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CROSSROADS Matt. 6:33, 7:14-14 " ABut seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. by Cooper Abrams |
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Introduction: I'm not a great fan of poetry, just for the sake of using poetry, but it can be a powerful tool communicate one's thoughts.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
Then I took the other, it was just as fair,
I shall be telling this with a sigh,
and I was sorry I could not travel both,
And as a traveler, long I stood,
and looked down one lane as far as I could.
and perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear.
Though as for the passing there
had worn them both about the same.
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!
The poem is a beautiful metaphor about standing at a crossroads, a critical junction in one's life and a decision that must be made...which way? The author took the less traveled road.
All of us have many crossroads in our lives, different paths which we can take. The choices that we are presented with will surely produce different endings. We know that and it makes our choices more difficult.
How the do we make the right decisions at such crucial times?
Matt. 6:33, states a simple truth, yet probably the second most important truth of the Gospel. The first truth is that Jesus Christ, God incarnate in man, came to this earth, suffered and died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day.
This verse says a believer is to seek first in his life God's perfect will and His rightness. Righteousness is simply being right. That means we are to reject all sin, false teaching and practices and error in any form.
If we do that then God makes a promise to us. All the rest shall be added.
I. Believing in Jesus Christ and confessing Him as ones Lord and Savior is the First right decision.
A. I know this from the Word of God and from my personal experience.
Here in Matthew 6:33 we have God'>s very word on the matter and HE plainly states it. There can be no mistake as to the message of this verse. God is making an absolute promise that if we seek Him and His will for our lives, then He will add all the rest of the things of life we need. Mostly we need salvation and forgiveness for our sins. Then we need His strength and power to live a godly life. He promises these will follow our first surrender to Him and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior.
C. I know that I am a saved a child of God because God has drastically change my life. Friends, that hat is what happens every time a soul is truly saved.
D. Though I have failed in many ways my hearts desire has been to seek God's will for my life and to do what He wanted me to do.
In the Spring of 1977 I was studying the Bible with all my heart. I heard many wonderful messages preaching in my church and at a Pastor's Bible conference I attended in March of that year. God, through His word was showing me an important truth. He was molding me and directing me.
It was seeking God's will that cause me to surrender in July of that year to preach the Gospel. When I first came to Christ in January of 1972, five years earlier one of the thing God used to draw me to Himself was that I saw the futility of the life I was living. It was seeking His will that directed Carolyn and I to sell our beautiful new home on a lake in Rocky Mount, NC so they we would have the money to attend Bible college in August. It became and has since been my sole ambition and desire to serve the Lord.
I truly rejoice in what God has done in our lives and the lives of those who the Lord has brought our way.
In 1977, I honestly did not imagine that God would do all I have seen Him do. Carolyn and I have seen Him establish a now strong church in Beaver and Price, Utah. We are amazed at all He has done here in Tremonton since this work was begun in September 2000. It is a certainly a testimony to power and Grace of God.
My hearts desire is that this church and the other two churches continue and always being faithful to God's Word.
At Matthew 6:33 says, that is seeking God's rightness. It will assure, that in the future, all the other things shall be added to you.
You see when the truth is preached, when it is received as truth by those who hear it and applied one's life we need not worry about the out come. The overcome is in God's hands. When we obey Him and follow His instructions He is not hindered in the work He seeks to do and it will go forward as He wills.
When the first right decisions are made we find Christ Jesus at every turn, guiding, directing, giving wisdom to do the best and right thing.
B. Second I know this is true because God saved me when I believed, repented of my sin and turned by life over to Him. I certainly did not deserve Christ's love and sacrifice. But He loved me even when I did not love Him, and through no merit or work of my own God saved me....and that changed my life.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 explains this and say, "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more."
Today, as in the past this has been "the road less traveled." Many churches have become complacent, meaning they have become "self-satisfied."
Many have and are giving in to compromise. They are more interested in popularity, and afraid of offending those in error, and their actions have placed them outside God's will and on the by the wayside. God has never even once blessed error, nor will He ever condone of reward those that leave His truth. To abandon God's truth, is to seal the doom of those who might come to Christ and might have been reached.
We can not serve two masters, a Jesus said in Matt. 6:24. He was saying you either love and hold to God, or you hate and despise Him. Matthew 6:33, says seek first God's kingdom. If you do then we are assured that God will take care of you and you will be in His will, under His protection and there will be great blessing.
II. Each of Us Here are Facing Two Roads. Matthew 7:13-14.
However, God has not left us in the dark about the end of these two roads. He clearly reveals where these road will take us.
B. Jesus says for us to take the straight road or gate. He warns that this way is wide and broad and inviting. Jesus warns that most people are taking the wrong road.
Think for a moment what that means. Jesus is saying that most people in the world around us are on the broad road that leads to destruction. It means that there may be someone here that has stood at the gate and making the wrong decision has taken the wrong road. The goods news is that this morning in this message the Lord is reaching out to you to believe Him and accept the reality of the end of the wide and broad road that most choose.
C. Jesus begins saying "Enter the strait gate." He explains to us that the strait gate is narrow and therefore for many less appealing.
But the truth God reveals to us says one road gets most of the traffic and that road leads to death, separation from God and the Devil's hell.
D. It was not the easy road, but it is the only road to true peace, happiness and eternal life in Heaven! Jesus said Matthew 7:13-14, the majority will not take the right road.
1. The line of Frost's poem that is most meaningful to me is the last line. To the true believer, the faithful child of God there can be only one decision:
"I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference."
This morning you too may stand at crossroads in your life and you see two paths. Through His word the Lord has let us look down both roads and see where they lead. You have a decision to make and you will certainly make it. You may be making it even at this moment. You may even decide that you will do nothing . That too is a choice....it is a choice to reject the Lord, to reject His will for your life, and continue down the wide and broad way that leads to destruction.
God's will is for you to, "yes." You accept Him and His will for your life. You become a part of His kingdom and are assured His presence and blessing in your life.
But God will not force you to accept Him. He is a loving and respectful God. He gave you a will to make a choice and He will not violate that promise. He will only come and receive you if you are willing to receive Him.
He says...."seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
He says...."Enter ye at the strait gate. Take the narrow road, the road that leads to eternal life.
I pray you take the strait road that leads to life.
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