New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

December 31, 2002

Hebrews 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forevermore"

INTRODUCTION:  Well here we are at the end of another year.  365 days have come and gone. On a night such as this we come with many mixed emotions. We might look back at the past year and wish that the year would not end. On the other hand some might wish that 2002 would be past history that we might get the year over with and move on to something more positive.  In any life there are years that we savor and other years we would much rather forget.

Tonight we look back on a year gone by. We look bat at this past year and realize triumphs as well as failures. We see both disappointments and blessings; we find pains as well as pleasures. And yet, as we look at time that seems to fly by so quickly we see that our Lord Jesus remains timeless. In fact, what's more He never changes. Jesus remains consistent beyond time.

I.                    Jesus Christ has been right by our side in the past.

There was never a time in the past year when He didn't know of your situation or circumstance.

1.      He's all knowing

2.      He's all seeing

3.      He's ever present

He has never left you down

1.      There have been times when we have left Him down.

2.      There have been times when we would not listen to His Word

Transition:  But He remains changeless and that is why in the beginning even before time began before this world existed He established an eternal plan to save and redeem you.

II.                 He is with us right now.

A.                To forgive us our sin

1.      Establishing us as His own

2.      Drawing us to Himself

3.      Ever guiding and leading us

B.                 Where there is the forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation.

1.      Jesus said: "I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly…"

2.      Salvation, having peace with God is a byproduct of this forgiveness.

III.               As He has never left us down in the past and is actively involved in our lives at the present we can be assured that He will go with us in this New Year.

A.                Changes might come our way in the New Year of 2003

1.      Our Lord has some things to teach us.

2.      All this is to draw us closer to Himself.

B.                 No matter what comes our way He's mighty enough to handle any problem we might have.

1.      This is the only way we'll survive in this often-unpredictable world.

2.      We can depend on Jesus our Savior.

CONCLUSION: We live in an ever in an ever increasing world of change. But in the midst of change Jesus remains changeless. He will be with us as He has in the past and will continue to be so even in the New Year. In His hands we will rest safe and secure.