Capel Community Church 30 th August 2015 Pilgrim s Progress Pt 1 Frank Wells John Bunyan s Statue John Bunyan ( 1628 1688 ) Born in a tinker s family Became a tinker himself Had little education, but did have religious fervour and Became a preacher After the Restoration, flung into Bedford prison in 1660, for refusing to obey the law prohibiting religious meetings. 2015/8/31 3 John Bunyan ( 1628 1688 ) Told that, if he gave up preaching, he would be instantly set free. His answer: If you let me out today, I will preach again tomorrow. Kept in prison for 12 years John Bunyan ( 1628 1688 ) He had plenty of time in prison, using his sensitive imagination, his deeply religious background and vivid images to write all his thoughts down. The result is his book, "The Pilgrim s Progress". 1
Be of good cheer, let us not be daunted, our cause is good, we need not be ashamed of it, to preach God s word. The Pilgrim s Progress The Pilgrim s Progress" was published in 1678, after he was released from prison. It is arguably the most famous published Christian allegory translated into more than 200 languages never been out of print The Pilgrim s Progress: Plot Overview The Pilgrim s Progress is a religious allegory. It tells of the spiritual pilgrimage of a man called Christian, who flees from the City of Destruction towards the Celestial City. On the way he meets a number of different people and a number of difficult obstacles. The Pilgrim s Progress is a religious allegory Definition: A tale in verse or prose in which characters, actions, or settingsrepresent abstract ideas or moral qualities. An allegory is a story with two meanings a literalmeaning a symbolic meaning Some of the Characters Some of the Obstacles a. Christian b. Evangelist c. Obstinate d. Pliable e. Help f. Worldly Wiseman g. Goodwill h. Appolyon i. Faithful j. Hopeful a. The Slough of Despond b. Vanity Fair c. The Dungeon at Doubting Castle b. The Demon Appolyon 2
Hebrews 13:14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come (NIV) For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come (KJV) This insider world is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come (Message) The Pilgrim's Progress 2015/8/31 14 a. Christian The protagonist His journey to the Celestial City is the plot of the story. Psalm 38:4 "For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burdenthey are too heavy for me." Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnessesare like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf,andour iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Luke 14:33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple." Hebrews 2:2-3 "For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him;" What must I do to be saved? Acts 16: 31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. Since Christian cannot see the Wicket Gate in the distance, Evangelist directs him to go to a shining light, which Christian thinks he sees. 3
Christian attempts to persuade his wife and children to go with him fails in doing so leaves his home to save himself 1 Peter 1:4 I seek an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven... and shielded by God s power. Mr. Worldly Wiseman Christian in the Slough of Despond Evangelist shows Christian that he had sinned by turning out of his way Evangelist to Christian These people (like Mr Worldly Wiseman) belong to the Christdenying world. They talk the world s language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens (1 John 4: 5-6 [The Message]) 4
Jesus said, in Luke 13.24: Make every effort to enter through the narrow door: for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (NIV) One day you re going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you ll find the door locked. (The Message) and in Matthew 7. 13-14: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (NIV) Don t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life to God! is vigorous and requires total attention. (The Message) Evangelist assures him that he will be welcomed at the Wicket Gate if he accepts that he did wrong by going off the Path. Christian does just that. Good-will Christian arrives at the Wicket Gate, the entrance to the straight and narrow way, and knocks several times. The gate is (eventually) opened by the gatekeeper Good-will -who then pulls him through.. Beelzebub literally Lord of the Flies also the Lord of Vanity Fair. one of the devil s companions who has erected a fort near the Wicket Gate from which he and his companions can shoot arrows at those who are about to enter the Wicket Gate. To Christian s query about relief from his burden, Good-will directs him forward to the place of deliverance. Christian makes his way from there to thehouse of the Interpreter, where he is shown pictures and tableaux that portray or dramatize aspects of the Christian faith and life. 5
The Man in the Iron Cage: the Unpardonable Sin Hebrews 6: 4-6 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 1 Peter 1. 8-9 Whom, having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you do not see him, you believe and you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (KJV) You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don t see him, yet you trust him with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you ll get what you re looking forward to: total salvation (Message) You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with (a) glorious, inexpressible, joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls (NLT) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (NIV) 6