Sermon - The Suggestions For The New Year

Subject: The Suggestions for the New Year

Text: Judges 3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Introduction: Life is filled with transition and change. You and I can count on opposition. Almost every time you make a New Year’s resolution, embrace a new vision, or attempt a goal, you expect opposition. Even if you decide to follow Jesus, to live a godly life with the purpose of God in mind, you can expect opposition. The hymn writer said it this way, “Time is filled with swift transitions, and none on earth unmoved can stand, build your hopes on things eternal and hold to God’s unchanging hands.” Adversity will come! Listen to some quotes by writers on adversity,

• Adversities do not make the man either weak or strong, but they reveal what he is. -Faith Forsyth

• Gold is tried in fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. --Seneca

• Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm. –Syrus

Proverbs 24:10 “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”

Caroline Schoeder, "Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat." I am convinced that more people change when they feel the heat than when they see the light.

So, it is with the man of our text, who decided he wanted a different kind of life. His name is Shamgar, son of Anath. He was a simple farmer who earned a reputation as the slayer of 600 Philistines with an ox goad. Every challenge God allows is an opportunity to grow. How we respond to the challenged of life determines our success or failure. Some people respond too negatively, they are defeated before they start. Others spend their time fighting the wrong enemy, as king Saul spent his time fighting against David. Still others become paralyzed by fear as the children of Israel before the Promised Land. Some embraced the challenge as David did with Goliath and became Israel’s favorite son. Some challenges may be avoided or delayed, while others must be faced head on. Whenever you decide to live for God and receive everything God has for you, Satan will come against you. How do you respond when it seems like everything is standing in your way?

Wouldn’t it be nice to simply change your course and avoid unpleasant things altogether? Wouldn’t be nice to reboot and start over? Most of the time, if I have a problem with my laptop, or I pad or the internet service, I just reboot it! When I reboot, the computer repairs itself. In life, you can’t simply reboot! The bible tells us in Eph. 6:11-13 that we must prepare for opposition and adversity when it reads

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Most of us enjoy the sound of a new year, but the truth is leaving the past behind is challenging because of deep-rooted habits, unresolved emotions issues of guilt, regret, trauma, and then there is the comfort of the familiar, but it's overcome by accepting the past, focusing on present actions, practicing mindfulness, making the changes needed, and intentionally building a better future through new actions and experiences.

So it was with the man of our text, Shamgar. Shamgar, son of Anath, was the slayer of six hundred Philistines with a simply farming tool called an ox goad. Just as Samson slew a thousand Philistines with a jawbone of an ass, so God empowered Shamgar to rise to the occasion. Shamgar was simply caught in the turmoil the nation was going through, but he found a way to be successful and deliver Israel. He was confronted on a country road, having neither sword nor spear, but he used the instrument at hand. No matter how weak the weapon, if God directs it, you can win the victory.

This lesson may seem distant from our time, but it is still very pertinent. We live in a day of suicide bombers, terrorist, chemical weapons, nuclear weapons and the like. Hundreds are killed in one way or another every day, but to slay six hundred well trained, well armed soldiers in hand to hand combat is still quite a feat. It seems like an impossible task and yet he succeeded.