![]() Cortes’ message was clear: there was no turning back. Their way back - to safety, to what was known, to the security of their homes - was gone. As he and his crew stepped foot on foreign shores, he gave an order that filled his men with dread - he ordered them to burn their ships. If you don’t know where that comes from, the story goes like this: In 1517, the Spanish conquistador Cortes landed in Mexico with gold on his mind. That’s one of my favorite phrases -– it’s time to burn the ships. Put another way, Bartimeaus burned the ships. What happened if this Jesus couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything for him? Nonetheless, he went forward without any safety net. By throwing aside his cloak, he was throwing away his old life. It would have been the thing that he used to collect money while begging, his only protection from the harsh climate of the Judean desert, and his sole bedding during long, lonely nights. Now we who likely have more coats and clothes than we know what to do with can miss this – but it is very significant and I dare sayįor Bartimeaus, whose disability would have separated him from the community, his cloak was his only possession. Our Gospel says that Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak. Remember the scriptural principle I’ve mentioned before: The bible is short on details, so pay close attention when it offers one. That’s the kind of burn-the-ships commitment God requires from anyone who wants an extraordinary life.The following is a homily based on the story of the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me, my banner will be clear. I am a disciple of Jesus, I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He stops me. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. We must surrender our desire to control our lives to God’s control. We must submit to His power over our lives. Our commitment to Christ is determined by our faith, in and obedience to Christ, not our politics, our intellect, or our skin color.ģ. What does it really mean to follow Jesus?Ģ. Jesus Burn-the Ships Message: Follow Me Completely. The People: Faithless and Fearful: How did the people respond to Elijah’s burn-the-ships message? With deafening silence. The days were desperate and dangerous.Īhab and all of the Israelites needed a reminder that the God of Heaven is the supreme God. He hardened his heart toward God and toward God’s people. He found a comfortable compromise.Īhab: Faithless and Fearless: Ahab knew the drought and famine were the result of divine judgment for leading the people into idolatry. Obadiah did not want to reveal to Ahab that he was a follower of God. He answered God’s call and never turned back. How did Elijah keep from being conformed to the world? He made obeying God-rather than pleasing people-the focus of his life.Įlijah Obeyed God Fearlessly: That fearless obedience would eventually lead Elijah to the summit of Mount Carmel and a showdown with the prophets of Baal. We don’t need halfhearted commitment.Įlijah Faithful and Fearless: He was a man who burned-hot for God.Įlijah Followed God Faithfully: He had a steely resolve to transform his culture. ![]() Many Christians today are trying to straddle the fence between following God and following their idol of choice. It was time for a burn-the-ships decision. The overarching issue in I Kings 18 is the question, “Who is the true God: The Lord or Baal? The Israelites wanted the best of both. When it comes to making decisions about your relationship with Him, it is best to burn your ships and commit yourself completely to Him.Įlijah’s Burn-the-Ships Message-Follow God Completely: Their faith was rooted in fear and fanaticism. The pagan influence of Ahab and Jezebel flourished in a nation that had arrogantly separated itself from its spiritual heritage. God placed His servant Elijah in the middle of a similar culture. It is a point of no return.Ī Culture in Chaos: In our postmodern and post-Christian culture, citizens no longer share common ideas of right and wrong based on God’s unchangeable Word. “Burn the Ships” has become a metaphor for any decision where retreat is no longer an option.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |