TOPIC:‌"Which Road Are You Traveling?"

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Matthew 7:13-14

 

‌‌"...the road that leads to destruction...the road that leads to life"

(Matthew 7:13, 14, NIV)

 

‌Here in Matthew chapters 5 through 7 we have the marvelous teachings of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount. Coming now towards the end of His teaching, Jesus is calling upon His listeners to make a very important decision: Which road are they going to take. The wide road which leads to death or the narrow road which leads to life. This is a picture of life. For in reality, life is nothing more than a matter of choosing the right road.

 

‌Here, then, are two roads. One leads to destruction, the other leads to deliverance. The purpose of a road is to lead us to some destination. The broad road, the devil's way, leads to Hell, the narrow way, the Lord's way, leads to Heaven. In this message I want you to carefully examine each of these roads, and then cautiously decide which one you are going to travel. It is my earnest prayer that you will choose the road of the One who declared: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

 

I.

 

‌Consider, to begin with, the road which leads to DESTRUCTION. Listen again to those words of Jesus: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction" (v. 13, NIV). As we live our lives there will be a hundred different roads that will open up and bid us to follow.

 

‌Now as human beings with a choice to make we must determine which road to take. But in making that choice we must ask ourselves some very important questions: Where will this road take me? Where will it end? Will it lead me to that which is only temporary or to that which is eternal? Is it a dead end road leading to nowhere or a royal highway leading to God's gift of salvation, forgiveness and peace? Let me mention some of those bright-lighted dead end roads that some of us are following. Roads that look promising and prosperous at first, but if traveled for any length of time lead only to despair, defeat, and certain death.

 

‌There is the HARMFUL road of PLEASURE. The Bible speaks of enjoying "the pleasures of sin for a short time" (Hebrews 11:25). Paul the Apostle tells Timothy that in the last days people will be "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (II Timothy 3:4) while he speaks of the widow "who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives" (I Timothy 5:6).

 

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