Learning Objectives

Primary Passages: John 14:6; Matthew 7:13–14; Isaiah 1:16–17; Acts 20:29–31; 2 Peter 2:20–22 Original Source: Road Signs in Our Paths© Preached: January 28, 2001, AM, Trafalgar, Indiana Prepared: January 26, 2001 Sources Noted in Original: Ismael Rangel; Scott Vifquain class notes

Thesis

God’s word must be heard, believed, obeyed, and applied faithfully because man will answer to God for how he responds to divine truth.

Introduction.

Every day, as we travel from the house to work, to the store, to school, or wherever else we may be going, we pass road signs.

Some signs warn us about what is ahead. Some tell us to slow down. Some direct us to another route because of construction. Some tell us of dangers common to a particular road: deer crossing, school zone, falling rocks, narrow bridge, railroad crossing, sharp curve, or road work ahead.

Other signs control our movement. Stop. Yield. One way. No U-turn. No parking. Dead end.

Those signs are not placed there to decorate the road. They are there for our safety. They are there because somebody knows something about that road that we need to know before we get hurt.

The problem is not that the signs are unclear. The problem is that people ignore them.

Some people are so familiar with road signs that they hardly notice them anymore. Some do not care. Some act as though the people who placed the signs are incompetent. Some interpret the signs however they want.

A stop sign no longer means stop. It means slow down a little.

A yield sign no longer means give the right-of-way. It means “you had better move because I am coming.”

A railroad crossing with flashing lights and bars down no longer means danger. It means “maybe I can beat the train.”

A speed limit sign no longer means the posted number. It means five or ten miles over, depending on how brave we feel.

That attitude is foolish on the road, and it is deadly in the soul.

God has placed spiritual road signs in His word. They are not suggestions. They are not decorations. They are not religious ornaments. They are divine warnings, commands, directions, and protections.

The question is simple: are we paying attention?

I. The “One Way” Sign

A “One Way” sign means exactly what it says.

There is one direction. Not two. Not several. Not whatever direction a man prefers. One.

A person who drives the wrong direction on a one-way street is not being open-minded. He is being dangerous. He can hurt himself and others. When a sensible person realizes he is going the wrong way, he does not debate the sign. He changes direction.

Spiritually, God has also given a “One Way” sign.

Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

That is not hard to understand. It may be hard for the world to accept, but it is not hard to understand.

Christ is not one way among many ways. He is not one religious option among many equal options. He is not a helpful voice in a crowd of saviors. He is the way.

That excludes every human substitute.

Not the priest.

Not the pope.

Not Mary.

Not the preacher.

Not the pastor.

Not tradition.

Not a creed book.

Not family religion.

Not “what I have always believed.”

If a man comes to the Father, he comes through Christ.

But that also means more than merely saying, “I believe in Jesus.” The same Lord who said He is the way also taught that love for Him is shown by keeping His commandments. Faith that refuses obedience is not saving faith; it is religious talk.

Some people want Christ as Savior but not Christ as Lord. That will not work.

Some want His promises but not His authority. That will not work.

Some want heaven but not submission. That will not work.

The road to life is narrow. Jesus said many travel the broad way that leads to destruction, while few find the narrow way that leads to life.

That is not because God hid the road. It is because most people do not want the road.

They want a wider road.

They want an easier road.

They want a road where every church is acceptable, every doctrine is harmless, every sincere belief is safe, and every personal feeling is treated as truth.

But the sign still stands.

One Way.

Christ is the way.

II. The “Stop” Sign

A stop sign means stop.

Not roll through.

Not slow down.

Not almost stop.

Not stop after the accident.

Stop means cease movement.

An elderly lady once ran into an ice cream truck and then told the policeman, “I stopped.” The problem was that she stopped after she hit the truck. That is not obedience to the sign. That is consequence after ignoring the sign.

Many people treat God’s commands that way.

God says, “Stop.”

Man says, “I’ll slow down.”

God says, “Repent.”

Man says, “I’ll manage it.”

God says, “Cease from evil.”

Man says, “I’ll cut back.”

That is not repentance.

In Isaiah’s day, God called His people to wash themselves, remove evil from their deeds, stop doing wrong, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, and plead for the widow.

God was not asking them to reduce evil. He was commanding them to stop it.

That matters.

A man who is lying does not need to lie less. He needs to stop lying.

A man who is stealing does not need to steal less. He needs to stop stealing.

A man in sexual sin does not need to become more discreet. He needs to stop.

A person sowing discord does not need to whisper more carefully. He needs to stop.

A person living in bitterness does not need to polish his resentment. He needs to stop.

A person playing with worldliness does not need to baptize it in religious language. He needs to stop.

Repentance is not a rolling stop.

Repentance is not slowing down just enough to feel better about ourselves.

Repentance means we apply the brakes, turn from sin, and return to God.

God’s “Stop” signs are not cruel. They are merciful. He tells us to stop because the road we are on leads to death.

III. The “Warning” Sign

Warning signs are there because danger is ahead.

Road work ahead.

Narrow bridge.

Men working.

School zone.

Deer crossing.

Railroad crossing.

Flash flood area.

Those signs are not put there for decoration. They are there because somebody knows the danger before we reach it.

A person who ignores warning signs is gambling with his life.

The same is true spiritually.

God has placed warning signs all through Scripture.

Jesus warned His disciples about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. At first, they misunderstood Him and thought He was talking about bread. But He was warning them about doctrine. False teaching spreads like leaven. It does not need much room to work. Once it gets in, it spreads.

Paul warned the elders of Ephesus that savage wolves would come in among the flock, and that even from among their own number men would arise speaking twisted things to draw disciples after themselves.

That is a warning sign.

False teachers do not always come from the outside. Sometimes they rise from within.

They may use familiar language.

They may know the brethren.

They may sound loving.

They may sound scholarly.

They may sound progressive.

They may sound like they are “just asking questions.”

But if they twist the truth and draw people away from Christ, they are dangerous.

God has warned us.

The issue is whether we believe the sign.

Some brethren act shocked when false doctrine appears, as if God never told us it would happen. He did tell us. He told us plainly.

Some act as though every warning is “negative preaching.” That is foolish. A warning is not negative when danger is real. A man who warns you that the bridge is out is not your enemy. He is trying to keep you alive.

A preacher who warns about false doctrine is not being mean. He is doing what God commanded.

A parent who warns a child about sin is not being oppressive. He is trying to save that child’s soul.

An elder who warns the flock is not meddling. He is shepherding.

Ignore God’s warning signs, and you will eventually hit what He told you was coming.

IV. The “Yield” Sign

A yield sign means give way.

It calls for humility, courtesy, and awareness. It means we do not always demand our own way simply because we can.

That is badly needed on the road.

It is even more needed in the church.

The Christian life is not a life of selfish insistence. We are commanded to give preference to one another in honor. We are taught to be sympathetic, brotherly, tenderhearted, humble, and not to return evil for evil or insult for insult.

That is yielding.

Some people cannot yield because pride has them by the throat.

They must win every argument.

They must have the last word.

They must be recognized.

They must be right publicly.

They must be obeyed.

They must get their preference.

That spirit destroys homes and churches.

A husband needs to learn to yield.

A wife needs to learn to yield.

Parents need wisdom to yield when yielding is not compromise.

Children need to learn to yield to authority.

Brethren need to yield to one another in matters of judgment, preference, and liberty.

That does not mean yielding truth. We do not yield the gospel. We do not yield divine authority. We do not yield morality. We do not yield the doctrine of Christ.

But there are many matters where brethren fight, not because truth is at stake, but because pride is at stake.

Someone wants his way.

Someone wants her preference.

Someone wants control.

Someone wants to prove a point.

The yield sign says, “Give way.”

Christians ought to be the easiest people in the world to work with when opinion, preference, and personal convenience are involved.

Sadly, sometimes we are not.

We can be stubborn, touchy, suspicious, defensive, and hard to please. Then we wonder why there is no peace.

There is no peace because nobody is yielding.

V. The “No U-Turn” Sign

Some roads do not allow a U-turn. The reason is safety. It is dangerous to turn around in the wrong place.

Spiritually, God has placed a “No U-Turn” sign on the road of discipleship.

Once a person obeys the gospel, knows Christ, receives forgiveness, and begins walking in the way of righteousness, he has no business turning back to the world.

Peter warns that if people escape the defilements of the world through the knowledge of Christ and then become entangled again and overcome, their last state is worse than the first. He compares it to a dog returning to its vomit and a washed sow returning to the mire.

That is ugly language because backsliding is ugly.

A Christian who turns back is not making a harmless personal choice. He is turning away from life.

He is turning away from forgiveness.

He is turning away from the blood of Christ.

He is turning away from hope.

He is turning away from the people of God.

He is turning back toward death.

Hebrews warns Christians not to throw away their confidence. The righteous live by faith, but God has no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. The faithful are not those who draw back to destruction, but those who continue in faith to the saving of the soul.

That is serious.

Do not turn back.

Do not return to the old sins.

Do not return to the old crowd.

Do not return to the old bitterness.

Do not return to the old habits.

Do not return to the old excuses.

Do not return to the world that Christ saved you from.

There is nothing back there worth your soul.

VI. The “No Parking” Sign

A “No Parking” sign keeps a place clear for movement, access, and usefulness.

Fire lanes must stay open.

Hydrants must stay accessible.

Traffic must keep moving.

There is also a spiritual “No Parking” sign.

Some Christians park themselves in the church and do nothing.

They attend, sit, watch, criticize, and leave. They act like Christianity is a spectator sport. It is not.

Paul tells Christians to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing their labor is not empty in the Lord.

That does not sound like parking.

It sounds like work.

Some brethren think age gives them a free parking pass. Age may change what a person can do, but it does not remove the responsibility to serve. A Christian may not be able to do what he once did, but he can still do something.

Some can teach.

Some can encourage.

Some can pray.

Some can visit.

Some can call.

Some can write.

Some can support.

Some can mentor.

Some can help younger Christians.

Some can open their homes.

Some can prepare materials.

Some can give.

Some can comfort.

Nobody in the kingdom has the right to park permanently and do nothing.

There is work to be done.

Souls are lost.

Brethren are weak.

Families are struggling.

Young people need guidance.

The sick need encouragement.

The erring need restoration.

The gospel needs to be taught.

The church needs workers, not parked cars.

VII. The “Dead End” Sign

A dead end sign means the road does not go through.

You can keep driving if you want, but the end is already declared. There is no outlet.

That is a powerful spiritual picture.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is death.

That is one of the most frightening truths in Scripture. A road can seem right and still end in death.

A man can feel sincere and still be lost.

A woman can feel religious and still be wrong.

A church can feel alive and still be dead.

A preacher can sound confident and still be false.

A family can follow tradition and still miss Christ.

The end matters.

Jesus warned that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of the Father.

That means religious language is not enough.

Emotional sincerity is not enough.

Family heritage is not enough.

Good intentions are not enough.

The question is whether we are doing the will of God.

If we ignore Christ, the road ends in death.

If we reject the gospel, the road ends in death.

If we refuse repentance, the road ends in death.

If we obey men rather than God, the road ends in death.

If we live in sin while wearing the name Christian, the road ends in death.

That sign is not meant to insult us. It is meant to wake us up before the road runs out.

Conclusion.

God has placed road signs in our path.

One Way: Christ is the only way to the Father.

Stop: cease from evil and repent.

Warning: beware of false doctrine and spiritual danger.

Yield: give preference to others and walk humbly.

No U-Turn: do not turn back to the world.

No Parking: keep working in the Lord’s kingdom.

Dead End: the way that rejects God ends in death.

The signs are clear.

The question is whether we will obey them.

God did not place these signs in Scripture to pester us. He placed them there because He loves us, warns us, commands us, and wants us to live.

At the end of your road, what sign will you see?

Dead End?

Or Home Sweet Home?

That depends on whether you heed the signs God has placed in your path.

Word Study.

|---|---|---|---| | Worship | προσκυνέω / proskyneō | To bow before, reverence, or offer homage. | Frames worship as submission to God rather than self-expression. | | Sing | ᾄδω / adō | To sing praise. | Identifies the vocal action God authorizes in New Testament worship. | | Doctrine | διδαχή / didachē | Teaching, instruction. | Shows worship must be governed by apostolic teaching. | | Heart | καρδία / kardia | Inner person, mind, will, and affection. | Locates true worship in reverent inward submission. | | Truth | ἀλήθεια / alētheia | Truth, reality, what is revealed by God. | Keeps worship tied to revelation rather than preference. | | Obedience | ὑπακοή / hypakoē | Submissive hearing, obedience. | Connects hearing God’s word with doing what He commands. |

Scripture Interlock

| ---------- | ------------------: | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | One Way | John 14:6 | Matthew 7:13–14; John 14:15; John 3:36 | Christ is the only way to the Father, and the narrow way requires obedient faith, not merely religious talk. | | Stop | Isaiah 1:16–17 | Isaiah 55:7; Romans 8:1–13; Acts 17:30 | God commands sinners to stop evil, forsake wicked ways, and walk by the Spirit. Repentance is a complete turn, not a slowdown. | | Warning | Matthew 16:5–12 | Acts 20:29–31; 2 Peter 3:17; 1 John 4:1 | Jesus and the apostles warn that false doctrine spreads, spiritual predators arise, and Christians must stay alert. | | Yield | Romans 12:10 | 1 Peter 3:8–9; Luke 6:27–36; Philippians 2:3–4 | Christians must give preference, refuse retaliation, and treat others with humility instead of selfishness. | | No U-Turn | 2 Peter 2:20–22 | Hebrews 10:34–39; Luke 9:62; Galatians 5:4 | Those who turn back after knowing Christ are in worse danger than before. God’s people must endure instead of shrinking back. | | No Parking | 1 Corinthians 15:58 | Philippians 2:12–14; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 6:10–12 | Christians must keep working, serving, and abounding. There is no spiritual retirement from faithfulness. | | Dead End | Proverbs 14:12 | Matthew 7:21–23; Luke 12:40; Romans 6:23 | A way may seem right and still end in death. Only those who do the Father’s will reach life. |

Sermon Logic Flow

Application.

Invitation.

Scripture Interlock Table.

|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Old Testament | Genesis 1:1 | God is revealed as Creator. | Establishes God’s authority over man. | Shows that man answers to God. | Useful for grounding the lesson in divine authority. | | Old Testament | Psalm 119:105 | God’s word guides His people. | Shows Scripture as the rule of faith and conduct. | Supports Bible-based application. | Useful for calling hearers back to the word. | | Old Testament | Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 | Man’s whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments. | Connects obedience with final accountability. | Supports the need to obey God. | Useful in conclusion and invitation. | | New Testament | Matthew 7:21–23 | Jesus warns that not all religious people will enter the kingdom. | Shows the need to do the Father’s will. | Refutes empty profession. | Useful for pressing obedience. | | New Testament | Romans 10:17 | Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ. | Shows how saving faith begins. | Supports the invitation. | Useful for gospel response. | | New Testament | Acts 2:38 | Peter commands repentance and baptism for forgiveness of sins. | Shows the apostolic answer to convicted sinners. | Supports baptism for remission of sins. | Useful in invitation. | | New Testament | Revelation 2:10 | Christians are called to be faithful until death. | Shows the need for endurance. | Supports faithful Christian living. | Useful for closing exhortation. |