A New Year's Message/Dealing With Change

This sermon was originally written for and presented to the Mill Creek church of Christ in late 1992.

Let's Try Some New Things This Coming Year!

So much can change in a year. A year ago . . .

Most people had not heard of Somalia

Saddam Hussein was still big news

Hardly anyone was talking about the economy

Most Americans thought George Bush was a shoo-in to the White House

And Sid Womack was still living like a diabetic.

Ashlee Womack had not yet been baptized.

Now we have a small army in Somalia

Saddam who?

The economy was the issue that tipped an unprecedented election

Sid Womack lives a normal life and has trouble remembering what a sugar attack was like

And the angels rejoiced that Ashlee Womack wanted to follow Jesus.

In the Bible, great things always happened when people dared to allowed CHANGE to come into their lives. Consider

I. Abraham

Gen 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (NIV)

Gen 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (NIV)

Gen 12:4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. (NIV)

That is quite a change! especially for a 75 year old man. I have read this passage to Karen several times before bringing up the topic of another move. I doubt that I could read this to her at Bible-reading time at night without raising a lot of suspicion in her mind. But Abraham moved, and because of it all of the nations of the earth have truly been blessed.

II. Joseph

Joseph lived with a lot of change in his life. At about seventeen he was sold into captivity by his jealous and malcontent brothers. Just when he was about on top of that situation his boss's wife took a liking to him for all of the wrong reasons and when he refused to go along with it, he lost his position. Back to square one! Then when he interpreted dreams, people forgot about him and all the good he had done--at least for awhile.

Finally he became second in the country--and then his good-for-nothing kinfolks showed up, and he had to resolve that situation in a way that was just and promoted family harmony.

III. Matthew.

Matthew was a tax collector. [Describe the Roman system of tax collection.] But when Jesus called him, he dropped his extortionistic ways and changed to his ways.

Matt 9:9-13.

This is exactly what Jesus was talking about; he came to save those that were willing to CHANGE from their sinful ways and learn something new. The status quo was the hardest thing for Him to deal with.

IV. See how Simon Peter dealt with change!

Matt 4:18-22.

We see how quickly Peter's faith enabled him to follow Jesus no matter what he said to do. Matt 14:22-33.

It is easy to read this story and talk about doubting Peter. Look at it again; it is about a believing Peter and doubting other disciples. Faith enabled him to step out of that boat.

V. How about Saul of Tarsus?

What a change! See how we meet him. Acts 9:1-22

and he later described his viewpoint toward his changed life by saying

Phil 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. (NIV)

Phil 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (NIV)

Phil 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

(NIV)

Phil 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (NIV)

Phil 3:11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (NIV)

Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (NIV)

Phil 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (NIV)

Phil 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Phil 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. (NIV)

Phil 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be withyou. (NIV)

Phil 4:12 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. (NIV)

Phil 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)

VI. How's your view toward change?

How are you and the Lord doing? Do you know each other? I hope so! Here's what's going to happen someday if you don't!

Matt 10:32-33.

and

2 Thes 1:6-10

and

2 Thes 2:11-14

CHANGE is what being saved is all about. Those who won't accept CHANGE are those who will be deluded into believing a lie. Repentance is a CHANGE and it is part of becoming a Christian.

IF you are a Christian, how are you doing at it? Could it be time to re-double some efforts? The writer of Hebrews said

Heb 12:1-2

Is there anyone who is ready to make a change today?

We hope that by visiting this website, you have been blessed.

Sid Womack, webmaster