WHICH WAY

TOPIC: WHICH WAY

TEXT; MATT 7:13

Billy Graham tells of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Wanting to mail a later, he asked a young boy where the post office was. When the boy had told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said “If you will come to the Baptist church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven” The boy replied, "I don't think i will be there. You don't even know your way to the post office, how are you going to direct me or show me the way to heaven?” 

People have different thinking about what life is, and what it means depends on how we understand it. The boy in his wisdom and understandings didn't know that this life is a journey. He didn't know that there are two main ways which one leads to death(destruction) and other one leads to life. He thought within himself that the man is a scammer. He thought if this man does not know the way leading to a common post office, how will he know the way to heaven?

Let me tell another story of a man that lacked a foresight about this life journey. A young Bible College Students was a witnessing in a town of Atlanta in Georgia As he approached one house, there was an elderly man sitting on the porch, he asked the man “Are you a Christian? The man said no, I am Smith, the Christian live two doors down. The young man (preacher) said no, you don't understand. I mean are you lost? The old man said son, i am not lost, I have lived here for 25 years. The preacher asked him, sir, Are you ready for the Judgment Day? The old man said when is it going to be, the preacher answered? Well, it may be today or tomorrow. They old man replied “please don't tell my wife, she will want to go both days”

The old man was lost in one way but not in another way. He knew way he lived physically, but he didn't know where he was spiritually.

He didn't know anything about this life journey. He probably taught when a man dies, that is the end. He didn't know anything about the judgement day.

People say that there are hundreds of ways, but according to Matthew 7:13,14 There are two main ways that governs this lives journey. (1) The broad way that leads to a wide gate and (2) The narrow way which leads to a small gate. 

Everyone is on a spiritual journey as they travel through life. (Whether religious or not we traveled a spiritual path and every journey has a starting point and eventually an end point.

Everyday, we make choices that affect the direction in which we are heading to.

Majority of people make choices that will lead them into destruction while minority of people make choices that will lead them into eternal life. Though in 1Timothy 2:4. God wants all men (all people) to be saved, to find the narrow way, to come to the knowledge of the truth. But the truth is that not everyone will find the way, not everyone will believe that such a way exist.

Some people will see the narrow way, but wont enter. 

Some will enter but will not make it through the exit to eternal life. 

Before I go further. Let me answer the question of where one can find the way.

Where can one find a way? In John 14:6. Jesus Christ told his disciples the night before the day of his crucifixion that he is the way the truth and the life, no One Cometh to the father except through me. So Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. Meaning that if you find Jesus you find the way that leads to life. If you don't find Jesus you don't find the way to eternal life.

NOTE: It is one thing to find the way and another thing to enter into it. It is one thing to enter into the way and another thing to diligently keep moving without turning back. Some people have found the way but they find it very hard to enter. There are people that know the way to eternal life but they are still moving in broad way that leads to destruction.

Some people feel because they know the way, they automatically have eternal life. NO! 

Jesus knew this will happen. That is why he says that not every man that will call me Lord Lord will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven(Matthew  7:21).  To confirm this go to any church this Sunday and carry out a survey by asking each person where there will go if the trumpet sounds or if God calls them to rest. 99% of the people will tell you that they will make heaven. Jesus said that not every man that called me Lord. Lord will enter into the kingdom of my father. Meaning that not everyone that goes to the church and stare at the way then go back to walk in the broad way will enter into heaven.

It is those that will find the way, enters into it, and strive to be in the way by doing the laws of God that is written in their hearts will have eternal life.

POINT ONE

How will one know that he or she is walking on the broad way?

If you see yourself moving with extra luggage, know that you are on a broad way because in the narrow way there are no rooms, no space for extra luggage. What do I mean by extra luggage? Since wide is the gate and broad is the way you can move freely with materialism, you can move freely with Unforgivable spirit, you can move freely with prejudice, you can move freely with hatred! 

The way does not require giving up on anything.

People enter it with no sacrifice on their path.

There are no restrictions concerning what one belief and behavior.

The way allows any behavior one desires.

In this way no need for reformation or change in one's life style. 

In this way one makes his or her own rules, one believe what he wants to believe and do what he want. 

In this way one has whatever he wants at any time he wants it by his power.

This is why some people that apply this way will fix a date for themselves to be rich, to get married, to have children, to pass exams with magic pens, to get any land by force, to attend any position in the society by force, to attend any position in the church by force.

They do anything to acquire bags, shoes, cloths, cars, houses, lands, latest hair style. Surprisingly they are the highest donors in the church. 

People in this way kills without thinking twice (they either kill with physical sword, and with their tongues by falsely witnessing against one another. They will go to the courtroom and swear using the Bible, placing their hands on top of the Bible they will say “I swear that everything I will say in this court of law shall be the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God) but deep inside of them they know that they are standing there to be a false witness against another just to condemn the person to death (Proverbs 25:18 says “A man who Bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow). The Bible says that all these things lead to destruction.

DISCLAIMER. I'm not saying that if you enter into this road that you will go to hell. I am saying that if you see yourself in this route and makes a U-turn into the narrow road, you will have eternal life! 

HOW CAN YOU ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE?

Jesus Christ says in Luke 13:24 “strive to enter through the narrow gate…” which is a command. How can you obey this command? We obey the command by being converted, by making a U-turn from the broad way.

Jesus Christ says in Matthew 18:3 “unless you are converted and become like children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” why? Because a child is absolutely dependent on his parents for food, water, shelter, clothing, love - everything. We must become like children, we must stop trusting ourselves and our own righteousness and put our trust in Christ Jesus for all (Not getting everything by force). 

We entered through repentance by faith. John 3:36 says “He who believes in the son has eternal life” In a nutshell you have to strive to enter into the small gate.(you can't just stroll into eternal life).

In the narrow way, you don't need extra luggage. It is only you and Holy Spirit and the good fruits that you exhibit.

POINT THREE

In the narrow road, there are things that guides someone to move successfully into the eternal life!  

THE WAY SIGNS 

l No parking: Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this or have already arrived at my goals, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” Paul have made a statement that he doesn't claim sinless perfection, but rather pursuing absolute Christ likeness. He didn't park, he didn't stop pursuing absolute Christian likeness. Paul did not say as Christians of nowadays do say. They will tell you my dear, i did it more than you when i repented newly. What's Happening now? Why parking when you have not reached there? Sometimes Christians can be tempted to stop and park when God intends for us to keep moving, to get busy, and to make progress.

l Wrong Way: Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be rights, but in the end leads to death” 

1 Peter 3:12 Says “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous”

Psalm 121: 4 Says that our God never sleeps nor slumber. 

Let me also tell you that the eyes of the devil are against the righteous and the devil do not sleep nor slumber. He will create destruction to make you turn right or left into the broad way that leads to destruction. God uses the sign through His word to warn us not to go right nor left to avoid harm.

l No U-Turn: Hebrews 10:38 Says “And my righteous ones will live by faith, but I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away” Luke 9:62 “Jesus replied no one who puts his hands to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom of God” Hebrews 10:38 says that God is grieved with whoever that makes a U-turn. That is why he places no U-Turn on the narrow way to eternal life. Christians can be tempted to get off the right road and return to the life they left behind. God is pleased when we follow him by faith without giving in to doubt. Once we have committed ourselves to God there should be no turning back to our old ways of life.

l Speed Limit:  Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and  He shall strengthen your heart, wait, I say, on the Lord” Psalm 27:14 has made us to understand that we should wait, we should not get ahead of ourselves and leave God behind. Don't over speed because speed kills. It can make one to die before his or her time. That is why the Lord places this sign on the narrow road to tell you son, daughter always move with me because I am your father, i know everything. If we have to work successfully through this narrow way, we must be patience to walk side-by-side with God.

l Exits: 2 Timothy 4:6,7 “The time of my departure is near, i have fought a good fight, i have finished the course, i have kept the faith” Exit is the time one passes through this life journey, both physically and spiritually. Paul did not stop fighting his fight with sin till he won and rested in a complete victory. No matter how long our road trip takes, we will eventually reach the exit. If we obey all the road signs in this journey to maintain our faith in the narrow way, at the end we will feel relieved like Paul that our journey is over, and we have reached our planned destination.

One May Say How Will I See These Signs?

1. You see these signs through his word.

2. Patterning your ears to always hear from the Lord and from people that started this journey before you.

3. When you pray and ask God to lead you through this narrow way he will always show you these signs when they need arises

CONCLUSION: I don't know which road you are! It is God, the devil, and you that knows the way that you are trekking on.

Are you among those that come to church and se at the small gates but find it hard to enter?

Or are you in the narrow road but failed to be reading the signs?

Today is the day to make things right again. Hallelujah