Three Travelers, Three Roads

THREE TRAVELERS,

THREE ROADS

Isaiah 35:8-10

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: TREEMENNDOUS Puppy For Sale--$5,000.

1. A salesman was asked by a little boy how to sell his puppy. He told him to put out advertising and make the price a little high so he could negotiate to the price he wanted.

2. The salesman passed the boy’s house the next day and saw a large sign saying, “TREEMENNDOUS Puppy For Sale--$5,000. The salesman thought, “He’ll never get an offer asking that much!” But returning home that night he was shocked to see a "SOLD" written across it in big letters.

3. The salesman couldn’t believe it. This kid couldn’t have sold the dog for $5,000. His curiosity got the best of him and he rang the boy’s doorbell. The boy came to the door and the salesman blurted, "Son you didn’t really sell that dog for $5,000 now, did you?"

4. The boy replied, "Yes, sir, I did and I want to thank you for all your help." The salesman said, "How in the world did you do it?"

5. The boy replied, "Oh, it was easy. I just took two $2,500 cats in exchange!"

B. THESIS

1. CHRISTIANITY IS A ROAD

a. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me,” John 14:6. Jesus said salvation was following Him. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me,” Luke 9:23.

b. Earthly roads are symbols of the heavenly road that leads us to salvation. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it,” Matt. 7:13,14.

c. John the Baptist came to “prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled, every hill and mountain laid low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough places smooth. And all mankind shall see God’s salvation” Luke 3:2-4, (Isa. 40:3-5).

d. Isaiah spoke of a “highway of holiness” that only the Redeemed would be able to walk on (Isa. 35:8-10). This is our spiritual journey on Earth, we are walking on a Highway God has provided.

2. DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE JOURNEY

a. Not all of the trip is identical; we travel on different segments of the road with different purposes for our growth.

b. Today we’re going to look at 3 different segments of the road mentioned in Scripture and learn from 3 different travelers traveling on those different segments. The title for this message is “THREE TRAVELERS, THREE ROADS.”

c. We’re going to look first at the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9), then the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35) and finally the Gaza Road (Acts 8:26-39), and see how the three different kinds of people on each road found a further revelation of Jesus Christ.

I. THE DAMASCUS ROAD (ACTS 9:1-9)

A. THE ROAD OF CONVERSION

1. Paul didn’t know what to call Christians, so he was going to Damascus to look for, “Any of this Way” (Acts 9:2). Paul was traveling to Damascus to arrest Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem.

2. When he met Jesus Christ, he was transformed. The Damascus Road Paul was traveling on represents the road of conversion.

3. How could you describe his conversion?

a. Sudden.

b. Dramatic.

c. Without warning.

d. Revolutionary.

B. THE ACCOUNT OF PAUL’S CONVERSION

1. Paul met Jesus Christ. Jesus said to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks.’” This last comment represents Paul’s resistance to the dealings of the Holy Spirit. This is a common characteristic of those who begin their journey on the Damascus Road.

2. The Bible relates what happened next: “And trembling and astonished Paul said, “Lord, what would you have me to do?” And the Lord said to him, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do,” Acts 9:4-6.

3. A revolution followed. Paul’s life completely changed course and direction. He began to go the opposite direction he had gone before. This is what repentance means, to turn about, to reverse course.

C. HUMAN AGENTS NEEDED TO AID CHANGES

1. God chose Ananias to pray for Paul, instruct and baptize him. This is the human instrument God used to put Paul on the right track. We cannot say he was the “soul-winner” but he is more of the discipler, who comes along side and helped Paul get on the right track of following Christ.