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Content type: Sermon Poem / Prayer Service / Tribute Incomplete Biography
Body: Cane Creek Friends Meeting 1/05/25 Should old acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot In the days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear For auld lang syne We'll drink a cup of kindness yet For the sake of auld lang syne And surely, you will buy your cup And surely, I'll buy mine! We'll take a cup of kindness yet For the sake of auld lang syne We two who've paddled in the stream From morning sun 'til night The seas between us roared and swelled Since the days of auld lang syne For old acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind Should old acquaintance be forgot For the sake of auld lang syne? For old acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind Should old acquaintance be forgot In the days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear For auld lang syne We'll drink a cup of kindness yet For the sake of auld lang syne In many Christian communities, “Auld Lang Syne” is seen to honor God and give thanks for the blessings of the past year. The song is often sung in church on New Year's Eve or during special services on New Year's Day to reflect on the past and give thanks for the blessings of the present. I hope that all of you have had a happy new year so far. And I hope that you’ve all made your New Year’s Resolutions, and that you’ve all kept them up to this point. This lady may have missed the point of New Year’s Resolutions. With an eagerness to make some changes in her financial habits, the lady called her credit card company and said, "I’d like to pay off my Master Card. Do you take Visa?" I checked the internet for someone’s New Year’s Resolutions regarding losing weight, and here’s one I found that encompassed seven years. Year 1: I will get my weight down below 180. Year 2: I will watch my calories until I get below 190. Year 3: I will follow my new diet religiously until I get below 200. Year 4: I will try to develop a realistic attitude about my weight. Year 5: I will work out 5 days a week. Year 6: I will work out 3 days a week. Year 7: I will try to drive past a gym at least once a week. But here’s a New Year’s Tradition that most people take part in. They sing this song, Auld Lang Syne. Do you know what it means? The song, "Auld Lang Syne," is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700’s, it was first published in 1796 after Burns’ death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scotch tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days." Yes, the good old days. We remember them. Why do we relish the opportunity to reflect on the good old days? The problem with this is, if we spend our time in the past, we’ll miss the present. Too many Christians are fighting for the good old days, and they are missing the present days where the fight needs to be. However, to do that, we need to start by making sure we are not stuck in the past. Of course, we remember the good old days. When there were 50 people in Sunday School and this Meeting was often packed. But times have changed, and so have the people. Some of you might want to re-live the past, because then, you wouldn’t have to deal with the pain of the present. You remember relationships before they were broken. You remember what it was like before the loss of a loved one. You remember when things were footloose and fancy-free, but now the money is tight, and the bills are due. And sometimes we lie awake at night, thinking, dreaming, wishing of days that had gone by—the good old days. And we desire to go back to them and relive them. Well, today, we are going to get ourselves out of the past. And to do that, I want you to turn in your Bibles to **Isaiah 43**. And if you are not familiar with this chapter, I want to challenge you this morning: become familiar with it. There are about 26 days left in this month; read this chapter a few days through this month. Let me give you a brief outline of this chapter, so you know what’s going on, and then we will focus on two verses this morning. The first seven verses tell of God’s faithfulness to his people, here it’s the people of Israel. But in reality, this speaks of God’s character, which is true throughout all of time. So, we see that God will be with us and remain faithful to us. Verses 8-13 speak of God telling his people that they are his witnesses. The rest of the chapter speaks of what God is going to be doing for his people. And this morning, let’s focus on verses 18-19. 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Now, who’s speaking here? God, of course! What is He telling us to do? Two things—forget the past and look and see what I’m doing **now**. For the Israelites, he was telling them how he was going to deliver them. In fact, he says it just a few verses earlier. Remember how I saved you through the parting of the seas in leaving Egypt? Forget that. I’m going to do something completely different. Something that will blow your mind, but that which will ultimately redeem you. And the same God who said to his people over 2500 years ago—forget the past, look and see what I’m doing now, says the same thing to us today. To the one who has blown it, made more mistakes than they can count: forget the past. I give new slates every day. To the one who wishes for the good old days, forget them. Forget them, because God’s now into different things. To the one who is lonely, He says forget those thoughts—I’m with you right now, and I’m making a way for you. The point is this—you may be living in the past, looking toward it, reliving it, longing for it. God says, forget it. Look to me, He says. I’m doing a new thing. Here’s the reassurance, found in **Isaiah 43****; 20-21**. 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. You may be overwhelmed because of what has happened and unsure of what the future holds because of what has happened in the past. God says, forget it. Don’t dwell on it. Don’t let it consume you. Don’t let it run and ruin your life. Because God is doing something great in your life. I’m going to do something great, something new, something you’ve never expected. You know what it is? The Bible gives us a hint in **Philippians 1:6**. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ return. That means that no matter what, God is working in your life. He may work through the tragedies that occur. He may work through the good times, and through the bad. The certain thing is, He is working. He is doing something new. And He invites us to forget what might have happened and look and see what He is doing now. Because He is the God who makes the way for His people. And for the coming New Year, I can’t think of a better message for the church. The church can settle for the same old things, the same old way of doing things, but God may have moved on to something different. I’m not suggesting the church change everything, but here’s what I am saying. Are churches stuck in the past, while God is calling them to look and see what he’s doing now? Too many churches are dying today because they are not forgetting the old ways of doing things and aren’t spending time trying to find where God is now. Let’s not let this Meeting be one of those churches. Let’s look for God and where He is now. **Hebrews 11:6** says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Are we seeking God, or are we living in the past? Maybe you’ve been listening this morning, and you’re thinking, “John, there’s no way I can just forget the past. I’ve done too much to just flip the switch on the past and forget it.” Maybe you’ve experienced so much pain that you can’t even begin to think how you can let it go. Well, I can’t tell you that I know how you feel. In many ways, I’m not able to sympathize, because I haven’t gone through what you have gone through. But I can tell you this—God knows. God knows all those things in the past; the ugly, and painful things that you can’t forget. And here’s what he says to us—give it to me. The Bible says to cast all of our anxieties on Him, because he cares for you. Have you honestly done that? Have you honestly cried out your heart to God? Look at the book of Psalms. It is filled with men of God who poured their hearts out to God. They don’t hold anything back. And I would encourage you this morning; if you cannot forget the past, confess it and give it to God. He wants it; give it to Him and seek Him now. Today, remember the truth of **Isaiah 43**. Don’t dwell in the past; look and see where God is. Seek him now, in the present. He rewards those who earnestly seek him. As we prepare to step into 2025, God is calling us to embrace a season of new beginnings. The past may have been filled with challenges, disappointments, or even triumphs, but He reminds us not to dwell on what has been. Instead, He invites us to open our hearts to the new things He has in store. 1. Let Go of the Past The scripture begins with a command: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Often, our past can hold us hostage, whether it's through regrets, failures, or even former successes. Trust God to take the weight of your past so you can step forward in freedom. 2. God Is Doing a New Thing “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” God is always at work, creating opportunities and opening doors that align with His divine purpose for our lives. This new thing isn't hidden; it's springing forth, ready to be embraced. Spend time in prayer and reflection, asking God to show you the new things He is orchestrating in your life for 2025. 3. Provision in the Wilderness “I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” The wilderness represents places of desolation and uncertainty, but God promises provision and guidance. Even in the driest seasons, God will provide streams of refreshment and direction. Trust in God’s ability to bring life to barren areas of your life—be it relationships, finances, or faith. 4. 2025: A Year of Renewal and Purpose God’s new beginnings are not random; they are intentional and purposeful. He is aligning our lives with His kingdom plan. Step into 2025 with faith, committing your goals and desires to God. Embrace this new season not only for personal growth but also to serve and uplift others. --- Closing Encouragement As we move into 2025, let us declare it a year of fresh starts, open doors, and renewed purpose. Remember the words of **Isaiah 43:18**–19 as a foundation for the year: God is doing a new thing. Let us step boldly into it with faith and expectancy. --- Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank You for the promise of new beginnings. Help us to release the past and embrace the new things You are doing in our lives. Guide us through the wilderness and provide streams in every wasteland. As we enter 2025, may we walk boldly in faith, trusting in Your provision and purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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