Good morning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Hundreds of years, before the eventual creation of the Panama Canal, Europeans had searched to find some kind of viable trade route to Asia. 16th and 17th century explorers hoped to find some type of shortcut around the northern coast of North America, but many of them died trying. Even as early as 1570, British explorer Martin Frobisher was one of the first Europeans to look for the passage, but he never found it. Sir John Franklin took two ships to search for the passage from 1845 to 1848, heavily supplied with 3 years of food, but they never returned. Henry Hudson who discovered the Hudson Bay, was set adrift on a rowboat, abandoned by his own crew as they turned around and went back to England. Many attempts were made to get through the frozen artic, only resulting in death and destruction. The full route would not be traveled until 1903, when Roald Amudsen used a 21 meter fishing boat to make it through the entirety of the passage.
This reminds me of the Christian life.
Many people died on their attempts to find a passageway to the east. They were searching for the route, but no one really knew the right way to go. The same is true about the path to eternal life. Many people will try to find the route to paradise, but will come up short. There is only one pathway, and the way has already been provided to us by God. Unlike the explorers back then, we don’t have to sail aimlessly through this life, not knowing what direction that we need to go. The path to eternity has already been given to us, found in following Jesus Christ. What each of us need to do, is make a course correction, reset our compass, and become obediently converted to the truth of His Word. There is only one true passageway that leadeth unto life, and I guarantee you, this one is it.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Like the northwest Passage, not very many people are going to find the path that leads to eternal life. Many will perish because they will choose not to follow the directions on the map. Imagine that you are the captain of a ship that is at the very beginning of the first leg of a perilous journey across the Arctic ocean. One of your crew members approaches you with a detailed map, that explains the way to safely get to the other side. Would you open up the map and study it, or would you try to find the way on your own? When our family goes four-wheeling, we need to stay on the narrow trail in front of us, to find our way back to the cabin. The same is true of eternal life. The path to eternal life is found through the narrow path of conversion to Christ, and complete transformation through His Holy Word. We must follow this path, and endure all the way to the end, if you truly want to obtain paradise.
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Conversion is a very important event in the Christian life. It is the point when we place our complete faith in Christ Jesus, accepting that He knows the way, and we don’t. It is the point when we recognize that we are a sinner, and take the steps that are needed to change that. Conversion is the point in which you give up, and submit to will of God. Converting to the Truth is the map that leads to eternal life, a path that many are never going to find.
Matthew 13:14-15 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Doing the will of God is required to live eternally in heaven. This is why conversion must happen inside of a persons heart. We must turn from sin, departing from iniquity, and obey God with a meek and submissive heart. Like weeds in the lawn, sin must be eradicated out of our lives, and replaced with goodness and truth. A heartfelt change must take place. A different person needs to be produced, someone who is no longer involved living in sin and wickedness anymore. A new creature must come forth, like a new building rising up from out of the ashes. Genuine repentance must have it’s perfect work, corforming and changing the sinner into a saint. This is the one and only path to eternity, found through faith in Christ, that will result in a complete transformation of the heart and of the mind.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
God calls us to convince others to turn from their sins and preach the message of repentance.
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
The passage to heaven that many won’t find, is the one that results in converting to the will of Christ Jesus.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Many attempts were made, and many attempts failed out in the cold Arctic waters. Although many people didn’t find the way, we can know for certain that there is a path through Christ that leads home to eternal life in heaven. Those who become converted to His will, and faithfully endure until the very end, will eventually find their way to that divine destination. We must set a new course and focus our eyes on Christ, following His Word as our Spiritual compass, as it guides us all the way through……
……The Northwest Passage
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
tlkjbc.com♥️
https://tlkjbc.com/written-sermons/
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2055335/episodes
https://www.facebook.com/share/14RHGVBBHbG/
Note: Any copies may be printed and freely distributed among those who have no internet service. There is no AI creative involvement in my writings, and must be left intact because they are very personal to me. These are not to be sold, and are made public only for the free benefit of Spiritual knowledge to those who are genuinely seeking the will of God.
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 