INTRO.- ILL.- On New Year’s Eve, Daniel was in no shape to drive, so he sensibly left his van in the car park and walked home. As he was wobbling along, he was stopped by a policeman. ’What are you doing out here at four o’clock in the morning?’ asked the police officer.
’I’m on my way to a lecture,’ answered Roger. ’And who on earth, in their right mind, is going to give a lecture at this time on New Year’s Eve?’ enquired the officer sarcastically.
’My wife,’ slurred Daniel grimly.
Yeah, I bet he was going to get a lecture and then some. And he needed it too. He should have been home with his wife.
Did you have a new year’s eve party? Did you enjoy it? Stay up until midnight? What new year’s eve party? Not for Elaine and me. We don’t party much these days. In fact, we can’t stay up that late. I love early morning so my nights are not much. Certainly not late.
The party is over. The old year is gone. It’s a done deal. Whatever has been done is done. Whatever we failed to do is water under the bridge. But it’s time to think again, rearrange some things and get our act together.
ILL.- We’ve all heard about that rich dude, Bernard Madoff, who ’made off’ with 50 billion dollars that belonged to people, even seemingly smart people that should have known better. But if you trust the devil he’ll take you to the cleaners.
Whether we realize it or not, we’ve all "made off" with God’s precious time in our lives. We’ve stolen time (if not money) from God for our selfish pleasures rather than giving it to Him.
ILL.- A man named Horn said: Neighbors of ours had a terrible disagreement over a patio they wanted for their backyard. The wife had rather grand ideas, while the husband wanted costs kept to a minimum. The wife won out, and the construction bill climbed higher and higher.
I dropped by one day, when the patio was near completion, and was surprised to find the husband smiling from ear to ear as the workmen smoothed over the surface. I remarked how nice it was to see a grin replace the frown he had been wearing lately.
“You see where they’re smoothing that cement?” he replied. “I just threw my wife’s credit cards in there.”
I suspect that God would like to do that to some people today. We’ve all been guilty of poor stewardship with God’s money, which He gives to us AND with the time He gives to us. HOWEVER, IN 2009 WE NEED TO DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY. We should want to please God more than anyone in the new year!
II Cor. 5:9 "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it."
What a goal to have in life! It should be for us who are in Christ.
PROP.- Since the party’s over, let’s attend to business, some spiritual business in the new year more than we ever have.
1- Get more spiritual
2- Reach more people
3- Perform more service
I. GET MORE SPIRITUAL
II Pet. 3:17-18 "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."
We all need to grow in grace and in the Lord more than anything else in this new year. We need His grace for living. God’s grace not only saves us but also blesses us in all ways in life: grace to endure trials, grace to overcome obstacles, grace to empower us, etc.
While multitudes of people are infatuated with Hollywood stars we need to infatuated with our God and Savior! And with the stars of the Bible!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could walk with God like Enoch of old who walked with God? Of course, many people think that walking with God or having a better relationship to Him would spoil their fun.
Many people want the best of both worlds but it doesn’t work that way so many people choose the world over Christ and His church. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO GET MORE SPIRITUAL IN 2009.
What do you need to do to get more spiritual? And what do you need to quit to get more spiritual?
ILL.- A young man at a New Year’s party turns to his friend and asks for a cigarette. ’I thought you made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking,’ his friend says.
’I’m in the process of quitting,’ the man says. ’Right now, I am in the middle of phase one.’ ’What’s phase one?’ ’I’ve quit buying.’
I think all of us have things in life that hinder us spiritually and some of them need to be stopped! What things: worldliness, laziness, indifference, greed for more and better, etc. Most of us know very well what is hindering our spiritual growth and we need to do something about those things.
ILL.- Two girlfriends were talking at a New Year’s Eve party. The talk got around to what their resolutions would be. "I’m going to start a diet to get rid of all of these extra pounds I put on over the holidays," Kim said.
"Good!" Katrina exclaimed. "I’m ready to start a diet too. We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. When I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I’ll call you first." "Great!" Kim replied. "I’ll ride with you."
Many people think in terms of getting fit for the new year: dieting, exercising, walking, biking, lifting weights, etc. And this is fine if we can stick with it and do it. We all could use better fitness or health. Our bodies do belong to the Lord.
However, aren’t we missing something that’s even more important? It’s our spiritual fitness! It’s our spiritual growth!
Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."
II Tim. 2:15 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
Do you want to be blessed more by God? Then we all need to pray more, praise more, study more, etc. Getting more spiritual is more than just going to church one time a week. It’s getting alone with God and His Word. It’s praying to Himand praising Him.
ILL.- Dr. Charles Parkhurst, distinguished preacher of New York, in an address in which he dealt with his early religious life related how he had often heard his father pray in the church, at the family altar, and at the family table. But it was only when he heard him praying aloud on his knees in the barn that he knew the reality of prayer and the deep reality of God.
Have you been on your knees lately? We all need this time in order to get more spiritual in 2009.
II. REACH MORE PEOPLE
Matthew 28:18-20
We know the great commission and we know what we should do. And that is, reach more people for Christ. Is there someone in your family who is not a Christian or a practicing Christian?
Is something you can do to help them, to direct them, to point them to Christ? Can you say something or do something? And are there others? Friends? Neighbors? Fellow workers?
ILL.- When you meet someone for the first time what do you think of? Obviously, their physical appearance may make an impression or may not, but beyond that, what do you think of about that person? Do you think: What kind of house do they live in? What kind of car do they drive? I wonder how old they are? I wonder how much money they have?
Or is this what you think and question in your mind: I wonder if they are a Christian? I think this is the first question that should enter our minds, that is, if we are soul conscious.
We’re in the selling business. We need to sell people on Christ and His church.
ILL.- When I tell people that I’m a preacher whether I’m in a bank or wherever, they always ask, "What church?" Here’s what I tell them. "It’s Jonesboro Christian Church. We’re on Loberg Lane. Go west on Nettleton, past the YMCA, and eventually you’ll see Loberg Lane. We’re on the left, just over the hill. But we’re hidden in a residential area. And we want to stay that way because we don’t want new people in our church."
I figure if I tell them about the church this way it may provoke some interest and they may come and visit our church. OBVIOUSLY, WE DO WANT NEW PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH! We want to reach out to more people for Christ in 2009.
ILL.- We’ve been bombarded with news about the Gov. of IL, Rod Blagojevich. And we heard excerpts from some of the wiretaps, which included horrible language. DO YOU REMEMBER? Both Rod and his wife used the "f" word extensively in their conversations. But he defended himself by saying, "Millions of people probably talk the same way." I BEG YOUR PARDON!
Not every parent talks that way, but the point is this: How is his language going to affect his little girls, 10-year-old Amy and 4-year-old Annie? GOD HAVE MERCY ON THOSE LITTLE GIRLS, BECAUSE THEIR DADDY ISN’T SHOWING ANY MERCY!
The first people we need to reach for Christ is our own children, grandchildren and family members. And do you know what speaks the loudest to them? Not our preaching, but our actions. They can see right through us. They know if we are truly living the faith. They know if Christ and His church are really important to us. Our faith, attitudes and actions can’t be hidden from people, children or otherwise.
ILL.- On Friday morning after Christmas we stopped at a service station in Cape Girardeau, MO, to get gas before going to Jonesboro, IL, to visit with Elaine’s grandsons. After getting gas I went into the service to get something else and I said to the three ladies who were working, "Do you know my son Shane Shepherd? He delivers RC Cola here?" And do you know what kind of response I got?
They all said in unison, "Oh, yes, we know Shane. We love Shane! He’s the best deliveryman we have!"
Can you imagine how that made me feel? Now, of course, I hope he’s a good witness to those ladies and apparently, he must be.
Brothers and sisters, we can’t hide our joy in Christ or our faith in Christ if it’s real or genuine. IT WILL COME THROUGH TO PEOPLE! And it must come through if we are to reach more people for Christ in 2009!
III. PERFORM MORE SERVICE
ILL.- A retired man who volunteers to entertain residents in nursing homes and patients in hospitals went to one local hospital in Brooklyn and took his portable keyboard along. He told some jokes and sang some funny songs for the patients.
When he finished he said, in farewell, "I hope you all get better." One elderly gentleman replied, "I hope you get better, too."
What about retirement? Should we or shouldn’t we? More than likely that will depend on your retirement income, if you have any at all.
I think it’s fine if a person wants to retire from your life’s work BUT WE SHOULD NEVER RETIRE FROM SERVING THE LORD!
ILL.- Boyce Mouton is still preaching at age 75 at the First Christian Church of Carl Junction, MO. Bob Stacy who is also 75 is still preaching for the Spring Hill Church of Christ in Middletown, OH. Bob has told me that he’s busier than ever in ministry work, doing most of the calling in a church that runs over 300 every Sunday. Ed Bousman is a radio preacher from Lynchburg, OH, and was 90 years old on Oct. 1, 2008, and still preaching.
Why should we want to "take it easy?" We can do that in heaven. We will rest in heaven. We need to make hay while the sun shines. We need to keep serving anyway we can.
Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." If you stop serving, you’ll lose some fire.
Eph. 5:15-17 "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."
And what is the Lord’s will for you? To serve one another in love. To serve others anyway you can.
ILL.- My friend Truman Brady who preaches at the Fairland Christian Church in Fairland, OK, told me about a 13 year old boy in his church named Chase. Chase is a member of the church and is always wanting to serve or do something.
Truman said when they have a meal at their church on Wed. night Chase always wants to go get the ice for the meal. Then he wants to put the ice in the 100 cups. He also likes to hand out the Sunday bulletins.
Chase only lives a few blocks from the church and every few days he’ll show up and ask Truman if he can do something. Recently, when they got snow he rode his bike in the snow to the church and offered to scoop the snow. Truman said he would get him a scoop and Chase said he brought his own scoop.
How’s that for being prepared and ready to serve? Truman also said that in the summertime he’ll ask the widows in the church if he can mow their grass.
Here is something else he does to help his parents. He works every Saturday at a place called Lorene’s, which is a restaurant. He washes dishes all day. His mother said there have been times when they’ve had to use his money to buy groceries.
I think they should change his name to "George," as in "let George do it." As a result of his faithfulness to the church his parents are now coming more than ever. And they admit that he is the reason! I say, "God give us more 13 year old boys named Chase!"
Doesn’t the thought of this 13 year boy humble you and almost make you somewhat ashamed for not serving as much as possible? He does me. I believe that we all need to look for ways to serve others in love and it will go a long way to honor the Lord and perhaps lead someone to Christ.
CONCLUSION------------------------------
ILL.- One morning Farmer Brown announced to his wife that he was going to plow. He got off to an early start since he had to put oil in his tractor. However, since he didn’t have enough oil, he made a trip to the hardware store to buy more.
On the way to the store, he noticed the pigs hadn’t been fed, so he went to the corn crib where he found some sacks of feed. The sacks reminded him that the potatoes were sprouting. On his way to the potato shed, he passed the woodpile and remembered that his wife had asked him to bring wood up to the house.
By the time the sun went down, the frustrated farmer hadn’t put oil in the tractor, much less plowed the field. WHAT HAPPENED? He was constantly being distracted with other things.
Brothers and sisters, this sounds like something we might do when it comes to serving the Lord. The party’s over, last year is gone, and it’s time to get something accomplished for the Lord; get more spiritual, reach more people, perform more service.
However, these things won’t happen unless we make them matters of priority and stop being distracted with other things that have no eternal value. We need to do that which will influence others for eternity. LET’S NOT GET DISTRACTED.
We’re here to serve the Lord! Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last.
