pilgrim’s progress 2.0
Pilgrim was weak and exhausted. This part of his journey lasted much longer than he had anticipated. The shepherd, whom he had met along the narrow road, told him that he would receive healing, life, and a new friend to journey with when he ate the bread and drank from the cup of the Lord of the vineyard that lay just up the road. He had been travelling the narrow road all night with minimal illumination, and every part of his body ached from tripping, falling, and stumbling along the way. Signs along the side of the road hinted at establishments further ahead that would offer his body and soul some much needed rest and relaxation. His spirit was so tired that he could barely feel the life within him as he trudged on forward. The first place he came across was a large building without any windows. On the outside of the building were the words, “For your entertainment.” He knew he should keep walking, but he needed to rest so he decided to stop for just an hour or two. He would get back on the narrow road as soon as possible, he told himself.
As he approached the building, he was met by a young man who was guarding the door. “The master requires $20 as payment for these services,” he said smiling at him welcomely. Pilgrim reached into his bag and quickly produced the required currency. “That sure is a lot of money. I hope this is worth it,” he said. The young man confirmed that “Everyone who is anyone says it is worth the money.” He opened the door to let Pilgrim inside. As he walked into the room, he noticed how dark it was inside. The air was cool and inviting though as the heat outside was almost unbearable. The seats were very soft and even reclined, and as he sat down, he immediately felt a relaxation and calmness come over him like a warm blanket. It was as if the world outside of the building just faded away. With the worries of today far from his thoughts, he readied himself to receive whatever was so “worth” his $20 offering.
The stage below him lit up brightly, and he saw many men with swords and shields facing each other. They immediately began to attack each other, and many of them were maimed and killed. It was bloody and brutal, and Pilgrim’s heart began to beat anxiously fast. He noticed that he was not thinking of his troubles from the narrow road while he was watching the fight, so he just sat and focused on the stage below.
Off to the sides of the stage he noticed men and women scantily dressed. Some of them were not wearing anything at all. They seemed to be engaging in behavior that made Pilgrim very uneasy. The lewdness and violence suddenly stopped, and a very comical pair of fellows appeared on the stage. Immediately, the violence and lewdness left his memory as he could not help himself from laughing uncontrollably as these two fellows played practical jokes on weary bystanders to provoke a hostile reaction from them. He was so enthralled with this form of comedy on the stage that he did not notice the violent and lewd acts had begun once again.
The vulgar language of those engaging in the violence and lewdness loudly caught his attention, but instead of getting up and leaving, Pilgrim convinced himself to stay. He thought to himself that it was alright to stay because he was not participating in the acts himself. He would just cover his eyes during the really bad parts. This repetitive behavior lasted the entire two hours he was in the room until finally someone turned on the lights, and Pilgrim was able to look around the place. He was surprised to see so many children in the room. Their parents seemed oblivious to the fact that their children had just witnessed murder and lewdness so extreme that it had even made Pilgrim’s own spirit feel darkened and oppressed.
He gathered his belongings, and tried to hide his face as he made his way back outside. He did not want anyone who might know him to see him exiting such a morally depleted establishment. The young man at the door saw him and shouted after him, “Thank you! Come again! The master thanks you for your offering!” The lighting outside seemed to have gotten darker while he was inside the building, so Pilgrim stumbled around until his feet could find the narrow road again. “I am so hungry,” he thought. That place really worked up an appetite in him, and in fact, he had never been hungrier. He saw a sign just up the road that said, “All you can eat!” He quickly made his way there and almost ran inside the building.
A young woman who was scantly dressed in not much more than a bathing suit greeted him with a welcoming smile and said, “Good afternoon! The master requires a $20 payment for these services.” Pilgrim could hardly take it eyes off of her as she pressed up near him and flirtatiously asked him if he was alone. Her behavior made Pilgrim feel uneasy. He knew he should find another place to eat, but he felt like he was starving and this place offered “all you can eat” after all. He also noticed many televisions in the room playing more sports and entertainment on them. He really did like to be entertained as it kept his mind from the weariness of his day.
He quickly paid the young woman who then led him to a table to be served. Pilgrim felt as if he had not eaten in ages! Just the other day, he was telling himself how he felt like he could lose some weight, but now with all this heavenly food, he decided it would be unwise for him to not get his money’s worth. He saw a sign on his table that said for just $10 more, he could drink as much alcohol as he wanted. At first, he was not interested because he thought, “I have not really drunk alcohol very much since starting this journey. For only $5, I can have one drink with my dinner and be on my way.” After careful consideration of the day’s events though, he decided that he really needed more than one drink, so he thought the extra $5 would be well worth it.
After stuffing himself to the point of nausea and drinking his fill of wine, he decided that he would not be able to continue his journey today and would have to wait until tomorrow. “All I need to do now is find some cozy place for me to sleep until I cannot sleep anymore!” As he was slowly leaving the eatery, the young women gathered at the front door began laughing at him saying, “Thank you for participating in our meal and drinking of our master’s cup! The master wants you to know that you are always welcome and would love for you to bring your friends next time as well. The more the merrier sweetheart! Your offering was much appreciated!” Pilgrim hung his head in shame as he walked out the door, but even as he was leaving, he could not help but think of how amazing they looked in their serving outfits. He found himself having thoughts about them that would have been embarrassing if they had known what he was thinking.
Pilgrim knew he had one too many drinks as he struggled to find the path again. He was doing more staggering than walking, and all he could focus on was getting some sleep. His struggles from the journey were the last thing on his mind though, so he convinced himself that he was happy he had made the stops that he did. He saw a cottage up ahead that had a “Room for rent” sign out front. He went in the office, and the front desk clerk greeted him with a smile. “Welcome to our family. We have one room left. The master requires a $20 payment for these services.” Pilgrim had a thought cross his slumbering mind, “Who is this master, and why is he always demanding a payment of $20?”
It was at that moment that Pilgrim remembered something his Savior had told him when He first put him on the narrow road. “If you seek my kingdom and righteousness first and stay on this narrow road, I will make sure all your needs are met.” Pilgrim thought to himself, “I am seeking His kingdom first. I have been on this narrow road for a long time, and other than the garden and orchards I passed along the way, the few barns I was able to stay at here and there, and the quiet brook I was able to rest next to a few times, how exactly has my Savior Jesus provided for me?” He decided that if he wanted any peace or real rest on this journey, he would just have to pay for it himself. He quickly paid the clerk and made his way to his room. The bed was never so inviting, and as soon as his head hit the very soft pillow, he drifted off to sleep.
“What are you doing here?!” A lumbering giant of a beast shouted at him. “What do you mean? Where am I?” asked a frightened Pilgrim. The powerful and scary looking beast stood towering over Pilgrim. Off in the distance, Pilgrim saw scenes of violence and lewdness that seemed to be replaying repeatedly from earlier in the day in the “For your entertainment” building. He saw mounds of food stacked as high as a mountain and what appeared to be a lake full of alcohol. The beast picked Pilgrim up and threw him into the lake while laughing loudly, “Who are you to be coming before me?! Do you not know that I demand offerings for my services!” Pilgrim felt hands grabbing at him trying to pull him under the surface of the lake.
Fear began to torment him as he struggled to stay above the surface. The hands that were grabbing him belonged to the lewd people he had seen earlier in the day, and visions of bloodied bodies began to appear rising up from the depths. Pilgrim suddenly had a short but clear memory of Jesus as He told him that He would always be with him even when he could not see Him. All Pilgrim could do was cry out the name of the One who had commissioned him on this journey so long ago. He cried out “Jesus save me!” and immediately he awakened from the terror that was trying to take his life.
Pilgrim realized when he woke up that he had been sleeping through most of the afternoon. He still felt exhausted, but he grabbed his things and made his way back to the narrow road. At least, his head was clear and alert since the drinks from the night before had worn off. He felt nauseated, but he knew where he needed to go. If he focused his attention and kept his feet on the road, he should be able to make it to the Lord’s vineyard by night fall. He knew he needed to eat the bread and drink from the Lord’s cup as soon as possible. His body and mind were a wreck, and he wanted that promise of healing, life, and a new friend to journey along with.
He was lonely and depressed, and the previous night’s “relaxation” had left his spirit vexed and traumatized. He knew he had not made good choices yesterday, but he had such a difficult journey on this narrow road. He felt like the Author of this journey would understand. He had met Him that one time long ago, but he had not seen Him since. Jesus had saved Pilgrim from a life of destitution and sorrow. As Pilgrim thought about it, he realized that yesterday’s adventures were very much like the life he once lived before Jesus put his feet upon the narrow road. For a moment, Pilgrim wondered if he had made a terrible decision going into those establishments and paying their masters money for their services. As he was dwelling over these things, he saw a building with a cross on it and someone outside. “Come on in brother!” the man said to him with a smile. “Take a seat inside, the Lord is about to bring the bread and drink.”
Pilgrim was so excited! “Is this the Lord’s vineyard?” he asked. “Why, yes, it is,” the man said. “Do you know the Lord of the manner?” Pilgrim said he had been told of Him by the shepherd that he had spent time with earlier on in the journey. “My friend, Who was it that placed you on this narrow road?” the man asked. Pilgrim was quick to tell the story of how he had been saved by Jesus from a life of violence, lewdness, drunkenness, gluttony, and slothfulness. He told the man about how he had been placed on this narrow road by Jesus, and how he was told that he would be able to share in the bread and cup of the Lord of the vineyard to receive healing, life, and a new friend for the rest of his journey. “Oh, you must mean our friend Faith” the man smiled. “Yes, every believer who eats of the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord of the vineyard receives those things, and Faith rises to meet them on this narrow road as they journey toward the kingdom of the Father.
There is only one thing you must be aware of before you can share in this supper. You must first examine yourself to make sure that you are ready for this experience.” Pilgrim thought to himself, “Of course, I am ready! I have been waiting for this moment for quite some time! Do you not see that I am desperately in need of healing?” The man could see that Pilgrim was being tormented and asked him if he would be interested in learning the proper way to examine oneself. “IF YOU DO NOT EXAMINE YOURSELF PROPERLY, YOU WILL BRING JUDGEMENT UPON YOURSELF INSTEAD OF HEALING AND LIFE. YOU WILL MISS OUT ON YOUR NEW FRIEND FAITH, AND INSTEAD AN OLD FRIEND OF YOURS, FEAR, WILL COME FOR YOU.” Pilgrim remembered that old friend well. He had run across him again in his dream at the lake. He did not want to ever see that so called “friend” again, so he decided that he would take the man up on his offer.
The man showed Pilgrim in the Good Book where it explained how to examine yourself for any idolatry. He also told him of another traveler name David who had come through this place before him. David had not only examined himself according to the Good Book, but he also asked the One who had placed him on his journey if He would search David’s heart to see if there was anything that might be harmful within it. He wanted to make sure there was nothing in the way for receiving the fullness of the gifts that the shared supper would provide. “You must repent for any idolatry in your life,” the man said. “You cannot drink of the cup of idols and the cup of the Lord. If you try to do both you will bring judgement from the blood upon yourself.”
Pilgrim thought back to the experiences that he had paid for last night and wondered out loud if these things were considered drinking from the cup of idols. The man looked upon Pilgrim with love in his eyes and said, “Anything you place before Jesus is an idol my brother.” Pilgrim wondered if he had done that by choosing to use the old ways of his life to ease his suffering rather than waiting to partake of the bread and the cup of the Lord of the vineyard. Pilgrim did not believe that those experiences were all that terrible as long as he returned to the narrow road. He did not see how he had put those things before Jesus. He might have put them before the Lord of the vineyard, but Pilgrim was certain this Lord would not mind if he had one too many drinks or saw some things he probably should not have. While Pilgrim was examining himself, he heard a voice from behind him say, “I am happy you were able to make it here today, Pilgrim.”
“It is the Lord of the vineyard!” the man called out, bowing deeply before his Lord. Pilgrim turned, and for the first time since he had started his journey, Pilgrim found himself face to face with Jesus. Suddenly, Pilgrim felt shame and fear come upon him for what he had done. Pilgrim fell to his face and cried out “Mercy! Please forgive me my Lord!” The love from Jesus filled Pilgrim’s heart with warmth as His forgiveness cleansed Pilgrim of all his unrighteousness.
Jesus raised Pilgrim to his feet and asked him one simple question. “Pilgrim, do you love me?” “Yes, my Lord! With everything I am!” Pilgrim cried. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey my commandments. If you love me and obey my commandments, my Father and I will love you and will come live in you.” Pilgrim felt the soberness of the words of Jesus and could only nod his head to show that he now understood. Jesus reached out and handed Pilgrim some bread saying, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Then Jesus took a cup and handed it to Pilgrim and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” As Pilgrim ate the bread and drank the cup of the Lord, he felt the Lord’s life enter his body. Healing began to take place everywhere and all at once. As Pilgrim was enjoying the life force of Jesus and the supernatural healing, he heard another voice from behind him say, “I knew I would meet you here today!”
Pilgrim turned and saw a face that seemed very familiar but from so long ago. “My name is Faith” he said. “We met a long time ago when you first met your Savior Jesus. I was meant to go with you on your journey, but you did not stop by to pick me up on the way out. Instead, you went to some of your old stomping grounds before you left town, and I could not find you after that. It will be a much easier path now that I am here. I love helping in difficult situation, and whenever possible, I will help you see Jesus whenever you need Him.” Pilgrim did not know what to say other than thank you. He seemed to be clinging to every word that Lord Jesus spoke, and he made sure that Faith was always right next to him. Pilgrim could not wait to see what tomorrow would bring as He continued his journey with his new friend Faith along the narrow road.
1 Corinthians 10:21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”
1 Corinthians 11:27-31 “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
John 13:27 “After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him. “What you do, do quickly.”
You can read more about this and other truths by obtaining a copy of “Prodigal to Prince” by Beau Walsh at BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com.
