It isn’t very often that New Year’s day falls on a Sunday. It is significant that we start out the new year in church. There is no better place to face the new year than in church. With all due respect for those who like to greet the new year with lavish parties, frolicking get-togethers and celebrating occasions, I would rather greet the new year in church. With this in mind many churches have what is known as Watch Night services so the worshippers can greet the new year in the setting of the friendly confines of the church. That has not been the tradition at this church. But now we have an opportunity to celebrate the new year in church. Many of us face the new year with mixed emotions. For some of us 2005 might not have been a very good year. And so we might want to breathe a sigh of relief and say, “I’m glad that’s over.” Others of us may be glad to see the new year, yet we are still burdened with stuff left over from the old year. All of our problems do not magically disappear once we turn the calendar from 2005 to 2006. The same old problems and issues that surrounded us in the old year are still with us in the new year. Yet symbolically at least, there is something exciting and thrilling about entering into a new year. It is time for new resolutions, new hopes, new challenges, new paths, and new beginnings. No matter how we feel about entering a new year, here we are ready or not. Even though the year 2005 was extended for a second by the scientific world, here we are in a brand new spanking 2006. Time stood still for one second last night. But here we are ready or not in a brand new year.
We are in somewhat of a similar situation that was facing the people of Israel in our text for today found in Joshua 3. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness the people of Israel are finally ready to cross the Jordan into the promised land. This is a new generation of people. Their parents had been struck dead in the wilderness for their sin of unbelief. Only Joshua and Caleb remain of that band of oppressed people who fled the fleshpots of Egypt over 40 years ago. Now Joshua their new leader gives them instructions as they are about to cross Jordan’s chilly stream into the promised land. He tells them to keep their eyes on the ark of the covenant which will be carried by the priests. The ark was that box made of acacia wood covered with a lid of solid gold called the mercy seat. The ark was a box which contained the tables of stone, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded. The ark was a box with the cherubim on each side of the mercy seat, over which God himself said that He would dwell. When the people saw the priests moving that box, they were to follow as Joshua said in verse 4, “since they had not been this way before.” They had not been this way before. This was a new experience for them. They were cutting a path through virgin territory. This was uncharted land for them. This is a great challenge facing them. They have not been this way before.
Today we have just passed over the banks of the Jordan of 2005 into the Canaan land of 2006. We have never been this way before. Just as that weary group of Israelites way back there were about to pass over the threshold of a new experience and dimension of their existence, even so have we crossed over into the challenges and uncertainties of a new year. We have not been this way before. No matter how old you are, no matter how much experience or wisdom you may have, no one has ever lived in 2006 before. We have never been this way before. What do we do now that we have passed from 2005 to 2006?
The first thing we do is to seek new choices. Do something different in 2006 or do some things in a different way. The harsh reality is that some of us as we get older become set in our ways. We become victims of dull repetitious sameness. The old expression “familiarity breeds contempt” becomes all too true in our lives. We find ourselves saying, “been there, done that.” When we were younger it wasn’t like that. I dare say that there are younger people here are looking forward to 2006. Maybe some youngster here is thinking of learning to drive a car in 2006. Maybe some girl is saying that at long last my parents are going to let me date. They are looking forward to that date with that dream guy in school. Some may be looking forward to graduating from high school this year. Some may be looking forward to entering college and perhaps moving away from the friendly confines of home. Indeed they will not have been that way before. Others may be just thinking about being promoted to the next grade. When you are young a lot of exciting things are happening to us. Some of them may be scary, but they are exciting too. The challenges of youth are many. But no one can deny the thrill and the excitement of growing up, of become aware of who we are, and going through the various stages of life. Each year becomes a new opportunity, a new challenge. We just can’t wait until we become an adult. Some here may be getting married this year. Then in young adulthood we may be excited about buying our first house, getting or advancing on the job, and watching the children grow up.
But with the older folks, life can become a rut, a routine, an existence, instead of a happening. But there is no need for our lives to be saddled with dullness and sameness as we continue to do things in the same old way, year in and year out. Life was not made to be boring and uninteresting. There is so much to do and to experience. Some of you who are retired may find life boring and uninteresting. Some of you may have a job which is boring and uninteresting. Every day looks the same. We do the same thing every day. Every year looks the same. We do the same things year after year. Yet it must become clear to us that each day is different. Even though it may seem that today is the same as yesterday and the prospect is that tomorrow will be the same as today, we must realize that each day is different. This is the day the Lord has made. We sing about how great is God’s faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies we see. God doesn’t deal with the same old stuff. God is new and exciting every day. Everything God does is new. God doesn’t deal in sameness. God never makes anything the same. Each flower of the field is different and distinct from all others. Each leaf on the vine is different from all others. Each snowflake that falls so gracefully to the earth is different. No two people on the earth are the same. You can’t make a clone out of what God has done. God makes everybody differently. No person who ever existed on this earth was exactly like somebody else. There is no one else in the world exactly like you. God threw away the mold when he made you and me. Likewise each day God makes is different from the day before. Each year is different from the one before. 2005 is going to be different from 2006. This is a new day, a new year. We have not been this way before. Why not search for new choices. Why do the same old thing in the same old way? Why not find a purpose for living? Life with no purpose can be boring indeed. The people of Israel could not live the same way they had in the wilderness. They were in the promised land now. There was work to do. There were enemies to conquer. They were no longer nomads, wandering from pillar to post. There were homes to be built and villages to be carved out. This would not be business as usual. They had never been this way before. We have not been this way before. The new year gives us the chance to make resolutions and turn over a new leaf.
I am a firm believer in New Year’s resolutions, even though must of them are broken before the end of January. But who knows maybe this is your breakthrough year. May be this year you are going to keep at least one of those resolutions for the whole year. What are you going to do differently from 2005? Maybe it is some habit you want to break. Maybe it is some good habit you want to acquire. What is it that you want to differently in the church? What new choices can you make? Nothing new is going to happen unless it begins with each of us. We have not been this way before.
To the Session of the church and to the other leaders, what are you going to do differently in 2006? Are you going to strive for newer and higher dimensions as you lead the congregation? What new choices, what new directions will you take? You have not been this way before. The Deacons of the church are doing a good job. But what can you do differently in 2006. How can you better provide for the needs of the people? What about the choir? How can you improve as you lead the congregation in music and singing in 2006? What choices can you make which will improve in 2006. You have not been this way before. Regular church members, what choices are you going to make this year? Maybe you haven’t been too active in the life of the church. You may have been more of a benchwarmer than a player of the game on the field. Coaches of baseball, basketball, and football cannot have too many players on the field. A baseball team may not have more than 9 players on the field at one time. A basketball team can not have more than 5 players on the floor at one time A football team cannot have more than 11 players on the field at one time. But in the church the sky is the limit. Every body can get on the playing field. There is something each of you can do. There are some new choices you can make in 2006 to get more involved in the life of the church. You have not been this way before. All of us need to make the choice to draw closer to God in 2006.
There is always room for growth in the Christian life. We need to examine ourselves to see if we are growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is so easy to grow stagnant in our walk of faith. But the choice to grow in the Christian faith is up to us. We must be willing to pay the prize for growth. We must be willing to pay the price in Bible reading, study, and in prayer. When 2006 is over each of us ought to be able to say that we are a little closer to Christ than we were when the year started. We have not been this way before.
But secondly, we must learn to survive the circumstances we may face in 2006. We don’t know what things face us in 2006. We don’t know what we are going to face in this year. We don’t know how our circumstances may change in 2006. This is a sobering thought. We know that life is so fragile and fraught with peril. I read in the bulletin about the death of Bob Backstrom, the former interim of this church, who I knew well. What problems, what difficulties, what hardships, are we going to face in 2006? Two men met each other on the street. One asked the other how he was. The other replied, “I’m doing alright under the circumstances.” His friend replied, “what are you doing under there?” We don’t have to live under the circumstances, but above them. Who knows what faces us this year. Downsizing on the job? The loss of a loved one? An unexpected accident or illness? You have not been this way before. Some of you have felt yourself growing weaker this past year. You are not as strong as you used to be. Maybe some of us are going to reach that age of 40 or 50 this year. This is the year that the baby boomers reach 60. President Bush will be 60 this year. How will you face these new circumstances in your life? You have not been this way before. Maybe the doctor has told you that you must take it easier now. You must adjust yourself to a new style of life. This is new for you. You have not been this way before. Some changes will occur in our circumstances in the new year. Some may be minor changes. Some may be major. But it is possible to live above our circumstances. But even the young people around us face the possibility of difficult circumstances in 2006. I heard last week about the millions of young people who are suffering from depression. We have seen the effect of depression on young people with the suicide of Tony Dungee’s son recently. Growing up is exciting, but it can be difficult and frustrating.
The people of Israel faced new circumstances too. The giants that the spies had warned them of years ago were still in the land. There were some formidable foes for them to meet and conquer. There were some difficult obstacles facing them. But Joshua told the people to keep their eyes on the ark. When the ark moved they were to move also. The ark represents Jesus. We keep our eyes on Jesus and follow him. Even though we have not been this way before, he has. For he knows the end from the beginning. He knows what lies ahead of us. He is the God of tomorrow as well as the God of today. The future holds no fear or uncertainty for Him because he is the God of the future as well as the God of the present. To live above your circumstances, keep you eyes upon Jesus.
Joshua told the people in verse 5 that the Lord would do some amazing things for them. God still amazes with His grace and surprises us with his mercy. We can face all the circumstances of life because God is with us. You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances. You can be victorious in spite of your circumstances. You can do all things through Christ. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He will not let us fall beneath the circumstances of life. He will hold us in his strong everlasting arms. You have not been this way before. We do not know what circumstances this new year will deal us. But we know we have his promise that he will never leave us or forsake us.
Finally, as we face the new year, not only seek new choices, not only survive your circumstances, but stick with the certainties. The people of Israel were entering a new land. But the ark of the covenant was going before them. The ark represented the presence of God. The land may have been new, but the same God was with them. The year has changed. But God has not changed. His mercy and goodness have not changed. They are as certain as ever. He is still as reliable as he was in 2005. He still is as loving as he was in 2005. He still is as powerful as he was in 2005. He still is as faithful as he was in 2005. He has not changed. He is from everlasting to everlasting. He is still alpha and omega. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. We have not been this way before. Hold on to the certainties of life. God is still with you. He is with you as you venture out into new choices and new challenges. He is with us to empower us, to motivate us, and to encourage us in doing new things for the new year. It’s good to know that in the changing scenes of life, God always remains the same. We can enjoy the blessings of the Lord everyday in 2006. Be not afraid of the circumstances you may face in 2006. Be not afraid of the uncertainties, because God is still the certainty. You have never passed this way before. But be not afraid.
Young people, be not afraid of the new and challenging things facing you. Middle age adults, be not afraid of what the year may hold for you. Older adults, be not afraid of the different circumstances facing you. None of us need be afraid. Be not afraid. God is with you. Be not afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor the destruction that wasteth at noon day. You have not been this way before. But be not afraid. Stick to the certainties of 2006. These are the certainties.
The Lord is still your light and salvation. The Lord is still the strength of your life. The Lord is still your comfort by day and your song in the night. You have never been this way before. Do not fear the choices or the circumstances of 2006. Stick to the certainties of 2006. Your help still comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. Be not afraid for He will not suffer your foot to be moved. He shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more.
We have not been this way before, but he who is our present help in the time of trouble, will abide with us still. “Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day. Earth’s joys do grow dim, and its glories pass away. Change and decay in all around we see.”
But O Thou who changest not, abide with us. You have not been this way before.
