"IF I WERE A NEW YEAR!"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte


2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21

Sometimes we say, "If I were 'this or that' I'd do 'this, that or the other thing.'" For example, we might say, "If I were you, I'd want to be sure my life is right with Christ." Or, "If I were a millionaire, I'd start a number of Bible College scholarships." When I can't find my coffee cup, I say, "If I were a coffee cup, where would I be?" I want to stretch that concept to the breaking point this morning and say, "If I were a new year, I'd want to do several things." Consider with me, if I were a new year:
  1. I'D WANT TO BE RICH IN PURPOSE:
    1. In the text we are told that in Christ we have a new life with new purpose. Formerly, we lived for ourselves.
      1. Our purposes were self-centered, self-absorbed, self-fulfilling, self-seeking, and just plain old selfish.
      2. Even if we did good things, our purposes may have been to benefit ourselves in some way.
    2. There are perhaps many noble purposes. Some are mostly for the benefit of this life: finding a cure for diseases; working out world tensions; helping the poor; educating the illiterate and so on. Good purposes, but for the most part temporal purposes and certainly not the highest of purposes.
    3. The greatest purpose relates to Jesus Christ and eternity. So if we truly want to be rich in purpose, our aim needs to be to please Christ. Paul wrote, "Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are." Ephesians 5:10-13 (NLT). So, we need to ask the question, "What pleases Him?" And "How can I accomplish what pleases Him?"
      1. In the text we see that He has given us the purpose of reconciling people to Him. That is, helping people find their way back to Him and out of hostility, indifference, alienation, and separation. That answers the "what pleases Him?" question.
      2. The "how can I please Him?" question is answered by
        1. sharing the message He has given us. We do that by sharing the Gospel with others and by urging them, "Be reconciled to God."
        2. We please Him by being faithful ambassadors. An ambassador is an envoy, a messenger, a representative. We are the only contact with Christ some will have. Let's be faithful in illustrating Him in speech, conduct, and attitude.
        3. Here's how it works. On January 1st of this year, I baptized David Webb. He moved to Medford. I learned this week that he baptized a friend of his named Phil. Now, if things work out right, Phil will baptize a friend of his, who will baptize a friend of his, and so on.
    4. Christians without goals are a little like Alice in the fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland." In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat. "I don't much care where," said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the cat. Which way do you want to go? Well it depends on what you purpose to do, and where you purpose to get to.

This year make it your purpose to win at least one person to Jesus Christ. Represent Him faithfully. Share His word diligently. Someone's destiny depends upon it. So, if I were a new year, I'd want to be rich in the purpose of bringing many to Jesus Christ. And If I were a new year,

  1. I'D WANT TO BE FULL OF FOND MEMORIES:
    1. Paul wants his readers to have special memories; memories
      1. Of what God did for us in Christ by reconciling us to Himself, by bringing us back into fellowship with Him.
      2. Of the fact that our old way of life has been ended and a new life has begun.
      3. Of the fact that all our old sins have been obliterated and wiped away in Christ.
    2. We all have some severe regrets in our lives which we need to remember for the motivational and lesson value they contain. These painful memories cause us to determine, "I'll never do that again!" or "Next time I'll do it differently."
    3. But let's be about building fond memories; memories we long to recall and relive.
      1. Let's remember all the good things people do for us. It's easy to remember the slights and wounds. But it is healthy to keep a ledger of all the good things we receive at the hands of others.
      2. Let's be about doing things that bind us together with others and which create harmony and peace and good relationships so our memories will be warm and joyful.
      3. Let's build memories of sharing and giving and helping others without seeking credit or acclaim for it.
      4. Let's build memories of God's promises to us so that when we are in difficulty they can be a help to us.
      5. Let's build a storehouse of memories of how God has blessed us so that in hard times we will have them to carry us through.
      6. And when we come to the end of this new year, will we have done anything we can recall about helping someone know Jesus?
    4. When we were moving to Klamath Falls 3½ years ago, my granddaughter, Amanda, asked me, "Will you forget me when you move to Kramath Falls?" I told her that I would never forget her, ever! And of course, I won't! Some things you never forget, ever! There are many fond memories: of others, of benefits, of God that we should never forget, ever.

Let me urge you to avoid those things which bring painful memories, and to excel in doing things that bring memories you can hold fondly and frequently. If I were a new year, I'd want to be full of fond memories. And if I were a new year,

  1. I'D WANT TO BE LIVED TO THE FULLEST:
    1. "A new life has begun!" said Paul. Jesus said something similar when He said, "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." John 10:10 (NLT). Just for fun, I checked the word "fullness" and it means, literally, "over and above, more than is necessary, super-added, exceeding some number or measure or rank or need!" Boy, when Jesus means "fullness" He means "fullness to overflowing!"
    2. A year only lasts a year, so you live it to the fullest or it flows away essentially unclaimed and wasted. What a horrible thing to do to a year. In life, you only get one shot. There is no "next life" in this world. You live it to the fullest or it will flow away essentially unclaimed and wasted.
    3. Paul understood that
      1. So he wrote instructions on living life to the fullest:
        1. "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you." Ephesians 5:15-18 (NLT).
        2. "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone. Colossians 4:5-6 (NLT).
        3. "Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters." Galatians 6:10 (NLT).
      2. Let me sum that up:
        1. To live life to the fullest, make the most of every opportunity.
        2. To live life to the fullest, don't act thoughtlessly, impetuously and impusively.
        3. To live life to the fullest don't indulge in those things that ruin your life.
        4. To live life to the fullest, be gracious in speaking to others.
        5. To live life to the fullest, do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, every time you can, to all the people you can.
        6. "I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." Ettiene De Grellet.
    4. Someone has calculated how a typical lifespan of 70 years is spent. Here is the estimate: Sleep: 23 years, 32.9%; Work: 16 years, 22.8%; TV: 8 years, 11.4%; Eating: 6 years, 8.6%; Travel: 6 years, 8.6%; Leisure: 4.5 years, 6.5%; Illness: 4 years, 5.7%; Dressing: 2 years, 2.8%; Religion: 0.5 years, 0.7%; Total: 70 years, 100%.

    If I were a new year, I'd want to rich in purpose, I'd want to be full of fond memories, and I'd want be lived to the fullest. Well, I'm not a new year, but I still want to be rich in purpose, full of fond memories and to live life to the fullest. The richest purpose is to serve Christ by representing Him faithfully in this world. The fondest memories are those you form when you invest in helping others walk with Christ. And the fullest life is one lived in the context of faith in, and obedience to, Jesus Christ. You are not a new year, but in Christ you are a new person. Live the new life consecrated, dedicated, devoted, surrendered to Jesus as Lord. You may choose to do that right now as we stand to sing, "Take my life and let it be consecrated."

    Life: Our Daily Bread, November 25, 1992.

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