SO, WHAT LIES AHEAD?
* Every New Year brings new realities. Even though we are limited to a constant flow of time, most people have the impression that a New Year is a complete break with the old, when in fact January 01 is just another day. Yes… by the grace of God… because His mercies are new every morning, but… His mercies are there every new day… not just New Year’s day… so… just another day.
* But since people like to look at it as a new beginning, new decisions & resolutions are made (many are not kept…). Most of the resolutions are for a better future, but today I want to refer to one resolution that Scripture and the Holy Spirit coaxes us to make… about a wonderful future.
* The Bible says there is both a Heaven and a Hell and as Christians we believe that everyone is going to one or the other when they leave this world. Ultimately it comes down to believing in the Savior and being accepted by God in Heaven, or rejecting Him and being condemned.
* Do people go to hell because of sin? Yes and No. We all sin and deserve to go to hell, but only those who reject Christ as the Savior will go to there. So, the deciding factor is Christ – acceptance or rejection of the Savior. You all know John 3:16… It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
* People all around us are dying. Where are they going? Do you know? Are they believers in the Savior, or are they ignorant of the fact that they can have a wonderful future? Unfortunately many will not make it to eternal life because they don’t know that Jesus took their sins upon Himself and paid the price so that they could go to heaven. That is sad…
* “Oh, but don’t talk about hell… I don’t like that topic!” As gory as it sounds, we still need to address it. I know it’s not a pleasant subject, but we act like it’s not real. Well, it is real. When we read the descriptions of hell in the Bible it almost sounds like science fiction.
* Believe me, it is more than a bad nightmare… people are going there and you will never see them again…
* Instead, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see all our loved ones, friends… in eternity… in heaven forever? Even our enemies turned into great friends now… there in the most wonderful of all places… such fantastic place that we can’t even imagine… in the presence of God…
* So, what does the future hold? 2017 can be the last year of your life here… the last year of many of your friends and family members… So what is it going to be - Eternity in Heaven with Jesus, or the ugly reality of hell?
* We have the opportunity to focus on what is good, on the “things above” as Paul refers to them in Colossians 3. If we believe in Christ, if we walk with Christ… we will be there with Him forever. No more pain, no more sorrow and no more ugliness. With Christ in our lives we get to live an ETERNITY in beauty beyond our wildest imagination. We get to be with our loved ones and with Jesus and experience all the perfect gifts from God.
* That brings me to a final thought… JOURNEY: That’s the name we have chosen for our new service that starts on January 08, 2017 at St. John’s. This is a service that is designed to reach those people who do not have Christ and eternal life planted in their life… they also do not have a church home – a family of faith. We do not want anyone, and especially those who are close to us, to experience the terrible reality of hell. We want them in Heaven.
* We are hoping to reach those folks who are not daily walking with Christ and start them on their own Journey with Christ. We are all at different places in our Journey with God; some just beginning and some have known Him for a long time. Invite your friends and family to join us on this Journey so we can all grow together.
* Invitations to this new service are on the Welcome Center in the main foyer. Take them and invite others to this new service. Offer to pick them up and bring them. This is the best thing you can do for anyone, ever! So, will that be part of your New Year’s resolutions… to bring them to Christ and have them receive eternal life?
* I read someone’s prayer for the New Year the other day: “Dear God, my prayer for 2017 is a FAT bank account and a THIN body. Please don't mix it up like you did this year.” Well, my prayer is: “Lord, give us all a heart ready to bring people to Jesus, Amen.”
* Have a blessed New Year!
Your pastor, Rev. Don Sonntag
* Every New Year brings new realities. Even though we are limited to a constant flow of time, most people have the impression that a New Year is a complete break with the old, when in fact January 01 is just another day. Yes… by the grace of God… because His mercies are new every morning, but… His mercies are there every new day… not just New Year’s day… so… just another day.
* But since people like to look at it as a new beginning, new decisions & resolutions are made (many are not kept…). Most of the resolutions are for a better future, but today I want to refer to one resolution that Scripture and the Holy Spirit coaxes us to make… about a wonderful future.
* The Bible says there is both a Heaven and a Hell and as Christians we believe that everyone is going to one or the other when they leave this world. Ultimately it comes down to believing in the Savior and being accepted by God in Heaven, or rejecting Him and being condemned.
* Do people go to hell because of sin? Yes and No. We all sin and deserve to go to hell, but only those who reject Christ as the Savior will go to there. So, the deciding factor is Christ – acceptance or rejection of the Savior. You all know John 3:16… It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
* People all around us are dying. Where are they going? Do you know? Are they believers in the Savior, or are they ignorant of the fact that they can have a wonderful future? Unfortunately many will not make it to eternal life because they don’t know that Jesus took their sins upon Himself and paid the price so that they could go to heaven. That is sad…
* “Oh, but don’t talk about hell… I don’t like that topic!” As gory as it sounds, we still need to address it. I know it’s not a pleasant subject, but we act like it’s not real. Well, it is real. When we read the descriptions of hell in the Bible it almost sounds like science fiction.
* Believe me, it is more than a bad nightmare… people are going there and you will never see them again…
* Instead, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see all our loved ones, friends… in eternity… in heaven forever? Even our enemies turned into great friends now… there in the most wonderful of all places… such fantastic place that we can’t even imagine… in the presence of God…
* So, what does the future hold? 2017 can be the last year of your life here… the last year of many of your friends and family members… So what is it going to be - Eternity in Heaven with Jesus, or the ugly reality of hell?
* We have the opportunity to focus on what is good, on the “things above” as Paul refers to them in Colossians 3. If we believe in Christ, if we walk with Christ… we will be there with Him forever. No more pain, no more sorrow and no more ugliness. With Christ in our lives we get to live an ETERNITY in beauty beyond our wildest imagination. We get to be with our loved ones and with Jesus and experience all the perfect gifts from God.
* That brings me to a final thought… JOURNEY: That’s the name we have chosen for our new service that starts on January 08, 2017 at St. John’s. This is a service that is designed to reach those people who do not have Christ and eternal life planted in their life… they also do not have a church home – a family of faith. We do not want anyone, and especially those who are close to us, to experience the terrible reality of hell. We want them in Heaven.
* We are hoping to reach those folks who are not daily walking with Christ and start them on their own Journey with Christ. We are all at different places in our Journey with God; some just beginning and some have known Him for a long time. Invite your friends and family to join us on this Journey so we can all grow together.
* Invitations to this new service are on the Welcome Center in the main foyer. Take them and invite others to this new service. Offer to pick them up and bring them. This is the best thing you can do for anyone, ever! So, will that be part of your New Year’s resolutions… to bring them to Christ and have them receive eternal life?
* I read someone’s prayer for the New Year the other day: “Dear God, my prayer for 2017 is a FAT bank account and a THIN body. Please don't mix it up like you did this year.” Well, my prayer is: “Lord, give us all a heart ready to bring people to Jesus, Amen.”
* Have a blessed New Year!
Your pastor, Rev. Don Sonntag