A New Year, a New Thing

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This sermon was given on the last day of the year 2017, and it focuses on trusting God to demonstrate His divine power to do something new in our lives that will bring us closer to Him.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 43:19 ^(NKJV) Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. 

Introduction: Have you ever felt like your life was in a rut? You’re going through the same old routine every day – eat, work and sleep. Nothing new or exciting happens, at least not very often. Maybe you’re in a situation or circumstance where you feel trapped and you are not able to change anything, so you have resigned yourself to enduring the status quo. If these descriptions fit your life and your situation, then probably the greatest news you could ever hope to hear is that something new is going to happen this year. 

You’d love to hear someone assure you that God is up to something new and He is going to include you in on it. Well, I can’t predict what God is going to do in your life this coming year, but I can tell you that doing something new and interrupting the status quo is something that God has often done in the past and is very capable of doing any day.

(The message today is based on an outline that was originally provided by Stephen Olford, a well-known British preacher.)

In our Scripture for today, God makes a promise through His prophet Isaiah that He is going to do a new thing for His people. Let us look at the passage for a few minutes to learn the promises of God’s new thing He will do and to learn the purposes of the new thing He will do.

I.    The Promises of God’s New Thing

A.  To transcend the past. (v. 18)

Isaiah 43:18 ^(NKJV) Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 

Go back to the beginning of the chapter in order to find out what specific events of the past God is going to transcend. Deliverance from Egypt had always been the “go to” illustration of God’s mighty power. Now, God is assuring His people that He will do something new for them that will overshadow all the past displays of His supernatural power.

How easy it is for us to yearn for things to be like they were in the “good old days.” We think of special blessings or special times of revival or moving of the Holy Spirit and we often wish we could go back to those times. But, God wants us to believe Him and trust Him to do something new.

B.  To transform the present/future. (vv. 14-17)

Isaiah 43:14-17 ^(NKJV) Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives-- The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. ¹⁵I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King." ¹⁶Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters, ¹⁷Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): 

These verses speak about God’s intention to deliver and rescue His people from Babylon and to demonstrate His mighty power among the Chaldeans. (Interesting point: at the time Isaiah is prophesying, Judah hadn’t been deported as captives to Babylon yet. God is reporting through His prophet a time of deliverance that is going to happen.)

Think of this coming year. Think of anytime in the future. Imagine any scenario of what might be taking place or happening. Remember, God is already there. God is eternal. God already has it under control and He has a plan to bring you through whatever circumstances you may face.

II.  The Purposes of God’s New Thing

A.  To satisfy His people. (vv. 19b-20)

If we review not only what God has stated He will do for His people in verses 14-17, but also verses 19-20, we understand His purposes for that which He intends to do.

Isaiah 43:19b-20 ^(NKJV) … I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. ²⁰The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. 

God seems to be revealing His desire to provide everything His people need – roads (guidance, direction) through the wilderness; (life-giving) rivers in the desert; and refreshing drinking water. The imagery that He uses here indicates things that would have been “unheard of.” Whoever thought or heard of roads in the wilderness?! Or, rivers in the desert?!

He calls them “My people” and “My chosen.” God delights in doing things and working things for His people. However, we must remember, that He provides what we need, not necessarily what we want! And, it’s not because we are such nice people it is only fair and right that God treat us this way. No, it is only because He is full of love and compassion!

B.  To receive the praise of His people. (v. 21)

Isaiah 43:21 ^(NKJV) This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. 

The people in Isaiah’s time were just like people today. Whenever God provides so many blessings and privileges for us, we tend to take them for granted. We tend to imagine that we somehow deserve them. We often develop an attitude of entitlement, as if God is only giving us what we rightfully deserve or should have.

But, the reality is this, God grants deliverance and blessings for the purpose of receiving glory and praise from us. It’s not because God is some twisted “egomaniac” in the heavens who demands everything be about Him, and everyone honor Him. No, God is absolutely perfect in every way we can ever imagine. He does deserve all glory and praise because He is perfect. It is not because of His twisted demands that we worship and glorify Him, but it is because He is perfect in every attribute. He is worthy!

Conclusion:

Today we stand at the threshold of a new year. Some of us may be overwhelmed with the problems of the past and stressed over the prospects that those issues will still be confronting us in the future.

Can we look at this verse in Isaiah and trust that is can apply to our own lives? Can we grab ahold of a promise God made thousands of years ago to a specific nation on the other side of the world, and claim it as a fresh message from God for us? Don’t look to the past and wish for former supernatural blessings. Look to the God who has said, “I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth..."

For our closing song today I want to use a song that I don’t think we have used before, but it’s a pretty simple tune and I think it has good advice for all of us based on a quote from Scripture:

Be Still and Know