BURN THE SHIPS
As we get ready to go into 2021, I'm sure everyone is ready to leave 2020 behind for good. Unfortunately, 2021 doesn't look like it's going to be much of a fresh start; we're still dealing with COVID in a major way. So it looks like we won't be able to get rid of the horror of 2020 so easily. As much as we'd like to cut it off and put it all behind us, we won't be able to quite yet.
Cutting COVID off and starting fresh is something that's outside of our control. However, there are other things that are within our control to break free from and start fresh. There may be some other burdens we will need to release ourselves from as we start 2021. And if we're going to do it the right way we will need to take some drastic measures.
1) Burn the ships!
Although there are different accounts of a ship commander doing this, the most famous account is that of Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez. In 1518, Cortez was ordered to explore the interior of Mexico. At the last minute, Velázquez cancelled the order but Cortez ignored it and went to Mexico to conquer the Aztecs.
They landed in Mexico in 1519. Worried that his crew might desert him and go back to Spain, Cortez wrecked his ships and left the men no choice but to follow him. He wanted them to realize there was no opportunity to retreat, they had to give this fight everything they had. Failure was not an option; we win, or we perish! They won.
The concept of “burning the boats” goes further back in history. Napoleon Hill writes, "A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy’s country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke? That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win!"
That's a very extreme way to do things, isn't it? You'd have to be ready to give yourself completely over to the cause because once you burn the boats there's no going back. But taking extreme measures can give us the motivation to succeed, too. Sometimes, anything less than burning the boats won't work.
In the situations above the commander burned the ships and the crew had no choice but to follow their leader if they were going to succeed. But Jesus, our commander, calls us to make that decision for ourselves. He won't make it for us; we need to determine if we're ready to take on that challenge. Making a commitment like this would show how serious we are at leaving the old behind and embracing the new.
Elisha was such a person. Someone shared a devotional with me that helped to inspire this sermon. It was titled, "How Serious Are You?" It talked about Elisha's actions after Elijah commissioned him to be his successor. Let's look at what happened when Elijah ceremonially passed the torch to Elisha.
1st Kings 19:19-21, "So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant."
"Threw his cloak around him." Elisha knew that this meant a passing of the torch. The garment of the prophet was being given to him. As the garment was placed upon his shoulders, the duties of being a prophet would now be on his shoulders.
"Twelve yolk of oxen." That was a large amount of oxen and thus a lot of land to farm and harvest. Elisha was well-to-do yet he didn't hesitate in leaving it all behind to accept his calling. Sometimes material things can get in the way of being willing to leave the old behind and embrace the new.
We may have a very lucrative income but what if it's in a vocation that doesn't honor God? What if we work in a bar, strip-club or casino? What if we work on Sundays? What if honoring God meant changing jobs and making less money? Would we be willing to "burn that ship"?
"Ran after Elijah." What did Elijah do after he threw his cloak around Elisha-take off running? I doubt it. This gives me the impression that Elisha may have been contemplating this for a little while. Then, when he was convinced in his heart that he was ready to surrender himself to this special calling, he ran after Elijah.
"Let me say good-bye". This wasn't Elisha being torn, it was respect and responsibility. He needed to let his family know what had just taken place and that he was embarking on his new calling. "What have I done to you?" To us this sounds like a weird response but it's like Elijah is telling him, "I've got no issues with that. Besides, you don't have to say anything to me, I'm not the one calling you, God is. This is between you and him; go and do what you need to but make sure you come back."
We see that Elisha slaughtered the oxen and burned up the plowing equipment. This seems rash, thoughtless and extreme. Wouldn't his family need that to continue farming? Why did he do this? It designated and communicated his transition. I'm destroying the old; I'm leaving it behind in order to fully embrace the new and not look back. When Elijah passed the torch to Elisha, he took that proverbial torch and burned the things associated with his former life. He wanted to make sure he would not leave himself an opportunity to change his mind and go back.
Plus, we see that he used the meat to feed his family. It was a good-bye feast. Even though we're not given the details of this event; I can picture the scene. It was no doubt filled with a mixture of tears of sadness as well as joy. He's human so it would be natural to be emotional. You're leaving your family and livelihood behind to embark on a new road with no going back. Elisha probably had a mixture of emotions-there was joy and excitement but there was also sadness and a little nervousness along with it.
Burning the ships is serious stuff; it's a drastic measure that communicates devotion and purpose.
2) Does every Christian need to "burn the ships"?
Elisha was being called into ministry. I can see why one would need to 'burn the ships' when he accepts that call but what about the Christian who isn't called into the ministry? Do they need to "burns the ships" too? Yes, but perhaps not in such a way as Elisha did. God might call us to do that, depending on the situation, like if someone became a missionary or a Minister who is called to a church that is far from their current location.
But not every Minister is required to leave it all behind in order to fulfill their calling. But, they do need to make their calling their priority. Not in the sense of neglecting their family and duties at home, but, as it's been put to me before, if a Minister has a passion for any other vocation then he shouldn't be a Minister. It's an all-in type of endeavor.
But, for everyone else, although it might not be an all-in endeavor in regards to a calling into the ministry; it's still an all-in endeavor regarding your calling to surrender to the Lordship of Christ and follow him. So, in essence, yes, every Christian needs to "burn some ships". If we don't, we won't be truly ready to move forward and we won't be fully equipped to serve God.
Luke 9:62, "Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” To look back here means to look with longing; to look back with a desire to go back. I might fight that desire for a minute but if I entertain it, soon I'll be letting go of the plow and going back. But, if I burn my ships I won't have anything to go back to.
Now, I know if I want to I can find some new ways to satisfy the old nature. I can burn my ships but if I wanted to bad enough I can find new ships to sail. This means I will need to be ever vigilant to continue to avoid satisfying the flesh; it's not a one-and-done decision. Elisha slaughtered his oxen and burned his plowshares but I'm sure if he really wanted to he could've went back home and started over again with new oxen and plowshares.
So what do we do? Once we burn our ships we stay away from the shipyard. We do our best to not put ourselves in a position to be tempted. Rom. 13:14, "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
Not only are we to not do the acts of the sinful nature, Paul says don't even think about it. That's wisdom since we'll think about it before we give in to doing it. The NASB says, make no provision for the flesh. Do not provide any means for the old nature. Do not take any preparatory step to supply for the flesh.
I've known some who have taken drastic and uncomfortable measures to ensure that. They got rid of their internet and even their TV to avoid looking at things they shouldn't. That's how serious they needed to be to be successful. Elisha was serious about God's calling on his life and it showed in his actions. We need to show that same seriousness in regards to the calling God has placed in each of our lives as his followers.
3) Kill it!
If you want to get rid of weeds you don't just pluck them, you need to kill them at the root. If you want to get rid of roaches or bedbugs you don't kill most of them, you need to eliminate all of them or else they can multiply all over again. The same sentiment applies in us overcoming sin.
Col. 3:5-10, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."
A radical command to put to death whatever belongs to our old nature calls for a radical approach. This isn't just about making a new year's resolution; this calls for a revolution. A resolution calls for determination and perseverance. These are needed if I'm going to be successful in burning my ships.
I also need a revolution. A revolution is a transformation. I need to undergo a transformation of my mind. I change how I think and what I think about. I may not be able to control the thoughts that enter my mind, but I can control what I do with them once they're in there. If I choose to make no provision for the flesh then I won't entertain the negative thought; I'll kill it.
A synonym for revolution is rebellion. I'm rebelling against my old nature. I once rebelled against the Lord; now I rebel against my flesh. Rom. 8:7 says the sinful mind is hostile toward God. The old nature wants nothing to do with God. But now as a Christian, I commit to not wanting anything to do with sin.
God has put a calling on every Christian-he wants us to burn the ships of the sinful nature so we can't go back. We need to focus on where we're going, not where we've been. Some people try to be focused on both. They have one foot in the kingdom and one in the world. That won't work.
I did a New Year's sermon a couple of years ago about making a fresh start. In it I said that we can't make a fresh start if we try to bring along some of our rotten baggage. Hoarders. If they are going to make a fresh start they need to get rid of the trash. But first they need to see it as trash. Everyone around them can see it but they need to see it. Then, even if they get to that point, they still need to make the break and get rid of it.
Sometimes we try to make a fresh start while holding onto some of the things that we need to let go of; whether it's a person or a thing or an attitude or behavior. Sometimes we destroy part of the ship but we leave some of it intact. I might end that bad relationship but I keep their number or I keep some mementos.
If we leave the back door open we leave ourselves open to getting caught back up in the things that caused us to need a fresh start in the first place. If we don't destroy our ship we'll leave enough of it intact to be able to rebuild it.
When a person gets serious about getting clean and sober, they commit to changing people, places and things. They "burn the ships" that could easily take them back to their destructive lives.
But sometimes what happens is someone might singe the ship instead of burn it. They leave a couple of doors cracked open instead of sealing them shut. What they're doing is leaving themselves an out. It might be keeping a certain phone number or contact info, it could be choosing to carry around some money instead of letting someone handle their finances; things like that.
In some way, shape or form I choose not to fully surrender. Anyone who's in recovery will tell you that doing that will inevitably lead to going back out.
You know the saying, 'don't burn your bridges'? For the most part, that's good advice. It goes along with, 'don't bite the hand that feeds you'. You want to make sure you stay in good standing with good people because you don't want to be all alone when you need that friend's help or company.
But there are some bridges we should burn. We should destroy our ability to go back to negative people or situations. But that takes determination. That takes a serious commitment to render the old and harmful things dead. So we make sure that when we put to death the misdeeds of the flesh that we make no provision to resurrect them.
Burning the ships is a drastic measure to take. It's scary not to leave yourself an out. But when it comes to moving forward, it's really the only way to truly be successful. Half-measures won't cut it. So, as we get ready to head into the new year, I think now would be a good time for us to strike a match and burn some ships. What do you say?
