Reboot (New Year = Fresh Start)

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Dad Jokes - New Years Style

You should only stand on your left foot during the New Year’s Eve countdown so you start the New Year on the right foot.

Hear about the caterpillar's New Year's resolution? He resolved to turn over a new leaf.

Dracula passed out at midnight on New Year's Eve and the newspaper article read “Count down on New Years”

What was Dr. Frankenstein’s new year’s resolution? To make new friends.

I grabbed most of those off the internet, an example of why technology can be a good thing…when it works.

But sometimes our tech devices don’t function the way they should. And when that happens, rather than throw it away...or against the wall; rather than returning the device to where you brought it from, there is something simple that often helps...

REBOOT it! Sometimes you just have to clear away the clutter and just start over.

The same is true for you and me. We often get caught up in so many activities & pursuits that keep us from functioning the way God intended us to.

And while you and I might have some new physical or financial health resolutions, today we will focus on 3 Spiritual Resolutions to Reboot our new year and embrace a fresh start.

Show up, grow up, & step up to serve & share. Throughout 2022 we’ll keep coming back to that - to encourage you and give you some tools to help you do that.

First, let’s discuss why it’s so important to...

SHOW UP.

It is vital that you stay involved in the life of the church. Many people who were committed to showing up regularly before COVID allowed the short-term isolation related to COVID to become a long-term excuse to push away and get lazy. It was easier to watch online in your PJs, but I’m certain that many of the people who were doing that stopped doing that too.

So, if you happen to be watching ONLINE today and aren’t SHOWING UP to your local church on the regular, then IT’S TIME to stop making excuses and get your valuable self back!

You go to school, work, the grocery store, and Christmas parties. I hope you’ll resolve to SHOW UP to make meeting with your Church the norm…start this week!

You’ll remember that the letter to the Hebrews addressed their inconsistency with meeting with their faith family with these words.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

For those who SHOW UP regularly to our Worship Gathering, keep it up! But don’t stop with attending large group gatherings. As many of you know, Church is not to be a place we go or event we attend, but a FAITH FAMILY we do life with. In just a moment we will mention some GROUPS you can get involved in to help you build deeper relationships.

But before we do, let me address a false phrase that you no doubt have heard someone say:

“I can be a Christian without going to church”.

Here’s how I respond to that: We are told to love one another, forgive one another, serve one another, be patient with one another, encourage one another, correct one another, greet one another, meet with one another, rejoice with one another, and weep with one another. And you and I can’t do that without…ANOTHER.

The person who says they are Christian yet refuses to obey all the “one anothers” is essentially disobeying 50% of what God commands in the Scriptures.

For example, the text we just read commands followers of Jesus to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” and to encourage one another as we get closer and closer to the return of Jesus.

QUESTION: Does that sound like your relationship with people in your local church?I hope so! If not, I pray that you will resolve to SHOW UP and make meeting with your Church a priority over everything else.

You can’t do that if you spend more time at the water, on the boat, in the woods, or at the ballpark than you do with your church family.

QUESTIONS:

If everybody was a committed to the local church as I am, would MY church look more like a COUNTRY CLUB or a FAITH FAMILY?

If my kids, grandkids, or friends follow my example, will they follow the commands of Jesus to meet together consistently, challenge other Christians to love and good deeds, and encourage other believers to remain faithful to Jesus & one another?

You need others and others need YOU! Build some friendships by making time for others.

Plug into GROUP LIFE - ON CAMPUS GROUPS meet on Sundays at 10am.

Then we have our Guys Group & Ladies Group meeting on Wed Nights @ 6:30pm. Our Students have GROUP relationships on Wed nights too.

We have some OFF CAMPUS GROUPS that are currently meeting and we would like to start several more. Interested? Let Christy or me know you want to find a GROUP to plug into.

And if you are new to Fellowship or are interested in Church Membership, then I invite you to join us for the next STARTING POINT beginning on Sunday, Jan 16 at 10am. We will send out online links to register, or just call me and let me know you are interested.

Commit to SHOW UP. Next, we must...

GROW UP.

As we have seen before in Scriptures, there were many in the 1st century who claimed Christ but weren’t growing like they needed to. Paul put it this way:

1 Corinthians 3:1–2 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

Does that sound like people who are seeking first the KING and the KINGdom? NOPE. They were worldly instead of Godly. They were spiritually anorexic, much weaker than they should have been at this stage.

The author of Hebrews was concerned about the same thing with the people he was writing to.

Hebrews 5:12–14 (NIV)

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

These people were satisfied being spiritual babies, depending on other people to feed them, with no desire to grow so they could help others grow.

While these people didn’t have their own copies of the Scriptures, someone was teaching them. I can imagine them listening…but not really listening. Others were taking mental notes and looking for opportunities to LIVE OUT what they were taught, but these people weren’t interested in learning how to fight the good fight or run the race. They might have been SHOWING UP, but they weren’t GROWING UP.

How about YOU? What are YOU doing to GROW UP in Jesus? How are you training to distinguish good from evil? Or are okay with just leaning on others?

Let me give you some FEET2FAITH steps to GROW UP.

We MUST Get Back to the Bible

You and I really have 3 Options to determine who God is and what God says:

Make it up. That’s what a lot of people choose to do - make up their version of God and what He expects.

Listen to what others say about the Scriptures, but how can you determine if what they teach is true? or

Read the Scriptures for yourself and help teach others.

How can we make that happen consistently?

Anyone in here ever made a resolution to read the Bible through in 1 year? Most of us have never made it through that schedule - including yours truly. So, most people get so far behind the reading schedule that they read just to check a box (and get little out of it)...or quit.

So, instead of getting discouraged and upset with yourself. Instead of just laying your Bible down until you come to church…just REBOOT! Pick up where you left off and keep on truckin’!

Is your goal to check off a task…OR…is your goal to get to know your God and GROW in Him?

And…have we forgotten the TREASURE of the Scriptures? Maybe this video will open our eyes to the privilege we have of having the this library of Scriptures in our hands.

VIDEO of Chinese people receiving the Scriptures.

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag2AzWgRKAk

Develop a plan

Find a quiet place

Make an appointment time

Read from an understandable translation of the Bible.

reading plan (1 chapter a day OR M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan (Enjoy reading through the Bible with 4 chapters a day from 4 different passages from the Scriptures) - pick up a copy at the front entrance.

* https://static.crossway.org/excerpt/3-esv-mcheyne-reading-plan.4.pdf

Have writing tools ready (highlighter, pen & paper, or digital device) - we’ll talk more about why this matters in a minute.

Prioritize your appointment.

Go to bed on time (early enough to wake up early enough).

Set an alarm to be on time.

Ditch the Distractions (Turn off notifications - don’t check your social accounts, emails, etc.) Would you do that while you are at an appointment with someone else?

PRAY.

Ask God to speak through the Scripture.

Write down your THANKS and REQUESTS.

Read it right.

Read the Scriptures in context (never read A Bible verse)

Recognize the difference between descriptive and prescriptive. Does is describe what they DID do, or does it prescribe what we SHOULD do?

For example…is this sign descriptive or prescriptive?

Appreciate what the Scriptures describe & Practice what the Scriptures prescribe.

TAKE NOTES There WILL be a test at the end of the class!

Write down insights and questions. I can’t tell you how many people say something like this, “I had a question about the Bible, but I just can’t remember it.” Others might say something like this, “I read something that stood out to me, but I just can’t seem to remember what it was.”

You are much more likely to remember what you read when you write it down. An old Chinese proverb says that “the faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory.”

Share insights and questions. This is one of the ways that Christians can have spiritual conversations. The disciples of Jesus did this. They would ask things like, “What did He mean by that?” Christians having spiritual conversations leads to good questions, deeper study, and sharing what God has used to challenge or encourage you!

Lastly, and we won’t spend much time talking about this today, but we will dive deeper on it this year.

STEP UP (Serve & Share).

God has blessed you so that you can bless others.

1 Peter 4:10–11 (NIV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

How are you using your gift to serve others so that God may be praised?

If you aren’t already serving in some capacity, would you start asking God to use you?

Next, touch base with Christy or the rest of our staff,

your Deacons & wives, or another Christian and share your desire to serve. In the coming days we will roll out some WAYS to serve & some PLACES you can serve.

And finally, let’s STEP UP and share Jesus with others.

What if THIS YEAR - 2022 - was IT? What if Jesus came back this year, this month, this week? Is there anyone you care about who doesn’t follow Jesus yet? What are YOU going to do about that?

OR maybe YOU’RE the ONE who has not turned from sin and turned to Jesus. I have good news for you! It’s NOT too late…yet.

Romans 10:13–15 (NLT)

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Christians - Followers of Jesus - You are I HAVE been sent. The only question is, will we fulfill our job description - followers of Jesus who call others to follow Jesus.

We’ve packed A LOT into a few minutes, but this is the direction we are headed in 2022.

What could God do in 2022 if His people would REBOOT their lives and resolve to SHOW UP, GROW UP, & STEP UP?

PRAY & band comes up

COMMUNION

IF you are a follower of Jesus, you are invited to join us in this. If not...

SONG while deacons pass out elements.

The very first Communion was very different than the rest. We often read about the 1st one, but I want us to consider what this looked like after all the events that followed. Jesus had been arrested, beaten, spit on, and crucified. His body had been buried in a tomb, but just 3 Jewish days later, a camouflaged Christ shows up and talks to some of His disciples who were kept from seeing who He really was…until He briefly revealed Himself and then disappeared. Those same men b-lined it to tell the apostles who were still hiding out in Jerusalem. And...

Luke 24:36–53 NIV

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

This is what they had in mind when they celebrated Communion from that moment on. Jesus had died, but Jesus had risen. Jesus had ascended to heaven, but Jesus would return!

That’s what we celebrate today too. We appreciate Jesus’ day and anticipate His return.