Dear Church Family,
What should be the habits of a Christian? What would make wonderful goals for the fresh start of the new year?
Several habits and goals come to mind, in fact, the list is the same each year – God’s word and his commands for his saints don’t grow stale!
Worship the Lord in 2020: Our Lord redeemed us from sin in order that we would worship him in this life and the life to come. Your everyday life is an act of worship as you seek to do all things as unto the Lord. Our congregation also gathers twice each Lord’s Day for corporate worship of our great Lord.
Carve out the Sabbath day in 2020: When God made the world and everything in it, he rested on the seventh day. Our Creator was not tired – he is omnipotent! He was setting apart and sanctifying a whole day in seven for our worship and rest. Moses issued the fourth commandment requiring the day to be kept special. Israel’s perennial apostasy included many habitual sins, one of which was profaning the Sabbath. Our Savior affirmed the blessing of Sundays when he taught that man needed the gift of rest. Our Reformation heritage, especially in the Westminster Larger Catechism’s teaching on the sabbath, gives us a comprehensive teaching on the duties, delights, and blessings of Sundays. If your Sundays are cluttered with all but rest, worship, and fellowship – clear your calendar and see the Lord’s blessing!
Study the Word in 2020: I’m sure we all eat every meal we intend to eat plus snacks! Not a one of us is without food. How about our diet of the Word? Paul taught the Colossians and us to “let the word of God dwell richly in us.” Start a daily Bible reading plan, utilize the Table Talk devotional magazines provided, join a Sunday School class, attend morning and evening worship for two Bible sermons, and utilize your electronic gadgets for all sorts of wonderful Bible content (check out the Ligonier app for wonderful teaching and REFNET for solid 24-hour Reformed Christian radio).
Gather with other Christians in 2020: The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone and the Lord calls all of us who are united in Christ to love one another, serve one another, worship with one another, teach/admonish/encourage one another, and so on. We have a special relationship with the Lord and the special Christian word “fellowship” is best understood as a “partnership”. Partnerships work best when partners are together for common activities and goals!
Serve the Church in 2020: Every Sunday in our morning worship service we pray after the offering that the Lord will use His tithes, our offerings, and each of us as living sacrifices to serve the cause of Christ on the earth. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of service – make your resources, energies, and gifts available to our Lord and I’m sure you will be wonderfully surprised at how you may be used to make Christ known.
Be an evangelist in 2020: Saved people tell others how to be saved! Brush up on your telling the Bible story of creation, fall, and redemption. Rehearse your testimony and be ready to tell others how you came to realize your sinfulness, your need of a Savior, Christ’s provision of his obedience and righteousness, and your new life in Christ as one who worships, learns, serves, and strives to be holy.
A tall order? Yes, but the Lord will give you grace to fulfill his Word!
See you Sunday,
Bryan