Opportunities do not last forever. Salvation is available today, but the opportunity will not remain forever.  You must choose. Surrender your life to Christ and receive salvation or reject Him and remain in the condemnation of sin. The opportunity is now.

I was out of the pulpit on New Year's day, so this week's podcast is from the archives. I preached this sermon on January 4, 2020.

Surveys reveal that almost half of all American adults plan to make New Year's resolutions, the most common being exercising more. However, an analysis from Strava found that many give up on their resolution to exercise more as early as mid-January. Almost 11% of all gym memberships for the entire year are sold in January—greater than any other month.

New year resolutions generally come from recognizing something in our past that we do not like and desiring a better future. The great weakness of new year's resolutions is that they are founded on our strength and power. In Ephesians 2:11-19, Paul calls us to remember who we once were. He is not trying to motivate the church with a guilt trip or encouragement to try harder. Instead, he calls the church to remember who they were before salvation, who has saved them, and celebrate who they are now in Christ.

In the days of Jesus’ birth, Israel was not a free nation. They were unhappily under the control and rule of Rome. But God was doing more than bringing political relief. Jesus the Messiah brought freedom from the enslavement of sin.

Let us rejoice that Jesus, the Messiah, has come to set us free from the bondage of sin so that we might be transformed from slaves to sons and have the assurance of hope.

Scripture declares Jesus as the King of kings. But what does this title mean?

In the Old Testament, the title of king of kings is used three times to reference an earthly king with no equal.

In the New Testament, the first reference to Jesus as the King of kings is in 1 Timothy 6:15, where Paul encourages the church to remain faithful until Jesus returns. But the most often quoted biblical references to Jesus as the King of kings comes from John's revelation, where Jesus in His second coming is described as the King of kings.

In this passage from John, we have the first reference in his gospel account, referencing Jesus as king. I want you to see from this passage that you must submit to the King and invite others to follow the true king. And when you come to know Jesus as the true king, it is only the beginning of greater glories to be revealed and known.

Who you recognize Jesus to be determines how you respond to Jesus.

Suppose you see Jesus as an interesting historical figure of the first century. In that case, you may give a passing interest to his life and impact on the world but will pay little attention to him beyond what your curiosity will drive. If you see Jesus as a great moral person, you may respect him for the life he lived and think it may be a good idea to emulate his example. Suppose you see Jesus as a wise or insightful religious teacher. You may feel compelled to study his lessons and even incorporate his teachings into your life.

Toward the end of John's ministry and the beginning of Jesus', he saw Jesus coming toward him. He shouted for all to hear, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" He went on to say that Jesus was the son of God and the one for whom God had called him to prepare the way.

John wanted his disciples and all those who listened to him to know who Jesus is and what he came to do so that they might know true salvation found only in Jesus. Thus, he was focused on pointing the world to Jesus so that we might see who He is, know what He has done, and receive the gift of salvation.

The first chapter of John’s gospel is packed with some of the most amazing statements in all of scripture. John 1:14-18 is one of those passages. John declares in verse 14 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The importance of this statement cannot be overstated.

• Jesus, who is all God and all man, came to dwell amongst humanity.

• Jesus, who is all God and all man, lived without sin.

• Jesus, who is all God and all man, died on the cross as a substitute and sacrifice for man’s sin.

• Jesus, who is all God and all man, rose from the dead three days later.

These truths are central and fundamental to Christianity. If you deny any one of them, you deny them all and the entirety of Christianity. John would say more about how Jesus worked to save us from our sins. Still, in these opening verses, he makes clear that Jesus is the promised Messiah, who demonstrates the grace of God so that we might know God the Father.

One of the marvels of modernity is the ability to push back the darkness. No longer are the schedules of our lives dictated by the sun's rising and setting. However, even with this transformational invention, man remains dependent on the presence of light. Light reveals what is. Light exposes the truth and deposes lies.

One of the most basic things we rely on light for is the ability to move around and find our way. Without light, we are lost. Not confused, not turned around but hopelessly lost. Without light, direction has no meaning. And yet even the faintest light can mean the difference between life and death.

John begins his gospel account with this most powerful introductory word: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Jesus is the genuine light of God that dispels the darkness of this world and has overcome the curse of sin.

Thanksgiving, in the most basic sense, is an acknowledgment of a gift or act of service. We rightly express thanksgiving when we receive gifts, no matter the quality or value of the gift. Also, we rightly express thanksgiving when receiving service – even service that we pay for.

However, thanksgiving as an act of worship is entirely more significant and important. When you have a thankful heart that responds to God in worship with thanksgiving, this is more than simply acknowledging recite of a gift. Thanksgiving worship flows from the heart of one who recognizes their need, recognizes the source of their provision, and responds with worshipful praise and thanksgiving to the one who has provided.

Psalm 9 is a psalm of David. The psalm is divided into two parts. Verse 1-12 declares what God has done, and verses 13-20 declare what God will do. We could glean many things from this text, but three main truths are we are to be thankful for what God has done, thankful for what God will do, and thankful for who God is.

When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church, he knew he had to confront some serious issues of sin. There was trouble in the church. Some members were guilty of sexual sin, others of drunkenness, and others were attempting to justify their worldly living with a perverted understanding of the grace of God. The city of Corinth was well known as a place of debauchery, and the church struggled to live holy in such a perverse context.

Paul would be unflinching in his confrontation of sin in the church. However, before he does, he begins with an encouraging word to remind the church who they are and the blessings they have received.

We, too, live in a cultural context of unrestrained debauchery. Likewise, the church today often struggles with living holy. Thus, it is good to hear again that those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus are saints of God, under the grace of God, and sustained by the faithfulness of God.

Jacob is now an old man, but God is still working in his life. Old age can be seen as a time to slow down and rest. But, more dangerously, it can also be seen as a time to coast, relying on past efforts and decisions. Yet we see in Jacob that even in old age, he was ready to respond to the Lord's leadership.

As Jacob faces his fear of his brother Esau and desperately attempts to appease him, he is doing all that he can to save himself. However, in Genesis 32:22-32, Jacob has an experience that will change his name and the rest of his life.

He sends his wives, children, and all he possesses over the stream Jabbok while he stays back to be alone. He thought that he would spend the night alone, but he would spend the night wrestling with God. At the end of the long night of struggle, Jacob would come to know two fundamental truths; he is weak, but God is strong.

But before God prospered Jacob's children to become patriarchs of great tribes or grew these tribes into a great nation, He first humbled a schemer and cheater named Jacob. He humbled Jacob so that he would know that he was weak, but God is strong. There is great grace when God wrestles with us that we, too, come to know that we are weak, but He is strong.

The arrogance of youth can be destructive and costly. In Genesis 19, we have the account of Jacob learning humility, the cost of sin, and the fruit of his deceitfulness. He was learning valuable truths the hard way and experiencing the grace of God to mature him in righteousness.

No one desires to be broken. No one wants to suffer the consequences of sin. If we had our desires, we would skip through life without consequences. However, there is grace in brokenness.

In Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob is broken. He had succeeded in his schemes against his father and brother, but he had lost everything he had hoped for. We find him not as the favored son receiving his father's wealth and blessing or becoming his family's leader but alone and destitute. He has no home. He has no family. He is uncertain about his future. And he is likely fearful that all is lost.

Is this where you are today? Are you struggling under the weight and brokenness of your sin? Have you heard of the grace of God and the promises He has made but wonder if they apply to you? Jacob's life is far from perfect. However, in this moment, he would hear from the Lord and be encouraged by the precious promises of God. You are not alone, God's provisions are sure, and God is in control.

Sin is destructive, and failure is demoralizing. If we are not careful, our response to sin and failure can be as destructive, if not more than the original sin. In Genesis 27, we witness how Isaac, Rebecca, Esau, and Jacob responded to their previous sinful attempts to get their way. Each of them is attempting to recover from their own failure. Through their testimony, we see in Esau the destruction of unrepentance, in Rebecca and Jacob the unexpected cost of sin, and in Isaac the testimony of repentance.

Jacob’s family is not a model of healthy relationships. His parents are open about their partiality toward their children. The brothers have a very contentious relationship. Rebecca is willing to work against her husband’s wishes. And Isaac is willing to work against the will of God.

We see in this passage four people attempting to get their own way. Some want their will in opposition to God’s will. Others want what God has promised but according to their own way and their own timing. Only one will recognize that God alone is sovereign and unthwartable in His power.

I titled this sermon, “blessed assurance.” It might not be obvious what is assured or blessed in this passage. Today I want to look at the four people of Rebecca, Jacob, Esau, and Isaac. All four attempted to impose their will over the will of God. Only Isaac would come to understand that the will of God is assured no matter the efforts of man. And the sureness of God’s will is blessed assurance indeed.

The testimony of scripture is not of perfect people accomplishing God's purposes. Instead, the story of scripture is of a perfect God using imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will.

The testimony of Jacob is complicated. On the one hand, Jacob's story is not easily celebrated. He is not a man of strength in character or physical ability. He is a schemer, manipulator, and liar. On the other hand, he is very significant because God demonstrates the character of His sovereign grace in choosing him over his brother. With this generation, we learn an essential truth about the promise of God. God's blessing and promise will not go to those whom man's customs, traditions, or desires dictate but to whom God so chooses.

In this passage, Peter encourages the church to be prepared to share the hope of the gospel with gentleness and respect. Peter was writing to a church that was well acquainted with persecution and worldly hostility. Throughout history, the gospel has been most effectively spread in times of great persecution. In the days of the New Testament church, as persecution pushed Christians to leave their homes, the gospel was spread wherever they went. We, too, are called to be light in the darkness of this world and be ambassadors for the gospel wherever the Lord takes us.

There are some places that you long to be. Maybe for you, it is at home or being with friends. These places and people refresh your soul. They offer you an opportunity to relax and be restored. Such places and people are both needed and desired.

As Paul closed his letter to the Romans, he expressed how he longed to be with his fellow believers. His longing was not just to have a meal or to be with friends (he had never been with the Roman church), but rather he longed to be with other believers who could (because of their shared relationship with Jesus) have fellowship with him.

The fellowship of believers is created to be a blessing to believers. Among the saints, we find the blessing of community, support, and prayer.

Christians are called to be generous givers. In 1 Corinthians 8, while encouraging the generosity of the saints, Paul uses the phrase "excel in this act of grace." It is good and right to excel in faith, knowledge of scripture, and spiritual maturity. But let us also excel in grace, giving abundantly and generously as the Lord provides.

In scripture, there are many examples of prayer. Some are eloquent others are passionate. Some are long and detailed; others are short and simple. Though not definitively prescriptive, these examples teach us how to pray.

Prayer is a fundamental part of living for Jesus. Jesus prayed. Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Paul prayed and encouraged the church to pray. The Old Testament is full of examples of God's people praying.

Jehoshaphat was a king of Judah who led his people to seek the Lord in prayer in a moment of crisis. A nation much stronger than his own was threatening to attack, and Jehoshaphat knew that they would lose in battle unless the Lord delivered them. So he called together the nation to pray and ask God to deliver them.

In Jehoshaphat's prayer, we have a helpful model of authentic prayer.