Reset in 2022 | 12/26/2021
12/26/21 | Thad Yessa
It’s hard to believe that Christmas was yesterday, which means New Year is right around the corner. As we think about another new year starting, perhaps you are like me and think of either all the things that you did accomplish or perhaps all the things that come January 1 you committed that this will be the year I (fill in the blank). In light of that, I want us to think this morning about getting back to the basics, about having a Reset. Perhaps you are familiar with the experience that something is wrong with your phone, computer, tablet, whatever, and you call someone to help, 9 times out of 10 the first response is to reset the device or turn it off or on. I have no idea why this seemingly works, but resetting seems to fix the problem, so this morning I want us to have a reset in three specific areas that will have a drastic effect on your life this next year.
Reset our Relationships.
Human beings have been created by God to live in relationship with one another. When God made Adam, He said, “It is not good taht mand should be alone.” People not only desire relationship, but it is a necessity. We need relationships because we are made in the image of God, who existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being one God in three persons living in relation to one anther. As people who bear His image, we are relational beings who need others like us with whom we can live life. And for Christians this is especially true. We need love and harmony of the communion of believers.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
When God saves sinners, He forgives their debt, cleanses them from all unrighteousness, and declares them to be righteous in Jesus. BUT Salvation includes receiving a new identity, heart, and spirit. Our salvation in Jesus is not merely a rescue of an individual; it is a deliverance of a person from the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of light, from friendship with the world into the family of God. We are saved by grace through faith into union with Christ and communion with His people. We are saved into the communion of saints, where we find life and spiritual growth.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:11-16
-
We need each other. The Apostle Paul often times when talking about the church family, use the picture of a body, made up of different parts: hands, feet, eyes, nose, elbows, whatever body part you put in there. When a body has all of it’s parts working together with no issues, life is good. But if one body part, lets say your pinky toe, which seems to hurt the most in the moment when you accidentally kick the table, and it causes you to jump in pain, when someone is missing from the gathered body, or isn’t using their giftings to help the church, we should feel the pain. God brings the church together for more than fellowship, for more than just hearing the Word, He also brings people to the church to better accomplish His mission, meaning we are better together than we are apart.
Why is this important? Because The community of faith is what forms and reforms the Christian. Believers are formed by the ongoing instruction of the Word and fellowship of belivers in the church and are reformed by brothers and sisters who hold one another accountable through loving correction, reproof, and rebuke.
How is this even possible?
We share our stuff with one another.
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:32-33
We care about each other’s physical needs.
We share our hearts with one another.
17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 1 Thess. 2:17-3:8
We stay, embrace the pain, and grow up with one another.
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
It is not always easy to share life together as a church family. Matthew 18:15-17
It is not always easy to share life together as a church family. You really
Family is about more than me, the wife, and the kids.
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:26-29
You really don’t get to pick your church family. Sure at the beginning you can pick what church you like, based on how good the varies ministries are, how engaging the preacher is, and how much you like the music. But once you are committed to that church, you in one sense give up control to who is part of the family.
Reset our Rhythms.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16–17
We must not only believe but obey the Bible. This book informs what we believe about God, why we are here, how we live, how view and treat other people. This book is absolutely critical, or at least it should be to us.
Paul Tripp in his book paints a picture of what it looks like for us to truly believe that the Bible is all that we often say it is on a Sunday morning.
“What does it look like to live in light of the inspiration, authority, and sufficiency of the word of God? Well, if you really believe that the Bible is the word of God, preserved by God for you, wouldn’t it be the most valuable, esteemed, treasured, and well-used possession in your life? Would you not love the moments when you could sit with it, read it carefully, study its content, and mediate on its implication? Wouldn’t you commit yourself to being an avid reader and a lifelong student of the word of God? Wouldn’t you work to be sure that you have understood and interpreted it correctly? Wouldn’t you treasure the teachers and preachers whom God has raised up to walk you through his word? Wouldn’t you want to make sure that everything you desire, think, say, and do was done in a joyful submission and careful obedience to the word of God? Wouldn’t you want to apply it to every area of your life? Wouldn’t you run to its comfort and heed its call? WOuldn’t it have more influence over your decisions than your friends, Google, or the voices on Twitter? Wound’t biblical literacy and theological knowledge be your life-long quest? Wouldnt’ you be looking for every opportunity to share its glorious message with others? And wouldn’t you grieve those moments you have to confess that you ignored or resisted its message? Wouldn’t it be the thing that shapes the way you approach every area of your life? Wouldn’t that quiet time, when you separate yourself from other people and other responsibilities and it’s just you, your Lord, and his word, be your favorite part of your day? Wouldn’t you give God heartfelt praise for the amazing gift of his word everyday?
The God of heaven and earth has “forfeited his own personal privacy” to reveal himself to us—to befriend us—through a book. Scripture is like an all-access pass into the revealed mind and will of God. - Matt Smethurst
Friends, we need to understand that all of us, from the youngest to oldest are being influenced by friends, school, co-workers, the news, social media, podcasts, books we read, etc. that are oftentimes contrary to what we read in the BOOK. If we are going to live the Christian life, we are going to have to open the Bible. Now, this is the moment where I am going to make everyone raise their hands to indicate if they read through the whole Bible this year. What I am going to say is to commit yourself to being a student of God’s Word. Perhaps what that looks like for you this next year is reading just the New Testament, or perhaps just the Old Testament. Maybe you are going to pick 12 books, one for each month, and spend the whole month devouring the pages of that book. There is no magic for reading the Bible, it’s just a matter of reading the Bible, the WHOLE BIBLE, which means when you start your reading plan and you get to Leviticus, you stop and remember that ALL scripture is God-breathed and profitable. If we really believe the Bible is an all-access pass into the mind of God that means it tells us what’s important to him, what He wants us to know, how he wants us to live.
That quote from Paul Tripp, boils down to do I value the Bible?
The Bible is a lamp that illumines. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
The Bible is medicine that heals. “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)
The Bible is rain and snow that causes growth. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Is 55:10-11)
The Bible is fire that refines and consumes. “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)
The Bible is a hammer that has the power to destroy. “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)
The Bible is food that nourishes. “But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”” (Matthew 4:4)
The Bible is a sword that has the power of life and death. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” (Ephesians 6:17)
The Bible is divine breath that carries the power of God. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Bible is solid food that strengthens the mature. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food…” (Hebrews 5:12)
The Bible is a plant that puts down roots and bears fruit. “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)
The Bible is a seed that grows to create new life. “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” (1 Peter 1:23)
The Bible is milk that nourishes the weak. “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)
The Bible is a lamp that guides us through and out of this world. “And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts…” (2 Peter 1:19)
Our food - Jeremiah 15
Our life - Deut 32
Our comfort - Psalm 119
Our strength - Psalm 119:28
Our guidance -Psalm 119:105
Our hope
Our love
Our joy
Our treasure
It’s amazing how little time we spend reading this book versus how much time we spend binge-watching a show.
Are we following the Bible, are we in it enough to fight back the raging lies of the world. Are we more influenced by secular culture? Are our opinions forming around current issues shaped by the Bible or our Facebook feed?
Reset our Responsibilities.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
The central message of Scripture revolves around the central purpose of the people of God, which is to glorify God, the supreme way that God has chosen to be glorified is through the redemption of sinful people and it is through participation in that plan that believers most glorify God.
John Piper has put it this way, Missions exist because worship doesn’t.
Meaning, the only reason that you and I and every other believer are here on earth is to seek and to save the lost. Just like Jesus, whose purpose was to seek and to save the lost.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
One of the statements that always pops in my head when I read the Great Commission or hear sermons about living on missions is:
Location
Where you live.
Vocation
Where you work.
Recreation
Where you play.
If God is sovereign enough to put you put you in your home, apartment complex; He is sovereign enough to stir the hearts of the people around you.
Complaining about your job? God probably has you there for a reason. You don’t have to walk into to your job and hit everyone over the head with the Bible. But what you can do is as you are walking into work everyday, pray and ask God to give you an opportunity, to love people, to display a godly work ethic, and to talk to someone about the greatest news, the gospel. We have to do this, if we truly believe the gospel is all that it says it is, otherwise the gospel isn’t the good news we thought.
Three Commitments for 2022
Commit to the Church
Commit to the reading th Bible
Commit to find/pick/pray for one person to share the Gospel with.