Notes of Meeting – 12th January 2025
Worship led by Sue Clarke and the Worship Team
The new year is here, along with new desires and new aspirations. Everyone looks forward to a fresh start as a way to move on from the past and look to the future.
We’ve referenced to looking forward, over the past couple of weeks, and how, no matter what has happened in our lives, we’re still being held in, and by, God’s powerful hands and have so much to praise Him for. He keeps us sustained through His spirit at work in our lives every minute of every day.
Song: Bless the Lord- 10000 reasons
The verse that kept coming to me, when preparing for today, was behold I am making everything new!
The full verse is found in:
Revelation 21 v5
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
As Christians, we can trust that the God will keep His promise
What does it mean to be made new?
It means that Christ is saying that he, as the Savior of the World, can bring us new life through him. He takes the old us away and makes us "new" people.
Psalm 40 v 1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Song: When I was lost 1607
Today we’re going to be thinking about some aspects of new beginnings.
New beginnings happen in season
Life can be so wonderfully measured by seasons and stages. Spring begins with the sprouting of new life, and summer begins with warm sunny days. Autumn begins with the leaves changing into wonderful colours and then winter begins with a cold spell, possibly snow.
Ecclesiastes 3v 1-5
There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
There’s a time for everything in life. How great a confidence this brings us to know that we can expect a warmer season after a colder one. God allows seasons to change and new beginnings to come.
“New Beginnings" is more than just a phrase - it's a mindset that inspires hope, optimism, and excitement for what's to come. It's a reminder that every season can mark the start of a new chapter, full of possibilities for growth and change.
Lamentations 3 v22-23
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Song: Great is Thy faithfulness 147
A new beginning can start right where you are.
A new beginning awaits anyone who is willing and wanting to make Jesus Christ the Lord of their life.
2 Corinthians 5 v17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.
Romans 8 v1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Song: I am a new creation 197
The chapter in Corinthians continues thus:
2 Corinthians v 18-21
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
According to Peter the normal life of a believer should be lived “holy as the Lord is holy” because they have been born again in both soul and spirit.
1 Peter 1v16
You shall be holy, for I am holy.
This verse is a call to live a holy life, reflecting Jesus Christ in all aspects of our lives.
Isaiah 43:18-19
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
God doesn’t remember our past, he gives us a fresh start.
Ephesians 4v 22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Song: Lord You have my heart 912
When we talk about “Christian” behaviour, we are talking about the behaviour of those who have accepted, by faith, Jesus Christ as their Savior and thus are indwelt with His Holy Spirit, making it possible for them to serve God.
Romans 8 v9
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Examples of Christian behaviour are woven throughout Scripture. Indeed, our Savior Himself spoke at length about the way we are to behave toward others, friends and enemies. More than that, however, the life He lived, accentuated by His love and compassion for the lost, provides the consummate example of what Christian behaviour should look like.
Ephesians 2 v10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
And these last four words “to do good works” epitomize the behaviour that glorifies God and makes Christ real to others. Granted, there are obstacles in our daily lives that can encumber our minds and hinder our spiritual progress, but only if we let them.
We need to submit every desire to Him. I know there have been times in my life when I had to be reminded that my behaviour should honour God. How easy it is to make a comment about some bad driving when I’m behind the wheel and my immediate reaction to flash my lights or beep my horn. How I respond to frustrating situations or to people who have wronged me reflects positively or negatively on my relationship with God.
Romans 12 v1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Christians are called to live lives that are “holy and pleasing to God”. It is through the power of God’s spirit in us that allows us to fully commit ourselves to serving the Lord and enables us to do the Father’s will.
Song: Jesus You are changing me 311
2 Corinthians 5v20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though Christ were making His appeal through us.
Paul reminds the Corinthian church that they were “ambassadors for Christ.” An ambassador can be described as someone who represents his/her government while living in a foreign country. The writer of Hebrews reveals that, even though our physical lives are spent here, “…this world is not our permanent home…” (Hebrews 13v14) As ambassadors, Paul continues, believers are to be agents of reconciliation. Our task is to show others by the way that we live, that Jesus has changed our lives and to let them know that same reconciliation is available to them.
Who has God placed in your life for you to share that message with? As ambassadors for Christ, it is imperative that we do more than just live an upright and moral life. Our behaviour is extremely important and can, at times, cause people to ask about our choices and decisions.
Galatians 2 v20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Song: O let the Son of God enfold you 419
1 Peter 2 v9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Christians are a chosen people, belonging to God so that we may declare His praises. To “declare His praises,” it is essential that we spend time in His Word not just so we can learn how to behave in Christian fashion, but also so we can battle against the schemes of Satan.
Ephesians 4 v14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
As the apostle Paul pointed out, without this biblical knowledge we are not only subject to buying in to every new teaching that comes along, but we can also fall prey to “the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” However, knowledge alone is not enough; we are called to do more than to know and believe.
James 1 v22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Christians are to be doers of the Word. Hearing is not the same as doing
James 2 v17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2 v26
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
We need to be demonstrating our faith by actions.
John 15 v8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
The fruit of the Spirit should be a Christian’s hallmark. If we want to glorify our Father in heaven we need to be displaying these behaviours, especially love.
How should we be living our lives?
Ephesians 5 v1-2
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Song:May the fragrance of Jesus 388
Ultimately, the essence of true Christian behaviour is surrendering our hearts and yielding our bodies to Christ so He might continue God’s work through us. We are to be beacons of light in a dark world, using our spiritual gifts to advance His kingdom. It is living here on earth the way Jesus lived when He was here. It also means living to please one Person – God. We do this when we abide in His Word and then live it out as we are enabled by His Spirit,
A new beginning often requires patience and perseverance if we are to achieve our goal.
How often do people make a New Year’s resolution on the 1st of the year and haven’t even seen it through to the end of January?
James 5v11
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
God provides you with a brand new beginning by forgiving and forgetting about your past.
Hebrews 8v12
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
If the past trips you up, see your past the way God does–as no more, no longer determining your future.
Isaiah 43v18-19
Do not remember the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
When does God gives you a fresh start?
When you wake up, declare things like, “This is the day the Lord has made—I will rejoice and be glad in it!” God is the God of do-overs, second chances and new beginnings. And if you'll let Him, He will give you a fresh start, and it will be better than you can imagine.
God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
A poem titled New Beginnings by Bill Kochman
Each day gives us a new chance to again serve our living God.
Even though if just yesterday, He had to pull out His rod.
Mercy is renewed each morning, thus we can begin each day anew.
For if it were some other way what in the world would we do?
So thank God for new beginnings where our slate is washed completely clean
We’re cleansed in the blood of Jesus, all previous sins remain unseen.
Song: Oh the mercy of God 958
Romans 6 v3-4
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life/
we too might walk in newness of life.
Breaking of Bread (led by Brian Legg)
We’ve been hearing a lot in the news recently about making peace, and the people involved in seeking peace between warring factions and nations.
Israel / Gaza, Russia / Ukraine, China / Taiwan, or closer to home the constant battles between political ideologies seeking to influence the way forward for our nation.
Interesting when the television journalists get round to talking to ordinary men and women in some of these warring countries, and all they say is “Give us peace! Stop all the arguing and fighting and the loss of life that results from it.” Most people just want to be able to get on with their lives, without the constant worry about wars and rumours of wars and worries about potential starvation.
There has of course been a battle going on ever since mankind chose to go his own way, instead of following the instructions of his creator – a battle between God and man. This wasn’t a surprise to God, and of course he had a plan to sort matters out in his own time. Yes, he had a plan for reconciliation – and it came through him sending his own Son into the world.
Paul takes up this theme in Colossians 1: 19 – 20 when he writes: ”For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Yes, peace through the sacrificial death of his only Son, whom he loved.
He did it because of his love for mankind, to save them from eternal separation, and to renew a right relationship - to put the past behind,and move forward in mutual love.
We’re here to remember with thanksgiving God’s love for us, expressed in Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross. His blood had to be shed, as he took what should have been our punishment upon himself, so making peace with God possible for all who believe.
Hymn 252 – It is a thing most wonderful
Breaking of Bread and sharing wine together.
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Video – New name written down in glory
I was lost in shame, could not get past my blame
Until He called my name
I'm so glad He changed me
Darkness held me down, but Jesus pulled me out
And I'm no longer bound
I'm so glad He changed me
See, I'm now a new creation in Christ (yeah)
The old has gone, there's new life
I live by faith, not by sight
There is a new name written down in glory
And it's mine, yes, it's mine
I've met the Author of my story
And He's mine, yes, He's mine
Sin had left me blind, but Jesus opened my eyes
Now I see the light
I'm so glad He changed me
Now I'm walking free, I've got the victory
See it's all over me
I'm so glad He changed me
See, I'm now a new creation in Christ (the old has gone)
The old has gone, there's new life (I live by faith)
I live by faith, not by sight (yeah)
There is a new name written down in glory
And it's mine, yes, it's mine (I've met Jesus)
I've met the Author of my story
And He's mine, yes, He's mine (there is a new name)
There is a new name written down in glory
And it's mine, yes, it's mine (hallelujah)
I've met the author of my story
And He's mine (yes, He's mine) yes, He's mine
Jeremiah 29v11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
1 Peter 1 v3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Today, you and I have the hope of eternal life. This eternal life starts the moment you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior.
We have the promise of a new heaven and a new earth:
Revelation 21 v5
And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
Song: Jesus hope of the nations 1385
Prayer
Father, I receive Your transforming, renewing power in my life today. I declare that I am a new creature in Christ Jesus, I am beginning anew with You today. Help me to throw off everything that hinders me so that I may run the race and take the prize.
NOTICES
- Wednesday morning at 10.30am – Church Prayer Meeting
- Next Sunday January 26th 10.15am service – speaker Ken Cowell.
- Advance notice for Sunday 2nd February – speaker will be Mike Williams (leader of Reigate Baptist Church} – followed by a light lunch.