Get On The Right Trail Series

Part One - Get on the Right Trail

There is only One Way—God’s Way—to true Joy and Blessing

Based on the text of Philippians 3:1-6

Introduction

1. I Feel Like Traveling On

My heav’nly home is bright and fair,

I feel like traveling on,

Nor pain, nor death can enter there

I feel like traveling on.

Yes, I feel like traveling on

I feel like traveling on

My heav’nly home is bright and fair,

I feel like traveling on.

The Lord has been so good to me,

I feel like traveling on,

Until that blessed home I see,

I feel like traveling on.

2. Obviously you may be wondering what a teepee, various frontier paraphernalia, and your pastor dressed like a fur trapper has to do with the preaching of God’s Word.

3. During Jesus’ earthly ministry two-thousand years ago, He used many illustrations to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel. He used a fig tree to teach about possessing the evidences of a life pleasing to God; He used relationships with a father and son to reveal aspects of our relationship with God; He used farming, animals, seeds, rocks, dirt, and a lot of other normal, regular things to communicate the truth of God’s Kingdom.

4. And so, this morning, I want to use the American frontier of 1804 to enter a conversation with you about life—your life, and mine—and how we can truly follow Christ and His teaching, even in the post-modern world that we happen to find ourselves living in.

5. In 1804 two gifted, intelligent men, led a group of other men, in a journey of a lifetime. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, to lead the Corps of Discovery through the Louisiana Purchase, from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back again.

6. It was a daunting, dangerous, intense task. Failure and death was a very real possibility. Success would be difficult at best. So, why do it? It was more than the thrill of adventure—staring danger in the face. It was more that the desire to achieve fame and fortune—there were no guarantees. But there was the understanding by Thomas Jefferson, Lewis, and Clark, that for the American nation to become great this journey and expedition must be successfully accomplished—there was no other option.

7. For us, life is a journey. And, there are many illustration that we can garner from the American Frontier that can help us understand Biblical truth—how we can successfully navigate the challenges, pitfalls, and dangers that an befall everyone of us. Whether you are a follow of Jesus, or an unbeliever, life is a journey. Every human being is born, lives life, and will, one day die.

8. For some, there is the belief that death is the end of the journey. Others belief it is only the beginning. There are those that believe that as long as you are a good person and sincere, then you will finish life well—your abilities acceptable to God. Others believe that there is only one way—one trail—one road—that is acceptable to God that will lead to the right destination.

9. Who’s right? The Muslim sincerely believes he is right—Islam’s way is the only way. The Hindu sincerely believes he is right—the Hindu way is the only way. The Scientologist sincerely believes he is right—Scientology’s way is the only way. And the list goes on and on.

10. Then there is Jesus. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.” But, it is only Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God, who demonstrated His authority by dieing on the Cross, and three days later, rising from the dead.

11. (Recently there was a “documentary” claiming that they had found the bones of Jesus and his family. Even unbelieving archeologist and scholars have come out and declared this accusation as completely false and devoid of scientific standards of investigation and truth).

12. It was this Jesus—who died on a bloody cross and resurrected from the dead—who revealed an important truth about living life: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

13. According to Jesus there is only one way—God’s way! So, what does this way look like? Another follower of Jesus, who wrote many letters found in the Bible, gives us instructions on how we can experience the journey of life pleasing to God. This man—his name was Paul—wrote to a small Church located in the city of Philippi. It was a letter to encourage the believers to not loose heart, especially in the face of some difficult opposition.