Summary: . So often when we read our bibles or hear a Sunday school lesson or message we learn about the truths of God’s Word and we hear how to apply it but we forget or get to busy and put off the application part of the lesson. But as we begin a New Year let’

A New Year A New You Part II

Story is told of a pastor who was making a call to a visitor that had visited the church and so he called and a little boy answered and the preacher said hello who is this and in a whisper he heard the voice that said Jimmy. And the preacher said well Jimmy is your mother there and he said yes but she’s busy. So the preacher said well how about your dad is he there? And the boy whispered yes but he’s busy too. Preacher then said well is there another adult in the house that I could talk to and the little boy said yes the police are here. And so the preacher a little worried said may I speak to the police and the boy said well there busy. And then the preacher said well is there anyone else there and the boy said well the firemen are here but there busy too. And so the preacher asked Jimmy he said son all these people are busy what are they doing and the little boy said There looking for me.

Well as we continue our study of a New Year and A New You I want us to continue to examine our lives. Last week we examined our lives by looking at a mirror and our reflection, we looked at the poinsettia flowers and understood the importance of being connected to God and if we are not connected to Him then we will dry up and finally we looked at a glass of water and understood the importance of putting more God in and less dirt into our lives.

Well today I want to continue on the theme of examination and I also want to use an additional three objects to determine how we live life. If you turn with me to James 4: 13-15 you will hear the verse that we used last week talking about the importance of examining ourselves today and not wait for tomorrow. I encouraged us to live for God today and I wonder how we have been doing with that. So often when we read our bibles or hear a Sunday school lesson or message we learn about the truths of God’s Word and we hear how to apply it but we forget or get to busy and put off the application part of the lesson. But as we begin a New Year let’s begin it with a new You.

James 4:13-15 says: Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.”

Friends today is the day to live for God. Today is the day that we give our all to God. Today is the day that we sacrifice for God. Today is the day that we hear from God. To day is the day that we seek God. Today is the day that we long for God. Today is the day that we will serve God. Amen?

We must seize the day. Carpe Diem. If you and I want a new you this New Year then it must begin with you. I am here today to tell you that there are things that all of us need to change. There are things that we need to improve upon. There are things that we need to let go of. But these things must be acknowledged and acted upon by you and me. We hear all the time people saying I want a new look. Well if all we do is talk about a new look then odds are we are not going to get that new look. Rather it requires that you and I do something about it. For instance, I will be honest with you. I want to be in good shape I want to eat right and I know that I am young but I really want to look as good as possible. Well I know that in order to keep my body in better shape than that of a bulldog that I must exercise and work out. I started feeling this way about 8 months ago. And it just so happened that not too long after saying I wished that I had somewhere to work out the fire department was given several really nice weight machines. I thought great I can come over here every morning and work out and then go to work. Well that lasted all of one day. I began to find one excuse after another too much trouble, too much time, too far away, too hot too cold, etc. Well then about four months later a good friend of mine came to me and said I need to get rid of a weight machine and I was not going to ask you but I decided to anyway. Well this was great I have a nice weight machine that is in my garage. It’s right there and yet I still find it difficult to work out on it everyday because I am always trying to find an excuse to put it off until tomorrow. But If I want a new look if I want a healthier life then I must not put it off any longer and must be proactive in using that equipment.

Same thing in our spiritual life. If you want a new you this year in your relationship with God then we need to do some weight lifting with God’s work. We need to work out our muscles by turning the pages of God’s word. We must eat healthier by digesting His good news through his scripture and we must be willing to work on having a healthier heart by choosing to give Him our all. Today is the day that we must live for God and be willing to serve Him. We cannot put it off any longer. The beginning of 2008 is a perfect opportunity to examine ourselves and make the changes to make a better you and me in this New Year. So how do we do that? Glad you asked?

I. Chair You Were Made For Bigger and Better Things

The first thing I want to talk about today is actually something we need to be careful off. For it is very dangerous in preventing us from having a new you in a new year. It just so happens to be the most dangerous thing in your house. I was fascinated and pretty frightened as I read an article this week talking about the dangers of household items. For instance, did you know that each year:

• 460,000 injuries at home are caused by knives

• 100,000 injuries are caused by power tools

• 20 deaths a year occur through window blind cords

And this one I could not believe but 4,000 people injure themselves every year on their pillows. I don’t know if they trip on them or what but my hypotheses is that if they are anything like my wife maybe they injure themselves by nearly drowning in their own drool. Oops did I say that out loud?

Well all of those things and more can be dangerous if they are not used properly and we are not careful. Yet may I offer one other household item that is dangerous and that is the dreaded “lazy boy chair.” Now I wanted to bring you my “lazy boy” chair but my wife understands the seriousness of this dangerous chair that she in her opinion “for the safety of all that live in our house” has removed those from my life. So what is the problem? Why are these chairs so dangerous? Well because the “lazy boy chairs” are not just chairs they are comfortable chairs and we want to be comfortable. And so here is the danger that can come with it.

Let’s see Kip Hardy come here for a second. Now Kip I want you to sit in the chair and I want you to get comfortable. Now try to relax I don’t have any music to play but I do have some other comforts. Now let’s take off your shoes and put on these slippers to get your feet nice and cozy. Better yet how about we just pretend. Okay now let’s see you are getting comfortable. Now you need some other things. Okay here we go Now here is a nice coke cola and I don’t have a moon pie or turkey breast but what I do have is some absolutely delicious chocolate balls that Chrysta has made. Okay so we are getting comfortable. Now what else would we need. Oh duh you would need the remote control. So here the remote control and so you are ready to go.

Now Kip is looking nice and pretty up here and you are saying well how does this look dangerous. Well as you look at Kip up here does it look like Kip is ready to spring into action? Does it look like Kip is excited to do whatever God wants Him to do? Does it look like Kip is ready to go out and face the world and to battle the lions tigers and bears that come his way? Does it look like Kip will even make it through this message without going to sleep if we leave him there? Probably not so it would be better to get kip to go back to his chair so that we don’t have to add another number to those who might drown in their drool. Thanks kip for being a good sport.

Now, here is what I am saying. I am not saying that resting or relaxing in your easy chair is going to cause you serious injury. But rather I use this example to show you what happens when we allow our lives to become complacent or lazy in our relationship with God. When we become too comfortable with our relationship to God we sit back and become happy and content because we are safe, comfortable and are happy. But here is the thing. When we become too comfortable in our life and our relationship with God we lose purpose. We become less determined. We put our lives on cruise control and we can lose our passion.

Proverbs 12:27 tells us in the Message translation “A lazy life is an empty life.” It goes back to working out. The machine is there but the drive is not. What this tells us is that if we are not willing to work on growing in our relationship to God and with others then our life will not be fulfilled. All throughout the Bible we hear of warnings not to become complacent or lazy in our relationship with the Lord. Romans 12:11 reminds us in the NIV to never “lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Another translation records this verse as saying “Don’t be lazy but serve the Lord enthusiastically.”

What this means is that you and I should consistently use our spiritual gifts to serve the body of believers. We have been called, challenged and equipped to serve the Lord. And use there is going to be times of fatigue but there should never be time for complacency.

And friends think not of what will happen if we are in the chair but what will happen because we remain in the chair of complacency. We will miss out on fulfilling dreams,

We will miss out on relationships, gifts, good news to share, laughter, friendships, risks, and everlasting blessings.

Friends you were made for more than just having a life in the chair. You were made for more than remaining in neutral. You have been given a five speed transmission in life and it has overdrive. God has created you not to have a complacent life, but an abundant life. God has created you not to have a sheltered life but a radical life. Life was breathed into you not from a complacent God but from a living God and that is why it is so important that we never become complacent in our lives Oh I pray that our zeal will not be lost but will be renewed as we create as a new you is created in 2008.

I know that there is an enemy that is out there that is trying to keep us from having that great adventurous life. He comes and brings demands upon us through work, home related situations, finances and other things. He has come to try to keep you in neutral but I pray that we will allow God almighty to help us get out of our chairs and live our lives fully for God.

II. Candle: Walking With The Light (Matthew 5:14-16)

Turn with me to Matthew 5:14-16 and I want you to see what it is so important for us to live for Christ. It’s because he has given us an awesome opportunity. Yet it’s not just an opportunity for those believers who have time or for those believers who are not too busy or stressed out or struggling, or faced with illness or other demands. Rather it says YOU. Plain as that. We are the light of the world. God has given us this opportunity to shine for Him. You see long before we were born there was a God who was all powerful, all knowing, all present and this good, holy, merciful, loving God created this world and everything in it for you and me. He did it so that he could have a personal intimate relationship with us. He did all of this for us so that we could be together with Him.

And when he created you, he created you for a purpose. And that purpose was so that we could be together with him and have a personal lasting relationship with Him. John 8:12 tells us that he created light and he created light for us. John 8:12 says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” And just as Jesus came to be that light when he ascended into heaven he commanded us to continue to share that light and to help people get out of the darkness.

Verse 14 tells us that we are to be the lights in the dark world we must clearly show what Christ is like and we cannot keep it for ourselves but we must place our lights on stands so that they can spread and others can see Christ through our lives. The disciples should continue to reflect the light of their Master, the light of the world. They must not try to conceal their light any more than they would light a lamp and then hide it. Being Christ’s disciples means spreading the light to everyone with whom we have contact. Jesus made it clear that there would be no mistaking the source of a believer’s good works. The believer’s light shines not for himself but to reflect the light back to the Father and so direct people to him.

And so let me encourage you that this year in 2008 who will you shine your light for. Will you be willing to shine your light of Jesus to the children in our church by being involved in one of the ministry areas for our children? Will you shine your light to this community by serving others and sharing with others about the light of Jesus? Now that is the easy part. The hard part will be for us to stop giving most of our energy to our own little story. To stop getting so caught up in making the light shine on ourselves but to shine Christ’s light to others. It means that we will enter every part of our daily life with every intention to shine as little light on ourselves and as much light as on Jesus and who He is. Wow, what a way to live.

III. Rope

And the good news is we don’t have to do it alone. That is what the church was set out to do. The church is designed for us to be an hmm what is a good word. Let’s see how about T.E.A.M. for together everyone that’s you and me can accomplish ministry. And let me show you how that works for us. Turn with me to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 for that leads us to our final object of examination and that is a rope. Hear the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Well if I had to sum it up I would sum it up and say that You and I are better together. We need each other. I think sometimes we might say Well Duh Chris. I know that two are better than one but the problem is even though we know it we don’t act on it. Rather we say Oh I can handle it or I don’t need any help. But the fact of the matter is that we do need each other. When you and I work together when we fellowship together, when we live life together Ecclesiastes tells us what will happen: 9) We will get a better profit from our labor; 10)we will receive help when we are in times of distress; 11)comfort in need, 12) protection in time of danger. So why don’t we want to work together? Friends as we enter 2008 I want to be a better person. I want to do great things for God but I also realize that I cannot do it on my own. I need you and I need your help. To be honest we are better together. Say it with me “We Are Better Together” and if we truly believe that then let’s help each other this year, let’s serve together this year, let’s fellowship together this year but most importantly let’s be in community together this year. That’s why I encourage you to sign up for a Spiritual Growth class beginning tonight or get involved in a Church Team and a Sunday School class.

And so now it’s up to us. Do you want a New You this year? Do you want a new relationship with God then let me share with you a few suggestions to help get out of the chair and light your candle and rope ourselves together:

This year let us resolve to do what I can, where I am, with what I have and leave the rest up to God. Let’s make it our business to exalt God on a daily basis and to remember that God is with us and that we choose to be with God. And finally let’s be reminded that God is alive and is living in us and wants to do great things for us and through us. The great theologian Martin Luther was battling depression and he was moping around in his house. And his wife came to him and she had put on her dress that she wore for funerals. Martin Luther asked His wife “Who died” and the wife said “Judging by the way you’ve been acting, I assume God did.” It worked Luther got out of his depression he got out of his chair he lit his candle and with the help of his wife he got some reminding of who God is and just maybe today this message has helped us to be reminded of what God expects out of us.

Today we must live for God. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring but we do know that we have this one moment we have this opportunity to move away from complacency and to share the warmth of Christ’s love to others by working together welcoming all people to a new way of living by believing belonging and becoming in Christ. My question is Will you do it. Will you begin today? Will you become a new you. PRAY!