHUN IT. THEY DON’T WANT TO BE SO LIMITED AND
RESTRAINED. THOSE GOING TO HEAVEN ARE A FEW COMPARED
TO THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO HELL.
DOWN THIS ROAD WE ARE ALL INVITED TO THIS THIS ROAD
LEADING TO LIFE, TO PRESENT COMFORT IN THE FAVOR OF GOD,
WHICH IS THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. AT THE END OF OUR WAY ALL
THE INCONVIENCES AND DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROD WILL BE
RECONCILED.
ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HATH GIVEN UNTO US ALL
THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH
THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THAT HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND
VIRTUE. I PETER 1:3
ENTER YE IN AT THE STRAIT GATE, LIFE AND DEATH, GOOD AND
EVIL ARE SET BEFORE US BOTH THE WAYS AND BOTH THE ENDS:
CHOOSE THIS DAY WHICH WAY YOU WILL WALK. ENTER YE IN
AT THE STRAIT GATE AND KNOCK AT IT, BY SINCERE AND
CONSTANT PRAYERS AND IT SHALL BE OPENED
ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND
BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE
ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT.
BECAUSE NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT IS THE WAY
WHICH LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT.
DOWN THIS ROAD
THERE ARE:
RIGHT WAYS - WRONG WAYS
GOOD WAYS - BAD WAYS
NARROW WAYS - BROAD WAYS
LIFE - DEATH
HEAVEN - HELL
HELL FOR THE LOST
HEAVEN FOR THE SAINTED.
A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF HELL IS TAKEN OUT OF THE GOSPEL
OF LUKE THE 16TH CHAPTER.
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
THIS SOUL IN HELL IS SPOKEN OF AS A PERSON, HAVING EYES,
TONGUE, EARS, FINGERS AND MEMORY. THERE IS FULL
KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONDITIONS THERE. ITS A PLACE OF
CONSCIOUS PUNISHMENT.
DOWN THIS ROAD IS HELL A PLACE WHERE THOSE THAT TRAVEL
ON THAT BROAD ROAD ARE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO BE
CAST OFF IN THE LAKE OF FIRE, THE ETERNAL ABODE OF THE
LOST. (SEE REVELATIONS 20: 11 - 15)
DOWN THIS ROAD I BELIEVE IN MY MIND, VERY FEW WILL
TRAVEL IT, BUT THOSE THAT DO TRAVEL THIS WAY WILL MAKE
IT TO HEAVEN.
HEAVEN IN MY MIND IS A PREPARED PLACE FOR A PREPARED
PEOPLE, I HEARD IT SAID JUST THE OTHER DAY:
JOHN 14:1 - 3
1) LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED: YE BELIEVE IN GOD
BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.
2) IN MY FATHERS HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE NOT
SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR
YOU.
3) AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME
AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM
THERE YOU MAYBE ALSO.
REVELATIONS 21:6 -7
I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA THE BEGINNING AND THE END.
I WILL GIVE UNTO HIM THAT IS ATHIRST OF THE FOUNTAIN OF
THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY.
HE THAT OVERCOMETH SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS; AND I WILL
BE HIS GOD, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON.
YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE PREPARATION HERE ON EARTH TO
AQUIRE A PLACE IN HEAVEN. YOUR CHRISTIAN CONDUCT WILL
ALLOW OR DISALLOW YOUR WAY INTO THE KINGDOM.
IT HAS BEEN SO DECLARED IN THE SCRIPTURES, THAT:
NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER THE
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY
FATHER IN HEAVEN.
MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT
PROPHESIED IN YOUR NAME, CAST OUT DEMONS IN YOUR NAME,
AND DONE MANY WONDERS IN YOUR NAME?
MATTHEW 7: 21 - 22
IN THE SCRIPTURES JESUS NEVER DEBATED THE FACT THAT
THEY HAD NOT DONE SUCH THINGS. USING MY CHRISTIAN
IMAGINATION, I BELIEVE THAT THOUGH THEY HAD DONE ALL
THESE THINGS THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TRULY BORN AGAIN.
ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE, FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND B
ROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE
AREMANY WHO GO IN BY IT.
NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT IS THE WAY WHICH LEADS
TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT.
I WANT TO TELL YOU:
STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, FOR MANY, I
SAY TO YOU, WILL SEEK TO ENTER AND WILL NOT BE ABLE.
LUKE 13:24
