A New You For A New Year

INTRODUCTION

I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have -- these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to renew you allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."

SERMON

RESTING ON OUR PAST ACHIEVEMENTS ! Verses 1-6

TALK ABOUT PAUL.

Luke 12:16-21 Resting on the Past.

Revelation 2:1-5

(Verse 7-8 transition. What is worthy to be counted as gain?)

RELIANCE ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CHRIST. Verses 8-11

We need to focus our attention on gaining Christ. We need to place our trust in Jesus, not in our own accomplishments. (To be found in Him)

1) Verse 8b-9. Paul wants his life to be found in Christ’s life. Paul wants to make Christ more of his own.

2) As long as we cling to even in the slightest our own righteousness, we will not be able to fully enjoy the righteousness of Christ in our life.

3) 9b. Not having a righteousness of my own. We cannot be found in Him if we are relying on our own goodness or righteousness. We cannot work our way righteousness. (derived from the Law).

4) The righteousness that God requires us to have comes from faith in His son. (but that which is through faith in Christ) ROMANS 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith."

To know Him in verse 10 does not mean to gather facts but to be personally aquatinted with Jesus.

When we realize that the righteousness that God wants us to rely upon is Christ’s, it should cause us to strive after Spiritual perfection. It will cause us to want to step away from the old self and move toward the new. Paul found his complete identification in Christ.

1 JOHN 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

1JO 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

(Let’s look at some things that will help us purify ourselves and ….)

PRESS ON TOWARD THE NEW YOU IN CHRIST. Verses 12-16.

In order to place our reliance in Christ and be conformed to His image we must:

1) Have the right mind set.

a. Verses 12-13a. (Not that I have already obtained it)

b. Paul’s attitude was one of a person in a race who had not crossed the finish line yet. Too many times we quit before we reach the line.

c. In our physical lives we never reach the finish line, we must have the mind set of a person running a marathon! 10 Year Christian.

d. We need to forget the past and press on toward the goal.

e. The correct mind set is of no value unless we

2) Exert some energy.

a. But one thing I do…

b. The runner focuses on one and only one thing, the finish line, they do not look back at the course that they have already run.

c. The runner runs with unwavering progression. We do not say, I need to go back and run that last 2 miles again. We continue to strain forward to what lies ahead.

d. Exertion is not enough unless we exert our efforts to ……..

3) We must press on to the goal of the upward goal of Christ. A lot of people exert a lot of energy, but it is misplaced.

a. If we keep our eyes focused on Christ while we run the race, we will run to Him. Try driving down the highway looking in the ditch the whole way. You will not stay on the path for very long.

b. These words were uttered by Scott Hamilton Olympic skater, shortly after winning his Gold medal: "It was a moment to be shared. Someone asked me why I was looking at the medal so intently. What I was doing was looking at 16 years of my life."