Message by Dr. David Drake
A New Year…A New Beginning
Introduction…In 1843, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was published. The story line takes a man named Ebenezer Scrooge from his old ways of misery to a new man, almost “reborn” into a generous and tenderhearted friend of all. The “old” became “new.”
As today marks a brand new year on the calendar, we should approach these next 365 days with a new desire and hunger for at least three areas of our spiritual life ”¦
I. THERE SHOULD BE A NEWNESS IN OUR WORSHIP IN 2017
1. Our Worship Needs To Direct Us To God ”“ John 4:20-24
John 4:20-24 (NASB)
20 “Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
22 “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Robert McAfee Brown: “The purpose of gathering together on Sunday morning is to praise God and to honor His name. This note is lacking in much contemporary worship. Church services are designed to ‘to do us good,’ or give us a spiritual shot in the arm. The emphasis is all upon US, and what WE get out of it. The center of attention in true worship is not to be us ”“ but God! Not our state of mind, but His glory comes first. The significant thing is that God is honored.”
“A high view of God leads to high worship and holy living, but a low of God leads to trivial worship and low living.” – Steve Lawson
“Worship is our first or foundational ministry. It is not our only ministry, but the one that all other spheres of ministry should be built upon.” – Carl Tuttle
2. Our Worship Needs To Focus Us On God’s Word ”“ Nehemiah 8:5-6, 8
Nehemiah 8:5-6, 8 (NASB)
5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
8 They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.
David Julius: “Worship is a picture at its best of Isaiah when the young prophet became aware of the Father; aware of his own limitations; aware of the Father’s directives; and aware of the task at hand.”
3. Our Worship Needs To Compel Us To Do God’s Will ”“ Ephesians 5:17
Ephesians 5:17 (NASB)
17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Question ”¦ “What is the will of God?”
John 6:40 (NASB)
40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
To KNOW God
To GROW in grace
To WALK with God
To FELLOWSHIP in prayer
To SERVE faithfully
II. THERE SHOULD BE A NEWNESS IN OUR WITNESS IN 2017
1. Our Witness Must Be ”¦ REAL! – Acts 2:47
Acts 2:47 (NASB)
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
In Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible, the statement is made: “There are many who stay away from Church these days because you hardly ever mention God anymore.”
James Pike in Look magazine said, “The 11:00 hour on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in American life.”
Vance Havner said, “So much of the church is in the world and the world in the church that you cannot tell the difference between the two.”
2. Our Witness Must Have ”¦ PURPOSE ! – Acts 2:44-45
Acts 2:44-45 (NASB)
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
Jesus Christ ends his discourse to the Seven Churches in Revelation
by addressing the BEST and the WORSE of all the churches ”¦
Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13) ”¦ “Love for others …”
Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22) ”¦ “Love for self …”
III. THERE SHOULD BE A NEWNESS IN OUR WORK IN 2017
1. The Work Of God In 2017 Involves ”¦ YOU! – Nehemiah 2:4-5
Nehemiah 2:4-5 (NASB)
4 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
The Old Testament reveals many accounts of God using individuals for His work
Jesus Christ states in John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I have chosen you and appointed that you should go and bear fruit.”
2. The Work Of God In 2017 Involves ”¦ US! – Nehemiah 4:6
Nehemiah 4:6 (NASB)
6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
(Illustration: The Tiberius Diamond Factory in Israel)
3. The Work Of God In 2017 Involves ”¦ HIM! – Nehemiah 4:20
Nehemiah 4:20 (NASB)
20 “At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
For This New Year, Let’s Remember ”¦
* God’s work must be done God’s way
* God’s work must be done in God’s timing
* God’s work must be done with God’s resources
* God’s work must be done for God’s glory