## The Journey

## Matthew 7:13-14

Robert Frost wrote a poem entitled "The Road Not Taken." It is brief - four stanzas, twenty lines - but in that space, he reminds us of an important truth. He writes of walking down a road through a wood that suddenly branches out to become two. He stands at the fork, wondering which way he should take. He would like to travel both, and tells himself that whichever he chooses he will come back another time to explore the other way. But then he writes:

Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

I think we understand that Frost was writing about more than a walk in the woods. He was telling us that there are opportunities in life, and that we should choose our way carefully. He was telling us that sometimes we have to abandon the majority and choose the road less traveled.

Two thousand years before Robert Frost ever put pen to paper, Jesus spoke concerning the same thing. [2] Mt 7:13 -14 "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 which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Jesus spoke of the way 'less traveled'. He challenged us to make that choice. Many travel the broad way that leads to destruction, but we are admonished to choose the narrow way that leads to life. For 3 ½ years while He ministered here on this earth Jesus pointed us to the Way. The Way was not a path, but a Person. Jesus calls us to come unto Him in faith. Only then can we have the life that He promised.

All of us here today are on a journey. Our lives are but a moment of time in light of eternity. But our eternal destination will be determined by the choices we make in this life. Where our journey takes us will be determined by the path we choose to follow. In our text, Jesus spoke of two roads, one was broad and well traveled, but it leads to destruction. The other is narrow and less traveled, but it leads unto life…abundant life now and eternal life later!

Where is your journey taking you? Are you convinced that your path is correct or are you just hoping that you will wind up in the best place?

I would like to encourage you to make Jesus your choice today. Come to Him by faith and be assured of eternal life. Consider some thoughts about this journey.

I. It's a Journey from Sin to Salvation.

A. We don't like to admit that we are sinners.

1. Sinner = bad person…evil person…wicked person.

2. We cannot be sinners; because we aren't so bad…we aren't evil…we try to do good.

3. But the Word of God declares us ALL to be sinners.

Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

B. We would like to think that we can approach God as we are.

1. What's wrong with this kind of thinking?

2. Think about this, we know that our president is George Bush.

3. We also know that He does business at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington. D.C.

4. I was there a few years ago.

5. Imagine if I decided I would come and visit Him…I didn't want to approach him according to protocol.

6. I just wanted to walk in, sit down, and have a chat with him.

7. What do you think would have happened?

8. That's right, and yet multitudes of people think they can approach the Almighty God of the universe on their own terms.

C. Jesus makes it possible for us to approach God.

1. He is the only Way to approach Him.

2. By faith we come to Christ, and then we have access to the Father.

3. I am talking about salvation…that means eternal life and heaven.

4. No one can get to heaven, have eternal life, or salvation without faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ!

Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

II. It's a Journey from Death to Life.

A. We are under the sentence of death.

Ro 5:12, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"

1. The man in this verse is Adam.

2. When he sinned against God, it brought about the consequence of death.

3. The Lord warned him, but he chose to disobey…to not believe what God had said.

Ge 2:16-17 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

4. Now that sentence of death passed upon all of us '…for all have sinned'.

5. That death sentence is not conditional upon who we are or upon what we do…all have sinned so all will die.

6. There is only one way to escape death…through belief or faith in Christ.

John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

Luke 13:3, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

7. To repent is to change our thinking.

8. To turn from thinking we are alright the way we are…

9. To realizing that we need to place our faith in Jesus Christ.

B. The good news is that Jesus died in our place.

1. Faith in Jesus Christ is truly a matter of life or death.

2. The life or death is not physical, but spiritual!

3. When we believe in Him we have life…

4. If we choose to ignore Him we remain under the sentence of death!

John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

5. There is no other choice - no other option.

John 3:36, " He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

III. It's a Journey from Neglect to Commitment.

A. Most people want to go to heaven.

1. I am convinced that most people want to go to heaven.

2. We all were created with a God-sized hole in our lives that cannot be satisfied with the things of this earth.

3. Go anyplace around the globe and you will find in every culture that man is seeking to find God.

4. The problem is our hearts are deceptive…if we follow our heart…it will lead us wrong!

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

5. We must commit to following Christ if we want to go to heaven!

6. It requires a decision on our part!

B. Most people just neglect these matters.

1. For many it is like discussing funeral arrangements.

2. If we don't talk about it - it won't happen!

3. But we know better than that don't we?

4. At most major airports they have machines where you can purchase flight insurance, just in case something happens and you.

5. Many will pass them by thinking that by not considering the possibility of a disaster that will in some way protect them.

6. Take your chances on the airlines…but do not neglect salvation of your eternal soul!

Hebrews 2:3 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"

C. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

1. That preparation requires a commitment to Christ.

2. A commitment of our faith to come to Him and Him alone for salvation.

3. A commitment of our life to live for Him and share the gospel with others.

4. A commitment to serve Him with our lives.

All of us are on the Journey, but we will not all arrive at the same destination. Where our Journey takes us is totally dependent upon the choices we make in this life.

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Mt 7:13-14 "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 which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Will you come to Jesus today? Do not neglect the most important decision of your life. Christian, do you need to recommit your life today? Come now, the Savior is waiting.