1. Burning
bridges.
2. Luke
5:1-11.
3. Forsake
(Thayer’s) – To depart from one and leave him to himself. Thus, also, to
leave possessions, home, etc. They forsook all. Quote - "What does
it mean to deny self? It’s not giving up some things you don’t want
anyway. It is to accept something you thought you could never accept, abandon
something you desperately want to cling to; and assume a responsibility you’d
much rather avoid" (source unknown).
1. We must be
willing to give up the pleasures of sin.
a) The
scriptures teach that sin is often pleasurable – Hebrews 11:24-25. But
notice when people spend their time in sin, they are making a "bad
investment." The pleasures of sin are only temporary – Hebrews
11:24-25, Job 20:5.
b) Whereas
the pleasures of sin are temporary, the consequences of sin are eternal –
Matthew 25:41, 46, Luke 16:25-26, Romans 6:23, I Corinthians 6:9-10, II
Thessalonians 1:7-9.
2. We must be
willing to please God rather than ourselves.
a) Many
people, often even those in the religious world, often profess to love God
but are but are unwilling to abandon their own desires and beliefs.
b) When we
become Christians, Christ becomes our very reason for living – Matthew
7:21, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:20-21.
3. We must be
willing to part with the world.
a) Paul
realized that when he was crucified with Christ, he was crucified unto the
world – Galatians 6:14.
b) As
Christians, we are to separate ourselves from the world and "come out
from among them" – I Corinthians 5:9-10, II Corinthians 6:14-17, I
John 2:15-17.
4. We must be
willing to pay the cost of self-denial.
a)
Self-denial simply means the ability to say no to yourself – Matthew
19:16-30.
b) Jesus
taught the necessity of our denying ourselves if we are to follow him - Luke
9:23-24.
5. We must be
productive.
a) As
Christians, we are to bear fruit – John 15:1-8, II Peter 1:5-11.
b) Our
labor is not in vain – I Corinthians 15:58.
