What’s Next? (Moving Forward)
A Communion Meditation for Epiphany Sunday
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they sprout I proclaim them to you.” 10 Sing to the Lord a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it; You islands, and those who live on them. – Isaiah 42:9-10 (NASB)
18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or consider things of the past. 19 Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. – Isaiah 43:18-19 (NASB)
The BIG Idea
The promises of God are sure, and there is a way to embrace them. Embracing the promises of God by faith is just the beginning; returning God’s promises back to God in prayer puts that faith into action. If we choose to let our expectations be shaped by Jesus and not by our own desires, we will benefit from a deep faith and reap joy in all things. Every time we put faith into action, we will be reminded that God is always faithful.
Followers of Jesus have the same promises of deliverance from this world Isaiah prophesied because the Messiah has come and WILL come again the second time to deliver His followers completely.
So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. – Hebrews 9:27 (NASB)
ILLUSTRATION: New life springing up from a seed with plants.
Isaiah informs the people that they are not to remember the “former things,” for God is now doing a NEW thing.
There are still more instances of the power of God ahead for us!
For You, Lord of armies, God of Israel, have given a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. – II Samuel 7:27 (NASB)
The promises of God are the true guide to the prayers of the people of God.
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son. 7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. – Ephesians 1:3-10 (MSG)
7-10 Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. – Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)
Humans often have a memory problem.
We live in an instant culture, but God rarely works in the “instant” method.
There are no “quick fixes” for sin, it’s disastrous affects, and when living in a fallen world.
Be more concerned with God’s glory than for your own relief.
When unsure, just take the next logical step of faith.
God’s redemptive work will ALWAYS bring about a “better you.”
Faith believes what the Lord has said to us will be accomplished.
Abraham was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God has power to do what God had promised. – Romans 4:20-21 (NKJV)
Contentment is not in our circumstances, but in the One we know and live for daily.
Our faith, hope, promises, salvation, and contentment doesn’t come from ourselves, other people, or “better situations,” but from a personal God Who created us and loves us.
God calls God’s people to remember. Remember all that God has done for us through the person of Jesus.
Questions for Reflection
In what ways do you feel like your life’s story has panned out differently than the way you originally thought that it would?
Think about and share an event in your faith journey that you sometimes “forget,” yet it was a moment which propelled you forward in a “new thing.”
In what ways can you improve your mindset to no longer dwell on the negative things happening to you, and instead live victoriously for what God has ahead of you?
What is the latest “new thing” in Christ that the Lord has brought to you in your faith journey?
How can we have the courage to pray God’s promises?
Which of God’s promises is on your heart to pray today?
18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or consider things of the past. 19 Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. – Isaiah 43:18-19 (NASB)
The BIG Idea
The promises of God are sure, and there is a way to embrace them. Embracing the promises of God by faith is just the beginning; returning God’s promises back to God in prayer puts that faith into action. If we choose to let our expectations be shaped by Jesus and not by our own desires, we will benefit from a deep faith and reap joy in all things. Every time we put faith into action, we will be reminded that God is always faithful.
Followers of Jesus have the same promises of deliverance from this world Isaiah prophesied because the Messiah has come and WILL come again the second time to deliver His followers completely.
So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. – Hebrews 9:27 (NASB)
ILLUSTRATION: New life springing up from a seed with plants.
Isaiah informs the people that they are not to remember the “former things,” for God is now doing a NEW thing.
There are still more instances of the power of God ahead for us!
For You, Lord of armies, God of Israel, have given a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. – II Samuel 7:27 (NASB)
The promises of God are the true guide to the prayers of the people of God.
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son. 7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. – Ephesians 1:3-10 (MSG)
7-10 Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. – Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)
Humans often have a memory problem.
We live in an instant culture, but God rarely works in the “instant” method.
There are no “quick fixes” for sin, it’s disastrous affects, and when living in a fallen world.
Be more concerned with God’s glory than for your own relief.
When unsure, just take the next logical step of faith.
God’s redemptive work will ALWAYS bring about a “better you.”
Faith believes what the Lord has said to us will be accomplished.
Abraham was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God has power to do what God had promised. – Romans 4:20-21 (NKJV)
Contentment is not in our circumstances, but in the One we know and live for daily.
Our faith, hope, promises, salvation, and contentment doesn’t come from ourselves, other people, or “better situations,” but from a personal God Who created us and loves us.
God calls God’s people to remember. Remember all that God has done for us through the person of Jesus.
Questions for Reflection
In what ways do you feel like your life’s story has panned out differently than the way you originally thought that it would?
Think about and share an event in your faith journey that you sometimes “forget,” yet it was a moment which propelled you forward in a “new thing.”
In what ways can you improve your mindset to no longer dwell on the negative things happening to you, and instead live victoriously for what God has ahead of you?
What is the latest “new thing” in Christ that the Lord has brought to you in your faith journey?
How can we have the courage to pray God’s promises?
Which of God’s promises is on your heart to pray today?