Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Matthew chapter 7 this morning. Um In weeks past, we've been doing a series on altars.
And I know it has been a whole lot. coming at you. Um a lot of teaching with preaching in that series and I hope that it helped or was a blessing to you. And just to bring the term altars to our mind and understand them. a little bit better.
Today, I want to just do not start a series or anything. I just want to. Talk to you a little bit about three keys to understanding life. We're living in a day that things are getting real confusing. Um let me put it this way.
I have in my life eaten at tons and tons. of restaurants. I am not all the time do I want to. I know you say, oh, bless your heart. Yeah, but you know what?
You've been there where you're tired of restaurants and you want to eat at home. But when you're in evangelism, traveling on the road for 10 years, you're at the mercy of where you are that week. They don't want to cook, so where did you eat at? Like Golden Corral. And there's enough additives to that food to block you up for five years.
But so I've eaten at restaurants, and I have been to some restaurants where here's the menu, and there's four items. And then I've been at other restaurants. You ever been to a cheesecake factory? It's like it's like a book. It's like they got like 300 choices.
And here's what I have found. But this place that has four choices. It's just far less confusing eating at this place.
Now it might not be the greatest, but you got four choices. But when you throw 300 choices, I want that. And that looks good too. Oh, that looks really good too. And then that looks good.
it becomes a little bit more confusing. And why folks are so confused. In 2023, especially about the subject of religion and even further than that, you know how I feel about religion, the subject of Christ and God and eternity and all these things. You know why there's so much confusion? Because they've been given so many choices.
So many options.
So many beliefs. I mean You know, there's thousands of different belief systems and opinions and all these things and Let me just say this, the the Bible is not that complicated. In fact, the Bible kind of narrows it down quickly. And so, I want you to understand this morning whether you are a saved believer, whether you are a person at church that, if I asked, would have to be honest and say, You know, I don't know for sure then that I'm what you call saved. You know, if I asked you, Do you know for sure if you died today you'd go to heaven?
There might be some sitting in this building that would say, You know, I would hope so, or I think so. But if you're not an individual that would be able to say, absolutely without a doubt, I know that. There's all kinds here this morning, and I want to simplify things. This is three simple, direct keys to understanding life. God has a way of just putting things down at a level Very simply.
and then you have to choose. Elise was talking about choices before they sang. We're going to make it real simple for you today. Matthew chapter 7, look at verse 13. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way.
That leaded to destruction. and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is the gate. And narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. And few there be that Find it.
Very, very simple, very direct to the point. We're going to pray, then we'll jump into it this morning. First, I want you to pray for Brother Charles Eisenhower, now that had to take him to the hospital. today and hospice seems to be in the conversation.
So, I don't know exactly what stage of things Brother Charles is, Brother Eisenhower, but if you would pray for them. If I don't know that I've ever seen as faithful people like the Eisenhowers. you know, when their daughter was tragically killed. through tragic circumstances. They barely missed a service.
Um They're faithful.
So, if you would pray for them this morning. Second, I'd appreciate if you don't mind. I'm not trying to make an issue out of it, but just pray for me. I have a kidney stone that I've had for two weeks. And I have been in great pain.
And I'm in some pain now, but just pray that, hey, just get through this day. And there's nothing they can do. It went to the urologist and all that stuff. But it's just not one of those things. But I'd appreciate your prayers for that today, also.
Let's pray. Lord, I love you. Thank you for. Lord, in a world that is confused, in a world that doesn't know what to believe, thank you for. Making your word Straight to the point.
Simple. Clear. And Lord, I pray that we would Have understanding through your word today. That every person From the front seat to the back. From the left side to the right.
that every person would have. Clear knowledge. of how you see life. Lord, I pray you'd help us in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Years ago when Caden was Little and where he was talking good and and all that. We were sitting at the dinner table one time, had a family meal. Julie's family had come over. And um So we were sitting at a table, we were kind of done eating, and Caden was talking and laughing about some stuff and But he was you know, he was really real young still at that point, but We're all sitting at this table and sitting around talking and It was so funny because Hudson, who was a little bit older than him, Hudson was sitting by him, and then there was just a number of people. You know, my mother-in-law and father-in-law were there, my brother-in-law, sister-in-law were there, me and Julie, and Daniel was sitting over on this side.
And Caden was sitting there, and he just turned to the left, and Daniel was there, and he says, I love you, Bubba. And then he looked over at me and says, I love you, Daddy. And then he looked at Julie and says, I love you, mommy. And then I love you, Papa. I love you, Nanny.
I love you, May May. And as he worked his way around There was Jeff, my brother-in-law, and then Hudson was sitting there by Caden. He had gone to every person. And he says, I love you, Jeffy. And then he looked at Hudson and went, Yeah.
Never forget, it was hilarious. We're all thinking, isn't this sweet? Look at them. Oh, I love you, Nanny. They got the huts anyway.
So you could say that he loved a lot of people there that afternoon, but what I took from it was. There's one he couldn't stand. He was trying to be tactful. Instead of bringing up the negative, he just Brought up all the positive. I can't be tactful today.
I just got to get right to the point. This verse does not allow any tact, doesn't allow any I've just got to tell you the truth. Straight off the bat. And I hope that you will understand this morning. This passage confronts us with some choices.
that you and I are going to have to make.
Some have already made their choices. You know, it used to be when you came to church, you were confronted with these. But nowadays people come to church and they're not confronted with anything. Oh, what do you believe?
Well, that's fine. You know, this, yeah, sure, there's others, and even to where one of the pastors of the largest mega churches that we have in America goes on CNN. And sits on Larry Keen's show and says, well, listen, there are other different ways to heaven. And dear friend, I'm here to tell you there's not.
So, this verse just clears up life for you. All of us are going to be confronted with these choices or have been confronted with these choices. It's just the way it is, and you and I are going to have to choose. Jesus lays out three choices that confront every person who ever lives in this world. These choices must be made, and they're the most important choices that you will ever make.
And what you do when you are confronted with these choices will determine how your life will be, and more importantly, it will determine where your eternity will be. I want you to see that when life often appears filled with all kinds of choices. it really boils down to two. I want you to notice, number one, according to this passage, there's only two ways. There's only two ways.
Number one, it says that there is a broad Way. What it says about this broad way is that many there be. which go in thereat. You see, where you wind up in eternity will be determined by the road you take here on earth. It is impossible to take the wrong road and get to heaven.
And it's impossible to take the heavenly road. and get to hell. This life is a brief pause between two very. Long Eternities. This word broad means spacious.
Jesus says that there is a spacious, broad road that a person can walk. The ideal that Jesus is trying to convey is that the broad way is wide open. In other words, anything goes. on the Broadway. It's not just broad because of its size, it's broad because of its philosophy.
On the Broadway, you can believe anything you want to believe. You can do anything you like. You can live like you want to live. You can call the shops and make all the rules. You can be religious as you like or as unreligious as you like.
You can go to church and pray and read your Bible, or you don't have to at all. You can do as little or as much as you please. on the Broadway. The Broadway encompasses all religions. From Islam to atheism.
All are welcome. on the Broadway. You can live as you please. Go where you want. Do anything you'd like to do.
You don't have to confront anybody or anything. You don't have to follow any particular guideline. It is your life. and you get to call all the shots. It is an easy way to live because there is no one that you have to please but yourself.
That is what the Broadway is all about. Anybody find it interesting? that that's where we put some of our most wicked philosophy in entertainment is on Broadway. You know, there are a couple things you need to know before you decide to live out the rest of your life on the Broadway. First one is this.
you're not really in control like you think you are. You know the Bible says that Satan is the is a liar and the father of it. People on the Broadway think that they're in control of their life. but how little control they actually have. The second thing is this, that sin always brings pain and sorrow.
The Bible says sin, when it's finished, brings death. That doesn't matter on what way you're at, what nationality you are, what side of the tracks you were born on. Sin always brings death. It's just the principle.
So there is the broad way. Second, there is the narrow way.
So there's just two ways. The narrow, it says the narrow is the way. It says this about it: few there be that find it.
So the Broadway is full of people. Many. But the narrow way It's just a few. You see, the Bible has made it clear that the right way. is never the popular way.
Can I tell you something? If you really live for Jesus. Don't expect to be popular. The Bible has also made it clear that the right way is not always the easy. Way.
There would be more people on it if it was easy. You see, the Broadway is wide, open, and easy. And the other one is narrow. This word narrow refers to a great press. It has the ideal of being constricted.
It can carry the ideal of being distressed and difficult. You see, the narrow way is the exact opposite of the broad way. On your narrow way, you can't take all your sins with you and just keep enjoying them as you please. If you do and you try that, you'll find that there's not enough room on the narrow way for you and your lifestyle like that. The narrow way is constricting.
It's pressing. When you walk the narrow way, you must choose to give up your rights. You can no longer do as you please, but You live to please the Lord. You cannot make the rules. We try to follow God's rules.
See, some people have the mistaken idea that they can live as they please, and that for some reason God is now obligated to bless them. And, dear friend, that's just not the way it works. But may I say this: it is true that when you walk the narrow way, you should expect difficulty. Yeah, sure. May I say something?
Our fleshly bodies will resist the confines. of the narrow way. These sinful natures will find a narrow way tight. Our nature will find the narrow way constrictive. And anybody who said that living for Jesus was easy has never really tried it.
Anyone who believes that living a separated Christian life that honors the Lord. would be simple and fun. has no clue what they're talking about. Listen to me, this way is narrow. Because there is a single means of salvation.
On the narrow way, there is only one way. And that is Jesus Christ. If you want any other way besides him, you're on the Broadway. You see, this way is difficult because Jesus' disciples. will be persecuted.
You'll have enemies. In fact, the Bible says ye shall suffer. Persecution. But it is the way That God's followers must travel. The path of Jesus is the only path to eternal life.
And the path of Jesus, the narrow way, is the only path. to abundant life. There's two ways. The Broadway and the narrow one. Number two.
There's only two destinations. There's only two ways, and according to this passage. Secondly, there's only two destinations. Number one, there is a place called hell.
Now, this verse says about hell that leadeth. to destruction.
So when you're on the broad way, Your heading to a destination. And that destination. is destruction. When we think of something being destroyed, we usually think about something being annihilated or done away with. But this word destruction refers to loss.
It speaks of total and absolute ruin. It speaks of the loss. A person can expect to suffer. In hell. You see, here's the truth.
The Broadway ends in hell. Yeah, right. Every person who follows the Broadway will eventually Find yourself. In hell. for an eternity.
Now we're not confronted with that a lot in life. But we should be. Can I tell you something? I wouldn't. I would not be a preacher worth shooting.
If I said that there was any other way to heaven, but Jesus Christ. Because I would be lying to you. Oh, yeah, you would be more comfortable to tell everybody, well, I know you believe this and you believe that, and it's okay, it's okay. We love, you know, God love, we all love, but I've got to be honest. There's only two ways and there's only two destinations.
Here is the truth. The most awful thought I have ever had, and the worst thing I could ever comprehend. is for me to try to somehow gather in my mind and To get a hold of the fact that a person will spend an eternity. In hell. Suffering.
Have you ever thought about it? Let me give you an old-fashioned... Shot at it like I did years ago here at Kerwin. I told this because I was talking about my dad. And I said, my dad used to often tell this illustration, and let me just, if I could put it this way, what is it going to be like in eternity in hell?
You say, Richard, why are we talking? This is Sunday morning. You know, we're supposed to be happy. We're supposed to be going to lunch. Listen, because, dear friend, there's a life past today.
And there are people, good people, that sit in church and have been in church and even joined a church. But that doesn't mean you're saved. And when you begin to love people. You want to tell them the truth. What's an eternity in hell?
Do you understand what hell's going to be like? It's not going to be a party. It's not going to be like, hey, I'm going to catch up with old friends. Dear friend, it's going to be dark. You're not going to see anything.
You're going to be in, it's going to be like you're burning alive, and beyond that, there will be no relief, there'll be no stop to it, there'll be no break, there'll be no 15-minute breather, there'll be no drops of water, there'll be nothing. And we forget that. We've just gotten so used to a life in America that we just don't want to bring up the bad stuff. But, dear friend, it's the truth. It's the truth.
I don't know if you know what a little sparrow bird looks like, just a very common bird. I don't know if you've ever seen in the commercials. Prudential insurance. Prudential Insurance has the Rock of Gibraltar on its logo. At least it did.
It was a circle and it's a big old cliff rock. I don't know if you've ever seen that on the commercials, or you got to Google sometime the Rock of Gibraltar. It's a huge mountain formation there, and they use it on the Prudential when it's humongous. And let's just say, this little sparrow bird, let's just say that I have this little bird in my hand, and I release that bird, and he flies through Kernersville and gets through Kernersville. And then, not only that, then he kind of goes towards Winston, and then from Winston, he goes towards Statesville.
And let's just say he keeps that direction. And he literally flies the entire circumference of the earth. And when he comes all the way around the earth, and he gets to where the rock of Gibraltar is, that little sparrow bird takes one wing as he flies by and he brushes that rock. And then he flies all 25,000 miles back again around the earth, flies right back past Kernersville again, and goes all the way around the earth. And as he passes the rocket Gibraltar, He just takes that wing and brushes that rock one more time, and then he flies 25,000 miles all the way around the earth.
And he comes all the way back to that rock at Gibraltar, and he just brushes that rock again with his wing. Look at me, in the amount of time it would take that sparrow to disintegrate the entire rock of Gibraltar by doing that, that will be the first day of eternity. Eternity. Never. The Bible says about hell it's an unquenchable fire, Mark 9.
It says that in hell you'll have memories in hell. You remember sitting in a church service. You'll remember hearing preaching. You will remember probably every chance you had at salvation. The Bible says in Luke chapter 16 that you will have remorse.
The Bible says in Luke 16 that you'll have an unsatisfied thirst that you just can't satisfy. Thirsty, but there'll be no water. Bible says in Luke 13 that there will be frustration and anger in hell. Bible says in Luke 16 that there is unspeakable pain and misery in hell. Bible says in Revelation chapter 2 that there will be eternal separation.
You will forever be separated, not just from your loved ones, but from God. The Bible says in Revelation chapter 20. That hell will be an experience of undiluted. Wrath. Number two.
There is a place called heaven. There's two ways, a broad way and a narrow way. There's two destinations. There's hell. And then there's heaven.
What this verse says about heaven, it says hell leads to destruction, but this verse says that heaven. leadeth unto life. You see, if hell is a place of horror and pain and separation and suffering, then heaven is a place. of just the opposite. Everything that hell isn't, heaven is.
The Bible says in Revelation 21: there's no tears in heaven. There's no pain in heaven. There's no sorrow in heaven. There's no death in heaven. Revelation 21 says there's no sin in heaven.
No night in heaven. Revelation 22 says that there is no curse in heaven. Revelation 21 says that we will be with God and with Jesus in heaven. Revelation 21 says that heaven is a glorious city. And 1 Corinthians 2, that there are glories beyond our ascription and that you and I do not even have the ability as human people to comprehend and understand what heaven will be.
God told us enough about heaven that we can't comprehend it, but he didn't even take the time to tell us the rest because he knows we can't comprehend that. There's two destinations. It was heaven. There's hell. There's two ways.
Narrowway and the Broadway. Last, number three. There's only two gates. In this verse, he speaks of first. There is the wide gate.
For wide is the gate. The choice most people will make is the wide gate. leading to a broad way. The imagery of a wide gate implies something that's easy to see. and easy to go through.
It also suggests something that accommodates our preferences. Listen to me. A wide gate gives you more choices. on how to get through. Do you know the wider an opening, the more ways you have to get in?
Do you know the smaller an opening, the less? choices you have. to enter. Since what lies on the other side of that gate appears to be easy, it's the choice most people want to make. The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ.
It is our desire for you to know him personally. Would you take a moment to hear this to-day? Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans 3:23 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, We're not good enough to obtain God's glory.
or to get to heaven. Because of that sin carries the penalty of death. Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life for the through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin, or the payment of our sin, only equals death and separation from God.
But it's only through God's gift salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept Him as our Savior. Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ. by faith as your Saviour.
Romans 10.9 says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing that Jesus is the only way. and calling upon his name. Bible says whosoever that's anyone can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved.
Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this. Would you accept Christ as your Saviour? If you have any questions, please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at Crowin Baptist Church. Dot com.
or visits that person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day. God bless you. Mm-hmm.
