The Road Less Traveled

At first look you may think I am referring to one of my favorite Robert Frost poems…”two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, I chose the one less traveled by and that has made all of the difference.” At least that is how I remember it; I apologize if I messed it up but I typed from memory and am currently too lazy to Google the exact phrase. I love that poem because it is a great poem and because I won a “Robert Frost Sound alike” contest in 10^th grade English class and received a frosty from Wendy’s thanks to Mrs. King!

The Road less traveled I am referring to is the Narrow Road that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 7:13-14, the narrow road that leads to life. I love the illustration of a road, the way that leads to life. One of the many qualities I inherited from my father is a sense of direction. I find reading maps comes easy, of course nobody does that anymore because of the GPS apps on our smartphones.

A few years ago I had a great opportunity to visit the Holy Land and explore Jerusalem. We did not go with an organized tour and I loved the opportunity to figure out the best ways to get across the city and countryside. There was even a cab ride that my traveling companions laughed about how I, a first time visitor, was giving directions to the cab driver. Maps, roads and directions have always seemed to make sense to me.

The amazing thing about the Word of God is that it is the Divine GPS, the guidebook to abundant life. The Apostle Paul was directed by God to leave some significant signposts in the letter to the Romans that have now been called the Romans Road to salvation. These five verses are like road signs telling you how to arrive at a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Plan

Every journey should begin with counting the cost. You need to know what to pack, how much gas, rental, hotels and food it is going to cost. Many times I have an idea of trip but upon counting the cost, I realize the bad news is I cannot afford this trip.

The Narrow Road begins with a cost, or better stated, a severe debt. All of us are sinners and cannot measure up to God (Romans 3:23). We are bankrupt and have no means to begin the journey. There is no gas in the tank, no money in the bank and no food in the cooler. We are stuck in our sin. Few will find the narrow road, because they are unwilling to face the harsh truth at the front of the path, but the narrow road leads to joy if you will just stick with it.

The next signpost only makes our desperate situation seem even worse. The paycheck we receive for our sins is separation from God (Romans 6:23a). Both physical and spiritual death is the point. We all are stuck in a place far away from God and we have no means to escape it on our own.

Yet a turn in the road brings a bright and glorious ray of sunlight to the path. Our Creator wanted to show us how much He loved us that, even while we were stuck in our sin and rebellion against Him, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus came to this earth and lived a sinless life, in complete fulfillment to God’s holy measure. He became the sacrifice for our sins. He was willing to make the payment and secure a way for us to travel the narrow road to life. And He offers the trip to eternal life as a free gift (Romans 6:23b).

What makes a gift a gift? Do you have to earn a gift? No that would be a reward or payment. A gift is free, there is nothing you can do to earn it.

Paul tells us the way to receive this awesome gift of life is by calling out to God (Romans 10:13). We talk to God and tell Him that we acknowledge our desperate sinful state and need of a Savior. The promise of redemption is tied to the heartfelt cry of “Jesus I need you!”

The final stretch of the path is two pronged. You must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord; that He is who He has said He is. And you must believe with your whole person that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9). Upon arriving at this point the promise of salvation is secured. God’s Word says “you will be saved!” It is a glorious statement. When you find yourself at the end of your own means, that you are in utter need of a Savior and you are willing to surrender it all to the one who showed you His love by dying for you, you will have life. Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever!

The Mystery of the Way

Sometimes we can get so familiar with church language and Bible verses that we forget how powerful God’s Word really is. The Word of God brings life, it awakens dead hearts, opens the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf. The Word of God is alive and powerful. When we speak it we can have confidence that God’s Word will accomplish what it has been sent out to do.

As a 19 year old I went on a missions trip to Trinidad. Trinidad is a former English colony and therefore they spoke English, which was very helpful. Hinduism was a major religion there. I had an opportunity to share Jesus with an 83 year old Hindu woman. Let me be honest, as a pastor for the last 11 years and now in my mid 30s I still would be intimated as to what to say to a woman who has been a Hindu her whole life.

I did not know much about Hinduism and I didn’t have a polish argument or even a smooth way of sharing the Gospel. What I had was directions, signposts through the book of Romans to share with her. I simply opened my Bible to Romans 3:23 and asked her to read it and tell me what she thought it meant. I asked clarifying questions like “what is sin?” “Who has sinned?” “What does it mean to fall short of God’s glory?” And then I moved to the next verse, and then the next.

At the end of the signposts I simply asked her, “Is this something you want to do?” She replied, “yes it is!” I was stunned! “Are you sure,” I asked. “I am,” she said. With tears in her eyes and joy in her heart she trusted Christ that day. All praise and glory goes to God.

The joy of this story is that there was nothing about the deliverer of the Good News, not the style, not the persuasiveness that stands out. The Word of God did a work. She read it, understood it and received it. For “it is the power of God to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

Share the signposts and help others find the Road less traveled, the narrow road that leads to life.