THE WAY—VITAL SIGNS FOR LIFE

#708ab                                                 THE WAY--VITAL SIGNS FOR LIFE

Scripture  John 14:6/Acts 16:31, NIV                                                                                      Orig. 5/31/1978

                                                                                                                                                 Rewr. 8/24/1987

Passage:               John 14:6             6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

                                Acts 16:31            31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Purpose:              To call attention to the vital signs of salvation so that we may know the way that God has opened for us.

Keywords:           Christ as Saviour               Lostness              New Birth            Promise               Repentance       Revival

Introduction

                We had been in New Orleans only a few short weeks.  A day or so after I had come to the assistance of some travelers I had a most disconcerting experience. 

                During the early weeks, my most common occurrence was asking someone else for directions.  This time, however, I was the askee, rather than the asker.

                It was Friday evening, and I was gassing up at the old Shell station.  A car pulled up, the driver stepped out, came over to me, informed me that he was on the way to a wedding and needed to know how to get to LaBarre Road. Any time one is standing on a service station apron, he is assumed to know directions to anywhere.

                But I digress…

                Well, as it worked out, we had a family living on LaBarre Road, and I could direct him.  Though it has been fifteen years, I still remember the precise directions given.  Go down Jefferson Highway, thru Harahan to the traffic circle at the bridge, follow it around to the north, away from the bridge.  You will be on Clearview. Continue north to Airline Highway.  Turn right, go about one mile, looking for the street sign for your street.  I added, “You can’t miss it.”  He returned to his car, and drove away.

                As his tail lights disappeared, I recalled having seen no church in that area, and he had mentioned a church.  But I shrugged it off and went back to filling my tank.

                A few days later I was in the Jefferson area, near Ochsner Hospital, and discovered an extension of LaBarre Road.  I couldn’t resist looking for the church, and, there it was.

                A young couple, on their way to a wedding, didn’t know the way, and compounded their problem by asking someone for help who also didn’t know, but he didn’t know that he didn’t know.  Well, if you are confused, so were they.  I just hope that they were not in the wedding party.  I never did go back to that Shell station on a Friday night.

                It is important that if we claim to be heaven bound, we be able to tell those who are searching, “the way.”

I.             Finding the Way Requires an Admission of Lostness.

                Romans 3:23, “ For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  I Corinthians 2:14, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him.”

                Recall the  number of times you have sought help while on a journey.  Visitor centers offer intermediate help.  Major gas companies offer the service of trip planning.  Most of us, at one time or the other, used AAA “Trip-Tik.”   These are simple admissions of fallibility.

                Often we have had to call on someone else when faced by some unfamiliar struggle.  Problem with a child/family member.  Student needing help with an assignment.  Facing some medical emergency.  The expression “I am lost” is a not uncommon declaration.

                Some extra help with algebra would be nice.  Second opinions mean a great deal if surgery is in the offing.  But if it’s just a matter of going to heaven, I’ll take my chances.

                Do we somehow perceive that we can make the journey God-ward without any outside assistance?  If driving to New Orleans, I want a co-pilot.  Jean Middendorf once said to Ann, “I don’t merge.  You look and I’ll go [hands over head, eyes squeezed shut].” On a journey God-ward, admit at some point your lostness.

                Psalm 53:2f, “See if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  . . . Not even one.”  Romans 3:11, “There is none that understand, none that seek God.  All have turned away. . . .” 

II.            Finding the Way Starts at the Altar of Repentance/The Initial Act in Conquering Lostness is Repentance.  Acts 3:19, “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”  Let me be sure you understand my use of altar.  I’m not suggesting that the only place that you can repent is in church.  I am saying that repentance is a spiritual experience.  I’m saying that it has to do with your relationship with God.  I’m saying that one must recognize the  reality of wrong choices and of need for reconciliation.

                The Greek word for repent means “I have taken the wrong road.”  The very nature of repentance is the nature of change.  Having taken the wrong road, I must find the right way.  Seeing where I am, and that danger lurks, I must act.  Turning from, I must also turn to.  In the Old Testament, repentance is national, cultural.  But by the time of Jesus, it clearly has become an individual, personal need.  Matthew 4:17/Mark 1:15 agree that the first proclaimed message of Jesus was exhortation to repent.

                Equally important in the exhilaration of turning from something is the consideration of what we turn to.  Jesus’ story of the unclean spirit driven out, but not replaced becomes a case in point to help us understand.  Matthew 12:44-45 tells of a man cleansed of an impure spirit and seven devils took its place.  “And the final condition  of that person is worse than the first.”

III.           Finding the Way Compels a Commitment of Will/After Repentance, We can Address Ourselves to the “Way.”  I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right: He will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all wrongdoing.”  GNV

                Think back to the last time you remember having taken a wrong road.  Every time I go to Dallas I try to take I20 SL rather than getting on I30 thru.   Remember the pleasant sensation of recovery and return to road of choice.  So  you lost an  hour, big deal.  You went 70 miles out of your way, could be, even this was fortuitous.

                What made the difference was a determination to continue.  Commitment of will is a major thrust of personality in all experiences.  In relation to God, it is vital.  Seeing that it is my sin that has separated us, it is my acknowledgement of faith that restores.  If I were preaching on grace, I’d say it differently.  I am a conditional Calvinist confident that without God, my will would never be evoked.  But my will is my own, and response of will figures mightily.

                I must get all the way to faith: 1) Admission, 2) Repentance, 3) Commitment.

IV.          Finally, on the Way, I See the Need for Perseverance/Turning to “The Way” in Confession and Confidence Demands that Other Ways Be Forsaken.  Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteousness man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.”

                Too many of us come into the kingdom thinking that our options are unchanged.  We purchase a ticket on the glory train just in case.  The church is often guilty of leaving the notion that all we want is their money.  Especially churches  hurting financially.  Remind you again of Paul’s admonition to Corinthians (II Corinthians 12:14), “I seek not yours but you.”

                Another mistake is in thinking that involvement in good causes earns God’s approval.  We are to involve ourselves thusly.  It is the Christian’s new nature.  It is what should have sent more to the poll to reject the local option.  Now we must go through the rigors of removal.  But right causes earn nothing but the sense of right choice.  Romans 6:4, “. . . Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

                Our faith in Christ should dispel the convenience/pleasure of wrong.  Ezekiel 36:26, “A new  heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:  and I will take away the stony heart.”

                Admission/Repentance/Commitment/Perseverance.  It is the means of finding the way.  It will enable us to help others also.

Conclusion

                While on the State BSU Advisory Committee, I had to fly from New Orleans to Shreveport.  Driving to the airport, I was oblivious of cloud cover.  But quickly airborne, we became aware.  It covered Louisiana like a blanket all the way.  Then I heard the announcement of preparation for landing.  We were above the clouds, the sky a beautiful blue.  The clouds like cotton.  As the plane descended, we moved into that blanket, so thick that not even the wings could be seen.  We were a blip on a radar screen.  Nothing more.  Within  minutes we were safe on the ground, at the ramp.