Embracing Renewal: A Journey of Hope and Growth

there may be consequences in life that we have to deal with because of some things that we've done but but in Christ God forgives us completely through the sacrifice of Jesus the old can be washed away spiritually speaking and so that eternally and in the sight of God it's like all of the bad choices and all of the shameful actions never even happened and so as we begin this new year together let's begin in the New Testament of the Bible 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 it's where the Apostle Paul early follower of Jesus writes this in verses 17 through 19 he says therefore if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come the old has gone the new is here all this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ not counting people's sins against them and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation friends when we surrender our lives in obedience to the gospel literally it means the good news the good news of Jesus Christ we are reconciled to God we are made new and with that newness with that reconciliation we're also given a mission a mission [00:01:50]

in mind in contrast to the enemy who only wishes the worst upon us who is always seeking to bring destruction but you should also understand and know that knowing this truth is not enough because too often what happens is that instead of focusing on a relationship with Christ we begin to focus on religion you say what's the difference well the difference is actually huge religion focuses on keeping a bunch of rules religion focuses on trying to be good enough religion says things like do I have to go to church every Sunday do I even need to go to church to know Jesus relationship says I want to go to church I want to be there every chance that I can be there I want to go and gather with God's people I want to go and worship the holy name of Jesus religion says I'll give I'll give an offering when it's convenient or or I'll give when it doesn't require sacrifice but relationship says I want to give because God has been good to me and after all everything I have it all belongs to him anyway and he has blessed me he's been good to me he's been faithful to me and so I want to be faithful to him I want to give back a portion of what belongs to me or what I think belongs to me as an expression of thanksgiving and worship to God [00:07:24]

slavery to rules and to legalism but a relationship brings life a relationship with God brings life through Jesus and that relationship helps us to experience freedom and joy I hope you know and I want you to know I want you to be reminded here as we begin this new year 2025 that 2024 was a good year for Newton CC in 2024 your generosity allowed us to give away tens of thousands of dollars to our mission partners locally and globally and in 2024 your life -changing change making service allowed us to reach new people that God has brought to us and into our church it's your generosity and your faithfulness and your change making service that has allowed us to teach a generation of kids about Jesus and in 2024 we got to celebrate 10 new births 10 baptisms in 2024 now I don't know what kind of church background you come from and whether or not that sounds like to you or not but as I assure you that in a church our size and in the culture in which we live that's a big deal that's a big deal but there are churches all across our country that that are our size or even bigger who probably [00:11:13]

we are going after a crown a reward a prize that is eternal that will last forever friends we live in a culture where everyone is running we know what it's like we just came out of the holiday season many of us we were running everyone seems to be running and it really doesn't matter like whether it's the holidays or not everyone seems to be running but many people it's almost like they're just running on a treadmill with no lasting destination in mind and no eternal purpose directing them the biblical instruction here in first corinthians is to make sure we're running first in the right direction and that we're running for the right purpose purpose purpose that that in our lives we are making wise investments wise investments with our time and wise investments with our energy and wise investments with our resources because when we are just running but not training for eternity we only end up exhausted and dissatisfied and empty and some of you you know this because that might be where you're at right now or maybe that's where you were not that long ago [00:18:59]

yes show up but then keep the keep taking more steps and specific actions to move closer to the goal i heard a story once about a man who was returning from a trip from france and he was at customs attempting to to clear customs you know how international travel goes and the customs agent spotted a bottle that was hidden in the man's luggage and so the customs agent asked him sir what is this the man replied oh well that's a bottle of holy water well the agent wasn't convinced that it was a bottle of holy water and so he uncorked the bottle and after just one brief uh whiff of it he said to the man sir this is wine and trying to find a way out of the trouble that he was now in to be the man tried to play innocent and he cried out wine praise the lord another miracle of course it was not holy water it was wine obviously the water had not been just miraculously transformed to keep this guy from getting in trouble but too often this is what we expect in our faith that that we will miraculously develop a growing abiding relationship with jesus that just because i show up to church on most sundays i will miraculously transform into a fully devoted disciple of christ that i will miraculously have this abiding relationship with jesus and to be certain [00:24:50]

We should always expect that God is going to show up and that God is going to move in our lives and that God is going to do what only God can do. But understand that a growing faith requires personal effort. It requires training on our part. As we enter into this new year, let me ask you, what can you do to prioritize spiritual training instead of just trying harder? What can you do to put in the effort to grow as a disciple of Jesus rather than just hoping that it happens all by itself? Maybe it's making a commitment to show up more regularly when the people of God gather here as the Newton Christian Church. Maybe it's to start being faithful with tithes and offerings. As we fund the kingdom of God in a desperate and messed up world that needs Jesus. Maybe it's to step up to the plate, so to speak, and say, look, what can I do around this place? What are the needs of the church? How can I serve? Maybe it's to say, you know what, every day, even if it's just for a couple or a few minutes, I'm going to open my Bible and I'm going to let God speak. To me, through his living and active word. [00:26:48]

The Apostle Paul says we will be changed. Either on that day when Christ returns, or on that day when we die. On that day when Christ calls us home, we will be changed. But understand this. This is not just giving hope for the future. It's not just giving us hope for the day when Jesus returns. But this hope is also for today. Because Jesus is changing us. Even right now. Now. The work that he has continued, he wants to continue it in us and through us. We have been changed. He continues to change us if we cooperate with the Holy Spirit for the better. So that we are not all that we should be. None of us have arrived. None of us. I know I certainly haven't. But what I also know is that I'm not the same as I used to be. And neither are you. [00:29:48]

The hope of Jesus, the hope of Jesus, the promise of Christmas that we spent all December going through God with us. The hope of Jesus is both a present reality and a future reality. And that because of Jesus and because of your renewed actions this year, it can be different. And it can be better. You see, the promise of Jesus is not just for a new year. The promise of Jesus is for every single day. And the promise of Jesus for every day and for a new year is that there is hope for this life. That there is hope for all of eternity. But we have to be willing to focus on him and allow the blood of his sacrifice to make all things new. Because he can and he will cleanse us from everything that weighs us down and everything that blocks us from the abundant life. [00:32:26]

And so better than just making some New Year's resolutions, why not make a commitment to pursue a renewed and more vibrant relationship with him? Instead of just making some resolutions, why not commit to a lifestyle of training? to do the things that will help you to know him more and experience him more and enter into his presence more and to be filled with overflowing hope for tomorrow. And so I want to encourage you this week to prayerfully examine your faith, to prayerfully examine your spiritual life, to ask God to search your heart and help you to determine whether your life and your faith is more about some religious rules or a growing relationship with Jesus. [00:34:12]

We thank you for the opportunities that we now have before us to know you more and to worship you more intimately, to serve you more diligently and to make eternal investments that will yield great eternal fruit. God, we ask that you continue to make all things new in us and through us that we may be able to live out our faith. be laid are focused on having a relationship with you in Christ and on the hope that we have in him and it's in the precious name of Jesus that we pray these things amen [00:35:45]