The New You in 2008?

Scripture: Romans 4:16-24

51 weeks ago I preached a lesson entitled, “A New You in 2008?” Well, are you?! I mentioned at the end of the lesson that I would be getting back to you! The end of the year is a time for reflection and anticipation. Let's spend a few moments doing just that.

•  Faith: It Does the Body Good!

A. Giving Life to the Body of Christ.

1. God made Abraham a promise, “A father of many nations have I made you.”

•  While God spoke in the past tense Abraham himself was currently 90 years old & childless. But his faith was very much alive!
1) Biblical faith requires three things:

a) The ability to visualize yourself doing/becoming something that God desires.
b) Trusting in God to bring it about
c) Acting upon that trust.

2) Or as Heb. 11:1 , says, “Now faith is the assurance (trust) of things hoped (visualize) for, the evidence (action)
of things not seen.”

b. But we need to all three of these things in place if we are going to have a biblical faith!
1) ( Pro. 29:18 ), “Without a vision the people perish.”
2) If you say, “I could never see myself doing that!” – Then nothing in your life will change!!!
3) This is called, “Thinking in false terms instead of in faith terms!”

2. Yet when we choose to see ourselves doing what God desires, He empowers us to be successful!!!
a. God's Part = ( Rom. 4:17 ), “…God calls into being that which does not exist.”
b. Man's Part = ( Rom. 4:20-21 ), “…yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew
strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully assured that what God had promised, He was also able to perform.”
c. Abram believed God was able to doing something in him which was physically impossible… and He did!!

3. What is true for us individually is also true for us collectively. God uses the figure of a “body” to make this point
a. ( Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18 ), “God gave Jesus as head…” – “Christ is the head of the body, the church.”
b. All of us, therefore, have a responsibility to be involved in His work, ( Eph. 4:16 ), “…the whole body….”

B. Looking Back & Looking Ahead

1. As we look back over 2008 – we see a number of areas where we have grown…
a. Numerical growth of the congregation…
1) 18 new Christians, ( quote Luke 19:10 ), “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which….”
2) 10 New Christian families, ( Quote I Cor. 12:18 ), “Now God has placed the members of the body, each….”

b. Growth in New Ministries…
1) Celebrate Recovery
2) Health Talents International
3) Golden Grammies
4) Monthly Sermon Pamphlets
5) Security Ministry
6) Internet Prayer List
7) Women's Internet Newsletter
8) Benevolence, “Food Share America”

2. “Steps of Faith” as we look ahead…

a. Step #1 – “Visualize yourself doing/becoming God desires of you” – But how would you know?
1) Bible Classes (parents?), LIFE Groups (need one? See me!)
a) Rom. 10:17 ), “Now faith comes by hearing….”
b) ( Heb. 11:6 ), “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for those who come to Him….”
2) Personal Bible study during the week…
a) ( Psa. 119:105 ), “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
b) ( II Tim. 2:15 ), “Study to show yourself approved unto God, as a workman who does not need….”

b. Step #2 – “Trust God to bring it about.”
1) All study & no prayer = all light and not heat!!! - We remain orthodox, but frozen!
2) ( Lk. 6:12 ), “Jesus spent the whole night in prayer.”
3) ( I Thess. 5:17 ), “Pray without ceasing.”
4) Thus, prayer is how we demonstrate our trust and it is what give the believer their passion for God!

c. Step #3 – Act upon that trust”
1) Christianity is not about “showing up” – rather it is about “living up” to our high calling in Christ!
2) In the “Parable of the Talents” ( “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning!” ) – Jesus warns us of
receiving God's blessings and doing nothing with them, cf. Matt. 25:14-30 )!
3) There are six parts to this parable which all apply to us…
a) The Master is going away – ( v. 14a ), “It is just like a man about to go on a trip.” ( Jn. 14:2 ), “I go
to prepare a place for you.”
b) He gives gifts to His servants – ( v. 14b ), “…he entrusted his possessions to them.” – ( I Pt. 4:10 ),
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it serving in one another.”
c) Each servant made a decision as to what to do – ( vs. 16, 25 ), “The one who had received 5 talents
immediately went and traded with them, and received 5 more.” – “The one who had received the 1
talent went away and hid his master's money.” – ( Jn. 13:17; Jms 4:17 ), “Since you know these
things you are blessed if you do them.” – “The one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it,
to him it is sin.”
d) The Master returns sometime in the future to reward His servants – ( v. 19 ), “Now after a long
time the Master of the servants came and settled accounts with them.” – ( Matt. 24:44 ), “For this
reason you be ready too, for the Son of Man is coming at and hour you do not think He will.”
e) Each servant will be allowed to give an account for themselves, ( vs. 20, 25 ), “Master, you
entrusted me with 5 talents; see, I have gained 5 more.” – “I was afraid, and I went away and hid your
talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours.” – ( II Cor. 5:10 ), “For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ to be recompensed for the deeds we have done in the body, with good or
bad.”
f) The reward from the Master is greater than the effort of the servant, ( vs. 21, 26-30 ), “Well done
good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.
Enter into the joy of your Lord.” – “You wicked lazy slave!... cast the worthless slave into the outer
darkness; in that place there shall be weeping an gnashing of teeth.” – ( Rev. 7:15-17; 21:8 ), “For
this reason they shall serve the Lord day and night in His temple… and the Lord shall wipe every tear
from their eyes.” – “But for the cowardly, and unbelieving… their part shall be in the lake that burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

CONCLUSIONS:

1. 2009 is an opportunity for the family here to “begin again”! – And this year we can choose “FAITH” (define) as our means
of glorifying God! “Yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith ,…!”

2. If you are one of our guests, you can begin this year with a right relationship with God…, ( Acts 8:35-38 )!!!