New Beginnings

Every morning, old Eli walked the same narrow path through the field behind his house. For 20 years, he took that trail, rain or shine. He believed it was the best way to reach the village, even though it was rough and full of weeds.

Neighbors suggested other ways—easier routes, smoother ground, even a new road that was built just last year. But Eli would smile and say, “This is the way I’ve always gone.”

One afternoon, as he struggled over a fallen tree blocking the path, a young boy from the village watched him. “Mr. Eli, why do you keep going this hard way?”

Eli paused, wiped his brow, and said, “I guess I’m just used to it.”

The boy pointed toward the clear road just a few steps away. “But there’s a better way now.”

Eli looked at the open road, clean and inviting. For the first time, he stepped off his old trail. It felt strange at first, but the walk was easier, and he reached the village quicker than ever before.

From that day on, Eli walked the new road, shaking his head with a chuckle. “All those years,” he’d say, “I was wearing out my boots for no reason.”

Isaiah 43:18–21 ESV

nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

In the passage, the people of Israel have been carried off into exile by the Babylonians and cannot understanding why they are in the situation they are in. Why God was not doing what they wanted Him to do. After all, they were in exile and they wanted God to free them. However, they did not want to understand why or even what God’s will was. They just wanted God to get on board with what they wanted and what their desire was.

This message was given through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Judah during a time of impending or ongoing exile. They had suffered judgment due to their sin, and many were either in Babylonian captivity or soon to be. Yet God, through Isaiah, was encouraging them not to dwell on past deliverances alone (like the Exodus), but to expect something fresh and greater.

The Past 18 ;Remember not the former things or consider the things of old

Verse 18 God is speaking to the people of Israel

He is telling them not to forget the good things that has happened or happy things

Being delivered from the Egyptians parting the Red Sea and Salvation. Things that bring people great joy

He is saying you need to not remember the sinful things that happened

You need to let go of all the bad and ugly things that happed in your life

God has already forgiven you for the sinful things in your life and you should forgive yourself. Until you forgive yourself you will not be able to replace the with new things.

The old is what we dwell on our mistakes, our wrong doings, our addictions, or ill spoken words, or your failings for the past

Until we truly let go we can not have new things in our lives

The definition of insanity if- doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results

Philippians 3:13–14 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

2. The New Way: 19 Behold I am doing a NEW THING now it springs forth do you not perceive it?

a. God wants to do something new in your life today and he know what you need

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

b. If a new thing is not happing in you then you are sliding back

The world, the flesh, and the Devil around us are not stagnate they are always changing

Satan knows his time is coming and he is trying to take as many people with him into hell.

To accomplish this he needs to keep believers of Jesus from living the life God has intended them to live

When we are filled with the spirt when we are walking in the joy of the Lord and are fixed are things above the earth in heaven our testimony is very powerful.

We are drawing closer to Jesus when the God does new things in our lives.

God wanted the Israel people to not look at the old things but put their eyes on the new things he was doing in there lives look

c. Have you taken your eyes off of Jesus or God have they gotten on the wrong path.

Tried to fix things on your own: relationships, marriage, your own life.

You must stop the insane acts or behavior

Just as Peter was stepping out of the boat and walking on water to Jesus when he took his eyes off of Jesus he sank. When you take our eyes off of Christ you cannot see the new things God is dong in your life.

But you must perceive it: in other words you must recognizing and be aware of what God is dong in your life

d. The New thing God is speaking of is also foreshadowing the come of the Messiah Jesus Christ

This will be the new salvation of all believers this will be the one that brings new hope, life, and most of all new redemption.

ii. The one that will pay for your old sins on the cross the one that will bring about God’s kingdom on earth

iii. This will be the Son of God

e. 19: I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

This is important because the journey form Babylon to Israel is 100’s of miles long and they need a new path

2. In this verse God will make a path God will make a river

3. What is the new path you need. Maybe you are stuck in a path of bitterness, anger, hate rid, guilt, pridefulness maybe you need a new path or river to follow.

4. There is only on that can give you a new way and it is not me or anyone of the flesh it is Christ himself.

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

f. Verse 20: The wild beasts will honor me the jackals and the ostriches for I give water in the wilderness rivers in the desert to give drink to my chosen people

The wild beast is poetic imagery that all this honor God not just humans but all living creatures.

2. Giving water to the wilderness- God brings miraculous transformation to barren places. Places that have no life God will bring life to those places just as he will bring new lift to you.

3. To give drink to my chosen people: God will provide what is need for his people the ones that have inherited the Kingdom of God. When you thirst he will quench it when you are hungry he will provide.

Conclusion:

What is the past really about? It is about memories whether they are good or bad they are just that memories. Most of the time you are the only one that remembers them. It seams the bad ones will stick with you until the bitter end while the goods ones seam to fade away. Maybe we should let the bad ones fad as well so they can be replaced with new good memories. This is the same with God he is wanting to do new things in your life. He wants to create a new person he wants one that will be filled with the fruits of the spirit! If you have been saved by him then you have take the first step on the new path. If not that is okay. The first step is always the hardest once that is done God will show you the way. He will provide a path for you to follow. So why are so many of use like Eli walking the same narrow path when just in front of us there is a new clean wide path. Maybe it just takes a person to show you the new path. If you are tired of walking the old path then there are people that can help get you off of the old path. Ask yourself at the the end of the day what do you have to loose by walking Gods new path.