“The Path that Leads to Nowhere”
February 24, 2013
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”
Last week, as I went on my Morning Prayer Walk (I walk and pray as I go along) my way was covered in snow. Everything was pure and white and beautiful. No one had been before me and the path lay before me pure and unmarred. When the sun broke through the clouds, the path lit up with diamonds sparkling in the snow – so pure and white it was almost blinding.
It reminded me of life. Every day is a fresh new day – unmarred by wrong choices, untainted by bad attitudes, unblemished by our sinful selfish nature. Every day is a gift from God (that’s why they call it ‘the present’); every day is ours to do with as we choose. God gave us that ability. Every day we create something with our attitudes; our gifts; our passions; our choices. It lies before us like a path on a snowy day. We are making eternal footprints on a pure white, unblemished path. But sometimes that path leads up. Sometimes the path is treacherous. And it goes by so quickly. We need to make the most of every day - because every senior citizen says, “It went by so quickly!”
Jesus, in our Scripture, points out that at some point we come to a fork in the road. One path is wide and easy and inviting with lots of company. There are many people on this path. Unfortunately, it leads to destruction.
The other path is narrow. It’s not easy to walk a narrow path. It takes concentration and deliberation. You can’t day dream on this path – its work. It reminds me of that path that leads up to Mount Eddy. Some of you climbed it with me. It was all uphill with lots of twists and turns. You had to watch your footing continually or you would slip on the gravel. But it was worth it. It led to a beautiful panoramic view of the Mount Shasta and mountain lakes and streams and a beautiful vista of the valley. Jesus’ narrow path leads to eternal life.
This morning I want to talk about the path we are on – for some it’s a path to nowhere. They have no idea where they are going or even what the destination is. For them, it’s all about the journey and how to find as many pleasant spots as they can. They don’t realize that the road they are on ends in destruction.
Have you ever known someone who spent their entire life sacrificing and working hard with little play time so they could make as much money as they could – so they could live it up when retired – only to die within a year or two?
Some people, maybe most people, are on the road to nowhere. They have no idea where they are going or where they will end up. They hope for the best but they are kind of like a ping pong ball in a box car – bouncing around where ever life leads them. Kind of blowing in the wind – tossed to and fro by the winds of chance. Where they land - no one knows.
I don’t think God wants us to live our lives like that. I believe He wants us to live our lives with purpose and intent. I believe He wants us to make the most of our lives. The Word says to “make the most of every opportunity.” (Colossians 4:5) So, in order for you to do that I want to give you some suggestions that will help you on your path.
First, “Know your destination”. Years ago, I helped lead a backpacking camp. I did it for about a decade. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got to see some of the most beautiful country in creation. I backpacked in Yosemite and the Stanislaus wilderness and the Marble Mountain wilderness; we climbed Mount Shasta and Mount Whitney and the White Mountains. We even hiked in Death Valley. But in all those hikes – we were prepared. We had a destination. We knew what trails and paths to take to make it. Someone said, “If you don’t have a destination – any old path will do.” We always had a destination. We always had a goal. We always knew where we were going – well, almost always.
Do you know where you are going? Do you have a finial destination? Where do you want to end up?
A lot of people say, “Oh, I want to end up in heaven!” “I want to go to heaven.”
That is a worthy goal. I hope it is every one of our goals. But is the path you are on taking you there? Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:1-6
Jesus first gives us our destination – heaven. It’s like a mansion. It has many rooms. There is a place for us. Jesus is preparing it especially for us. Think of that! Meditate on that for a while. A place is being prepared for us.
Jesus gives us our destination – then, Secondly, He tells us how to get there. When we went on those backpacking trips into the wilderness we always carried a map and a compass. The compass is kind of like the Holy Spirit whose purpose is to guide us. The map is kind of like the Bible. He shows us how to get there. And the Bible says the way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ.
He says HE is the way. You can’t come to the Father except through Him. In our Scripture Jesus said the way to eternal life is narrow and straight and few find the way on it. Why? Because the gate to ‘the way’ is narrow. And what is the gate? What is the entrance to heaven? Jesus said,
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” John 10:1-9
There are a lot of people who don’t like to hear that because – well, it’s so narrow. It’s exclusionary. But that is what the Word of God says. The Bible is God’s revealed will to man. It is Truth – Jesus said. And the truth is that there is one way to heaven. It is through Jesus Christ. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said,
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
That’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Jesus is the ONLY way to be saved? The Bible says,
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
That’s hard to believe. Jesus is the ONLY way. John writes,
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13
He says, “Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:10-12
Our destination is Heaven. The Gate to the path is Jesus. But to make it –thirdly, you need to be thoroughly and properly equipped. When I go out the door on my walk – I am equipped properly. Sometimes this week I had my boots on. In warmer weather I wear sneakers. At this time of the year I wear layers – tee shirt, sweatshirt, and heavy coat. Other times of the year I may have only a tee shirt on, or a sweatshirt or light jacket. When I go hiking on the PCT I carry water, and food and the stuff I think I might need.
On our way to heaven, the Bible tells us to leave some stuff behind and take some stuff with us. Listen.
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:5-10
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14
That’s a lot of stuff to get rid of and a lot of stuff to carry. When I went backpacking I went through a time where I took everything but the kitchen sink along. When we got to the trailhead we would weigh everyone’s packs. The smaller ones had packs of 20 pounds or so. Most had 40 to 60 pounds. Mine was always over a hundred. I liked to take a lot of gadgets and unnecessary stuff. That made a lot of work for me. And we make like a lot more difficult when we hold on to the ways of the world. It may even prevent us from making our destination.
Have you ever read about the old wagon trains heading west? When people came to the mountains they started throwing all kinds of stuff off. All across the plains they thought they couldn’t live without it. But the cupboards and dressers and tables were tossed aside so they could make it.
In my house I have an old table that someone threw aside from some wagon train. Bob’s parents used to live Tehachapi and there used to be a wagon train through there. Wagons would come across the Mojave Desert and hit that steep trail. Something had to go. For someone it was this table. Bob father picked it up and restored it.
There comes a time in your life you have to let go of some things. What is it in your life the Holy Spirit is asking you to let go off? I don’t have to suggest anything – you know. The Holy Spirit has His finger on something in your life and He is saying, “Let it go!” “Toss it out”. You don’t need it. You are better off without it.
There may be something you need to acquire. There may be something you need to work on. Is it love? Is it patience? The makes a few suggestions,
“clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another... put on love”
I don’t know what you and the Holy Spirit are working on right now – but I know if you are to make your finial destination – you are going to have to lighten the load. Are you willing to do that? It isn’t easy – but neither is the way to heaven. It’s narrow and few find their way on that path. Few are willing to pay the price of obedience. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice – and they follow me.”
Listen to His voice right now. Follow Him.
The destination is heaven. The gate to the right path is Jesus. You have to be equipped properly to make it. May God help you on your journey.
