Embracing a New Year with Intentional Faith

 

Summary

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, it's a time for reflection and anticipation. This unique period between Christmas and New Year's offers us a chance to look back at the past year, acknowledging both the triumphs and the challenges, and to look forward with hope and intention. It's a moment to assess where we've been and to set our sights on where we want to go. In this spirit, we turn to the story of the boy Jesus in the temple from Luke 2, a narrative that provides profound insights into setting the course for our lives.

Every year, Jesus' family traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, a significant event in Jewish culture. At the age of twelve, Jesus stayed behind in the temple, engaging with the teachers, much to the surprise and concern of His parents. When they found Him, Jesus' response was telling: "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" This statement reveals a deep understanding of His identity and purpose, even at a young age. It challenges us to consider our own lives and the direction we are heading.

Jesus' example teaches us the importance of being intentional about our spiritual journey. He knew where He needed to be and who He needed to be with—His Father. This relationship was central to His life and mission. As we enter a new year, we are invited to cultivate a similar relationship with God, recognizing Him not just as a distant deity but as a loving Father who desires to be intimately involved in our lives.

This relationship with God is transformative. It calls us to move beyond mere routine and to engage deeply with His presence. It challenges us to align our lives with His purposes, to be about our Father's business. This means not only doing the work He has set before us but also being with Him, listening to His voice, and allowing His love to shape our identity and actions.

As we look ahead, let us resolve to be found where God is, to be engaged in His work, and to cultivate a relationship with Him that defines our lives. May this year be marked by a deeper connection with our Father, a commitment to His purposes, and a life lived in His presence.

Key Takeaways:

1. Reflect and Anticipate: The transition between years is a time to reflect on past experiences and set intentions for the future. It's an opportunity to assess our spiritual journey and align our lives with God's purposes. [37:24]

2. Identity and Purpose: Jesus' response in the temple highlights the importance of knowing our identity and purpose. We are called to be intentional about our relationship with God, recognizing Him as our Father and aligning our lives with His will. [42:05]

3. Intimacy with God: Our relationship with God should be personal and intimate. He desires to be involved in every aspect of our lives, offering grace and love even in our failures. This relationship is transformative and central to our spiritual journey. [44:40]

4. Being About the Father's Business: Like Jesus, we are called to be engaged in our Father's work. This involves both doing the tasks He sets before us and being with Him, listening to His voice, and allowing His presence to guide us. [55:41]

5. A New Year's Resolution: As we enter a new year, let us resolve to be found where God is, engaged in His work, and cultivating a relationship with Him that defines our lives. This commitment will shape our identity and actions, leading us into a deeper connection with our Father. [01:11:37]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [37:24] - Reflecting on the Past Year
- [42:05] - Jesus in the Temple
- [44:40] - Intimacy with the Father
- [49:48] - Personal Story of Grace
- [53:16] - Finding Strength in God
- [54:29] - Direction and Purpose
- [55:41] - Being About the Father's Business
- [57:34] - Joining the Family Mission
- [58:48] - Prioritizing Relationship Over Routine
- [01:00:42] - Sitting with God
- [01:02:01] - Connecting with God Daily
- [01:06:31] - Reflecting on Personal Priorities
- [01:09:43] - Embracing a New Way of Life
- [01:11:37] - A New Year's Resolution
- [01:13:07] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 2:41-52

Observation Questions:
1. What annual event did Jesus' family attend, and why was it significant in Jewish culture? ([37:24])
2. How did Jesus' parents react when they realized He was missing, and where did they eventually find Him? ([42:05])
3. What was Jesus doing in the temple, and how did the people around Him respond to His actions? ([44:40])
4. What was Jesus' response to His parents when they found Him, and what does this reveal about His understanding of His identity? ([42:05])

Interpretation Questions:
1. What does Jesus' decision to stay in the temple reveal about His priorities and understanding of His mission? ([42:05])
2. How does the story of Jesus in the temple challenge our understanding of spiritual maturity and purpose, even at a young age? ([44:40])
3. In what ways does Jesus' relationship with His Father serve as a model for our own spiritual journey? ([44:40])
4. How can the concept of being "about the Father's business" be applied to our daily lives and decisions? ([55:41])

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the past year. What are some triumphs and challenges you experienced, and how can they inform your spiritual goals for the new year? ([37:24])
2. Jesus knew He needed to be in His Father's house. What are some specific ways you can prioritize your relationship with God in the coming year? ([42:05])
3. How can you cultivate a more intimate and personal relationship with God, moving beyond routine to truly engage with His presence? ([44:40])
4. Identify one area of your life where you feel called to be "about the Father's business." What steps can you take to align your actions with this calling? ([55:41])
5. Consider your current spiritual practices. Are there any that have become routine rather than relational? How can you refresh these practices to deepen your connection with God? ([58:48])
6. Jesus' parents were searching for Him anxiously. In what areas of your life might you be searching for direction or purpose, and how can you seek God's guidance in these areas? ([42:05])
7. As you set resolutions for the new year, how can you ensure that they are aligned with God's purposes for your life, rather than just personal ambitions? ([01:11:37])

Devotional

Day 1: Reflecting on Our Spiritual Journey
As we transition into a new year, it's a time to reflect on our spiritual journey, assessing where we've been and where we want to go. This period between Christmas and New Year's is an opportunity to look back at the past year, acknowledging both triumphs and challenges, and to set intentions for the future. It's a moment to align our lives with God's purposes, seeking His guidance and wisdom as we move forward. By reflecting on our experiences, we can better understand how God has been at work in our lives and how we can continue to grow in our relationship with Him. [37:24]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: What specific experiences from the past year have shaped your spiritual journey, and how can you use these insights to set intentions for the coming year?


Day 2: Understanding Our Identity and Purpose
The story of Jesus in the temple highlights the importance of knowing our identity and purpose. At a young age, Jesus demonstrated a deep understanding of His identity and mission, challenging us to consider our own lives and the direction we are heading. We are called to be intentional about our relationship with God, recognizing Him as our Father and aligning our lives with His will. This involves understanding who we are in Christ and the unique purpose He has for each of us. By embracing our identity in Him, we can live with greater clarity and intention. [42:05]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally align your daily actions with your identity and purpose in Christ?


Day 3: Cultivating Intimacy with God
Our relationship with God should be personal and intimate, as He desires to be involved in every aspect of our lives. This relationship is transformative, offering grace and love even in our failures. By engaging deeply with His presence, we can move beyond mere routine and allow His love to shape our identity and actions. Cultivating intimacy with God involves spending time with Him, listening to His voice, and allowing His presence to guide us. As we enter a new year, we are invited to deepen our connection with our Father, experiencing the transformative power of His love. [44:40]

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to cultivate a deeper, more intimate relationship with God in your daily life?


Day 4: Engaging in the Father's Work
Like Jesus, we are called to be engaged in our Father's work, both in doing the tasks He sets before us and being with Him. This involves listening to His voice and allowing His presence to guide us. By being about our Father's business, we can align our lives with His purposes and experience the joy of participating in His mission. As we look ahead, let us resolve to be found where God is, engaged in His work, and cultivating a relationship with Him that defines our lives. This commitment will shape our identity and actions, leading us into a deeper connection with our Father. [55:41]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's work in your community, and what specific actions can you take to align your life with His purposes?


Day 5: A New Year's Resolution for Spiritual Growth
As we enter a new year, let us resolve to be found where God is, engaged in His work, and cultivating a relationship with Him that defines our lives. This commitment will shape our identity and actions, leading us into a deeper connection with our Father. By prioritizing our relationship with God over routine, we can embrace a new way of life that is marked by His presence and purpose. Let this year be a time of spiritual growth and transformation, as we seek to live in alignment with God's will and experience the fullness of His love. [01:11:37]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What specific spiritual goals can you set for the new year, and how can you ensure that your daily habits support these goals?

Quotes

"Good morning, y 'all. It's good to be with you. It's this interesting point of the year, right, between Christmas and New Year's, where we're looking back and remembering the last year and all that God's done. And we start, maybe tomorrow or Tuesday, you start kind of shifting to look forward to what He's going to do or what your life will look like in 2025. Maybe you start setting some resolutions for yourself. This is how it's going to be, but it's good to have that time, like Pastor Jason said, to look backwards and to remember and to see, all right, what has happened? Where have I been?" [00:36:03] (43 seconds)


"After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day, and then they began to look for him. Among their relatives, they were looking for him. Among their relatives and friends. If this is a trip that virtually the entire country makes into Jerusalem, when they are leaving, when they are going home, home, this is not just like a short little single file line. This is everybody's leaving the city." [00:40:28] (32 seconds)


"Can't imagine this moment of dread and panic. And I'm sure they spend the rest of that night, can't travel back in the dark. It's not safe. I'm sure they spend the rest of that night looking for him to no avail. So verse 45, when they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. One day's walk there, another day's walk back. And so then, on verse 46, after three days, on the third day, they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." [00:41:03] (31 seconds)


"Didn't you know I had to be in my father's house? Didn't you know where I needed to be, where I would be? Didn't you know, mom, dad, this is where I had to be? I love this, that Jesus was raised with this expectation from his parents, from Mary and Joseph, from a young age, that there is a future for you, Jesus. We love you. We care for you, but you are God's son. And you're going to go far. You're going to do more. There is more to your life than just sitting around and playing video games with your friends, Jesus." [00:42:05] (40 seconds)


"Jesus says, didn't you know, I had to be. I had no choice. I was compelled. And this is where I needed to be. But I had to be in my father's house. I had to be, you could translate it, with my father. There's a lot of different ways that the Greek for this verse can be translated. I had to be with my father. I had to be with, not just in a place, not just doing something, not just showing up, not just getting my attendance card checked. I had to be with my father." [00:44:05] (31 seconds)


"Not just God overall, but with my Father, a personal close relationship that Jesus at the age of 12 already knows. This is what's going to define my future, that I would be with my Father, that I would see Him personally at work in my life, and I will hit on this for a while this morning to say that He needs to be your Father, personally involved, that He wants to be intimately in the details of your life, not just kind of around your life, not just the God that you worship on Sundays, occasionally." [00:45:47] (43 seconds)


"And I don't know how you're facing this upcoming year or how you're looking back on this last year, but I would bet there are points where there is fear. And anxieties that want to rule over you and say, it's going to be difficult. It's going to be hard. You've failed. You've blown it. It's going to be costly. But you have a father who looks at you and says, you have, but I can pay that bill. I can get you through that problem. I can pay the price. I have already paid the price for your failures, for your shortcomings." [00:52:55] (33 seconds)


"As God bringing healing physically to those who are in pains, to emotional bondages in prayer at the cross, yes, every Sunday he is. And so I want to be near that cross because that's what my Father, is he the one who is worthy of all of my worship and praise and adoration? Absolutely. And so as we gather together on Sundays, I'm saying, I want to worship God. I don't just want to be in the room. I want to celebrate his goodness because this is the business that my Father is in." [00:59:31] (37 seconds)


"It's easy in faith to get caught up in what I have to do and to miss the God that I was supposed to be with. It's easy to get caught up in what I'm supposed to be doing it for. It's easy to get caught up in the things that need to get done, even in good things, even in faith. You might look at 2025 and say, Man, I think I need to read the Bible more. Good. Download the Cape Vineyard app. Sign up for notifications. You'll get a reminder every morning at 8 a .m. to journal, and it'll give you some verses and some points, and they'll relate to Sunday's message." [01:01:07] (30 seconds)


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Transcript
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