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7:13
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:
7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:13, 14
INTRO:
These
are words from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount which begins in
Matthew chapter 5.
This
Scripture tells us there are two roads from which we may choose.
It does not say there are two roads to heaven, but two
roads - one that leads to heaven, the other to hell.
The one which leads to hell is broad, like a
superhighway. The
one which leads to heaven is narrow.
The
word, “narrow” describes this way as being restricted,
confined. It is
restricted only to those who meet God’s requirement of
trusting His Son as Lord and Savior.
Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me. John
14:6
On
the premise that God loves each of us,
The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
He
does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell, therefore He has
placed many roadblocks
on the broad superhighway.
I
want to present 5 of these roadblocks.
1.
WORD OF GOD
Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Matthew
24:35
For
the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews
4:12
So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
1.
(illus.) Elderly lady told grandson, “Bring me the old
book that means so much to me and that I spend so much time
in.” The boy
comes from his grandmother’s bedroom with a Nordstrom
catalogue in his hand.
2.
I heard an evangelist speaking and telling of leading a
lady to Christ. As she knelt and prayed, he could hear the tears dropping on
the pages of the Bible.
At
the Great White Throne Judgment when God will say, You have no
excuse, I gave you the Bible.”
The
next Roadblock that God has placed on the broad road is --
2.
The Christian Home
When
I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and
I am persuaded that in thee also.
2 Timothy 1:5
1.
In my years of ministry I have been in all kinds of homes.
(filth,
run down, shacks, on the other hand, beautiful houses with plush
carpet, etc.
The
greatest differences in homes, however, are not material but
spiritual.
2.
I thank God for the Christian home in which I was raised.
A
dad who loved me enough to chasten me and set a godly example
before me.
A
mom who cared for me enough to take me to Sunday School and see
to it that I heard the Gospel and had the opportunity to become
a believer at the age of 6.
By
God’s grace all of my siblings - 3 brothers and 1 sister - all
all active in church and ministry.
3.
I thank God for my Christian home,
my
wife, and children. John, Susan.
Robert
and Patrick.
Robert
-
*“Will
Holy Ghost get me?”
*Pay
raise - “Amen!”
*Snake
- folks home
*Dryer
- “Hot!”
4.
Illus. Don Parker spoke of time he served in the United States
Navy overseas. Each
letter from his mother, “Son, remember dad and mom are praying
for you.”
As
he returned home and saw the Statue of Liberty, he thought of
those letters and opened his heart to Christ.
At
the Great White Throne Judgment when God will say, You have no
excuse, I gave you a Christian Home.”
The
next Roadblock that God has placed on the broad road is --
3.
CHURCH
The
church is not just a place to attend, but it is a body to be a
part of.
Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of
some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye
see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25
And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.
Mark
16:15
1.
God instituted human government, family, and the church.
Two of these are
sacred institutions. The family and the church.
I want to give priority to each of them because of the
value God places on them. He
is to be the head of each of them.
He loved the church so much that He died for it.
Take
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Acts
20:28
And
I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.
Matthew 16:18
2.
Every time the doors are open it’s for you!
Rescue
the Perishing.
At
the Great White Throne Judgment when God will say, You have not
excuse, I gave you the Church.”
The
next Roadblock that God has placed on the broad road is --
4.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
His
ministry in the world is to convicts of sin and draw people to
Christ.
16:8
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
16:14
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall
shew it unto you. John 16:8, 14
But
the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.
John 14:26
Extremely
dangerous to toy with the Holy Spirit.
Bible
speaks of sins that can be committed against Him - such as sinning
away the day of grace
He,
that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy.
Proverbs 29:1
If
any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he
shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto
death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall
pray for it.
1
John 5:16
and
blasphemy or unpardonable sin
Wherefore
I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be
forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
shall not be forgiven unto men.
Matthew 12:31
At
the Great White Throne Judgment when God will say, You have no
excuse, I gave you the Holy Spirit.”
The
next Roadblock that God has placed on the broad road is --
5.
THE CROSS OF CALVARY
1.
Where they beat Him,
spat upon Him, cursed Him, pierced His
precious side, plucked
out His beard, etc.
It
was for you!!
When
Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is
finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost
John 19:30
2.
Illus. During the
days immediately following the Civil War, there was a very
important election in the United States Senate.
In those days the Legislature elected the Senate.
One of the candidates for the senate vacancy was
General
Gordon.
During
the Civil War General Gordon had saved Colonel Smith’s life
and carried facial scars as a result.
In the meantime Colonel Smith had become a member of the
House of Representatives.
The
vote for the senate vacancy was tied between General Gordon and
his opponent.
As
Colonel Smith walked down the aisle to cast his vote, his ballot
was marked for Gordon’s opponent, but when he saw the scars in
Gordon’s face, he stopped and changed the ballot, thinking to
himself, how can I be so ungrateful.
In
a very real sense, today you will mark your ballot.
Either you will choose to receive the Christ of Calvary
or you will vote against Him.
How can anyone
refuse this One who loves you so much that He gave His life on
the cruel cross?
CONCL:
You
may possibly hurdle over or someway go around the Word
of God, a Christian Home, the Church,
and may ignore the pleadings of the Holy Spirit, BUT how can anyone
look at the scars of Jesus and say, “No?”
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