Some Things Never Change
The New Year has finally arrived! Although there have been many jokes about 2020 sticking around for December 32nd, it didn’t happen. Maybe you stayed up until midnight to ring in the New Year or maybe you stayed up simply to say goodbye to 2020.
Last year brought many changes: Social distancing. Mask wearing. Working from home. Schooling from home. Sometimes even churching from home. Some of those changes lasted a while. Some of those changes continue, even into the start of this New Year.
I am thankful, however, that regardless of how things might change from year to year or sometimes even from day to day, there are some things that never change for those who have believed in Christ Jesus. Here are a few of those things.
Our Lord has not changed.
Hebrews 13:8 gives us this great reminder, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He simply does not change. This should be refreshing news for you in this New Year.
In all of the uncertainty that lay both behind us and before us, we have this great promise that our Lord is unchanging. And because our Lord has not changed, our hope has not changed… contrary to how it may feel at times. Thankfully, the truth does not rest in our feelings.
Our hope is in the Lord. Regardless of what happens with the virus, our hope is in the Lord. Regardless of what happens with American politics or even global politics, our hope is in the Lord. Regardless of both the small and at times large personal and family issues we might face in the New Year, our hope is in the Lord.
There is much that can change from yesterday to today, from last year to this year, but one thing that has never changed and will never change is Jesus. He was, is, and will always be unchanging.
Our mission to “Go” has not changed.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he gave this mission to the disciples that were present at the time. It is a mission that has belonged to every disciple since these words were spoken and it is a mission that belongs to us today.
Matthew 28:19-20, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Regardless of what has changed or what will change in the future, the church can trust that this call to make disciples has not changed. In 2021, the church must remain faithful to this mission both in and out of its walls. We must continue to “go” to every neighborhood and nation to share the good news that Jesus came into this world, died for the sins of mankind, was raised to new life, and is coming again.
Are there new challenges? Certainly. 2020 made sure to present plenty of new challenges. But, 2020 presented plenty of new opportunities as well. Both the challenges and the opportunities have traveled with us into 2021. There is good news, however. So did Jesus! His promise is that he will be with us to the end of the age. And since the end of the age has not yet arrived, the promise for him to remain with us still rings true this year, just as it did last year.
Our call to gather has not changed.
Hebrews 10:25, “not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
Read that again.
As believers it is our call to gather together. Thankfully, in a year like 2020 we were able to gather not just in-person, but also online. But, understand our habit, as believers should never be to neglect gathering. In fact, as we see the day of the Lord’s return approaching, we should gather all the more.
When we gather together, we are able to spur each other on in love. When we gather together we are able to hold each other accountable in our faith. When we gather together we are able to corporately worship our risen and returning King. When we gather together we are able to prepare together for our mission to go.
In 2021, don’t give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing. I encourage you; make gathering together with your local church body a priority for both you and your family. Make it a habit all the more as we see the day approaching. Begin this Sunday.
Plenty has changed in the last year. But, some things never change. For that, I am thankful.