“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” (Isaiah 28:9-10)
Happy New Year!!! These are the words we will all be saying to each other very soon. The world seems to like the beginning of a new year because it signals a fresh start, a clean slate, promises we make to ourselves that this year will be different than last year, that we will turn over a new leaf. People make new years resolutions, they make grandiose plans for how their lives are going to change, and there is a very shallow hint of hope during this time.
What about you? Have you made your new years resolutions yet? Many people swear up and down this is going to be their year for losing weight, getting out of debt, going for that job position they always wanted, etc, etc. That’s all good – as it is often said change starts in the mind. If you can’t see it, you won’t get it. Our intentions are so good and pure, so strong and resolute. We see this a LOT at the gym. Going to the gym the first six weeks of any new year stinks because there are people there who have never been, they don’t understand gym protocol, they get on machines they don’t know how to use, they clog up the whole system! By the first couple of weeks of February the gym gets back to normal. All those newbies have long-since quit and the ones who “stick” have learned their way around better, and life goes on.
The same is true, sadly, in the church. There is a long-running referral to C and E Christians – those who only show up for Christmas and Easter. Pastors know them – everybody knows them. They come in, sit down in somebody else’s pew, they fidget, make noise, and basically are totally uncomfortable. Oh, and their “tithe” of a dollar, five dollars, or maybe (if they’re feeling really guilty) a twenty – well, that puts the church budget right back on line. After years of this behavior some of them actually begin coming regularly – usually until there is a strong call to repentance or a message on tithing, then they are right back out the door. Part of this is on them, but perhaps a bigger part of it is on us.
How does your church handle these newcomers (or C and E Christians)? Are they made to feel comfortable and welcome, or do we avoid them, shame them, or make comments about them – some even to their faces? Is our church environment and atmosphere truly friendly and inviting, or is it more like a country club or social elitist society? Do we warmly greet them and take them in or do we shun them as outsiders? I have been on both sides of this situation – I have been one of the “inner circle” and I’ve been the outsider. I’ve been in churches that open their arms wide to invite new people in. I’ve also been in churches that are “closed” to outsiders coming in to invade their privacy.
I’m chasing a rabbit in this message and I hope to catch it before it is gone. As many of us close out this passing year, I pray we look back and truly evaluate our lives. In hindsight, I can see SO MANY MISTAKES I have made this past year. Foolish mistakes. Mistakes I would scold friends for making. Mistakes I would strongly advise others not to make. But there have been victories, too. Good times, good decisions, and blessings beyond counting. Here comes the bullet that brings the rabbit chase to a close: Am I a better Christian than I was this time last year? How have I grown? What wisdom have I gained from the experiences I have had this past year? Forget about the Christian part for a minute. Am I a better PERSON than I was this time last year? Have I reached out to help others more than before? Have I made myself more vulnerable, have my friendships deepened this past year? Have I gained any new relationships and friendships over the last twelve months? Have I distanced myself from toxic relationships during these past months? Am I healthier? How have I improved my life situation during this last trip around the sun? Or am I the same (or worse yet, less)?
Our verses this morning come from a whole chapter of God yanking the chain on His people. He is giving a partial performance review of their lives over a period of time. Our passage speaks of growth by comparing a baby, a suckling, to a mature, grown man or woman. He speaks of our growth as being line upon line, measure upon measure. Have we built upon our foundation of faith this year at all? Are we stronger and more effective Christians than we were before? How about you? This calls for a period of silent reflection, of introspection, of a serious time of self-evaluation. Maybe even with the aid of a close friend.
I liken this analogy to gym partners. Yes, I speak quite a bit about the gym because for years I have been a gym rat – someone who went (on purpose) to the gym in order to maintain my level of health and vitality, but also to grow it. There reaches a point in weight lifting where you need a spotter – someone who can rescue you when your muscles reach capacity and can’t function anymore. That is a real thing just in case you’ve never experienced it yourself. You need someone present who can pull you out of danger in case the weights drop on you or threaten to cause serious damage to your body. That buddy is there to save you. But, as in the case of some of my former workout buddies, they are there to encourage you to go just one more repetition – to lift it just one more time. In doing so, they are helping you to become stronger, to grow. I used to hate my gym partner from time-to-time! I would beg him to lift the weights off me, yet he would smile and challenge me to “one more rep.” It wasn’t because he was being mean (well, maybe sometimes), but it was because he wanted to see me grow. That’s a true friend.
My friend, I want to challenge you as we close out 2024 to sit down and have some quiet time with yourself and God. Do your own evaluation first. Take an honest look at your life and see where you stand. Can you honestly say you are a better Christian, a better person, a better friend than you were last year or have you slacked off and just ridden the tide of life? Once you have completed this stage, perhaps ask a friend to give you honest feedback. Most of all, LISTEN to what they have to say. We can all do better, we all need to keep growing. Listen and take to heart what they share with you. Don’t take it too personal (one of my weaknesses), but take it serious. Lastly, ask God to do the same. Then apply what you have learned for 2025, make whatever changes you need to make, and then face into the new year and continue the mission. I do truly hope for you a happy new year – a year of growth, of expansion, of blessing. Go in the grace and guidance of God.
Be blessed.
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