Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Lk. 24:1-5
1. New year, new promises?
The end of another year, and the start of another. The past has gone and can not be revisited, let alone changed. Looking back at the failures of the past 12 months, it is the tradition of many to make new year’s promises to try and change that which is wrong. But sooner or later those resolutions are broken, either intentionally or by the sheer inability to keep them. The intentions may well be good, and praiseworthy at that, but there is no power within one to fulfil those desires.
A new year may bring new promises and intentions, but all it brings to fallen humanity is more of the same – broken promises, and despair of being different.
2. What is wrong?
The heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart. The Bible tells us that : the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jer. 17:9 The human heart, the centre of any individual, is sinful and unable to do anything that is pleasing to God. It has a natural tendency to sin, it can not be any different, this is the reason for all those broken intentions, despite the aspirations behind them. We have a tendency to sin as a result of Adam’s rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. From birth we are sinners to begin with, and can not help but sin.
3. Can I be different?
Is there no hope, no way of change? On a human level no, there is nothing in man that can change the condition of the human heart at all in any way. But that which is impossible with men is possible with God. The verse that heads this page tells us the only way of change, the only way of salvation. It is only by being in Christ.
Salvation is a free gift from God, it can not be earned.
For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: not of works lest any man should boast.
Eph.2:8-9
But it must be understood that there is no other way to have this new start in life. To reject God’s way leaves one with no other hope. What will you do?
What must you do then to receive this salvation? You must repent of your sin.
God ..now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
Acts 17:30
You must come to Christ and receive true life from Him. Speaking to the Jews of His day Jesus said:
Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life
Jn.5:39.
The question is: will you come to Christ that you may have this new life in Christ?
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