New Year, Same God Series

Introduction

Today is January 1, 2023. It is also the Lord’s Day. The last time January 1 landed on the Lord’s Day was in 2017. And the next time January 1 will land on the Lord’s Day is in 2033.

It is wonderful to start off the New Year on the Lord’s Day. I planned for this day several months ago. In fact, I even found a sermon title for today’s message that I really like and have used it for today’s sermon: “New Year, Same God.”

Last week, my Facebook posts showed one of the pages I follow. His page is called “The Unappreciated Pastor.” I noticed that he posted a question on his page that asked for his followers to list “lame sermon titles for New Year’s Day....” Several dozen were listed and I smiled as I scrolled through some of the following lame sermon titles for New Year’s day:

• “It Can’t Get Any Worse” [Apparently, this pastor had a really bad year!]

• “23 Ideas to Keep Your Pastor from Quitting in ’23” [I don’t think this was the same pastor, but he also is having a rough time!]

• “One Year Closer to the End Times” [That’s true!]

• “I Hope Your Resolutions Last Longer Than This Sermon” [I hope mine do too!]

• “New Year’s Day Sermon” [Now I am guessing that not a lot of thought went into that sermon title!]

• “I’m just glad I didn’t find the title I’m using in the comments”

• “Years Change, But God Is Still the Same” [to which someone replied, “This will be someone’s title”!]

That is of course very similar to the title I have for today’s sermon. But I like the title for this sermon. And there is a very real truth in the title of the sermon, “New Year, Same God.” Yes, it is a new year. And yes, we are still serving the same God, for Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

As you look back on the past year, what did you encounter? COVID was still with us, and many people still got sick with COVID, although it did not seem quite so bad for the majority of people. Then there was the war in the Ukraine that is still continuing to this day. Perhaps because of the war, although there are almost certainly other factors involved as well, there was inflation. We all experienced sticker shock for food price increases, gas price increases, and so on. Some among us experienced difficulties with family and friends. And some also experienced unexpected illnesses and losses. Someone once said, “Life really isn’t fair. You eat properly, exercise and take good care of yourself for sixty years—and what’s your reward? Old age!”

James is the author of the New Testament letter that bears his name. His older brother was Jesus and his younger brothers were Joseph, Simon, and Judas (cf. Matthew 13:55). James came to believe that his older brother Jesus was indeed the Christ after the death and resurrection of Jesus. By the time of the First General Assembly of the Christian Church in Jerusalem in about 49 AD, James was considered to be one of the leaders of the Christian Church (cf. Acts 15).

In 44 AD, persecution against the Christians broke out in Judea. Many of them scattered from Jerusalem and Judea. It was shortly after this that James wrote his letter. He wrote this letter “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (James 1:1). James’ primary theme was how to live faithfully in a culture that was opposed to the gospel. He wrote to tell Christians how to be doers of the word and not merely hearers only.

James began his letter to the dispersed Christians who were facing trials and troubles and temptations with these words in James 1:2-3, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” The Christians to whom James was writing were struggling with God’s role in their struggles. They were facing all kinds of trials and troubles and temptations, and they were even wondering whether God was sending all of this their way. However, James clearly states in James 1:13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” So, if God does not tempt anyone, where does it all come from? James tells us in verse 14, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”

In contrast to the trials and troubles and temptations people experience in life, James wanted to point people to God who gives only good gifts.