New Beginings

Opener:

Good Morning Church! We are so happy that you have joined us this morning. We are beginning the new year right and so I want to talk to you this morning about new beginnings.

So many of you know that I enjoy hitting the golf course now and again. I am not saying that I am really good at golf, but I do enjoy it. It gets me out of the house and into nature. If you have ever golfed, then you know that there are a lot of rules with golfing and different points of etiquette. Now I must say that when I go golfing, I have created my own rule system. They call them Pastor rules. One of these rules at times, is that it is o.k to take a second chance at a shot. It called a Mulligan.

This mulligan goes something like this, you step up to the tee box to hit the ball. After you hit the ball it begins to curve way right and goes into the pond. Since, I did not bring my snorkel gear, and cannot hit a golf ball from underwater, I have not learned that skill yet, we say well take a mulligan. Basically, you are getting a do over, or a second chance.

I. God gives new beginnings

A. Salvation

a. God has a way of giving people a new beginning. How exciting is that! He gives people a mulligan, a do over and that starts salvation.

b. Salvation is a tremendous gift that comes to us from God.

c. This give is given to us even though we really don’t deserve it.

d. We were sinners that didn’t deserve a second chance at life.

B. God’s love

a. But God’s love reaches right through what we deserve and He shows us mercy and He shows us grace.

b. The bible tells us in John 3:17 NKJV 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

c. God did not send His Son to condemn people, He sent His Son to provide a way for a new beginning.

d. By accepting Jesus in your life, God forgives you of your sins and gives a wonderful gift of a new life in Him.

C. All things become new

a. The bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17(NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

b. That means that the old has gone and the new has come.

c. Your sins are no longer held against you in heaven’s court on judgment day. Truly, It is a New Beginning for Life.

D. Wonderful reality

a. Salvation is wonderful reality, but there are some people who are still living in discouragement.

b. They have been saved from there sins, they have been given the gift of eternal life, but they remain discouraged.

c. This is not good because discouragement robs people of a future that God created them for.

d. Discouragement forces people to live in yesterday, constantly worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

e. The discouraged person finds it difficult to accept encouragement or good things from anybody.

II. People of Discouragement

A. Living in Babylon

a. The Israelites were a people that were living in discouragement. They were living in captivity in the land of Babylon, taken from the Promised Land because of their many sins against God.

b. They were at the lowest point that a nation could go. It felt as if the control had been taken from them, another King gave them their orders, another culture was forced on them.

c. And the Israelites were living in discouragement.

B. God speaks

a. God spoke to His people through the prophet Isaiah. He said: Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV 18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

b. Prayer – God help us to hear from you, speak and we will listen.

C. Children of Israel

a. It is why he said to the children of Israel, “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.”

b. They were stuck in there past, reliving there mistakes, reminding themselves of the misery that they went through, and they were so busy reliving yesterday, that they missed out on the life that God offers today.

c. Here is the truth for you today, God is still saying, “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.”