Skip to main content

A New Year Sermon: 2 Chronicles 30:6-12; Mark 1:1-13

"Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king" (2 Chronicles 30:6).
A message had been given to them. They passed the message on. They "spoke according to the command of the king" (2 Chronicles 30:6).
What we see here, in 2 Chronicles 30, is similar to what we read about in Mark 1 - John the Baptist is the messenger sent from God. He brings God's Word to the people.
In the time of King Hezekiah, in the time of John the Baptist, in today's world, God speaks His Word: "Return to the Lord God" (2 Chronicles 30:6). With the call to return to the Lord, there is the promise: "He will return to you" (2 Chronicles 30:6).
"Return to Me and I will return to you" - This is the message that God is speaking to us all of the time.
We look back to the past, and we ask, "Where have we been? How have we lived in 2016?"
We look on to the future, and we ask, "Where are we going? How will we live in 2017?"
Mark's Gospel speaks of a new beginning. It's not a new beginning which begins with ourselves. It's a new beginning which comes to us from God - "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1).
Our new beginning does not begin with ourselves. It begins with God. Our returning to the Lord doesn't begin when we say to ourselves, "I think I'll return to the Lord." We don't begin there. We must go further back than that. We must go back to the Word of the Lord. Before we ever think of returning to the Lord, He is speaking to us. He's calling us to return to Him.
"The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus ... " Gospel means Good News. Jesus means Saviour.
At this time of year, we wish each other a "Happy New Year." Very often, this is just hoping for the best, hoping that good things will happen to us. As we say, "Happy New Year", we must ask ourselves this very important question: "Do we know the way to true happiness?"
As soon as we ask this question, God gives His answer: "the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
Jesus is our Saviour. This is Good News. Jesus is God's way to true happiness.
Following the ministry of John the Baptist, there is the baptism of Jesus.
 * As we think together about making a new beginning with God, the first thing we must say is this - It's a new beginning in faith.
We are called to believe what God says to us about Jesus: "You are My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).
 * The second thing we must say is this - It's a new beginning in holiness: "The Spirit descended upon Him like a dove" (Mark 1:10).
As I say to you, "Happy New Year", I pray that you will have been saved by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit.
 * There is, however, a third blessing that I pray you will enjoy - victory over Satan.
In Mark 1:12-12, Mark gives us a brief account of Jesus' temptations - "The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness", "Jesus was tempted by Satan."
 Here, we see the conflict between the Spirit, in Jesus, and Satan, coming from outside of Jesus.
Like Jesus, we need to say to Satan, "You don't belong here. My heart belongs to the Holy Spirit."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Let us give thanks - with joy ...

“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be ...

In the bad times, there is still some encouragement.

The book of Joshua speaks of a high-point in the history of God’s people, Israel. By faith, they took possession of the land which the Lord had provided for them. The book of Judges tells of the downward slope - “ ... The people of Israel did what the Lord considered evil ... “ (Judges 2:10-15). Although this was a bad time in the history of Israel, there was also some encouragement - “Then the Lord would send judges to rescue them from those who robbed them” (Judges 2:16). Sadly, the people wouldn’t listen to the judges (Judges 2:17-19). There were difficult times ahead for the people of Israel. The Lord allowed the nations to remain in the land. This was His way of testing His people (Judges 2:20-23).

Come to Christ and receive His blessing ...

Revised Common Lectionary – Year C First Sunday of Advent: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36 Every spiritual blessing - in Christ: Come to Him and receive His blessing. ‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me... Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and honour before all nations on earth...’(Jeremiah 33:7-9). What great blessing lay ahead of God’s people! God was pointing His people to the place of blessing: Jesus Christ - ‘the righteous Branch from David’s line’(Jeremiah 33:15-16). ‘In Christ’, we have ‘every spiritual blessing’: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’(Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2:9). God has so much blessing to give to us. Come to Him and receive His blessing: ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you; I will s...