Jesus Wishes You a Happy New Year! (Yes, it's in the Bible)
(Sunday message for House Church and individual use: preached 12/26 – 1/1/2022)
Introduction: Happy New Year, 2022!
We have given and received Happy New Year wishes to and from people all day, today. And then, I just happened to read this.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me [etc., etc.] to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)
“Whoa,” I stopped to realize, “Jesus is wishing us a Happy New Year – in the most important way!” And then I thought, “Let me stop for a minute and look closely at his entire sentence here.” And so I did.
I. He has the power to preach a New Year to you!
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” (Luke 4:18a; Isaiah 61:1)
II. He has the blessing to preach a New Year to you!
“Because he hath anointed me” (Luke 4:18b; Isaiah 61:1)
III. He has the mission to preach a New Year to you!
“To preach the gospel to the poor.” (Luke 4:18b; Isaiah 61:1)
IV. He has the love to preach a New Year to you!
“He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,” (Luke 4:18c; Isaiah 61:1)
V. He has the authority to preach a New Year to you!
“To preach deliverance to the captives,” (Luke 4:18d; Isaiah 61:1)
VI. He has the medicine to preach a New Year to you!
“And recovering of sight to the blind,” (Luke 4:18e; Isaiah 61:1)
VII. He has the keys to preach a New Year to you!
“To set at liberty them that are bruised,” (Luke 4:18f; Isaiah 61:1)
Conclusion: And so he does more than “wish” you a Happy New Year.
The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, who is the Son of Man, who as the Savior of the World could save you from sin right now if you will simply trust him. The Lord Jesus who will most definitely will one day loom above you as your judge, with the “Book of Life” before him (a “Book” that either will or will not have your name written there) – The Lord Jesus with
- The power to do so, with
- The blessing to do so, with
- The mission assigned to him to do so, with
- The love glowing within him to do so, with
- The authority granted unto him to do so, with
- The miraculous ability to heal, and
- The keys of Death and Hell to free your bruised soul –
The Lord Jesus does not “wish”; the Lord Jesus declares to you, boldly, “the acceptable year of the Lord.”
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2a)
“And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.” (Luke 4:20)
OUTLINE:
Jesus Wishes You a Happy New Year!
(A Message to the Multitudes)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2a)
I. He has the power to preach a New Year to you!
II. He has the blessing to preach a New Year to you!
III. He has the mission to preach a New Year to you!
IV. He has the love to preach a New Year to you!
V. He has the authority to preach a New Year to you!
VI. He has the medicine to preach a New Year to you!
VII. He has the keys to preach a New Year to you!
Conclusion: And so he does more than “wish” you a Happy New Year.
SCHEDULE OF SERVICE:
3:00 – 3:10 p.m.: Worship
3:05 – 3:13 p.m.: Discipleship Class
3:13 – 3:20 p.m.: Missionary Training
3:20 – 3:25 p.m.: Announcements
3:25 – 3:30 p.m.: Worship
3:30 – 4:00 p.m.: Sermon
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Scripture Reading: Happy New Year!
“New?” The Devil and the flesh of men make them jaded to the “new” things that God offers us. As it is written,
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (Ecclesiastes 1:10)
This, however, is not to condone the self-made religions that people turn to when refusing to believe on Jesus. In fact, God’s condemnation of such vain celebrations of New Years and etc. are summed up in this quote from the Lord God Almighty Himself,
“Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.” (Isaiah 1:14)
Still, the Lord, throughout the pages of his Holy Scripture, is clear about what really is and really will be new for those who will believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved from sin. Listen then to this! This he gives us.
- We have “new things” according to Isaiah 42:9.
- We sing “a new song” according to Isaiah 48:6.
- We have “new heavens and a new earth” according to Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22.
- We have a “new heart” according to Jesus, in Matthew 9:16-17.
- We are like “new wine [put] into new bottles” according to Jesus, in Matthew 26:29.
- We have been given a wonderful special “new commandment” to “love one another”, as directed by our Lord Jesus himself in John 13:34.
- We have been made able to “walk in newness of life” according to Romans 6:4.
- And we have been made able to “serve in “newness of spirit”, according to Romans 7:6.
- We are now become “new creatures” (Hallelujah!) according to 2 Corinthians 5:17.
- We have “put on the new man” according to both Colossians 3:10 and Hebrews 12:24.
- And our Lord Jesus is “the mediator [the successful negotiator between God the Father and us] of the new covenant” that we now have (Hallelujah, again!) in Heaven through the holy sprinkling there of our Lord’s own blood, yes, all that, according to Hebrews 12:24.
- “We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth” wherein dwelleth righteousness, according to Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22, and 2 Peter 3:13, and in many other Scriptures.
- We will be given a “new name” according to Revelation 2:17.
- And our Lord Jesus himself will have a “new name” according to Revelation 3:12.
- We will sing “a new song” with some or all of the lyrics found in Revelation 5:9; in “a new heaven and a new earth”, according to Revelation 21:1.
And why and how will all of these new things take place for us? Well, quite simply because,
“He that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:5)
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Bible Memorization: Revelation 22:20-21 (the last words in the Bible)
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.