New Year's Message
Sunday, December 31, 2000   

INTRODUCTION: Time, one thousand years in a millennium, one hundred years in a century, twelve months in a year.

Time, twenty-four hours in a day, sixty minutes in an hour and sixty seconds in a minute, eighty-six thousand four hundred seconds in a day.

Time, in the first verses of the Bible, we have the origin of time. In Genesis 1:3- "God said, let there be light." Then in Genesis 1:4, we read: "And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." Then in Genesis 1:5, we see that: "God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." So it is God who first measured time by giving us day and night.

I. TIME - IT STOPS FOR NO ONE

      A. At the end of the year, time is pictured as an old man than at the dawning of the New Year time is pictured as a baby. One year passes off the scene, never to be called back. A New Year begins that will pass in 365 days. Time never goes backward; it can never be recalled.

            1. In the 1970's, Jim Croce sang a song called, "Time in a Bottle." Well, you cannot put time in a bottle. Life goes on; we do not, and we cannot grow younger.

            2. Job said: "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle"(7:6).

                  a. The theme here is the fleetingness of life. Time flies by.

                  b. Job 7:9 compares life to a cloud that vanishes away: "As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more."

                  c. The Psalmist said: "For my days are consumed like smoke....".

                  d. James 4.4 speaks plainly of the brevity of life- "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? lt is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and vanisheth away."

                  e. Consider with me Job 14:1 - "Man born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble."

                  f. A radio commentator said concerning the New Year's Day celebration threatened by snow at Times Squares: "Snow can stop a lot of things, but it cannot stop the clock."

      B. Since time is quickly passing, we need to consider what we are to do with it.

II. TIME - REDEEM IT

      A. Paul reminds us in I Corinthian 7:29 that: "the time is short."

      B. There are two New Testament passages that tell us to "redeem the time."

            1. Ephesians 5:16, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

                  a. We are to take every opportunity to spread the Gospel.

                  b. The days are evil, so let us support missions at home and abroad.

            2. Colossians 4:5, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."

                  a. Christians are to be wise not foolish. Our lives are to point folks to Jesus, not away from Him.

                        1) Do not go to places that are ungodly.

                        2) Do not participate in activities that are ungodly.

                        3) Do not say things that dishonor Christ.

                  b. We are to take every opportunity to live for Jesus in wisdom.

                        1) Psalm 90:12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

                        2) Every day is to be carefully and wisely used for Jesus.

III. TIME - EVANGELIZE WITH IT

      A. There are many folks who are unsaved; believers need to awaken to their responsibility to tell them of Christ.

            1. I Corinthians 15:34, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."

            2. Many Christians are asleep; they need to wake up and seek the lost.

      B. The day is coming when we will not be able to get the Gospel out.

            1. Consider the words of Jesus in John 9:4: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work."

            2. In John 4:35, Jesus reminds His disciples to not delay in the work of the Gospel- "Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

IV. TIME - TO BE FAITHFUL

      A. It is time to be faithful to the church.

            1. In attendance- Hebrews 10:29 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some it; but exhorting one another- and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

            2. In giving- the Bible tells us that the main offering is to be on Sunday (I Corinthians 16:2).

                  a. Malachi 3:10 tells us plainly that the tithes are to be brought into the storehouse.

                  b. The New Testament church is God's storehouse today.

      B. It is require in all stewards that we are to be faithful.

V. TIME - THE COMING OF THE LORD IS NEAR

      A. The signs of the times point to the soon coming of the Lord - II Peter 3:3-4.

      B. Our full salvation, our glorification, is nearer now than ever before. Jesus is coming again.

            1. Romans 13:11-13.

            2. Because He is coming soon- let's be ready.

VI. TIME - IT IS TIME TO EXERCISE SPIRITUALLY

      A. I Timothy 4:8 says: "That bodily exercise profiteth little......"

            1. It does not say that bodily exercise profits nothing - "bodily exercise profiteth little......."

            2. It is good to stay healthy.

      B. Spiritual exercise is the most important exercise-

            1. Bible reading

            2. Prayer

            3. Church attendance

            4. Witnessing

VII. TIME - IT IS TIME FOR THE LOST CONSIDER CHRIST

      A. In II Corinthians 6:2a says: "...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

            1. Sinner friend, "now is accepted time," and only Jesus can save you:

                  a. John 14-6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

                  b. Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

            2. Sinner friend, to be saved you must believe on the Lord Jesus:

                  a. Acts 16:31: "Believer on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

                  b. John 3:16.

                  c. John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned...."

                  d. John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life..."

      B. It is time for you to awake to the truth of the Gospel. Ephesians 5:14:...... "Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life."

CONCLUSION - I would like to conclude by reading a poem by the late A. B.

Simpson.

A Prayer for the New Year

Lord, I would ask for a holy year,

Spent in Thy perfect will:

Help me to walk in Thy very steps-

Help me to please Thee still.

Lord, I would ask for a -busy year,

Filled up with service true-

Doing with all Thy Spirit's might;

All that I find to do.

Lord, I would ask for a dying world:

Stretch forth Thy mighty hand,

Scatter Thy Word- Thy power display

This year in every land.

Lord, I would ask for a year of hope,

Looking for Thee to come,

And hastening on that year of years

That brings us Christ and Home.