MELVIN NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK
(This message is my adaptation of a fine sermon, “New Year”
by Randy Barker, which he contributed to Sermon Central.)
(PowerPoints used with this message are available for free.
Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com & request PP #430.)
TEXT: Philippians 3:14; Colossians 3:13; Romans 6:12, 12:18
Well, it’s that time of year again when in a spurt of optimism many people make promises, (some call them resolutions) about what they are going to do, or not do, during the New Year. But sadly, many of those resolutions are often discarded or forgotten by the end of January.
Looking back at this past year, I wonder how many of us made promises to ourselves that we were going to do this or that during 2021? For example, resolutions about our diet, or how much exercising we were going to do?
By the way, you may have noticed that I used the pronouns “us” & “we” - because I’m just as guilty in some ways as maybe some of you.
Well this year I’m determined it’s going to be different. I’ve decided to adopt the resolution proposed by Randy Barker in his sermon to eat more & exercise less. That’s a resolution I should have no difficulty in keeping.
Now I hope you realize that I’m joking about that resolution – or at least I think I am. But seriously, this morning I want to present 4 resolutions, 4 commitments that God, in His Word, encourages us to make – 4 commitments which can make a radical difference in your life if you will just follow through on them.
And if you do, 2022 could become one of the best years of your life. So I’m challenging you to make 4 commitments for this New Year.
#1 - COMMIT TO FORGET YOUR FAILURES
The first one is to Commit to Forget Your Failures.
The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:14, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
That example from God’s Word has stood the test of time. I don’t know of any more relevant & practical advice for us at the start of 2022. Remember: We don't have to live our lives imprisoned by our failures.
All of us have failed in some way during this past year. Our failures haven’t been broadcast on radio or TV, but they are recorded in our hearts & minds resulting in painful memories of wrong decisions & failed relationships.
Those of us who are parents may realize that there have been times when we failed our children. And your children may be aware of having failed you. Even more likely, most of us realize that we have failed ourselves. And all of us should know that in some way we have failed God.
What God’s Word is saying here is that we must not allow ourselves to be bogged down by our failures. That we must not dwell on our past so much that it stops us from moving forward into the future that God has for us.
I think the start of the New Year is a good time for us to rise to that challenge - to say to ourselves “I am going to, with the help of God, stop torturing myself about what I did or didn’t do.”
God is doesn’t want you to go through life branding yourself as a failure. Jesus died on the cruel cross of Calvary so that we could be forgiven. When we become Christians that forgiveness becomes a reality in our lives.
When we receive Christ’s forgiveness it allows us to forgive ourselves & forget our failures. Maybe you need to do that right here this morning. Maybe you need to accept Jesus’ forgiveness & then forgive yourself, too.
#2 - COMMIT TO GIVE UP YOUR GRUDGES
The 2nd commitment for 2022 is to Commit to Give Up Your Grudges. Listen to Colossians 3:13 because you’ll hear the 2nd challenge I believe God wants us to rise up to - if you want to make 2022 a significant turning point in your life.
A. Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgives you.”
God is challenging us directly & personally to give up our grudges. That is what he means when he says forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another.
A grudge is a deep ongoing resentment that we cultivate in our hearts against someone else. A grudge is an unforgiving spirit that leads to unforgiving attitudes & unforgiving actions. Harboring a grudge is about nursing a dislike for someone else.
What you need to realize is that grudges are dangerous because they are destructive. Grudges destroy marriages. Grudges break up families. Grudges ruin friendships. And sometimes, grudges even split churches.
And if you know you are holding a grudge against someone then God has something to say to you. He says “give it up.”
I want to remind you that grudges are not just destructive, they are also self-destructive. When you hold a grudge against someone you will hurt yourself as much & perhaps more than you will hurt the person you resent.
ILL. Randy Barker wrote, “I read a tragic example of just how destructive grudges are. A man was killed by a parcel bomb, & then a week later a couple in the same town committed suicide.
“It turned out that the couple who committed suicide had sent the bomb because of a grudge that the husband had against his victim that stretched all the way back to their school days.
“Ultimately that grudge destroyed his victim’s life. And then it destroyed him & his wife's life also.”
Make no mistake about it, if you keep harboring a grudge then it will eventually destroy you, if not physically, certainly emotionally & spiritually. It will make you a bitter & twisted person.
B. The book of Job describes people who “Have no happiness at all, they live & die with bitter hearts.” Do you really want that to be the way you are remembered?
Do you recall the parable that Jesus told about a servant who was forgiven a huge debt by the king & then refused to forgive someone else a tiny debt? Jesus said his unforgiving spirit landed him in prison.
ILL. Max Luxcado makes this comment in one his books. He wrote, “Unforgiving servants always end up in prison, prisons of anger, guilt, & depression.”
God says “Don’t sentence yourself to prison. Set your-self free. Give up your grudges, forgive each other.” According to God’s Word the way to give up a grudge is to forgive. It's just that simple.
He isn’t asking you to ignore whatever the person has done to you. He isn’t asking you to pretend it didn’t happen. He doesn’t ask you to condone it, or to pretend it didn’t matter.
C. What God asks you to do is to forgive. That means to acknowledge how wrong & painful what was done to you was, but to forgive the person who did it.
Whenever a group of people meet together, I’m sure that there will be people who need to give up their grudges, & forgive the grievance they have against someone else.
Some will need to forgive the grievance they have against their parents for what they did or didn’t do. Some need to forgive their children for the same reason. Some need to forgive a spouse or ex-spouse for emotional or physical abuse.
Some need to give up the grudge against someone at work because of the way they treated you. Some need to give up the grudge that stems from an argument they had. God says that such deep-seated resentment has to go.
What better time to make that difficult decision to forgive than the start of a new year? But don’t tell God you can’t forgive, because what you really mean is that you won’t forgive.
If Christ can forgive your sin despite the fact that it cost Him the pain of the cross, then surely you can give up your grievance against someone else. But the question is, will you do it?
#3 - COMMIT TO RESTORE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
The 3rd commitment for 2022 is to Commit to Restore Your Relationships. Here is how the Lord issues that challenge.
Romans 12:18 tells us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone.” The important phrase there is, “…as far as it depends on you.”
By using that phrase God is personally challenging each of us to do all we can to restore any relationships that may have gone wrong in our lives.
Some relationships might have gone wrong because of what other people have done & they might not want that relationship restored. God recognizes that. That is why he starts by saying “If it is possible…”
But let’s be honest, some of our relationships have gone wrong because of what we have done. When God’s word says “as far as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone” it is saying IF you have caused a rift in a relationship then you have a responsibility to do everything you can to restore it.
That “everything” includes one thing we all probably find most difficult, asking for forgiveness. I wonder how many relationships are not all they should be or could be simply because someone won’t say, “I was wrong, I’m sorry, will you forgive me?”
I’m certain that some need to ask forgiveness for “harsh words & cutting remarks” that have really wounded others over the years.
Maybe God is saying that this is the right time to restore the ruined relationship, by going & sincerely saying that you’re sorry for those angry words or selfish & unthoughtful actions.
Make no mistake, it will be hard to do, but one of the most significant things you can do to mark the New Year is to admit your past errors & humbly seek forgiveness from the one you have hurt.
Will you rise to that challenge & make a commitment to restore your broken relationships in this new year?
#4 - COMMIT TO TURN YOUR BACK ON YOUR BESETTING SINS
The final commitment for 2022 is to Commit to Turn Your Back on Your Besetting Sins.
Did you know that after the American Civil War was over & the slaves had been set free many slaves decided to stay with their former masters. They were set free but they chose to continue serving their master.
The N.T. says that is exactly how many Christians choose to live. Christ died to set us free, the Holy Spirit has given us the power to be free, but just like those former slaves many Christians still choose to obey their old master, sin.
Romans 6:12 says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” When God says for us not to let sin control the way we live & not give in to its evil desires He is challenging us to turn away from our sin.
Christian writers used to talk about “besetting sins.” What they meant by “besetting sins” were those sins that a Christian was prone to do time & time again.
For most of us when we become a Christian we give up certain sins easily. But there are other sins we know are wrong that we have a hard time giving up. Those are our “besetting sins.”
Many end up choosing to yield to their besetting sin. Maybe that is how you lived last year, constantly defeated by the same old sin.
ILL. There was a man with a large growth on his neck, but he wouldn’t do anything about it. He just learned to live with it. That sums up the attitude of too many Christians toward their besetting sin. They won’t do anything about it & they learn to live with it.
Is your spiritual life crippled because you have learned to live with a besetting sin? Do you have a quick temper that constantly erupts? Or a tongue that loves to assassinate other people’s character or wound their feelings? Or is there some other sin that you keep on giving in to?
God challenges us to turn our back on our besetting sins, whatever they are. And to stop letting them control the way we live.
Let’s be clear about this: Jesus’ death broke the power of sin. The Holy Spirit can give us the power to resist sin, & that means we don’t have to enter this new year still being defeated by the same old sins. You can have the victory over them.
God says you are no longer a slave to sin, so don’t live like one or act like one. If you will ask for God’s forgiveness for your sin & His power to resist that sin then this new year can be a new era in your spiritual life. Don’t miss that opportunity!
It all boils down to this: Will this New Year be just a calendar changing event for you, or are you willing to rise up to these challenges from God’s word & make these commitments a life changing event? Are you willing to make these 4 commitments for 2022?
Will you commit yourself to: Forget your failures? Give up your grudges?
Restore your relationships? Turn your back on your besetting sins?
The year 2022 will really be something to celebrate if you’ll make forgiveness the heart of what it’s all about for you.
Have the courage right here today: • To forgive yourself & “forget the past.” • To forgive others who have hurt you “& forgive any grievances you have.” • To ask for forgiveness from those you have hurt & “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” • To ask for God’s forgiveness & “No longer be a slave to sin.”
INVITATION
