Time to Begin Anew

Scripture:             Revelation 21:3-5

C.I.:                It is Time to Begin Anew

One of the great themes of the Bible is the idea of “beginning Anew” (not again!).

Insanity is doing the same things…! – But God is calling His people to new beginnings – US TOO!

I. New Beginnings
A. As Seen Throughout the History of God’s People
    1. Events:

a. Things were not & could not be the way they had been – Each event brought the people of God to a new beginning!

b. From the Garden of Eden - to begin anew in the places beyond.

c. From the sins of Noah’s day - to begin anew after the flood

d. From Ur of the Chaldees (Abraham’s people) – to begin anew in the land God would give him

e. From Egyptian bondage – to begin anew in the wilderness

f. From the wilderness – to begin anew in the Promised Land

g. From the Promised Land – to begin anew in Babylon

h. From captivity in Assyria & Babylon – to begin anew in Judea

i. From the life of Christ to a cross – to begin anew in the resurrection!

2. It is no wonder then – that on every first day of each week – we as God’s people are reminded in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper - of what God did for us – so we could begin anew!

a. (Luke 22:19-20), “…’This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ – In the same way He took a cup saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the NEW covenant in My blood.’”

b. Jesus died so that things could be NEW between us and God!

c. Let us now participate in this reminder!

B. LORD’S SUPPER AND CONTRIBUTION

C. Lifestyle

1. Its time to begin anew – in our efforts to glorify God through His people here in Golden.

a. The problem of our “newness” is one of ownership – (I Cor. 6:19-20), “you are not your own…”

b. It begins with a NEW way of thinking:

1) (Eph. 4:22-24), “That in reference to your former manner of life, - you lay aside the old self, - which is begin corrupted in accordance with the desires of deceit. – And that you be RENEWED in the spirit of your mind, and put on the NEW self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

(i) If we continue to think God is not big enough to handle the consequences of our living totally for Him; if we continue to believe we don’t need to grow in our love & service of Him – then we will continue to practice our own petty version of spiritual insanity!

(ii) But if we are ready to begin ordering our thought-life in accordance with a righteous and holy God – then we will finally have truly reach a point of spiritual sanity God desires!

c. A NEW way of thinking – will lead to a NEW way of living:

1) (Col. 3:10), “Put on the NEW self who is being RENEWED to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”

(i) God has re-created us to live – even as Jesus lived (i.e., the image of the One who….)

(ii) (Col. 3:12), “…put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience.”

(iii) (Col. 3:17), “Whatever you do in word or in deed, - do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

2) Spiritual sanity causes us to live like Jesus – in a world that has gone mad in sin!

d. But maybe you are not a Christian – than you really need to be made NEW!

1) You need to be willing to die to your former manner of life and let it be buried!

2) (Rom. 6:3-4), “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus  have been baptized into Jesus death? – Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in NEWNESS of life!.”

3) (II Cor. 5:17), “If anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a NEW creation, old things have passed away, behold NEW things have come!”

2. INVITATION

3. Today we are going to hear plans for this congregation and our Lord for the year 2003.

a. We have chosen to leave our “Insanity” (remind them of the definition) behind!

b. The elders will also discuss our giving – this is only right – (Matt. 6:21), “…for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

c. For the family at Golden – brethren, IT IS TIME TO BEGIN ANEW!

d. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do with/through us in 2003!!!!!