Often, in order to build
something new, we must tear down the old first.
Real estate developers do this all the time, when they tear down old buildings
or clear out trees to create the space for a new structure to rise. The military does this with new recruits at
boot camp where they tear them down to build them up into battle-ready soldiers. Last week, Tom L talked about “roof off,
walls down” as the way to have honest (and vulnerable) dialogue. The Bible has a lot to say about getting rid
of the old to make way for the new. I call this “Raze to Raise”.
John 12:24-25 - “Very
truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many
seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates
their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
Things to think about:
· “Raze” is a
funny word because it sounds just like a more common word that means its opposite. It comes from the same origin where we get
our word razor.
· Our verse
tells us that sometimes we must go backwards to go forward:
o
The kernel of wheat dying before it becomes a plentiful harvest
o
Losing your sinful life to gain eternal life
· Even Jesus
wasn’t exempt from this principle.
o
John 2:19-20 – “Jesus answered, ‘Tear down this Temple and in
three days I’ll put it back together.’ They were indignant: ‘It took forty-six
years to build this Temple, and you’re going to rebuild it in three days?’ But
Jesus was talking about his body as the Temple.”
· Where else do
you see this truth played out in the world at large or in your personal life?
· In our
relationship with God, the first razing is to self
o
Proverbs 15:25 - God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant;
He stands with those who have no standing.
o
Matthew 16:24-25 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me. For whoever wants to save their life will
lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
o
Psalm 32: 5 - Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover
up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
o
Hebrews 12:1 - …let us throw off everything that hinders and the
sin that so easily entangles…
§ The razor of
daily confession
· In order to
maintain healthy relationships with one another, we must also raze our pride
sometimes
o
James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other…
o
Matthew 5:23-24 - “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the
altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave
your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then
come and offer your gift.”
· When we do
this, we allow for the raising up of one another
o
Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times, and a brother is
born for a time of adversity.
o
Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens
another.
o
Hebrews 3:13 - But encourage one another daily, as long as it
is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
When we raze our fears, flaws, and failures we
allow God to raise us up in sonship with Him and fellowship with one
another. And all of this results in His P-raise!
