Life On The High Road -- Week 5

Life on the High Road

Week Five – The HOV Lane

Introduction

HOV – High Occupancy Vehicle Lane - exists to encourage people to travel together, thereby reducing traffic, fuel emissions and travel-related stress.

The HOV is narrow and only one car at a time. God calls us to travel together – to seek each other’s fellowship.

Advantages of the HOV

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

• Receiving the help of others (v.9)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

• Receiving the support of others (v.10)

If they fall down, they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help them up!

• Receiving the encouragement of others (v.11)

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

• Receiving the strength of others (v.12)

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Who is in Your Car?

1) The Perfect One - causes our joy

John 15: 11-15

“I have told you this so that my joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

So often, we have our quiet time in the morning and then we blow right on with our day and forget to take Jesus with us. He calls us friends and wants us to ABIDE with him every day. Take your scriptures (your tools) with you on your road to be reminded of your friend in Jesus throughout your day and encouraged as you face the days struggles, disappointments, and joys!

2) The Inspirational Ones - ignite our joy

For example, maybe a favorite bible study teacher (Beth Moore, Ed Young,..)

3) The important Ones - share our joy

Mark 9:2 & Mark 14:32-33

“After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.”

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.

Of his disciples, Jesus had 3 that were special to him. He took them along during important moments, like the Transfiguration, and the garden to pray as he was deeply troubled. Examples of our important ones would be husband, family, children…We also should take our important ones along with us and share the moments on our road with them.

4) The trainable Ones- catch our joy

2 Timothy 2:1-4 & Titus 2:3-4

“You then my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs; rather, they try to please their commanding officer.”

“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,”

This is the example of pouring into the lives of others. Definitely our children would fit this category, but also there may be younger women we bring under our wings to mentor and counsel. Who are you pouring into?

5) The Nice Ones – enjoy our joy

This would be compared to the multitudes that followed Jesus. He spoke with them and was with them, but he knew when it was time to turn his back on the multitudes to focus on the important ones, and the trainable ones. Likewise, be present with the nice ones, but know when its time to place your focus on the important ones and the trainable ones.

6) The Difficult Ones – drain our joy

For example, Judas, the Pharisees…Jesus had to draw a boundary with these difficult ones.

We need to focus on the Perfect one, the important ones, and the trainable ones with a majority of our time on the road. Be wise! Be purposeful about the perfect, important and trainable ones.

Emotions in the Car

1) Anger

Matthew 5:21-22

“orgizo”

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”

That word for angry is “orgizo” which means to become exasperated, frustrated, emotionally put out. How are our emotions as we are traveling along with the Perfect one, our important ones, and the trainable ones? The enemy is coming to steal our joy. Jesus will help us maintain our joy with our important ones. We will never look back on our times with the important ones and wish we would have yelled more, or been angry more?

Your anger will not make them act better; it causes a dividing line. It will not bring about righteousness.

2) Anxiety

“merimnao”

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,…But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Do not let worry suck the joy out of your trip. Keep giving it over to the Lord in prayer. Stop trying to do the Lord’s work.

Final Encouragement

Proverbs 18:24

“One who has unreliable friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Tune in to those people who stick to you. We cannot travel with 800.