Countdown for a Really New Year: 1, 2, 3, 4!

Countdown for a Really New Year_ 1, 2, 3, 4!

Countdown for a Really New Year: 1, 2, 3, 4!

(Sunday message for House Church and individual use: preached 12/27 – 1/2/2021)

The following is the “Definition of Counting Numbers”, as given by Mathsisfun.com

“Any number you can use for counting things: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … (and so on).

“Does not include zero.

“Does not include negative numbers.

“Does not include fractions (such as 1/2 or 3/7).

“Does not include decimals (such as 0.95 or 1.3).”

In viewing human history we must always accept, as primary, God’s perspective. If we do attempt to see things through his eyes then we will discover that there are six different stages (more commonly known as dispensations) that either have occurred, are occurring right now, or are destined to still take place in the immediate and distant future.

The Dispensation of Innocence
The Dispensation of Conscience
The Dispensation of Law
The Dispensation of Politics
The Dispensation of Church
The Dispensation of the Millenium
God’s Never Ending Dispensation of Eternity Past & Future – is outside of human history: it is God’s!

Yes, and God has counted and is still counting down through the history of our time, of mankind’s time on Earth; of… mankind’s failure to survive without God.

Of these (actual) six epochs of time, of these six dispensations, we find ourselves here, at the end of the Church Age (the Dispensation of the Church), and yes, once again, man has failed.

And yet, we must ask, failed to do what?

We have failed to depend on God. That’s the secret. You see, we could not do it. We could not! We were never going to succeed… without God.

As it is written,

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” (James 4:2)

Or as our Lord, Jesus Christ more pointedly stated,

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Oh, yes, we have. We have failed. Here at the very end of the Dispensation of the Church, at the end of the “Church Age” we must truthfully and fully admit that, without God, we have failed everytime!

God intervened in human history through the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and then, even before he ascended we had begun to fail to passionately tell the world.
God intervened in human history again through the magnificent gift of His own Holy Spirit; and yet, after only a few decades of almost “turning the world upside down” we petered out and failed to continue the expansion.
We failed under Roman Emperor Constantine and compromised with the world.
We failed under the Roman Popes and turned the grace of God into lasciviousness.
We failed right after the birth of the Reformation and turned repentance into rebellion.
We failed after the First Great Awakening.
We failed after the Second Great Awakening.
We failed again and again and again and again after every single intervention of God, after every Revival that he so graciously had to send, after every failure to simply trust Him: to ask, to seek, to knock. We Christians, in the Church Age have failed, and failed, and failed, and turned the sweet Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ into just another smelly oily old machine spewing out polluting bile into the atmosphere of men.

Oh, yes, he was so right: “Without [Him we] can do nothing.”

Introduction:

Reading Through the Bible Together in 2021.

- - https://abelprudhomme.wordpress.com/

Discussing the Bible via Group Chat.

1 Jesus is the Friend of Sinners: this year, you become like Him!

“And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11)

Introducing: The Savior’s Stronger Soulwinner = You!

- “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
- 1 + 1 = 100%
  - “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” (Matthew 25:24-25)
- Team Ups
  - Women & Men & Young People
    - “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two;” (Mark 6:7a)

2 Jesus is the Feeder of Sheep: this year, you become like Him!

“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)

Introducing: The Savior’s Stronger Disciple Series = You!

- Organically natural group Bible study both live & via chat.
- Systematical/interactive printed material.
  - Weekly handouts.
  - Weekly group discussion.
- “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” (Hebrews 5:13)
- “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)
- “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)

3 Jesus is the Light of the World: this year, you become like Him!

Introducing: The Savior’s Strongest Social Worker = You!

- “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14a)
- “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” (Matthew 4:16)
- “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
  - “for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat:
  - “I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
  - “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in:
  - “naked, and ye clothed me not:
  - “sick,
  - “and in prison, and ye visited me not.” (Matthew 25:41-43)

4 Jesus is a City set on a hill: this year, you become like Him!

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14)

Introducing: The Savior’s Ministry = Yours!

- “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
  - “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
  - “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:17)
  - “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14)

Conclusion

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
“and by the word of their testimony;
“and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

“(‘Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.’)” (Revelation 16:15)

OUTLINE:

Countdown for a Really New Year: 1, 2, 3, 4!

(A Message to the Multitudes)

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

1 Jesus is the Friend of Sinners: this year, you become like Him!

2 Jesus is the Feeder of Sheep: this year, you become like Him!

3 Jesus is the Light of the World: this year, you become like Him!

4 Jesus is a City set on a hill: this year, you become like Him!

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

WORSHIP:

Joy to the World! The Lord is Come. (92)

Opening:

Jesus is the Friend of Sinners

Message:

Because He Lives (92)