What Road Are You Traveling

I would certainly classify this as one of those that are REALLY IMPORTANT!

Because it is one of those important sermons, I have asked the Lord all week to help me to preach it in a way that would be pleasing to him.

Illus: There was a preacher that was shaking hands with the members of his congregation after a service, when one man approached him and said:

• "That was a wonderful sermon today, pastor!"

• Filled with Christian modesty, the preacher replied, "Oh, you have to give all the credit to God."

• To which the reply came, "I wouldn’t say it was that good."

I know it would be much better if God delivered this sermon, but I am afraid you are stuck with me!

Life is full of comparisons.

Illus: Life can teach us many things if we are willing to learn.

• A 7 Year old said, “I've learned that our dog doesn't want to eat my broccoli either.”

• A 12 year old said, “I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up again.”

• A 29 year old said, “I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there.”

• A 47 year old man said, “I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies.”

• A 51 year old man said, “I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”

• A 52 year old man said, “I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.”

• A 64 year old man said, “I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.”

• An 82 year old man said, “I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.”

• A 90 year old man said, “I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.”

We can learn many things as we travel down the road of life, but God’s Word clearly teaches us there are only TWO ROADS for us to travel.

Let’s look at these two verses that will teach us three things. We see -

I. THERE ARE TWO DIRECTIONS IN LIFE

Here we have Jesus, the preacher of preachers, finishing His longest recorded sermon, “The Sermon on the Mount” comparing life to many things. Notice, the comparisons. He says we have the choice:

• Either enter through the NARROW GATE or the WIDE GATE

• Either be a GOOD TREE or a BAD TREE

• Either be a TRUE DISCIPLE or be a FALSE DISCIPLE

• Either build your life on THE SOLID ROCK or THE SHIFTING SAND

There is no middle ground in any of these comparisons.

Life is full of comparisons. In the comparisons in these parables, He never says there is a Plan C!

Illus: A redneck from Pelion, S.C. and a Texan were driving through Arizona. As they drove down the highway, the man from South Carolina pointed out the sights.

• Pointing out the car window, the redneck from SC says, "Look, over there is a cattle ranch."

• "We have cattle ranches that are at least twice that size in Texas," claimed the Texan.

• They drove on for another hour, and the redneck from SC pointed out an area of cotton fields.

• "In Texas, we have cotton fields that are much bigger than that," noted the Texan.

• By this time, the redneck was starting to get annoyed. Not wanting to be outdone, he continued driving. An hour later, they reached northwestern Arizona

• The Texan looks out the window at the Grand Canyon and asks, "What is that?"

• The redneck, tired of all the bragging from the man from Texas, said, "Don't you have irrigation ditches in Texas?"

We know that as we travel on the highways, our destination is determined by the roads we take.

• If I want to go to Texas, there are certain roads I must take

• If I want to go to Florida, there are certain roads I must take

And listen, if I want to go to heaven, there is a certain road I MUST TAKE.

We live in a world today that seems to think our destination is not determine by the roads we take! To think like this is sheer foolishness in the physical realm, and it is just as foolish in the spiritual realm. Which road we choose to travel will determine our destination in eternity.

Illus: Larry King is noted to have Preachers on his television show, and one of the questions he always ask them is: “Can a person go to heaven without accepting Jesus as His Savior?”