Happy New Year!
Psalm 1:2-3 ESV
1 Blessed is the man…
2 [whose] delight is in the [instruction] of the LORD,
and on [the LORD’s instruction] [the man] meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
Expositional Preaching.
Verse-by-verse…
Chapter-by-chapter…
Book-by-book…
Luke 9:23-26 CSB
Take Up Your Cross
23 Then [Jesus] said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. 25 For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory…”
Luke 9:57-62 CSB
Following Jesus
57 As they were traveling on the road someone said to [Jesus], “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 Then [Jesus] said to another, “Follow me.”
“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
60 But [Jesus] told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62 CSB
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
In the year 1519, Hernán Cortés sailed from Cuba to Mexico.
With a small army, they landed on the shores of what is now Veracruz, Mexico.
They had set out on this conquest for a singular purpose: treasure.
The treasure of the Aztec Empire.
This gold bar was found in May of 1981.
Buried nearly 16 feet underground…
4 ½ LBS
Much better-equipped…much larger armies had sought after the treasure.
All others had failed. For 600+ years.
Cortes first inspired them with words.
Then, he gave a surprising order.
“Burn the boats.”
Cortés explained they would return victorious in the boats of their enemies…
Or they would die trying.
They’re gonna find the treasure.
Then they’re going to sail back home in the boats made by their enemies.
GALLOWS by Jess Ray
[Verse 1]
Someone’s on the prowl, trying to take us down
But we ain’t giving up now
A liar and a thief, coming after you and me
But we ain’t giving up now
[Verse 2]
Though the waters try to drown
And the flames they surround
Oh, we ain’t giving up now
Even though we may tread
Through the valley of death
Oh, we ain’t giving up now
[Chorus]
The harder the wind will blow
The deeper our roots will go
And the devil's gonna hang
Oh the devil is gonna hang
The devil is gonna hang from his own gallows
Desperation combined with Inspiration is powerful for endurance.
Burn the boats.
“If you want to take the island, you need to burn the boats.”
– Tony Robbins (Julius Caesar)
An invitation to reframe the way you think about this year.
Burn the Boats.
“There is no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.”
– Will Smith
Burn the Boats.
Come what may.
Burn the Boats.
Whatever God allows.
Wherever He leads.
Burn the Boats.
John 6:66-69 CSB
66 …many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”
68 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the [Messiah, the Son of the Living God].”
Where else can I go?
Who else do I have but You?
Who loves me more than You do?
Who knows me better than You do?
Who knows what’s best for me than You do?
You are the greatest treasure.
Matthew 13:44-45 CSB
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one priceless[k] pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
Jesus is the special treasure that we were made to seek
Burn the Boats
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
Burn the Boats
Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Keep your eyes on the prize
Forget what lies behind
Burn the Boats
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 CSB
24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. 26 So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
This is not just a race.
This isn’t just a boxing match.
This is an eternal war.
A battle.
Burn the Boats
Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Let us encourage one another to press on…to hold on…to endure.
Why all this talk of endurance?
Matthew 24:10 ESV
10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Hardship & trials & suffering are sure to come.
Burn the Boats
2 Timothy 2:1, 3 CSB
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1 You then, my child,...be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus…
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
Romans 8:18 CSB
From Groans to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
James 1:2-4 ESV
Testing of Your Faith
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you [encounter] trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:12 ESV
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Crown of Life
Steadfastness. Perfection. Completeness. Wholeness. Lacking nothing.
Win the race.
Receive the prize.
Find the treasure.
Questions for Reflection:
What is the treasure that you are seeking?
What are the boats that need to be burned?
Luke 9:62 CSB
62 …Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Pursue Jesus
Burn the Boats