AT THE CROSSROADS

Text: Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Phil 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
Old paths - 6000 yrs. Of wisdom and experience - or 1 short error-filled life.
1. The challenge of Moses in the wilderness.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
2. The challenge of Joshua in the land.
Josh 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
3. The challenge of Elijah after the land is settled.
I Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Intro: The strait and the narrow:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Narrow - in the sense of being confining: Strait - because of obstacles. The devil provides many inviting off-ramps.

I. Nations have had to make choices. Israel sometimes made the wrong choice and invariably suffered because of it.
A. Our nation started out with the dignity of man under the sovereignty of God, but has now reversed until the sovereignty of God is denied and man has no dignity.
B. The painful decisions in the political world today.
Zech 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Shall we defend Israel and endanger our oil supply, or abandon Israel and incur the wrath of God?
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
C. Was détente with Russia a good idea? No agreement with the godless can be blessed.
Isa 36:6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
Isa 28:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Isa 28:18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
1. In 1938 Chamberlain and the Premier of France sacrificed Czechoslovakia to Hitler for ‘peace in our time’ and millions died as a result.
2. Roosevelt made a peace pact with Stalin at Yalta and again, millions died and we fought two tragic wars to combat communism.
Men need to forget making peace with the devil’s crowd and learn to make peace with God!

II Churches find themselves at crossroads.
A. In 1935, the Portland (Ore) Bible Institute was started; 1945 brought them to a crossroad. They could stay small or go after the GI bill money. To do this, they needed a big name teacher. By 1950, both the school and the sponsoring church had been swallowed up by heresy!
B. Compare the churches of Pennsylvania Massachusetts, and Rhode Island with their ’offspring’ of the South.
When hard times came, the southern churches exercised church discipline and had a revival. Those of the north founded ’historical societies’.
C. Shall we stay in the confining path of:
1. The Bride of Christ?
2. Moral demands upon members?
3. Walking by faith?

III Individuals at crossroads.
A. To receive strong teaching?
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
I John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
B. To take a stand or compromise? Peter sometimes made wrong choices.
Mat 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
C. To live for Christ or the devil?
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
D. To receive Christ or continue toward Hell?
Each day is a crossroad!
II Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Josh 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.