Pathways Part 3 | Andy Elmes | 2nd April 2023
Today Pastor Andy concludes the three part series on Pathways by summarising the previous two weeks and also making further points about our Christian journey. Today, Palm Sunday we see Jesus walk through a gateway entering Jerusalem down a pathway of Palms to a group of noisy rejoicing folk.
Previous messages have spoken about the choices we have in order to walk a pathway of righteousness. The book of Proverbs, especially the first few chapters speaks of different pathways, life and death, purity, justice, forgiveness etc. A major key to the Christian life is to look at the pathways our feet should be on, but also those they shouldn't be on. Remember a powerful thought - we don't own our past – Jesus bought this at a price. So let’s not try and manage something that doesn't belong to us! Pastor Andy majors on four key points.
First - Always choose the small gate and the narrow path. Matthew 7:14 (NIV) says “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. Walking with God includes gateways and pathways in salvation; we come through the Gateway of Jesus. Jesus said he is the shepherd; anyone who comes through him can find salvation and be saved. Pathways follow gateways and we have choices to walk the pathways of obedience and understanding now everything has changed in our lives and we are a new creation.
Secondly – Make straight paths! Crooked paths symbolise ducking and dealing, deception, a little bit of walking straight with God then bending to suit our own ways. We need to make our crooked paths straight. Zacchaeus had a Gateway moment with Jesus; the next thing he did was address the wrong pathways in his life – he said he had been a con man, robbed and stole from people and now he must give it back, all of it ! In Matthew 3:3, John the Baptist references what Isaiah said about preparing the way for the Lord and making straight paths for him. Before this line he said “repent, for the Kingdom of God is near” – this repentance is about changing our thinking to accommodate the reign of Christ. Fortunately, if we trust the Lord, lean not on our understanding and in all our ways submit to Him; then He will make our paths straight – not us! (Proverbs 3:5-6). God can only bless the parts of our lives which we submit to Him.
Thirdly – It’s good to have a lamp. It’s much easier to stay on the right path if we can see the way. Psalm 119:105 (NIV) says “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”. The word of God takes away darkness from our steps. When we walk with God, He lights the step in front of us as we walk in faith. We need to ask the Lord to enlighten our steps as we read our bibles.
Fourthly – It’s good to have a guide. A guide can lead us in our path, especially when we are lost and don’t know the way. John 16:13 (NIV) says “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”. The Holy Spirit didn't just seal our lives for salvation, but came to live in us to guide us through all the jungles we would face daily.
Pastor Andy ends his message by looking again at the verse which encapsulates the series on Pathways. Proverbs 4:26 (AMPC) says “Consider well and watch carefully, the path of your feet and all your ways”. Let us each ensure our pathways are straight, not crooked and that we walk God’s pathways, the narrow path through the gate of Jesus illuminated by scripture.
