December 28, 2025

FACING THE NEW YEAR WITH BOLDNESS

December 28, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

The end of another year. Does it seem as though it started only a few months ago? Or that Christmas, 2024, was perhaps six months ago? Life is flying by, and we must make sure we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Today’s sermon reminds us that, no matter what may come in 2026, everything goes through the hands of God first, and there is nothing that will enter our lives that He cannot control—or that He will not give us the stamina to get through. He is our Strength, our Defense, our Strong Tower. Let Him be God, throughout all of 2026, and beyond.

Focal Passage: Hebrews 10:19-25.

Our position:

  • Read Hebrews 10:19. Has it occurred to you how blessed we are to have God’s Word? Can someone describe what the sacrificial system was like, and what the Holy of Holies was for? Did the Jews have a personal relationship with God? Did they know they could love Him intimately? How can we make sure we are in a forgiven state when we approach God?
  • Read Heb. 4:16. What act of God changed the unity between Him and His adopted children? How does He want us to come to Him? We can each only speak for ourselves, but what are some reasons we hesitate to ‘come boldly’ before Him? How would you describe your position, as it is today, with Him (you don’t have to say it aloud)?
  • Read Eph. 1:3-10. Take each verse separately and look at the way God loves you—if you have accepted Jesus as Savior. Do you believe you are the recipient of all these? Read Eph. 2:1, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Pet. 3:18. How were we before salvation? Read Rom. 8:1, 2 Pet. 3:18, Gal. 5:16, 3:26, 1 Cor. 6:19-20. What relationship does God desire after we are saved?

Our access:

  • Read Heb. 10:20-22a. What do we mean when we talk of our access to God? Read 1 Tim. 2:5. Do you understand that on your own, you would not have any access to God? Why?
  • Read John 14:6, Eph. 2:18, Rom. 5:1-2. What do these verses teach us? Is this important to you? Read John 6:44, 65. Do you see that God has opened your heart to hear His word and believe? Read John 4:19. Is this true in your life?
  • God saw in Eden that man (humans) would choose evil, against His commands, so He planned for Jesus to pay for those sins. (1 Pet. 1:20). This is God’s gift to us. Why would anyone want to keep their lifestyle, rather than accepting God’s gift of eternal life?

Our redemption:

  • Read Heb. 10:22b Why did God have to plan redemption for mankind? Read John 6:37. Are you one of those whom God gave to Jesus? Read 1 Pet. 1:3-5. What did He do for us?
  • Read 1 Pet. 1:6-7. Does this sound like your life? Read vv. 8-9. Will you persevere through these trials? What is your reward?
  • Read 1 Pet. 1:13-19. This is how we will be fully following God in 2026. Is this you?

Our commitment:

  • Read Heb. 10:23. God gave you the invitation to come to Him. How did you respond? Have you grown in your faith? Do you consider yourself to be utterly devoted to Christ, willing to follow Him wherever He leads you? What will it take for you to fast during January? What will it take for you to knock on ten doors in March?

Now, let us ask again, how completely devoted to Christ are you? These are in His Word.

  • When Jesus makes a promise, do you believe it? Read John 14:3. Would you stake your life on this promise?
  • Why did Jesus tell us to guard our hearts from worrying about trouble, and not to let fear take hold over us? Read 2 Timothy 1:7. Where is our faith when we allow fear to attack us?

ACTION STEPS:

  • Commit to be fully devoted to Christ, willingly following Him wherever He leads. We should walk in worship, soak in the Word, focus on prayer, and believe His promises.
  • We must be fully committed to working together. Are there people you steer clear of? Pray daily for them. Praying and serving those with whom you don’t work well will encourage a new appreciation for the way Christ sees them.
  • We must be fully together as we worship, encouraging each other as we see the end approaching. If ill health does not keep you from church, are you there regularly? If the people annoy you, how are you going to love them in heaven? Rethink your attitudes, and pray you would see them in a new light.
  • Commit to: Following Christ more deeply in 2026 through Bible Study, Prayer, and Fasting; Focusing your efforts on building strong relationships rather than avoiding those people; Being an active member of the local church!

Close: 

Does 2020, with its lockdowns, sickness, and so much more, seem not so long ago—or is it now almost a dream? Back then, could we have anticipated still seeing repercussions from shots, sickness, working remotely, AI, and more as 2026 arrived? Matt Willmington asked this morning, did you have the worst year ever in 2025, or the best year? Was your health horrible, or did you have a year of blessings? In Ecclesiastes 8:6-7, Solomon speaks of the worry and frustration we sometimes experience because we are unprepared for calamities, for we usually do not know they are coming. But as we heard today, the bottom line is that God gave us all a year of food, air, life, and more. We may have had a year of pain, but we are still here, and God has been faithful. Perhaps we made baby steps—that is still a foot forward. He brought us through. We can think, praise Him, pray, read or listen to the Bible, go to church or watch it on a device, and worship in our hearts or with our voices. If at night we list our blessings, we will fall asleep before we have counted them all. Soon it will be 2027, and He will still be faithful. Trust Him.

By Sandy Day

December 28, 2025                                                                           

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