"what Would The Lord Have Us Remember Or Forget At New Years?"

Title: What Would the Lord Have Us Remember and Forget at New Year? Where: GNBC 1-2-22 Script: Is. 46:9; Is. 43:18-19 Type: Thematic/Topical

Intro: Robert Garrett lists several items that if they are to happen to you may be foreboding of a bad year to come: You see a “60 minutes” news team waiting in your office; Your b-day cake collapses under the weight of all the candles; You wake up and find that your waterbed broke, only to realize later that you have box-springs; Your income tax return check bounces; Your twin brother or sister forgets your birthday; The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard! Now, if any or all of these were to happen to any one of us we may have a right to consider this new year a bit ominous. Seriously though, folks, as many of us considered resolutions or goals for the New Year, did you take the time to consider what the Lord would have you to do this New Year?

Prop: Exam. Is. 46:9 & Is. 43:18-19 we see 3 items the Lord have us consider at new year?

BG: 1. Isaiah - believe only one, wrote 3rd section of book, chapt. 39 changes tone, more conciliation and loving tones toward Judah.

2. Writes about 700 yrs. BC, Israel destroyed by Assyria, only Judah left. Future looks very bleak. Tendency towards despondency, etc.

3. In midst of this, see in these 2 chapters 2 seemingly very different commands by Lord

for His people. These are good meditative verses to consider His leading at New Year.

Prop: Exam. these verses we see 3 items the Lord would have us consider at New Year.

I. 1st item: At New Year, the Lord would have us to Remember Certain Items. Is. 46:9

A. What should we remember? We should remember His faithfulness!

1. In this passage Israel was being challenged to remember the Person of God.

a. Illus- "I am God, there is no other; I am God, there is no one like Me." - exclusive claims for Deity. The proper name "Jehovah" is used here (Isaiah 43:13) as a name indicating essence: "I and no other am the absolutely existing and living One," i.e., He who proves His existence by His acts, and indeed by His saving acts. (Have you become born again this year? Survived accident? Healed of disease? Went thru hardship of divorce or death in family? God is faithful.

b. Here we see the Lord contrasting the utter worthlessness of Babylon's idols & the True and living God- v.7. 46:5-13 Here the folly of those who made idols, and then prayed to them, is exposed. Displays to the listeners the utter stupidity of praying to such a "god". The Bible makes very strong claims to the fact that there is only One “God” eternally existent in 3 Persons. Just because our Constitution allows for equality of religions does not mean each are equally valid or true.

2. This verse brings to mind the children of Israel crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land.

a. Illust- Josh. 3&4- after entire nation had crossed, Joshua has 12 men, 1 per tribe, go out into the middle of the Jordan and bring back and make into a mound. "When children ask: "What do these stones mean?" - be a memorial to God’s faithfulness. What’s a memorial? Gettysburg, Arlington, Iowa Jima, etc. Visual reminder of a past event or person. Friends, in that passage recounting Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, in Joshua 3:15 – we see that the Jordan river didn’t dry up or quit flowing until the priests took the first step into the river with the Ark of the Covenant! The Lord didn’t act until their feet stepped into the water! Do you realize that everything was normal one minute and then the next moment God demonstrated His power. I wonder if the Lord wants to apply this same principle in our congregation’s life? Are there steps of faith we need to take this year that He will bless…once we step!

b. In remembering His faithfulness to us, Christian families should develop "memorial stones" for the next generation. Over the years- van, piano, tv, table, china, chair, etc. that God has provided. I want to encourage you to keep account of the Lord’s provision and protection in your own lives in this year to come. Remember ye not the former things,.... Just now referred to, the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, and the drowning of Pharaoh and his army in it; for though these things were worthy to be remembered with thankfulness and praise, and to the glory of God, and for the encouragement of faith, yet not in comparison of what was hereafter to be done; meaning, not the redemption from Babylon, unless as a type of spiritual and eternal redemption by Christ;