Ephesians 2:8-10 (New Year’s Day, 2003)

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“Every New Year is the direct descendant of a long line of proven criminals” is what Ogden Nash once said. In what ways is any New Year a criminal? Because it steals hopes and dreams? Because it brings death to loved ones? A more balanced view is that each year brings its share of both blessings and burdens, high and low points. But from the distinctively Christian perspective, it is a “day that the Lord has made’ let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Celebrate! And more than the new year. The new you.

Celebrate the New You in this New Year

1. Celebrate your new powers

2. Celebrate your new purposes

Part 1: Celebrate your new Powers in this New Year

1. The first – and primary – new thing about you is your status with God. This isn’t spelled out in this text but lies in the words “saved by grace.” By grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. There was a time when you were alienated, separated, from God. You were in a position of being condemned, sentenced to eternal death, separation & alienation from God. Then, purely by God’s grace, freely & without you doing anything to deserve it, God declared you reconciled, at peace, united with him as his friend & loved child. All was earned by Christ who removed your sin & guilt and supplied a true holiness required. All this was earned & is reality. That’s new. Today also. “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short (continuously) of the glory of God, and are (being) justified (present participle) freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” You have a new power: power or authority to repel accusations of Satan; to say to him, “Go tell it to Christ; if you aren’t satisfied there, come back.”

2. Here in Ephesians the emphasis is on something else that is new – a new self, a renewal of abilities, a transformation of our nature. This is just as true as our justification is. This is sober reality. “You were dead in your transgressions and sins . . .you followed the ways of this world and [followed ]of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. . .you were disobedient. . . you were gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and you were by nature objects of wrath. In baseball it’s “3 strikes and your out.” Here are 6 strikes against us: we’re doubly out. No exceptions. Anyone seeking the most bleak, detestable and damning portrait of mankind – will find it in the Bible. HOWEVER, BUT because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. And now? We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. In these verses the phrase “in Christ or with Christ” is used 5 times. Mention of “grace, mercy, love, kindness” 6 times. The message is unmistakable: You are a new person, a new people, alive and highly gifted or capable of expressing spiritual life – totally, 100% through the love and mercy of God in Christ.

3. And today? It is both old and new, reality of the past and fresh reality of the present. (Col 3:10) “You have put on the new self, which is being renewed (present participle) in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” New Year’s Day is seen as good time to renew vows, look forward with optimism, to resolve to form new patterns of thought and behavior. Good! Biblically, every day, every moment is that.

4. Celebrate all this! Celebrate your new powers, capabilities. I don’t ask you to create this or cause it to be. It already is. I don’t ask you to do something to pave the way for it or to fulfill some condition so it might happen. It is freely given and already reality. Celebrate it. That means rejecting testimony of Satan and perhaps your own conscience or feelings or experience by observation. You may not look, feel, or impress self or others as having new powers. But you have them. (must take God’s word over yours or my own.)

Transition: Also – celebrate your ability to use your new powers for good purposes. Abilities without opportunities lead to frustration, depression. “I want to know my life has significance, meaning” is major desire of people. We can celebrate

Part 2: Celebrate your new Purposes in this New year.

1. “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” That’s clear & transparent. Jesus was equally direct (John 15:16) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Note blend: he graciously chose us (saved, justified) without our works – but for the purpose of our works. Keep the relationship clear. Cows don’t give milk to become cows but because they are cows. Fruit trees don’t bear fruit to become fruit trees but because they are fruit trees. Also: “Going to church won’t make you a Christian any more than going to an airport will make you an airplane. But if you’re an airplane, I know where to find you.” Doing good works doesn’t make us Christians or give us salvation – but when we are and have this by God’s grace, we also know and celebrate new purposes.

2. We have been “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This was not and is not a new idea or surprising to us. Zechariah knew if in anticipating the birth of Christ: Luke 1:74-75 “to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” Rescued & enabled to serve! Package deal, double gifts. The summary of these works “prepared in advance” will remain love, love for God and for neighbor. And see them as “new” because of new opportunities to express love today, in your life, your family, your circle of friends, coworkers, fellow students, and community. No one else has ever (or ever will) enjoy the unique opportunities to do what is pleasing to God as you have today. Your life – today and this new year – has tremendous meaning, purpose, and significance and is part of a most marvelous overall plan of our gracious God.

3. Celebrate these new purposes. This is more than acknowledging or recognizing them. Here we face the subject of motivation and attitude. Change is one thing – the way something changes is another. Someone has said, “Change is too often like putting lipstick on a bulldog. It takes a tremendous amount of effort, it often results in only a superficial, cosmetic change, and you get an angry bulldog.” Too many new year’s resolutions resemble that description. So how can we avoid that less than satisfying attitude and celebrate our new purposes? There is an illustrative story of a woman who had a demanding husband, insisting on certain tasks done a certain way, from the preparation of breakfasts to the cleaning of the house. The woman felt tyrannized and voiced her frustration to friends. In time the husband died and the woman remarried and man who was much kinder, more gentle, and expressive of love. Some time later one of her friends commented, “I’ll bet your glad you don’t have to do all those things your former husband demanded of you.” And it then occurred to the woman that she was doing all the things the first husband demanded – and much more – and she felt no burden whatsoever. Do you see the point? If I fail to celebrate new opportunities and purposes in Christ – then my task is to go back and focus on his gracious work of giving me a new relationship to him, new status, new and eternal life, and new powers. Thankful love and joy will flow from that. New purposes will be embraced and celebrated.

Happy New Year! Happy new powers and new purposes! Happy new you and me. Let the celebration begin and continue. Amen.