Jeremiah 29:11 * New Year’s Eve 2002 *
Pastor Leyrer
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of the things that makes standing in line at the supermarket checkout counter a little more bearable is scanning the headlines of the various tabloids and magazines. At this time of the year, there are usually fairly predictable…
Most dedicate some space to modern day “prophets” who peer
into the year 2003 and offer their predictions about the future. In addition, we can usually count on ancient
Nostradamus being trotted out and providing his input. Taken as a whole, all these
predictions range from the extremely unsurprising (such as: “there will be
trouble in the
Be that as it may, the very fact that these newspapers sell as well as they do indicate that many people want to know what the future holds. And they are drawn to those who can supposedly provide them with good counsel. Unfortunately, the self-styled tabloid prophets do not fit that qualification. To modify a saying, everything these seers have to offer plus two or three quarters will buy you a cup of coffee at George Webb’s.
Yet, in dealing with the future, there are both trustworthy sources and a trustworthy source we can turn to. The trustworthy source, of course, is Scripture; and the trustworthy sources are its divinely inspired writers.
Therefore, as we stand just hours away from another new year, let us spend the next few minutes gathering some
ADVICE ON THE COMING YEAR
FROM SOME TRUSTWORTHY SOURCES
We’ll do this by briefly examining the words and examples of four Biblical figures. What we learn from them is valuable anytime, but especially meaningful as we enter a new year…
Let us first consider ABRAHAM. Often referred to as “the man of faith,” we
can see why from this passage: Genesis 15:1-6.
After this, the
word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be
afraid, Abram.
I am your
shield,
your very
great reward.”
2 But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless
and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of
4 Then
the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son
coming from your own body will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up
at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said
to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6 Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
If you recall the account of Abraham, you know the unlikelihood of everything God promises Him here. At the time God spoke these words, Abraham was old, childless and part of a small, easily countable family unit. Humanly speaking, God’s promise seemed both implausible and impossible. Yet, Abraham believed God.
What does Abraham tell us about the coming year? Two things. Number one: Believe in God’s promises. Number two: Walk by faith, not by sight.
And what are God’s promises to us? They are many. The greatest, of course, is the promise of eternal salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. If 2003 would happen to be our last year on earth, we know where we will spend our eternity.
If 2003 will not be our last year on earth, we enter it with a number of other helpful promises. We have, for example, the promise of God’s abiding presence in our lives. We have the promise of His angelic protection of our lives. We have the promise of His divine guidance for our lives. And we have the promise of His availability to us at all times through Word and prayer.
Therefore, even when things seem rough or unlikely or even humanly impossible (as they did in Abraham’s case), let us take comfort in the fact that God is trustworthy in every promise He makes to us.
Which means, like Abraham, we can walk into the New Year, if not by sight, certainly by faith, confident that God will take care of us, that His promises are good, that He is completely reliable…
Let’s next consider the words of MOSES spoken to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:6-8:
6 Be strong and courageous. Do
not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with
you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
7 Then
Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all
Context: Moses is handing over the reigns to Joshua. Although Moses had led the Children of Israel to the brink of the Promised Land, it was Joshua’s role to lead them into it. And this appeared to be no easy task…
Because the Promised Land was inhabited by groups of people collectively known as the Canaanites. Four decades earlier a number of spies had given a glowing report of the land but a negative report about taking it over. “The enemy is too strong and too numerous” was the majority consensus. The People of Israel became scared, uncooperative and rebellious toward God and his leaders, so the Lord banished them to wandering in the wilderness for forty years.
But that was then, and now was now. Nevertheless, the challenges remained the
same – as did the tendencies to become frightened. So Moses addresses them and tells them to be
strong and courageous and boldly go forth.
Why? “Because the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or
forsake you.”
That same God marches into the future with us. And Moses’ counsel is just as relevant for us as it was for Joshua and the Israelites.
Will 2003 be the year we or a loved one enter the
hospital? Maybe. But we can be strong
and courageous. Why? “Because
the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.”
Will 2003 be the year of a personal tragedy or setback? Maybe. But we can be strong and
courageous. Why? “Because
the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.”
Will 2003 be the year we lose a loved one or find ourselves
“walking through the valley of the shadow of death”? Maybe. But we can be strong and
courageous. Why? “Because
the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.”
Will 2003 be the year of a major, life-altering decision for
us? Maybe. But we can be strong and courageous. Why? “Because the Lord your God goes with you;
He will never leave you or forsake you.”
Moses reminds us that we are never alone. Therefore, we can proceed into the New Year with confidence.
The third Bible figure we’d like to consider is the APOSTLE
PAUL. Listen to what he has to tell us
in Philippians 4:12-13:
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Paul wrote these words in prison. Incarceration for the cause of Christ was but one incident in a life filled with similar events. Consequently, Paul had no delusions about the life of a first century believer. He expected and accepted it as hard.
And yet these words indicate he found contentment and strength and the power to persevere. The source, of course, was Christ. Knowing Jesus Christ trumps all earthly circumstances…
Paul’s words to us, then, would be: Throughout 2003 and beyond, be content and
find your strength in Christ. Reflect on
who you are through Him, where you will be because of Him, and in Him enjoy “the
peace of God that passes all understanding.”
Finally, we turn to the ultimate trustworthy source: JESUS CHRIST. Jesus spoke many words which help us face the future with confidence. We think, for instance, of how He told us the very hairs on our head are numbered; or how He promised that He would not leave us as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our lives through the Word…
This evening we’d like to close with some especially
comforting words of Jesus that seem particularly appropriate for entering a new
year with all its uncertainties. We find
them in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not
worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you
will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important
than clothes? 26 Look at the
birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a
single hour to his life? 28
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field
grow. They do not labor or spin. 29
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like
one of these. 30 If that is
how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is
thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall
we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of
its own.
Let us now go forward into 2003 based not on the word of tabloid prophets, but on the genuinely trustworthy counsel provided us through the Word.
So, may God grant increasingly within each of us the faith
of Abraham… the courage of Moses… the contentment and strength of Paul… and the
confidence of knowing that Christ is with us each and every day of the New Year
to come. Amen.