It’s the first day and the first Sunday of 2017 so Happy New Year to you.
2017... Where did 2016 go? Does it feel like the years are getting shorter?
Maybe it’s an age thing or maybe it’s because the world seems to move at a faster pace than it used to.
The Post Office is now referred to as snail mail, even email is considered too slow by some people.
Most people carry a smartphone that allows instant communication anywhere in the world. Information, thoughts, feelings, pictures, statuses, tweets - all instantly shared around the world.
We have come a long way from when the three fastest forms of communication were telephone, telegram and tell a woman.
Seriously, our days can pass by so quickly it’s difficult to remember what happened last week, let alone last month. I’m sure in each of our lives there are certain things that will stick in our memories of 2016. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad.
Life is a journey for all of us, and that journey is not always easy. We have all experienced hard days and difficult nights and sometimes there are weeks and months and years where our journey seems to lead from one problem to another.
Memories of events, occurrences, situations, circumstances, celebrations, so many things to reflect on. At the start of this new year, what I want to do this morning is to simply encourage each of us to pause for a moment. 2016 has gone 2017 has begun, but before we rush into this new year it is important for us to pause and evaluate our priorities for 2017.
This year could be another year when we just continue doing exactly what we have done every other year, or it could be a year that is significant both in our lives and the lives of others.
This morning we need to pause and think and pray about what are our priorities for 2017 and what are God’s priorities for each and everyone of us. We could just rush into another year, carry on with our daily lives operating in the same way as they did last year.
But if we did that we would miss out on the opportunity to realign our plans and priorities with God’s plans and priorities for us. You know as well as I do, that God is meant to have first place in our daily lives.
Have you heard the saying a Dog is for life not just Christmas? Let me paraphrase that “God is for life not just Christmas and Sundays”
Each of us needs to pause and ask the question is God central to my life? Is it God first? In all things? Everyday?
When you reflect on 2016, did God have the central place, did you put His will and purposes above your own? Did you prioritize time with Him? Were you faithful in seeking Him in prayer?
Did you live 2016 as a doubtful follower or as a Dynamic Disciple?
It’s easy to get distracted, to get bogged down with the duties of the day. We have busy lives, family, home, work, school, hobbies and activities.
So many things demand our time and attention, so many things we plan our time to do - in 2016 did you plan and keep quality time with Jesus?
Will you plan to live this year for God? Are you determined to live for His honour and glory in 2017?
Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14, I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
2016 has gone, it’s a new day, a new year, In 2017, will you press on, will you move forward in your faith. Are you willing to make a stronger commitment to following Christ this year than you did last year? In your heart you know, being a disciple of Jesus requires real commitment, deep commitment to our Lord and Saviour, this year allow more of His life to infuse your own,
so that you can become more like Him. This year, make following Christ the central purpose of your life.
To become like Him we must be willing to follow His teaching. To follow Him we must be willing to submit ourselves to the truth of God’s Word, from beginning to end.
The Bible is the Word of God. The Bible teaches us that God is holy. The Bible teaches us His mercies endure forever. The Bible teaches us Jesus is our Lord and our Saviour.
Jesus blood cleanses us from our sin. He rose from the grave on the third day and is now enthroned in heaven. One day Jesus will return to the earth.
The God who created you and me has a purpose for our lives. The Bible teaches us all things work together for good. The Bible teaches us The Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us to live for Jesus.
At the core of our faith is an unshakable belief in the sovereignty of God. He is sovereign over all the details of our lives, we can trust Him completely even when those details seem to be out of control. God knows what He is doing, and He is doing it. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
The context of this prayer of the Apostle Paul is important, this prayer follows Paul speaking about the sovereignty of God and a command to stand firm in our faith.
God is the source of all power. He alone can help us in the time of trouble. He alone can lead us through what is to come in 2017.
There is also a great reminder here of what God has already done for all of us who are in a real relationship with Him.God loves us, He demonstrated that when He gave us His Son.
He encourages us daily through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He gives us hope, a certain hope, in the future we will be with Him in glory. God takes care of our past, our present and our future.
This year give God the central place in your daily life and allow God to touch every part of your life. Fix your eyes on Jesus this year. If we make God the centre of all we do and say,
then we are able to do every good work and to say every good word the Lord wants us to do and to say. As I draw to a close, I want to remind you of something from a sermon I preached last January.
In the old testament is the story of Joshua, God was at the centre of his very busy life. When Joshua was about 110 years old; he gave one of the most important speeches of his life.
Joshua gathered the people around him and he spoke to them and gave them a challenge before he died. He told the people God had been good to them. He reminded them how God had delivered them from slavery and wandering. Then Joshua told them the importance of putting God first, the importance of serving God, the importance of worshiping the right God in the right way, not putting any kind of substitute or idol before God.
Joshua told the people it was time to make a choice - listen to Joshua 24:15, But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (NLT)
These verses are as relevant to us today, on the first day of January 2017, as they were to the people all those years ago. The choice is as relevant for us today as it was for them.
Give God first place in your life, worship and serve Him, or worship and serve someone or something else. Choose to walk in the light of God or stumble in the darkness.
Follow the will of God as a disciple of Christ and discover your destiny in Him.
Joshua’s ancient challenge to the Israelite families is a challenge to us today as Children of the living God. A challenge to embrace a changed life, a challenge to live each day as dynamic disciple, a challenge to discover our destiny.
On this New Year’s Day, there are many resolutions you could choose to make. Choose to make God your priority and your purpose. Walk day by day with our Almighty God,
be willing to allow God to lead you and guide you.
No matter what happened in 2016, no matter what is happening in your life right now, choose today, on this first day of a new year, to place God at the centre of your life, to serve and worship Him. The choice to follow God is more than just a new year resolution it is a choice of sincere commitment. It means moving beyond a casual, convenient Christianity into something far more devoted, more committed. It means being whole hearted not half-hearted, it means being faithful not faithless. Finally, will you make the statement Joshua made as a statement of commitment in your own life?
“As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” It is your choice, it is your decision, are you willing to be a dynamic disciple?
If you are willing, I want you to just stand where you are and speak aloud these words “As for me, I will serve the Lord.”
May God bless you, let’s pray.
