The Road Less Traveled

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Text: Matthew 7:13-23

Introduction

Illustration:

“I once read the true story of their English professor who was on her way to class one day. She was running late and was going over the speed limit. Then she saw the dreaded red and blue lights in her rear view mirror and heard the siren, and she pulled over. As the policeman was making out her ticket, he asked her why she’d been going so fast. Being an English professor, she thought she’d be a little clever… and so she quoted Robert Frost: ‘I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.’ The police officer smiled, and having apparently read a fair amount of Robert Frost’s poems himself, replied: ‘Well Miss, Frost chose the road less traveled, and, unfortunately for you… this wasn't it’."1

The Poem by Robert Frost is considered a classic. “However in the poem, “there really isn't much difference between the two paths. One of them is ‘just as fair’ as the other. Both are ‘equally’ covered in fresh, untrodden leaves. The footsteps of other walkers have "worn them really about the same." So the walker chooses between two more or less identical options, but knows that someday he'll be describing his choice as a life-changing big deal2.”

One of the hard truths of the Bible is that the road to eternity is the road less traveled and the road which we each choose does in fact have eternal consequences. This evening we will discuss the road less traveled.

DISCUSSION:

I. There are only two roads and they do not all led to heaven

A. Jesus said that The road to heaven is the road less traveled

Matthew 7:13-15 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 15

B. Not even all of the people who call Jesus Lord are on the right road.

Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

2 Corinthians 13:5 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

II. The Well-traveled road

Isaiah 35:8 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

Revelation 21:8 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

A. Those who turn back

2 Peter 2:20-22 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

B. The Unfruitful

John 15:2 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:6 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.