31st December 2006 AM

SING A SONG IN A NEW YEAR Pastor Colin Meadows

Psalm 98:1-9, Rev 5:9-10

Ø Sing to the LORD a new song in 2007: What do you sense will happen in your life in 2007? Make some New Year’s resolutions perhaps but then what? As someone noted “A New Year’s resolution usually goes in one year and out the next”.

The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was pictured as a man with two faces, one looking backward and one looking forward. Now is a good time to ponder the past and consider the future. At the heart of most New Year celebrations is the desire to do just that.

We need to stop and ponder so as to spend our time wisely for it goes so quickly. I read recently:

When I was a child, I laughed and wept, Time crept;

When as a youth, I dreamed and talked, Time walked;

When I became a full grown man, Time ran;

When older still I daily grew, Time flew;

Soon I shall be traveling on, Time gone.

Psalm 98 is a call to celebration for all that God has done. As we look to him, He will enable us to use our time wisely, to live a productive life, to enter the new year with hope and purpose. It’s thus time to rejoice in all that God has done in the past and to look forward to what lies in the future.

Ps 98:1 “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things: his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”

What new song will you be singing in 2007? The word new used here speaks of that which is different and better from the old. The old was good, the new is going to be better! There is a difference in quality spoken of here. How is it possible that things can get better you may ask? Aren’t we aging each day, wearing out, slowing down? How can things possibly be getting better?

Things get better if we walk with our God, if we commit our ways to Him, if we live in obedience to Him! The focus in this psalm is on God and not on us. Let’s examine this now.

Ø Give thanks for God’s salvation: Salvation in the Bible speaks of deliverance from danger, of a great rescue operation mounted successfully. God has carried out the greatest rescue effort in history, offering the way of safety to humanity. How can we be part of such? It is very straight forward. Such salvation is conditional on repentance and faith. To repent is to stop going our own independent way and to acknowledge our sin and rebellion before God. Then accept by faith what God has done for us in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Yes, accept God’s salvation into your life. In doing so you will sing a new song! Give thanks for God’s salvation.

Ø Give thanks for God’s righteousness: Righteousness speaks of being upright and just, of being in a right relationship with God and with others. God has acted in Christ to provide this for us! Jesus is our righteousness. We do not have to strive to be righteous. On the cross he paid the price. Now through the power of the Holy Spirit we can live righteous lives, living in conformity to God’s will.

Romans 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written ‘The righteous will live by faith’”.

This righteousness is found only in Christ, the perfect man. That is something to sing about! Let us live more closely this coming year in line with God’s will for our lives. Sing a new song in this coming year as we give thanks for God’s righteousness.

Ø Give thanks for God’s love: A more accurate translation for ‘love’ would be God’s mercy or loving kindness. This is a beautiful word that speaks of God’s lavish compassionate concern for the needs of needy people, namely us. We are such needy people, and God has reached out to us in Christ. He is overwhelmingly rich in such love and mercy.

Ephesians 2:4,5 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”

Yes, give thanks for his love as we move into the New Year.

Ø Give thanks for God’s faithfulness: Remember that God is the God who does not forget. He is faithful. He is true and keeps his word. The opposite of this word is to forget or to escape notice. God is not like that! In fact he is the total opposite. This should give us great comfort each day and cause us to have a new song in our hearts. God has not forgotten us – he cannot for he is faithful and truthful by nature.

1 Corinthians 1:9 “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”

May this give us courage in the New Year. Yes, give thanks for God’s faithfulness.

Ø Give thanks as we face the future with our Lord:

Let us sing a new song this coming year, a song of rejoicing in all that God intends to do in our lives and in the lives of others. Give thanks for his salvation, his righteousness, his love, his faithfulness. This is all because of what Christ has done for us. Let us look daily to him for the strength to live in a way that honors God.

The Apostle John looked into the future and saw a beautiful picture concerning Christ and his people in heaven for they sang a new song:

Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve out God, and they will reign on the earth.’”

Look to the New Year thus with courage. F.R. Havergal wrote concerning the New Year that she was about to face:

Another year is dawning; Dear Father let it be,

In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee;

Another year of progress, Another year of praise,

Another year of proving, Thy presence all the days.

May that we true of us, O Lord, Amen.

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