The Gospel Message

You may be wondering why this website is called "Hope By The Roadside". After all, usually when we find ourselves at the roadside, it is often in a situation where there seems to be little hope; we've perhaps had car problems, a collision, or run out of fuel.

There are two reasons for the title. The first is fairly obvious. It is because we position our large boards with Bible verses filled with a message of hope right beside busy roads for all to read. Maybe one of these boards is the reason you find yourself on our site reading more. If so, we thank you for visiting!

The second reason is because the Bible gives us many examples of people who found real life-changing experiences of hope and conversion by the roadside, and the Bible tells us that we can have such an experience too, even today.

There is the example of the man in Luke chapter 10 who was left at the roadside between Jerusalem and Jericho in a terrible state after having been robbed. This may sound like a story of no hope but as you read on, you'll discover that despite two people walking on past him, the third man takes pity and shows real compassion on him and takes him to safety. Because of one man's care for him, he found hope by the roadside.

We also find the conversion experience of the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 shows real hope by the roadside; he was making a journey to Damascus. Here was a man that up until now was without hope for eternity. He had been persecuting Christians, committing murder and throwing into prison anyone who identified with Jesus Christ. He never accepted Jesus Christ was the Son of God or the promised Messiah for the Jewish people until Christ appeared to him in a blinding light by the roadside. Paul could do nothing else other than commit himself to God having seen and heard the undeniable proof that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world.

The Bible tells us that our life is a journey on a road. We read this in Matthew chapter 7 where the Lord Jesus is speaking. Actually, there are two roads mentioned in verses 13 and 14; a broad road and a narrow road.

So what is the difference between the two roads?

If we look at the broad road first, the Lord Jesus states that this road leads to "destruction" in verse 13. This is the road we all start life on, because we are all born already a sinner. Romans chapter 3 verse 23 tells us "…all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" It is clear from the word "all" that there are no exceptions. Sin is all against God, and therefore God (being absolutely holy and sinless) must judge it. The verdict can really only be guilty, because if we are all honest, we definitely are sinners and we definitely fall short of God's standard. Whether it is what we might consider little sins such as telling lies or perhaps having hatred toward someone, or whether it is when we stole something or broke the speed limit in our car, or something worse, God will judge these actions and thoughts and find us guilty. The punishment for this will be eternal separation from God in hell, and that is what Christ describes as "destruction" in Matthew chapter 7 verse 13.