Intro: As we transition into this new year a question has been on my mind. Did I make the most of the last year. It is not a question for the faint at heart. It is an examining question, it is a difficult question. Will I be honest enough with myself about this hard question? As I look over 2007 I see areas that I grabbed for the glory of God. There were some wonderful things that happened in 2007. One of those was a calling to this great Church Perche Baptist. Baptisms, Salvations, new relationships. But I also look back at lost opportunities, missed moments. I can see situations that I didn’t make the most of. This causes me to ask the question about Perche. Did we make the most of 2007. I believe as I hope you do that we did very well in 2007. I would like this morning to challenge you, to encourage you, to pray that we will make the most of 2008. My prayer is that we will make the most of this New Year to God’s Glory.
Paul gives great words of hope in this passage in 2 Corinthians. There is hope to make the most of this New year and it is found in being “in Christ." The church and city at Corinth could almost mirror our culture today. Many of the people that were coming to Christ had no church background. The cities were places where people loved pleasure and were often governed by greed. “It’s all about me,” would have fit well into their culture. Paul faced challenges to his leadership and people that really had no moral foundation. Even though we face a secular and selfish society Paul says there is hope to make the most of the New Year.
We find two terrific truths in 2 Corinthians 5.17 of God’s Holy Word. We can make the most of the New Year by releasing the old, and receiving the new.
I. A Releasing of the old
“the old things passed away.”
Have you ever wondered what old things Paul is talking about?
1) The Old Rituals
In the Old Testament especially in Leviticus you can see a incredible inventory of sacrifices. These sacrifices had to be done exactly the right way. It is almost impossible the list of things that you sacrifice could be acceptable to God and you sins forgiven. Similarly the High Priest on the day of Yom Kippur would go into the holy of holies. They actually tied a rope around his waist or ankle and had bells on the bottom of his garments. The bells were placed for practical reasons. If the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies impure or did something incorrectly he would be struck dead. So if the bells stopped ringing they would drag Him out of the Holy of Holies.
The Pharisees took these rituals to an extreme. They added to the law and made it burdensome for people to try to worship God.
Listen to these encouraging words from Hebrews. Hebrews 10.14 “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
Did you know that we still have rituals today? That if you go into many of the Southern Baptist Churches you will see something very similar. There will probably be announcements, a welcome and pastoral prayer. Whether by a worship team, song leader, congregational, choir, there will be some singing. More than likely a special music, possibly a skit, and then the pastor will stand and preach.
However none of that makes us acceptable to God! I Repeat, none of that makes us acceptable to God any more than following the levitical laws to the letter would.
I do want us to realize that our singing should praise Jesus, our prayers should be offered to Jesus and the preaching should boldly proclaim Jesus. But none of it makes us acceptable to Him. (IN the same way the good things we do or our good works if you will do not make us acceptable to Him either.)
2) The Old righteousness
The old righteousness was based on what you do. Good deeds. How you treated others. Some believe even today that if they are good enough that the good outweighs the bad and they get to go to heaven.
Let me share what the Bible says. Romans 3.10 tells us that there are none righteous. No one can be good enough to be acceptable to God.
Imagine Mother Teresa. All of the homeless and poor people she helped in Calcutta. A million, million lifetimes of her goodness does not matter because the only true righteousness is that that is given by God. Isaiah tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is detestable and disgusting to God.
But 2 Corinthians 5.21 tells us clearly “H made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
There are things that have no way of making us acceptable to Christ that could hinder us accepting Him. As a Christian ritual or our own efforts can get in the way of relationship causing us to miss making the most of the New year. The Old or sin nature will never really be gone until we are changed to be like Jesus. We however can let go of the old desires, let go of the old devotions.
Jesus and John the Baptist said it this way. Repent for the kingdom of God is near. Turn from the old things, let go of them.
Let go of the old lifestyle. Let go of you old way of thinking.
If you are to make the most of the new you be sure you have released the old things.
II. A receiving of the new
I greatly enjoy listening to the late Dr Adrian Rogers message for many reasons. The simple way he communicates the Gospel was second to none in his time. The great wisdom he had in saying something in a memorable and meaningful way.
He said one time the Hands of God’s grace are reaching down all you have to do is reach up with hands of faith, isn’t that wonderful? God is reaching offering to us a new name, a new life, a new hope, a new heaven, a new earth, a new song. All of these can be found as travel through the promises of the New Testament. Ha, ha, he even gives us a new year to try again were we didn’t make the most of the last year. What do we have to do? Receive it.
A) A New understanding
One of the greatest misunderstandings about being a Christian is that we have to be perfect. It is my conviction that many people that make a profession of faith fall away because they think they don’t measure up and can’t meet God’s standards. They get saved and do well but after a while struggle with various feelings, desires, or distractions in their life. Let me give you some encouragement. David was a man after God’s own heart but sinned. He looked on a woman with lust and committed adultery. He was an absentee Dad and his family was a shambles. Yet God loved Him. Why? Because when confronted with His sin he didn’t hide he released it to God. He repented and turned away from his old life.
Guess what none of us measure up. Remember none of us are righteous. Sanctification begins at Salvation, continues with transformation, and ultimately ends with Glorification.
In English according to Romans 8.28 God wants us to be changed to be like His Son Jesus. It is a process. It is a lifelong process.
Adrian Rogers said it this way, If you are saved, you will have a desire to be Holy (Like God), a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus. These are the birthmarks of a believer.
However it is our standing with God that makes us acceptable to Him. When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we receive what is called righteousness. Righteousness is conforming to the will of God.
With our new understanding we also receive new vision.
B) A New Vision
Proverbs 29.18 “Where there is no vision the people go unrestrained.”
Listen to the message translation. “If people can’t see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;”
In proverbs vision means prophetic utterance, in other words preaching of the word of God. That preaching gives us a correct understanding of God’s will for our life and God’s will for our church.
One thing you will never see is me standing before a congregation without the word of God. It reveals to us God’s will for the Church.
I want to share with you something that God is beginning to do with Perche, In a simple statement.
A Home for You, A Heart for the World
Look at your bulletin. What does it say on the front in the little box (read Mission statement)
1) Hospitality
2) Intentionality
Welcome Team, Acts 1.8 Process, Possible high attendance day. Etc. . All to glorifiy God and make him know to all persons.
3) Spirituality
Are we surrendered to God. Do we depend on Him. We are called to be faithful in telling the story of Jesus as he has impacted our lives.
We together use vision to determine how we go about fulfilling our mission. God has given us a clear mission. Matthew 28.20 make disciples of all people, teaching them everything Jesus taught us. Baptising. Showing people how to live a life in a real world with a completely relevant faith and a real God.
2 Cor 5.17 God wants to reconcile all people to himself. He has called us as Christians and a church to be part of that mission.
C) A New Passion
God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing.
God’s passion is for people. That none should perish that all should come to repentance. John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
God’s passion is for the world. Jesus told his disciples to start in their home town in acts 1.8. But as they were empowered by the Holy Spirit and they walked with God they were to have a heart for the world like their heavenly father.
What is your passion?
There is a tale told of that great English actor Macready. An eminent preacher once said to him: "I wish you would explain to me something." "Well, what is it? I don’t know that I can explain anything to a preacher."
"What is the reason for the difference between you and me? You are appearing before crowds night after night with fiction, and the crowds come wherever you go. I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth, and I am not getting any crowd at all."
Macready’s answer was this: "This is quite simple. I can tell you the difference between us. I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction."
Someone once said "Only passion, great passion can elevate the human soul to achieve great things."
The Apostle Paul told timothy fan the flames of your gifts. Stir up your passion for God.
Passion for the things of God happens when the people of God get moved by the spirit of God to do the will of God.
Will you be moved to do the will of God?
Conclusion: To make the most of the New Year we must release the old and receive the new.
If we are new creations/creatures , God has called us to a new understanding. We stand as new men and women boys and girls before God accepted by the Blood of Jesus Christ. It is not only a new understanding that God desires us to have it is a new vision and passion. The vision is how we go about fulfilling the passion of God. God’s passion is reconciling other people to himself.
