All right, this will be the last Sunday that I ask you if you brought your copies of the Pilgrim's Progress. And of course, this is also available online. You can bring it with you next Sunday night if you want to, but we're not going to cover it. But I would encourage you to keep it handy, because it might be something you want to revisit yourself. And obviously, there's a whole other section. Part 2 of the Pilgrim's Progress that we didn't even cover this year that you might be able to on your own. That second part deals with Christian's wife, Christiana, and their four boys, which represents John Bunyan's four sons. and their pilgrimage kind of covering a lot of the same ground, but there's a lot of new people that they meet, a lot of new events that they go through, a lot of new places that they go. Yet, they all went through the Wicket Gate, and they end up in the same place, the Celestial City, where there's a great reunion. which is a promise that God gives to all of his people when we have the common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that our brothers and sisters, even our parents and our spouses and our other family members and extended family, people that we've never known before, it's gonna be a great cloud of witnesses that we will join and be able to experience that forever. So tonight we actually come to the conclusion of the Pilgrim's Progress and thus the conclusion of our year-long series as well. So we're going to turn back to page 103 in our editions of John Bunyan's Tale. 103. And he actually ends his story much like he began, and that's with a poem. If you remember at the very beginning, we spent some time looking at what he called the author's apology for this book, for this story. But here we have the conclusion titled very appropriately, The Conclusion. I do think that Bunyan appreciated good poetry, and obviously throughout the entire book. We recognize that he tried and attempted to write some poetry. Some of it is pretty good. Others of it, well, the quality varies. And we're going to see this even tonight in his final poem, at least of the first part of this book. There are more poems in the second part, but I think As he does this, he's trying to again show the value of using other genres and other art forms to really be able to propel us in our faith in Christ. So as we've done throughout our journey with our pilgrim friend Christian, we're gonna read through this conclusion and then look just a little bit more closely, not just at what it says, because that's pretty much face value, but what I think Bunyan wants it really to point us to. He doesn't just want us to look at the book that he wrote, but rather the book that he portrays, which is, I believe, the Scripture. So we're going to read through this conclusion together tonight, starting with the first line. Again, Bunyan writes, as the dreamer, Now, reader, I have told my dream to thee. See if thou canst interpret it to me, or to thyself, or neighbor, but take heed of misinterpreting. For that, instead of doing good, will but thyself abuse by misinterpreting evil ensues. Take heed also that thou be not extreme in playing with the outside of my dream, nor let my figure or similitude put thee into a laughter or a feud. Leave this for boys and fools. But as for thee, do thou the substance of my matter see. Put by the curtains. Look within my veil, turn out my metaphors, and do not fail. There, if thou seekest them, such things to find as will be helpful to an honest mind. What of my dross, thou findest there? Be bold to throw away, but yet preserve the gold. What if my gold be wrapped up in ore? None throws away the apple for the core. But if thou shalt cast all away as vain, I know not, but will make me dream again. And of course he did. And that's the end of the Pilgrim's Progress. Though the Pilgrim's Progress was revised and published multiple times within John Bunyan's own lifetime, this conclusion is actually original. It was in the very first edition of his Pilgrim's Progress. So I think it must have been very important to him to have it not just in the first one, but in all other editions, because he wanted his story to be understood in the way he intended. And really, I think that that is really the way all writers want to be seen. They want their writings to be considered and looked at and interpreted the way they intended. And yet, as we look at this conclusion a bit more closely tonight, I think we will see what Ken pulls who wrote a commentary on the Pilgrim's Progress, describes as the main message of Bunyan in this book. The main message of Bunyan even in this poem, this final concluding poem. He writes, Bunyan's main message is pointing us to the word of God that we might seek and find the Savior. So in all of our interpreting of the Pilgrim's Progress, that's his goal, that's his message, that's his desire, is that we look past these words and look at the word of God, which alone will lead us to faith in the Lord Jesus. And so as Bunyan wanted us to interpret his story, I think we can also see how it can apply to how we ought to treat and interpret not just his story, but God's word as a whole. And so as we see from the first stanza of this poem, Bunyan wants us to interpret truthfully the Pilgrim's Progress. To interpret truthfully. Now the four main points on your message guide tonight I owe to another commentator of the Pilgrim's Progress. His name is Barry Horner. He wrote an extensive commentary on the entire book. And so that's where I get these four titles. But isn't that really, again, the desire of every author? for the reader to interpret their book, their story, truthfully and honestly, according to their own intentions, not making things up, not trying to go to extremes or go further than they intended. Even Bunyan warns of this in his first stanza. He warns of misinterpreting, because if you do that, he says, instead of doing good, It will but thyself abuse, and by misinterpreting, evil ensues. And isn't that the case with the Scripture? How many times have people gone off the rails because they misinterpreted the Word of God? You see, what might be true about the Pilgrim's Progress is even more true when it comes to the Scriptures. And so even in the Bible itself, we have a call in Scripture to do this the same way. Turn with me in your Bibles to Proverbs 4, verse 13. We're going to be looking at a few other passages there as well in the in the Old Testament as well But beginning there in Proverbs 4 13 Where again we find this great word of wisdom It says take fast hold of instruction Let her not go Keep her for she is thy life Where do we as Christians find our instruction in the Word of God What is Our life. Our lifeblood, if you will. It's the Word of God. Not just the written Word, but what the written Word displays to us, who is the living Word. And so in order for us to take fast hold of instruction and not let her go, but to keep her because she's our life, not only must we look at the truth of God's Word, on a regular basis. And that's one of the reasons why we do the take 20 because we want you to listen to God and his word. We want you to know what he says so that you can interpret it truthfully, interpret it honestly. So you read it on your own. You hear it in the church. You listen to it throughout your week. You saturate yourself like a sponge with the word of God. But then after looking at the truth, You must not let it stop in your head. You must let it sink down into your heart, and you must learn from the truth of God's Word. You must look at and then learn from the truth of God's Word, which means you take it seriously. This is not like any other book, the Scriptures. Just like the Pilgrim's Progress is really vastly different than any other form of literature or any other fiction that has ever been written in the English language, the Scripture is not like any other book in this world. That's why we need to take it seriously and interpret it truthfully, just like Bunyan wanted us to take his book. But then from the second stanza of this poem, we see that Bunyan also wants us to interpret it substantially, to interpret substantially the pilgrim's progress. In other words, focus on the main themes that he tried to bring out in his story. In that second stanza, he says, do thou the substance of my matter see? Now, there's a lot of things, a lot of details that he fleshed out his story with to really make it kind of interesting, to draw our attention. But, there's one main message that he's trying to portray, one main substance that he's trying to get across. And so, he wants us not to play with the outside of his dream. In other words, don't go further than he intended. Don't look at some of those allegories and take them further than he wanted. You see, Bunyan understood well the danger of reading into his story extreme views. And there were people that, even during his lifetime, read the Pilgrim's Progress and took it in a different way entirely than he intended. And so he wanted them to recognize that, don't take this as scripture, because it's not. Don't look at my book and see that I'm trying to be contrary to scripture, because I'm not. He says, don't read into it extreme views. But then he also wanted to warn on the other side, as the pendulum swings to the other side, he also wanted to warn us against reading the story just for entertainment alone. Don't just think of it as a cute story for children, or a cute entertaining story. But isn't that also true when it comes to our approach to the Word of God as well? We must not look at the Word of God in such a way that it leads us to extreme views of what God is really trying to portray to us. There's a lot of little details that we can get caught up in Scripture, and they are inspired details. And it is good for us to dig into the Word of God and to really feast on the meat as well as the milk. But if we miss the main message of the word of God, then we've missed the purpose of scripture entirely. And that main purpose is to lead us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior from sin. So we must not take it to extremes, but we also must not take the word of God as just another book of entertainment or another book like any other. Go with me to Ezekiel chapter 33. in our Old Testaments again. Ezekiel chapter 33, where the Lord tells Ezekiel that this is even how his own people would respond to his messages of truth. Some of them would take it to the extreme, and they would dabble outside of really what God's main purpose was. Others would just kind of listen to these prophets in an entertaining way, as if they were a jester in a court. And so picking up there in verse 31 of Ezekiel 33, The Lord says, Ezekiel, oh, they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after covetousness. And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And that's a danger, isn't it? That was a danger that Bunyan understood with his book. He said, don't just take it as entertainment. Look for my message. Look for the substance of my message. And really that can be said of the scripture as well. There are some that will study the word of God or look into the word of God and they enjoy the stories. They enjoy the history. They enjoy the details. Do not forget the substance of the story and the message of God's word. You need to be careful to avoid the extremes that distract us from that substance, and then be careful to avoid reading God's word as mere entertainment, hearing those words, and then just doing them not. We need to remember the core of Scripture, the core substance of Scripture, which is redemption through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ himself. This book is about the Lord, Jesus Christ. But then number three, from the third stanza of this conclusion, Bunyan also wants us to interpret allegorically. Interpret allegorically the Pilgrim's Progress, because that was the genre in which it was written. And this means, as we've seen all year, that as one writer puts it, all the characters and events have meaning. So there is more to just the surface level. It's something that he wants you to dig a little deeper and think a little bit more deeply about to really understand the gist of what he's trying to get to. And there is some literature that it really pays to read it over and over again and think deeply about it. And the Pilgrim's Progress is one of those. This is something that is probably not something you want to just put on yourself. It's something you want to bring out from time to time and dig a little deeper and think a little bit more about it. In fact, Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher in London in the 1800s, he said that he read the Pilgrim's Progress every single year along with the Bible. It was that valuable to him, and he was able to learn new things and dig up new treasures that he could take with him on his own pilgrimage and on his own journey. And that's why Bunyan, here in this third stanza, encourages all of us to look within my veil. To look within my veil. Because if you do that, you'll be rewarded, he says, with things helpful to an honest mind. And I pray as we went through the Pilgrim's Progress this year, and hopefully I was able to help explain some of what he was getting at, and maybe you had some other insights as well, we were able to look behind that veil and find some things helpful for our walk as Christians. Things that maybe You know, might be plain to some, but not so plain to others. And I hope it's been helpful to your honest minds as you want to pursue this pilgrimage in a way that honors the Lord. Now, even though God's Word is not altogether an allegory, not completely, there are some allegories in Scripture. There are parables in Scripture. There are all kinds of different ways that God uses to teach us about Jesus Christ all throughout Scripture. We have history, we have poetry, and all these different genres come together. And that's why we see the caliber of scripture. It is an excellent work of literature, par excellence, but it is even better than any other literature because it points us to Christ. And just like it took us time and effort throughout the year just to scratch the surface of the meaning of the pilgrim's progress, we must take the time and make the time to plumb the depths of the riches that we find in God's Word. And that's one of the reasons why in the Take 20 A Guide, I say take 20 minutes at least to get through the Word of God in a year, because to really let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, you need to meditate on what you read. And that doesn't necessarily mean that you set aside an hour in the morning to read and to pray and to study it through. Sometimes you may not have that hour. But as you read and you study that 20 minutes, then you take something with you. Take a nugget that you learn throughout your day. Mull it over in your mind. Meditate on it to the point of even memorization. Maybe write down a passage or a verse or something on a card and keep it with you throughout the day so that you keep it in your mind and you dig into it deeply. Take the time and make the time in order to plumb the depths of the riches of God's Word. And this, of course, requires great concentration, great concentration with our minds. It's to get us beyond the milk of the Word to the very meat that God has in Scripture. Even though the Apostle Peter encourages us to desire the sincere milk of the Word, In the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 5 14 reminds us that strong meat belongeth to them that are a full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. We need the milk of God's word, but we also need the meat. And in order to derive the meat, it requires great concentration on the truths of God's word, but it also requires great contemplation. Ken Poles describes the pilgrim's progress as endearing and enjoyable, but his substance is waiting. And if that is true of the Pilgrim's Progress, imagine how much more true that is of God's inspired book. Oh, it is endearing, the scriptures are. Oh, it is enjoyable, but God's substance is weighty. And really, the weightiest things in all the world can be found in the scriptures. And that's why if someone were to come to you this year with questions about the most important questions in this world and in life itself, don't give your opinion. because everybody has an opinion. Give them what really counts and what really matters, the weighty substance of God's word. In 2 Peter 1, 3, the New Testament, Peter tells us that God has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Now, I don't know about you, but that's some weighty stuff. Life and godliness? all things that pertain to life and godliness God has given to us in the knowledge of himself. Now, where do we find that knowledge? Where do you find the knowledge that we need to live a life that honors God and to be godly in our lifestyles? It's found in God's Word, isn't it? It's found in God's Word. In John 6, verse 68, Peter said to Jesus, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Now, that's weighty. That's weighty substance. But where do those words come to us from? The scriptures. This is where we're going to find life. This is where we're going to find eternal life. This is where we're going to find Christ and godliness itself. And so what Bunyan says about the pilgrim's progress is true in an infinitely greater way when it comes to scripture. What did he say in that third stanza? There. If thou seekest them, such things to find, as will be helpful to an honest mind. And not just helpful, but life changing and life transforming. So when it comes to scripture, learn the different genres, learn to interpret the poetry as poetry and the gospels as gospels and the history as history, and recognize that all of these different facets on the diamond of God's word, he uses not just to be endearing to us and interesting to us and enjoyable to us, but to really give us the meat of those weighty matters of life that really count. the substance of truth. But then also from the fourth stanza, we see that Bunyan wants us to interpret discriminately, to interpret discriminately the pilgrim's progress. That is used discernment. He says, you know, there might be some things in here that are way off. He says, if I'm way off, discard it. Because these are my words. Not necessarily scripture. He used a lot of scripture. But he says, you know what? Make sure that what you're getting is true gold when you read through with the pilgrim's progress. Use discernment when you read about Christian and his pilgrimage to that celestial city. Because like no one else, John Bunyan understood his own nature as a saved but still sinful human being. He was not inspired. He was not inerrant. He was not infallible. but this book is. And so even in his conclusion, we recognize that there's really only one place where we will find real gold, real treasure, and that is God's word. And that's why he says, what of my dross thou findest there? Be bold to throw it away, but preserve the gold. Barry Horner once said, even though history has judged, that there certainly is a lot of gold in this rich literary ore. And it is. There is a lot of rich stuff that we've gleaned from in Pilgrim's Progress, which is why it has stood the test of time. It is, second to the Bible, the most published work in the English language, even today. Yet God's Word alone is truly inspired. And Bunyan, like no one else, understood that. Go with me to 2 Timothy 3.16. If you need to, you probably already have it committed to memory. Paul writes to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, and he reminds us all that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. So as beneficial as the pilgrim's progress has been, And as beneficial as other books may be to your spiritual growth and development, and I've heard testimonies in this church of how blessed they've been to read a devotional from the Daily Bread. And it helped them on their pathway, helped them on their pilgrimage. What a blessing that is. Or some of the ladies with the Bible study books that they've been able to go through this last year. Or maybe you were able to use that Advent devotional this month, and that was a blessing to you. As much as those books can benefit our spiritual growth, only one book has come from the mind of God to the hearts of men. And that's the Bible. We must not get that wrong. We must not forget that truth. Also, God's word alone is truly inerrant. In Psalm 12, verse 6, we're reminded that the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. In other words, God's word alone is all true and all truth. Now, we may have come across some things in Pilgrim's Progress that, you know, we wondered about, we were curious about, but we recognize that, yes, Bunyan was a man, and he was not inerrant in all he wrote, but God and his word always is. Yet, when man's words do reflect the truth of God's word, it is worth listening to and it is worth learning from. Remember the Apostle Paul even said, be followers of me as I follow Christ. That doesn't mean that Paul was perfect, but it meant that as he followed Christ, we could follow him. And so as people write about the things of God according to scripture, we can listen to them, we can learn from them, we can grow in them. but never forget that only God's word is truly inerrant. And so take it that way and believe that. But then also further, God's word alone is truly infallible. Last verse to look at tonight is Isaiah 55, Isaiah chapter 55, verse 11 there in the Old Testament. God's word alone is truly infallible, which means that God himself tells us which means what God tells us about His word is true. In Isaiah 55 verse 11, he says, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. In other words, God's word is living, and God's word will accomplish God's will. So as much as John Bunyan wanted this book, this Pilgrim's Progress, to teach both believers and unbelievers the pathway to life through that small gate and narrow way of Jesus Christ, Bunyan knew. Bunyan knew that he had no power to transform people's hearts and lives. He knew he couldn't do that. He could just write the book and send it out. But that's entirely different when it comes to the Word of God, isn't it? God's word is infallible. God's word will accomplish that which he chooses and pleases. You see, only God and his spirit through his own word can change hearts and lives. And that's why we can trust in the certainty of scripture more than any other book, the certainty of scripture. So as valuable a resource as the Pilgrim's Progress is, and really I think has been for us this year, remember that God's word remains greater still, far greater. Only God's word, according to Psalm 119, 105 is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. And so when we think about ourselves as pilgrims, Christian pilgrims on this pathway from the city of destruction behind us to the celestial city before us, there's only one thing that will light our path. There's only one thing that will keep us in that path, and that is thy word, God's word. Now, as I close tonight's message, and as really we finish our year in the Pilgrim's Progress, I'd like to end with a video and a song. Now, this video is a little lengthy, but I think it'll be a blessing to you because this particular song was written by Ken Poles. I've mentioned him a time or two already. I do think that his commentary, his modern commentary on the Pilgrim's Progress, is probably the best one out there. I've read six or seven of them throughout the year, and it's fully available online. If you'd like the link, I can send it to you. But as he was reading through the Pilgrim's Progress, and as he was meditating on the Pilgrim's Progress, this man is also gifted with music, and he wrote a song. And this particular video is the entire song going through the stages of Pilgrim's Progress, from the very beginning to the very end. And the song is actually put in the form of a prayer, a prayer not just for us, but for other pilgrims as well. And I hope that as we kind of hear the tune, it's a fairly simple tune. you might be able to kind of sing along in your head as we go forward in the rest of it. And there's some pictures as well that remind us of what things were going on in the life of Pilgrim as he faces these issues. And so I hope that this will not only remind us of where we've been through this year, but really ultimately where we're going as Christian pilgrims still on this journey. Lord, we pray for those now burdened, heaped of weight and guilt of sin. Those who read your word and tremble as conviction grows within. Father, help us point to Jesus, those who flee the coming wrath. That they find the gate and entrance to the cross, salvation's path. Lord, we pray for those now sinking, Doubting in the mire of sin. Though alone they vainly struggle, Help can bring them out again. Father, send your precious Spirit, Lift them up on solid ground, Point them to each gospel promise, That their hope may soon abound. Lord, we pray for those misguided who have wandered from the path. Led astray by worldly wisdom, now in danger of your wrath. Father, help us go and point them once again to seek the cross. With rebuke and firm correction, pull them from destruction's laws. Lord, we pray for those now knocking, searching for relief from sin. May goodwill meet them with favor as they seek to enter in. Father, pull them inside quickly, lest the devil's arrows kill. Fence them round with your salvation, as they go to Calvary's hill. Lord, we pray for those inquiring at the house of your blessed word. Take them through each room and teach them. Then apply what they have heard Father send interpretation By your Spirit make them wise Brightly shine illumination on the truth before their eyes. Lord, we pray for those now standing near the cross and empty grave. Lord, again show forth your mercy, graciously reach down to save. Father, loose from them their burden, Take the guilt and curse of sin. May it fall and roll and tumble, Never to be seen again. Lord, we pray for those now climbing difficulties steep ascent. Help them overcome each struggle, though their strength be nearly spent. Father, help them not to cower, fearing to the left or right. Strengthen them to face each trial, pressing forward to the height. Lord, we pray, please keep us watchful in your arbor as we rest, lest the roll of your For a time, fall from our breast. Father, come and keep us wakeful. Wipe the dulling sleep away. Lest the night soon overtake us. Let us journey while it stays. Lord, please guide each wandering pilgrim off into your place of rest. Bring them to your house of beauty, let their souls refresh and bless. Father, may they find instruction, pleasant discourse of your grace. Fit them with your spiritual armor for the battles they must face. Lord, we pray for those descending into valleys deep and dark. Light their pathway, guide their footsteps, give them courage to embark. Father, as they fight the battle, Facing Satan, fear and sin, Help them, Lord, to rise when fallen, By your grace the victory win. Lord, we pray for those now passing, vanities, alluring fair. Keep them from the world's temptations. Sanctify them as they're there. Father, help them to be faithful. Though the world would make them bend Pressured hard by persecution Keep them safe until the end Lord, we pray for those imprisoned by despair, who lie in grief, locked in doubting castles' dungeon, stripped of hope and its relief. Father, help them to remember, in your promise is the key. Now unlock the door that bars them, in the gospel set them free. Lord, we thank you for the mountains where you bring your flocks to feed. Guided by your watchful shepherds, we find truth for every need. Father, give us words of caution, help us see Emmanuel's land. Keep us from the cliffs of error, make us on good ground to stand. Oh, we pray, please teach your travelers of the flatterer to beware, set them free, and then chastise them if they fall into his snare. Father, help them not grow drowsy as they cross enchanted ground. Stir their souls with lively discourse of the precious grace they found. Lord, we pray for those now crossing through the river, death's cold tide. Help them through its flowing current, bring them safe on Canaan's side. Father, send your host to greet them, Bear them up before your throne, Sound the trump of celebration, One more pilgrim has come home. Lord, we pray for every pilgrim Final entrance we'll not miss For beside the gates to heaven Lies a way to the abyss Father, fit us for your kingdom, from the greatest to the least. Clothe us in your righteous garments for the coming wedding feast. Well, we covered a lot of ground this year and what Christian and faithful and hopeful all experienced is just a little taste of we experience in our Christian pilgrimage as well. And I pray that this prayer might resound in our hearts as we think about not just our pilgrimage, but the pilgrimage of others.