John 3:16-18 – The Fork in the Road – Bible study

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, educationeven our deathsinto "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. Lets 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 names 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 deaths 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 doesnt 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 Johns 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 Fathers 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 fathers house, you would go to a place of comfort, love, familiarity. (c) Sons would know where dads 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 Osteens 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 Thronenot that Christians will be judged there; however, I do think that they will be there, in galleries to witness Gods 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 dont 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\