Sermon: Burn The Boats
Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22
ICE BREAKER: Would you rather have shoes that are always soaking wet, or shoes that are always filled with sand?
REVIEW:
This week we looked at how believers are called to integrate their life into their faith. Questions like: What do you do with your job? Your material possessions? Your current relationships? The habits you have built up over years or even decades? How do you handle your finances? What happens to your friend group? How many things need to change and how quickly??
Often times, when people put their faith in Jesus, they are confused about what exactly needs to change and how. This is complicated by a Christian culture that often takes a "Burn The Boats" mentality toward following Jesus. This is the idea you should leave all your friends, get rid of most of your possessions, etc...
Often, the calling of Peter as a disciple is sited for this type of philosophy. Jesus told Peter to "drop his nets" and that is exactly what he did. However, when you read the gospels something becomes clear - Peter did not sell his boat! In fact, Jesus used his boat again and again and again! It was one of the most important tools that Jesus used for his ministry. It allowed him to travel further and faster than he could on foot, he used it as a makeshift stage so thousands of people at at time could hear his messages, and he used the boat as the stage for many miracles he performed!
When Jesus calls us, he wants us to follow him with ALL that we are and ALL that we have! The call to follow Jesus is not to "Burn the Boats," rather it is to "BRING the Boats!"
APPLY:
This week's message is quite simple to understand, but takes some work to apply! God is wanting to use your gifts, resources, strengths, connections, network, business, friendships... almost EVERYTHING in your life is redeemable and usable by God!
There are also things like our habits, addictions, coping mechanisms, and attitudes that we must work to DROP to follow Jesus fully.
The work of application for this week's message is to take time to really think through and inventory your life. What has God given you that you could use for His purposes? What parts of your life are holding you back from all that God has for you?
BRING THE BOATS / DROP THE NETS
Submit everything useful in your life to God and his purposes and be willing to let go of anything that is not of the Lord.
What is ONE THING in your life that you could be using for God and how?
What is ONE THING in your life that gets in the way of you following Jesus that you need to "DROP"?
PRAY
Ask the Holy Spirit to continue showing you the "Boats" in your life that God is wanting to use and to reveal the hidden things that are hurting your ability to fully follow Jesus.
