Last week I watched a video on what to do if your vehicle gets submerged in water. Honestly, I had no idea what you really should do. I learned that you are to roll down the windows and get out as fast as you can before the vehicle goes under. The video I watched showed grown men, who knew what to do, only having 20-30 seconds to do this.
Good to know. But man! I couldn’t get it out of my head. Not that I plan to ever drive into a river or lake or anything. But my van has four rows of seating. Two of my kids need assistance on getting in and out of their car seats. If I find myself in this situation, I could never get all of my children and me out of a 15-foot van with only the front two windows that roll down. I’m not even sure the 2 children closest to the window would make it out.
I was seriously haunted by this. My kids and I would die. Simple. But at least we would get to Heaven together.
The next morning, I was still haunted by this. If this happens, should I just accept death. I could never get them all out. Then I felt in my heart- I understand. I suddenly saw this as a good illustration of humanity in our fallen world.
Humanity is in a sinking vehicle. There is a narrow and direct path to life. But some people don’t know about it. So they will stay in the vehicle and drown. Other people do know about it, but they think they can make their own way out or rely on first responders to save them.
But some people. Some people take the hand of the Holy Spirit and go out that window.
Christ died to open that window. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
The path to eternal life with God is a narrow path. Direct. Only one way there- Jesus. All the other ways lead to death.
We are constantly fighting battles for our hearts. Lies that tell us we can find happiness in relationships, food, status, hobbies… you name it. The list of things that can take our eyes off that narrow path is endless.
But there is only one way to Heaven. And it’s not by being a mostly good person and going to Church every once in a while. Its Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is what gets you to Heaven. You cannot simply know about Jesus. You must know Jesus. Because once you know Jesus, everything changes. Your will begins to align with His will and you will want to get everyone on that straight and narrow path.
But there is a real enemy telling you lies. He whispers you don’t need to do that. You don’t need to do it that way. God wants you to be happy- right?
God does not necessarily want you to be happy. He wants you to be holy. But our sin nature can distort anything. It can make us believe a little lie. It can tell us there is another way.
Let’s be clear- there is not. Wide is the path that leads to destruction, narrow is the path that leads to life.
Listen, there is an urgency in this message too! Just like that vehicle will sink, and quickly at that. We will die. All of us. And no one knows when that will be.
That person you really like but know doesn’t know Jesus, well, she could drop dead tomorrow. We can’t let her be condemned to an eternity separated from our Heavenly Father. We must share the Gospel! We must tell everyone about that open window and push them out it.
I pray I never have to be in a sinking vehicle. But if I do find myself there, I will absolutely roll the window down and get everyone out. Or die trying.
Christ did it for me.
Remember there is a reason it’s a highway to hell and a staircase to heaven. It won’t be easy, but with God all things are possible.
We must tell everyone about that narrow path and shine a light on it!