Something New and Challenging

By Mark K. Jamieson, Sr.

A new phase in our lives is upon us as our family faces the exciting challenge of moving to a new city and being joined to a new congregation of the Lord’s people. The Lord has richly blessed my family by honoring us with the opportunity to serve His church and the community in Franklin. It is our prayer that we may in turn be a blessing as we worship, serve, love, learn, weep, and rejoice together in the coming years.

Things that are new are exciting: that “new car smell,” a new dress, a new job, a new book, a new house, new furniture. Whatever it is, when you finally get that new____________, you can’t wait to try it out!

Our God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is the God of new beginnings. In the garden, God provided the sacrifice for Adam and Eve after their sin ( Genesis 3:21). Since that time, He has made available every possibility of our new beginnings. Jesus came that we might have an abundant life ( John 10:10). Through baptism, we walk in newness of life ( Romans 6:3-4). Everyone who is in Christ is a new creature ( II Corinthians 5:17). Abundant and new…that’s our God. He cannot change, nor should He, for He is perfect and holy. Yet, He not only calls for us to change, He also makes possible the way ( John 14:6).

The Lord’s mercies and compassions do not fail, but rather are new every morning ( Lamentations 3:22-23). Our God is the God of new beginnings!

There is, however, a challenging side to things that are new. For example, when you get a new DVD player, you must learn how to use the controls, and worst of all, set the clock! Newness with God requires us to diligently move forward in order to make the most of the new. We must not rest on our present “newness,” but should challenge ourselves to reach loftier heights in our relationship with God and each other.

Over the next several months, I will be preaching sermons from a variety of texts that deal with different subjects. These lessons are intended to accomplish two primary things: 1) to give each of you a sense of your new preacher and what he believes, and 2) to challenge each of us to recommit ourselves to the work and worship of the Lord’s church. We all can make improvements in our public and private walk with God – this is the challenge that lies before us.

As a new chapter begins here at the church in Franklin, let us resolve to put God and His kingdom first ( Matthew 6:33), and commit ourselves to the future of the church in this community.