John 3:16-18
The Fork in the Road
We like to think of ourselves as being very different but actually
all humans have much the same in common.
1. We were all conceived about the same.
2. We are all born about the same.
3. We all learn at about the same pace.
4. We all develop at about the same rate.
5. We all do about the same things growing up and in our daily
lives.
6. We all show our age in about the same ways.
Humans are so much alike that our lives have been plotted by
statisticians who tell us what the "norm" is. They say we should
scoot about the same time, sit about the same time, stand about the
same time and speak about the same time. They have divided our lives
into percentiles and plot our formation, growth, education—even our
deaths—into "percentiles." Doctors, educators, even insurance
salesmen then categorize and rebuke us for being too fat, too slow,
too much of a dare-devil, and too old.
However, there is one thing that truly separates humanity and that is
what we do with Jesus. Jesus is a fork in the road of life that once
passed, radically changes the remainder of our lives. Let’s ponder
how we are changed for a moment.
I. Consider the divergence that Jesus causes.
A. Taking the Jesus fork changes the way we live our life.
2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in
you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
1. The Jesus fork changes the way we live our life!
a. Some make a mistake by thinking the Jesus fork only
changes the life to come!
b. I remember meeting a man some years ago (12/28/2002
with Bro. Matt) who was then forty years of age but
who had only been saved two years. He spent the first
38 years of his life in bondage to drugs and alcohol,
had begun a ministry to help those who wanted out.
He had developed a 12 step program like AA but his
steps pointed the sinner to Christ. He left a strong
impression on my mind. He was only two years old but
seemed totally converted and dedicated to winning
others to Jesus Christ.
(1) I am sure he still had his own battles and fought
his own demons.
(2) But he was a new creature in Christ. His life
changed.
2. And so it is with those who take the Jesus fork. It
changes their lives.
a. Taking the Jesus fork gives abundant life.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come
that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly.
(1) It means MORE.
(2) It means BETTER.
(3) It means ENDLESS.
Matt 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be
given, and he shall have more abundance: but
whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away
even that he hath.
b. Taking the Jesus fork gives a peaceful life.
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye
shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
(1) The Jesus fork does not prevent you from catching
problems, heartaches, diseases, frustrations, or
aggravations.
(2) However, it does give you an anti-body to fight
them off. It is called peace.
c. Taking the Jesus fork gives power and purpose.
B. Taking the Jesus fork changes the way we face our death.
1. The first and last verses of this psalm describe the life
of those on the Jesus fork.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
(satisfaction, providence)
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters. (peace)
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
(leadership)
Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in
the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my
head with oil; my cup runneth over. (providence,
abundance of life)
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for ever. (Betterness,
endlessness)
2. In that middle verse, David told how being on the Jesus
fork changes our death.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me.
a. David was a man who had faced death often.
b. Of all the things concerning death that he could have
spoken to, he mentions only two.
(1) The loneliness of death.
(a) Humans do not like to be alone.
(b) God fixed it so that a person cannot be born
alone! That is why we are not laid in eggs.
(c) The person who takes the Jesus fork
WILL FACE DEATH ALONE.
(d) In fact, he will never face anything alone.
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as
ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee.
(2) The fear of death is removed.
(a) It is natural for man to fear death.
(b) For him death is unknown and unknowable.
(c) Job wrote about it.
Job 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return,
even to the land of darkness and the shadow of
death;
22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and
of the shadow of death, without any order, and
where the light is as darkness.
(d) However, everything that Job feared in
death, Jesus removed.
i. Job called death a place from whence
he would not return.
ii. Job thought death a place of darkness
and chaos. Yet, Jesus shook Himself
free from the chains of death and
destroyed death’s reign over us.
c. In fact, Jesus so destroyed the chains of death that
He declared those on the Jesus fork impervious to
death. Simply put, they will never die.
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in
me shall never die. Believest thou this?
C. Taking the Jesus fork changes the way we will spend eternity.
1. The eternity of the person who takes the Jesus fork as
opposed to the person who doesn’t will be as different
as heaven and hell.
2. We all know a little something about heaven.
a. We have read or at least heard John’s descriptions of
that glorious place in the book of Revelation.
b. Consider the names of that place.
(1) \\#Heb 11:6\\ "better country"
(2) \\#John 14:2\\ "my Father’s house"
(a) That should evoke pleasant feelings,
feelings of comfort and belonging.
(b) In the old days, people did not move around
as they do now. When you go to your
father’s house, you would go to a place of
comfort, love, familiarity.
(c) Sons would know where dad’s guns were, where
the tools were, where the fishing equipment
was and just how far it was to the best
fishing hole.
(d) Daughters would know where every bowl and
beater and blender was.
(e) Everyone knew where the cookie jar and cake
would be.
(3) \\#Luke 23:43\\ Jesus called it Paradise. The
perfect place.
(4) But the word we used most often to describe it is
"heaven."
(a) That word brings up memories for the
Christian, memories even though we have
never been there!
(b) It is the place we belong.
3. Then there is hell.
a. That is described in Luke 16. (That chapter may not
even be in Joel Osteen’s Bible. I doubt that Robert
Schuler ever preached on that topic.)
b. Yet, it is the destination of all those NOT on the
Jesus fork.
(1) It is a place of torments \\#Luke 16:23\\. That
word is used four times in that section.)
(2) flame \\#Luke 16:24\\
(3) It is a locked place. Jesus said there was a
great gulf fixed so that no one enters but the
damned and no one leaves.
(4) Three times in Mark 9 Jesus said it was a place
where the worm did not die.
(a) One of the four words used to describe this
place was derived from the valley outside
of Jerusalem where the trash was hauled and
burned.
(b) There the worms seemed to be eternal for
they were always eating the remains of any
organic material dumped there and the fire
never went out but smoldered night and day.
c. Someone says well surely hell is not as bad as all of
that.
(1) Suppose it is? Suppose it is worse?
(2) Do you really want to find out?
(3) There is no need. Get on the Jesus fork!
II. Where do these two different roads converge?
A. I can only find one place.
B. It is at the Great White Throne—not that Christians will be
judged there; however, I do think that they will be there, in
galleries to witness God’s justice.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and
him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and
the heaven fled away; and there was found no
place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books,
according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in
it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
C. Those who don’t take the Jesus fork will face:
1. A field of your peers and a gallery of your equals. You
made your choice and missed your opportunity.
2. A God with no mercy \\#Rev 20:11\\
3. A book without your name \\#Rev 20:12, 15\\.
4. A record of your deeds \\#Rev 20:12,13\\
5. A future with no hope \\#Rev 20:15\\
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