Two Roads

Two Roads Luke 2:1-7 12/17/23 a.m.

The Great poet Robert Frost wrote one of his most famous poems in 1915. It’s called, “The Road not Taken”.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

Frost was not a Professing Christian. I didn’t read this poem for you to get any kind of Spiritual Insight out of it. I just found that what he says in this poem is TRUE. There are two roads for us to choose from. There are two paths. Two ways we can take. A choice must be made. Matthew 7, Verses 13 and 14,

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

And because of what Jesus did, we have that choice today. I began thinking about the CHOICES JESUS MADE. The Different Roads He took. You see, He had to take BOTH ROADS. One to Bethlehem and one to Jerusalem. I want to read from two different passages this morning. The first one is Luke 2, Verses 1-7.

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

The Road to Bethlehem began before the foundation of the world. God had this planned out from the beginning. 1 Peter 1:20 tells us that. God KNEW when He created mankind that they would fall. He KNEW that SIN would enter the picture. But yet He still chose to go through with His plan, He still chose to LEAVE HEAVEN and go down the Road to Bethlehem KNOWING it would LEAD to another road.

And that’s what this second passage tells us about. Another Road. The Road to Jerusalem. This passage is also found in Luke but Chapter 9, Verse 51.

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,”

It would be a long journey to Jerusalem. Jesus would pass through different towns along the way. He would heal the SICK and the LAME. He would TEACH and PREACH along the way. He would bring JOY to many but ANGER to those who opposed Him. And at the end there awaited something HORRIBLE for Him. A CRUEL DEATH. Roman Execution. Crucifixion.

Both of these roads were a CHOICE for Jesus. He didn’t have to CHOOSE the Road to Bethlehem. He didn’t have to WALK the road to Mt. Calvary. But if not, where would you and I be today? So that’s what we’re gonna talk about. Two roads. One to Bethlehem and one to Jerusalem. But before we do let’s go to the Lord in Prayer.

Brother _____, would you lead us?

I. Let’s look first at the Road to Bethlehem.

A. First of all, Jesus had to come at the RIGHT TIME. Galatians 4:4 and 5. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”