Burn The Ships

Introduction

Luke 9:57–62 NKJV

57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Pray

Background

The phrase “Burn the Ships” dates from 1519, when a Spanish expedition led by Hernán Cortés landed in Mexico. Cortés knew his crew was already exhausted after the long sea journey, but he had to motivate them to succeed in the new land. So he ordered the scuttling of the ships they arrived in. The ships burned.

Point 1: Following is Not Enough.

Luke 9:57 NKJV

57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

He was a fan, not a follower. Sounds like Judas huh? Judas professed to follow and would’ve passed all the standard tests of a “good” church member, but he wasn’t living anything.

Have you ever asked the Lord, “What is the 30 pieces of silver in my life?”

We must be willing to walk it out in such a way that there is no going back, that there is no ability to go back.

Give an illustration of Teen Challenge and how when I got out.

Do you remember “Check Your Oil?,” She broke the flask. There was no putting the oil back in.

In order to understand the move of breaking the flask, one must understand the call of God.

John 6:44 NKJV

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

The woman with the flask did not just get the bright idea one day to follow God and break the flask. The Bible says God drew her first. God began to call and do a work in her, but her obedience is required.

There are some of you in here today who God is trying to do a work in, but he needs you to be obedient.

Point 2: What is Your Motivation?

2 Samuel 14:28–33 (NKJV)

28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face. 29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. 30 So he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.” 33 So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.

God will tell you once, maybe even twice, but I’m here to tell somebody here today that GOD WILL BURN YOUR BARLEY FIELD IF THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES. You are either walking in obedience or in rebellion. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Some things require spiritual discipline not prayer. Faith without works is dead.

Remember Malta? The Shipwreck was to fulfill God’s purpose. We cannot play church. There is no time for Cotton Candy Christians. We have to be living it 100% of the time. It is not enough to follow. The most notable thing to me about the separation of the sheep and the goats is that many of the goats think they are sheep.

We must burn the ships of our Ego, our attitude, our flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:4–6(NKJV)

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Just as we do with many other verses, we often say the first part, but do not finish it.

Verse 6 says your obedience is fulfilled. Ships must be burnt, We must be disciplined.

We have to make a decision.

Point 3: What is Your Decision?

Psalm 42:6–7 NKJV

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

This is a deep sermon today, it speaks of great spiritual things. We cannot be spiritually anemic. We can not profess it and not live it completely.

We must burn the ships—the ships of: pride. ego. unforgiveness. resentment. tradition. religion.

Conclusion

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NKJV

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Altar Call.