New Year 2020

Sermon - New year’s 2019

- Here we are again. Another year has gone & another is come.

- If we stop & look back at our past achievements, or failures it generally doesn’t do us

much good.

- I know that sounds strange, but it usually drives us to overwhelming ourselves in

order to succeed.

- Here’s the way we’re going to celebrate the new year.

- It’s a truth, a solid foundation, & it will never be changed.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

- Our past doesn’t matter.

- What matters is that you are God’s. He has washed you, adopted you, & called you to

be about His business, & that’s saving lives.

Prayer

- The leading cause that hinders the Church, in our evangelism, is our past.

> A bad dream - (www.funny-jokes.com)

Jemima was taking an afternoon nap on New Year's Eve before the festivities. After she woke up, she confided to Max, her husband, 'I just dreamed that you gave me a diamond ring for a New Year's present. What do you think it all means?''Aha, you'll know tonight,' answered Max smiling broadly.At midnight, as the New Year was chiming, Max approached Jemima and handed her small package. Delighted and excited she opened it quickly. There in her hand rested a book entitled: 'The meaning of dreams'.

- For us guys, we would have a long time before that one would be forgotten.

- Here’s the wonder about being a new creature in Jesus.

Psalm 103:12

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

- The past is gone. The thing that kept you from, or distanced from, God is gone.

- Others might call to remembrance of your past, but you are different!

- Your past becomes proof of your present & future!

1 Peter 2:12

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

- The thing we need to remember every day is that we are saved, that’s the hope, the

assurance of a Christian.

Romans 8:24-25

24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

- Paul says the moment we accept Jesus as our savior, we know we are saved!

- We are still here in this fallen world, & even in this flesh, but we know we are

redeemed.

- It’s a hope that is unlike our usual hopes, in which we’re just wishing.

- No, in this hope we declare, I am redeemed!

- With a great banner like that hanging over our heads, nothing should bring us down!

- Now I say should, because things do bring us down.

- God’s name is Jehovah-Nissi. Which means the Lord my banner.

- It’s a name that symbolically means that on the battlefield your banner is held

up showing the name of whom you serve.

- We serve almighty God! He does not lose! The battle is won.

- We may topple over carrying His banner, but His name still remains.

- Our New Year is Right in front of us. It’s time now to hoist our banner high for all to

see.

- The great commission is a call to spread the good news to everyone, just like we

raise our banner for all to see.

- Jude says in Jude 1:3

Jude 1:3

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

- Our lives should show the same vigor for the faith, that the lives of the apostles