"Don't Look Back, Conclusion"
Don’t Look Back - Conclusion
“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
Over the past two weeks, we have looked at…
- Some look back and find they are content with yesterday’s successes.
- Some look back and find themselves controlled by yesterday’s sufferings.
Today, I want to conclude by looking at…some look back and find they are Confined By Yesterday’s Sins.
Sin can confine us and keep us from becoming what God intends for us to be. We must not allow past sins to distract us from serving God today.
Undoubtedly, each of us has sinned, and we will sin again. There is no such thing as living a sinless life. Only one accomplished that, and it was Christ. We must remember that “If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of Britain with his Roman legions, he took a bold and decisive step to ensure the success of his military venture. Ordering his men to halt on the edge of the Cliffs of Dover, he commanded them to look down at the water below. To their amazement, they saw every ship in which they had crossed the channel engulfed in flames. Caesar had deliberately cut off any possibility of retreat! Now that his soldiers were unable to return to the continent, there was nothing left for them to do but to advance and conquer! And that is precisely what they did.
This is the principle Jesus taught in chapter 9 of Luke. The plower who keeps looking back will develop problems for himself and others dependent upon him. Being constantly focused on your past life, whether it is your success, suffering, or sin, can create a crooked life.
In Switzerland, there is a unique tombstone in a church graveyard near the base of a great mountain. It is the tombstone of a man who died on a mountain climb. These words are upon it: “He Died Climbing.”
May we decide today to no longer allow our past sin to confine us. Let’s push forward in our service to the Lord, keeping our eyes on Him and what we can do for Him today.