We've heard that many times, we've heard that along with them.
Please, can we start again?
In some ways it's a cry of desperation,
as they realise that because of a wrong move or a wrong choice,
that they're out of the game or that they've lost.
And sometimes, if I'm feeling very generous,
we will start again, we'll have another go.
We'll gather up all the pieces and we'll put them all back into their places
and we'll begin and start all over again.
Another opportunity to make better choices,
another chance to do things differently.
Now, the truth be told, we can probably feel exactly the same
when it comes to the big game of life.
We often may say to ourselves, can we please start again?
It may be a cry of regret,
a cry of unrealised expectations or a cry of self-pity.
As we review the things that have happened in the past year
or even further back, choices that we have made,
things that we've said, the actions that we have taken,
we probably all wish from time to time
that we could just start again.
And in many ways, people say the new year provides
the opportunity that we need to start again.
A fresh start to make new promises
as we set goals for the coming year.
But I think, if we're honest with ourselves,
we all know that by January the 7th or the 9th,
we'll look back and we'll already be saying,
I wish we could start again.
And things are just the same.
We all long at different times for a new beginning
and certainly the new year provides that opportunity
to refocus our minds and to think about a new beginning.
Well, for our encouragement,
the God of the Bible specialises in new beginnings.
If we just take a quick scan through
from Genesis right up to Isaiah 55,
we see that he is a God of beginnings.
He created a good and beautiful world.
That was a new beginning.
But not too long into that new creation,
we see mankind making their own actions and choices
that actually break God's beautiful world.
But no sooner is it broken that God comes to Noah.
He promises that he's going to destroy the world,
but that he's going to start again,
this time with a family of eight.
And then as we read through,
we get to Genesis chapter 11,
and we see the world descending into disorder and chaos again
as they seek to build a great big building up to the sky,
up to heaven itself.
They want to rule the world.
And in response,
God comes to a man called Abraham.
And he promises to start again.
As all the nations were scattered,
as there was a new,
all different kinds of languages,
people were spread across the world.
God promises to start again.
And he says to Abraham,
I'm going to build a new nation.
I'm going to build a new people
who will enjoy the blessing of God forever.
But as we read on,
this new nation,
Israel,
ends up in slavery in Egypt,
oppressed and on the brink of destruction.
But God intervenes again,
this time through Moses.
They're rescued.
And there's another opportunity to start again,
a new beginning,
a fresh start in the promised land.
And as we follow through the history of Israel,
God continually provides new kings,
new leaders to replace those that were corrupt
and that were bad.
God always bringing a new beginning
and a fresh start.
But the rebellion and the rejection
becomes so great
that God sends them off into exile.
And that's where we come to in Isaiah 55,
where God is promising another new beginning,
another fresh start for his people.
And in Isaiah 55, verse 1,
it says,
Come,
all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters.
Verse 3,
Come,
give ear,
come to me,
hear me,
that your soul may live.
So it was an invitation
for the people
to start again,
to come back to God,
to get back to their roots,
to get things right.
In fact,
God had promised them
a complete transformation.
in this new beginning.
In verse 5,
he says,
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you
will run to you.
So here is a nation presently in exile,
but he's telling them
that they are going to have
such a transformation,
it'll be such a new beginning
and a fresh start,
that not only are they going to come back
to their own land,
but that they are going to become a nation
that is so attractive
that other nations are going to run to them
and find the salvation
that they could have
from God as well.
So it seems that this God
who specialises in new beginnings
is determined
to put things right.
But I think we should know
that when we read through Isaiah,
and indeed anywhere through the Old Testament,
that as Isaiah spoke of this fresh start,
he was looking forward
to the ultimate new beginning.
Because as we saw in verses 1-5
the other week,
it all pictured,
it all pointed forward
to the coming of the Messiah,
God's chosen and appointed king
who would give the greatest fresh start.
The king, the Lord Jesus,
who invited people to come to him,
those who were thirsty,
those who were hungry,
said,
Come to me,
you will never thirst,
you will never hunger again.
Come to me and receive life,
receive eternal life,
receive that new beginning,
that fresh start
that only I can give.
So, here's God
coming to his people,
summoning them to say,
Come to me
for a fresh start
and a new beginning.
And we want to ask the question,
Well, how can we experience
this new beginning?
Well, as we start into the new year,
I want to give us
three things
that will help us
to experience
the new beginning.
And the first is this,
it is something
we can have.
Something we can have,
a new life.
God promised a fresh start
to his people,
but to experience it
for themselves,
it needed a response.
And if we want a fresh start
and a new beginning,
this is the kind of response
we need.
It must start
with urgent repentance.
Look at verse 7.
He says there,
Let the wicked
forsake his way
and the evil person
his thoughts.
Now, they're not words
that we would readily
use to describe ourselves.
We think of other people
as being wicked.
We think of murderers
and paedophiles
as being evil.
But here is God's description,
God's collective description
for all mankind
because it's very clear
that we've all turned away
from God.
We try to give ourselves
the fresh start.
We try to live without him.
We try to rule and run
our own lives without him.
And so the invitation
at the very beginning
is to come
and to repent.
It says to forsake
his way.
Literally,
it's to turn our backs
on trying to run
our own life.
And in turning back
from that,
we are to turn
to the Lord.
We are to accept
God's rule
over our life.
Not only are we
to turn away
from something,
to stop trying
to run our own life
and be in control
of our own lives,
but we are to turn
to the one
who is the ruler
over our lives.
And so as we start
into 2011,
this is the path
that we ought to take.
One that turns
from trying to run
and rule our own ways
and do our own thing
and to submit
our lives completely
to his rule.
But please note
that this is something
that we can't put off.
Look at verse 6.
It says,
Seek the Lord
while he may be found.
Call on him
while he's near.
So it's implying
that God will not
always be found.
He's not always
going to be near.
Presently he is.
Christmas has reminded us
that God came close
to us in Jesus Christ.
He did come near.
But there will come
a time where people
will look for him
and they won't find him.
People will call
but there will be
no answer.
And so there's something
of an urgency here
that we get our lives
sorted out quickly
while there is time,
while Christ
is here for us.
And it goes the same
not just for us
but for those
that we know.
It's no good
putting off
this invitation.
We must seek the Lord
while he may be found
and to call on him
while he's near.
It's a little bit
like the January sales
if any of you
have ventured into town.
The invitation
is here today.
Sale now on.
Come while the offer
is still available.
If you put it off
and wait until February
then it will be too late.
Everything will be gone.
And so God offers
this new beginning today.
He says,
don't wait until
it's too late.
Get it now
while it's available.
And for all of those
who avail of this offer
they won't be disappointed.
Look at the rest
of verse 7.
He says,
turn to the Lord
he will have mercy.
Turn to our God
and he will freely forgive.
So anybody who turns
at any time
will never be disappointed.
we receive the greatest
of fresh starts
because the slate
is wiped clean.
We are given
a brand new beginning.
And in many ways
this is just a sign
of God's amazing grace
towards us
because the way
in which God deals
with us
is beyond
our wildest dreams
and expectations.
Look at verse 8.
He says,
for my thoughts
are not your thoughts
neither are your ways
my ways
declares the Lord.
He doesn't give us
what we do deserve.
We deserve
to be punished.
We deserve
to be dealt with.
But instead
he gives us
what we don't deserve.
And we operate
as people
on the basis
that we must
earn everything
that we get.
we're judged
according to
our good performance.
Even our children
are brought up
because they're told
you won't get anything
unless you're good.
But God
doesn't deal
with us
in that way.
He deals
with us
with grace.
He says
in verse 7
as the heavens
are higher
than the earth
so are my ways
higher than your ways
and my thoughts
than your thoughts.
We are
completely different
to God.
We don't act
the same way
that God acts.
He deals
with us
so differently
than the way
in which we
deal with each other.
There's no way
that we can ever
get to God
through our own efforts.
There's no way
that we can enjoy
Him by the good
things that we do.
But yet God
is the one
who reaches down
into our lives.
My thoughts
are not your thoughts.
My ways
are not your ways.
I don't work
the way in which
the way you work.
I work differently.
I work by grace.
I intervene
into people's lives.
I give them
a new beginning
and a fresh start.
So he offers them
something to have.
A brand new life.
That is a brand new life
that we can have now.
But this is a life
that we can continue with
as we live a life
of repentance
and live a life
in God's grace
each and every day.
So that is something
for us all
to have.
A brand new life.
But the second thing
is that we have
something to share.
We have a new story
to share.
God's promise
of salvation
and a new beginning
was not just for Israel.
As verse 5
implied,
it would be
for all nations,
for all people.
So it seems
that this
new beginning
that God
has on offer
for his people
is something
that is to be shared.
Other people
are to be told
about it.
And it's the same
with our new life.
With our salvation.
Our story
is also
to be told
to other people.
And what's so amazing
about it,
when we do
tell our story,
it can have
an effect
on people's lives
that their lives
are also changed
and that they also
receive a brand
new beginning.
And the reason is
because of two things.
God's power
and God's promise.
Look at verse 10
at God's power.
It says,
As the rain
and the snow
come down from heaven
and do not return
to it without
watering the earth
and making it
blood and flourish
so that it yields
seed for the sower
and bread
for the eater,
so is my word
that goes out
from my mouth.
Now I think
we've all had
our fair share
of rain
over the year
and in recent weeks
we've had
our fair share
of snow
and everything else,
other forms
of precipitation
that have fallen.
And it's caused
a lot of chaos.
Some of us
have been without water.
Thankfully it's
back on.
But it's
very soon
we are going
to see the true effects
of all the water
and all the snow
that's fallen.
Seeds that fell
to the ground
earlier in the year
will begin
to germinate.
We'll see
small shoots
will appear
in the ground
and then they'll
grow into plants
and then we'll see
buds appearing
on the plants
and then they will
turn to blossom
and then the blossom
will turn to flowers,
the flowers will fall
and then we'll see
fruits
which will produce
more seeds
and more plants
and more fruit
for more people.
And all of these
effects,
it all happens
so naturally
that we don't
really take notice
of what happens.
But it's all
a result,
as we see in verse 10,
of the rain
and the snow
that falls.
Without the rain
there would be
no life.
And so,
verse 11,
so it is,
God says,
with my word
that goes out
from my mouth.
He's saying that
as the story
of God's salvation
is told,
it's like the effect
of rain
on the earth.
Now we might
think that
some seeds
look a bit dead
and rotten
and not up to much
and we can see
people as being
a little bit
unresponsive
and a little bit
dead and we think
that they can't
really respond
to God
and how are they
ever going to
experience the new life?
But when God's word
is spoken,
when his story,
when his salvation
is spoken
into people's life,
something powerful
happens,
a brand new life
begins to appear
and begins to take shape.
So God's power
in God's story
and his salvation
is powerful
but this power
also comes with
a promise.
Look at the rest
of verse 11.
It says,
it will not return
to me empty
but will accomplish
what I desire
and achieve
the purpose
for which I sent it.
So just as the rain
and the snow
falls
and has an impact
and the impact
is undeniable
because we see
brand new shoots
and new plants
coming up.
So it is exactly
the same
with God's word.
Look at the emphasis
in verse 11.
It says,
it will not return
to me empty.
It will accomplish
what I desire.
It will achieve
the purpose
for which I sent it.
You see,
when we receive
God's offer
of new life
we have been
given a story.
God's salvation
is also our story.
It's a story
that is to be told
because our life
has been changed.
Our life
has been transformed.
We now have
a story of hope
and of salvation
of forgiveness
of mercy
of grace.
And so when we
begin to speak
our story
to others
we can be assured
that God will do
his promised work.
And I want to
encourage us
over this coming year
and I want you
to think right now
of people
that you're going
to meet
and people
that you're going
to see
over this year
who you know
are not yet Christians.
People who
haven't yet experienced
God's new beginning
and new life.
And I want you
to be encouraged
not because of you
or because of
your words
but because of
God's power
and God's promise.
Because as you
begin to speak
your story
as you begin
to speak
that salvation
into other
people's life
there will be
effects.
That's God's promise.
It's not my
making it up.
This is God's
promise to us.
We mightn't see
the effects
immediately
just as the seeds
don't sprout
immediately
just as when
the rain falls
we don't see
immediate growth
but over time
in the coming
year
maybe even
next year
maybe in a
couple of years
God has promised
look at the promise
read it for yourselves
again in verse 11
it will not
return to me
empty
it will accomplish
what I desire
and achieve
the purpose
for which I sent
it.
As God's
story
as our story
of new life
is told
it will penetrate
deep into
people's lives
his spirit
will water
that word
hardened hearts
will be softened
and new shoots
will begin
and there will be
the beginnings
of new life.
Over the Christmas
we gave out
calendars
over the coming
year we'll be
giving out
the prodigal
son leaflets
that we've
put together
and we may
think what's
the point
in doing that
is anybody
going to read
it
will anybody
be changed
it's God's
words
it's powerful
and it comes
with a promise
and so here
is something
secondly
that we have
to share
we have a new
story
we've been given
a new beginning
a fresh start
and that new
beginning
and fresh start
is to be told
it's a story
for others
that they can
have
but the third
thing
that I want
to give us
this morning
is that we
have something
to enjoy
not only
have we been
given something
a new life
not only
have we
something to
share a new
story
but we
have something
to enjoy
a new
world
the bible
clearly
introduces us
to a God
who specialises
in new
beginnings
and one
day God
is going
to bring
about the
last
of his
new
beginnings
the new
heavens
and the
new earth
in all
its fullness
and this
new beginning
will be a
great celebration
look at verse
12
it says
you will
go out
in joy
and be led
forth in peace
the mountains
and the hills
will burst
into song
before you
the trees
of the field
will clap
their hands
it's pointing
forward to
the new
heaven
and the new
earth
and it's
like all
God's
people
and all
of nature
will be
joining
in this
great
celebration
it will
be a new
lease of
life
it's like
nature
becomes
everything
that it
was intended
to be
we see
so much
that is
broken
so much
that is
corrupt
things don't
work the way
it is
but here
in this
picture
it's almost
like the
hills
and the
mountains
are rolling
in excitement
the branches
of the trees
begin swaying
as they
clap their
their branches
together
creating
an enormous
sound
and it's
as if
God is
the conductor
conducting
this world
of nature
and his
people
bringing out
a wonderful
symphony of
praise and
celebration
as they
all come
together
now while
this is all
celebrations
to come
it is
something that
we can
begin to
celebrate
now
because it
was prompt
because it
has been
promised
it is
guaranteed
just as
God's
word
is promised
to have
an effect
it's
guaranteed
to do
a work
so God's
promise of
the new
heaven and
the new
earth is
promised
it's
guaranteed
so we
can
celebrate
today
what we
know
we are
going to
have
tomorrow
it's a
little bit
like
celebrating
the new
year
if any
of you
are at
a new
year
celebration
this year
you'll know
that the
party starts
well before
midnight
nobody turns
up at
twelve o'clock
we all
turn up
before twelve
o'clock
because we're
celebrating
in anticipation
of what's
to come
and then when
it strikes
midnight
everybody
celebrates
the poppers
go
the fireworks
go
the lanterns
go
or whatever
else you
saw on
new year's
eve
everything
happens
the party
begins
but the
celebration
begins
before that
in anticipation
of what's
to come
and it's
the same
way what
god has
promised
we can
begin to
celebrate
today
because
it is
guaranteed
but the
reason why
we can
celebrate
is because
the curse
has been
removed
the bad
is replaced
and the good
is restored
look at
verse 13
instead of
the thorn bush
will grow
the pine
tree
instead of
the briars
the myrtle
will grow
it's telling
us that the
curse is going
to be broken
there will be
no more
thorns
or briars
in life
no more
sharp
stings
no more
the sting
of death
no more
the sting
of anything
there will be
no more
pain
no more
sickness
no more
suffering
no more
death
and no
more disease
no more
disappointment
and no
more heartache
instead of
the curse
blessings are
going to
flow
across the
world
it says that
there will be
instead of the
briar
the myrtle
will grow
instead of the
thorn bush
the pine tree
will grow
the pine
and the
myrtle
were the
great
evergreens
symbolising
the fullness
and the
continuation
of life
it will be
beauty
upon beauty
the world
restored
to absolute
perfection
this is what
God is going
to do
and this is
what we can
celebrate today
it's already
ours
I don't know
if any of you
went to
the cinema
to see the
new
Narnia
the voyage
of the
dawn
treader
has anybody
seen it
yep
do you enjoy
it
yep
very good
recommend you
to go to
all Narnia
films and
read the
stories
full of
symbolism
it's wonderful
let me just
read to you
the books are
better than
the films
by the way
there's a lot
more in them
but at the
end of the
dawn
treader
they're seeking
to deal
with the
curse
there's been
a curse
and the
three lords
are sleeping
and they
want to
undo this
curse
and they've
got to
go to
the end
of the
world
to make
sure that
the curse
is lifted
and they're
setting off
across the
sea
and as they
go across
the sea
they're going
across a
sea full
of white
lilies
and they're
coming towards
the end
of the
world
and in the
book the
chapter is
called the
very end
of the
world
there was
no need
to row
for the
current
drifted them
steadily to
the east
none of them
slept or ate
all that night
and all next
day they
glided eastward
and when the
third day
dawned
with a
brightness
you or I
could not
even bear
even if we
had dark
glasses on
they saw
a wonder
ahead
it was
as if
a wall
stood up
between
them
and the
sky
a greyish
green
trembling
shimmering
wall
then up
came the
sun
and at
its first
rising
they saw
it through
the wall
and it
turned into
wonderful
rainbow
colours
then they
knew that
the wall
was really
a long
tall
wave
a wave
endlessly
fixed
in one
place
as you
may often
see at
the edge
of the
waterfall
they could
not have
even seen
even if
the sun
sorry
they could
not have
seen
even if
the sun
their eyes
had been
strengthened
by the
water
of the
last
sea
but now
they could
look at
the rising
sun
and see
it clearly
and see
things
beyond it
what they
saw
eastward
beyond the
sun
was a
range
of
mountains
it was
so high
that neither
they never
saw the
top of it
nor ever
forgot it
none of
them
remembered
seeing any
sky in
that direction
and the
mountains
must really
have been
outside the
world
for any
mountains
even a
quarter of
a twentieth
of that
height
ought to
have had
ice and
snow in
them
but these
were warm
and green
and full
of forest
and waterfalls
however high
you looked
no one
in that
boat
doubted
that they
were seen
beyond the
end of the
world
into
Aslan's
country
Isaiah the
prophet
who's been
writing for
us here
has also
been given
a bird's
eye view
into
Aslan's
country
we can
read of it
in Isaiah
65
if you want
to turn to
it there
Isaiah 65
As he
pictures
what is
to come
it's as if
he has
been given
a glimpse
beyond the
sun to be
able to look
beyond to the
sun to see
the new
creation
verse 17
behold I
will create
a new
heavens and
a new
earth
the former
things will
not be
remembered
nor will
they come
to mind
verse 20
never again
will there
be in it
an infant
who lives
but a few
days
or an old
man who
does not
live out
his years
he who
dies at
a hundred
will be
thought a
mere youth
he who
fails to
reach a
hundred
will be
considered
accursed
they will
build houses
and dwell
in them
they will
plant vineyards
and eat
their fruit
no longer
will they
build houses
and others
live in them
or plant
and others
eat
for as the
days of a
tree so
will the
days of
my people
my chosen
ones will
long enjoy
the works
of their
hands
they will
not toil
in vain
or bear
children doomed
to misfortune
for they
will be a
people blessed
by the
Lord they
and their
descendants
with them
verse 25
the wolf
and the
lamb
will feed
together
the lion
will eat
straw
like the
ox
but dust
will be
the
servants
food
they will
neither
harm
nor destroy
on all
my holy
mountain
says the
Lord
so this
is a
wonderful
new world
something
that we
have been
given
something
to enjoy
and this
new world
will be
God's
eternal
sign
back in
chapter 5
verse 13
at the
very end
says that
this will be
for the
Lord's
renown
for an
everlasting
sign
which will
not be
destroyed
the new
heaven
and the
new
earth
will be
God's
sign
that this
will never
be
there will
never be
a new
beginning
again
this will
be it
for all
eternity
never again
will we
have to
say
please
can we
start
again
because this
is a new
world
which we
have to
enjoy
so these
are three
things that
we have
been given
something
we've been
given a
new life
something to
share
a new
story
something to
enjoy
a new
world
and I just
want us to
think how
this very
briefly how
this affects
our past
our present
in the
future
if we
have a
new
life
the past
is forgiven
our sins
are forgotten
they are all
dealt with
at the
cross
each day
we can
find his
forgiveness
afresh
each day
is a fresh
start
each moment
is a fresh
start with
him
and it
affects the
present because
we have a
new story
this week
whatever your
situation
whether you're
employed or
unemployed
whatever may
come
we have the
greatest story
to tell
salvation
the new
beginning
the new
life
and we have
God's promise
of his word
that he will
do his work
in people's
lives
but we also
find that this
affects our
future
we don't
know what
the future
holds
a lot of
it is going
to be bleak
I can assure
you that as
we come into
a new year
with the way
the economy
is
all kinds
of things
will happen
to us
there may
be sickness
there may
even be
death
but we have
been given
the promise
of a new
world
a new
future
where everything
is taken
care of
where we
will rest
and celebrate
forever
in the new
heaven
and the new
earth
a day will
come
where we
will never
ever have
to say
please
can we
start again
because it
will all
be over
and we
will be
with the
Lord
so if you
are looking
for a
fresh start
Isaiah 55
is the place
to go to
and I
encourage you
to keep
turning to
that in
the year
that's ahead
let's pray
together
we'll just
take a
moment or
two
if anybody
would like
to pray
in response
to what
we've
heard
then please
feel free
to do
with
and if
I
will
close
to
B
or
see