The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary Sermon for 1/4/26

“Father, Please Give Us” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

G.K. Chesterton said, “The object of the New Year is that we should not have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul...”

Father, please give us. Let’s look at this familiar passage of scripture as we step into a new year,

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

These words are pure wisdom from God written down by Solomon.

You’ve probably heard me say that these are the times of our lives, as they’re the only times we have. So, as we are not even into a week of this new year, I’m reminded how much I like the notion of fresh starts and second chances. How about you?

I don’t know what animal the year 2025 was on the Chinese calendar, but I’m pretty sure it had rabies. Looking over our shoulder at the cultural rubble, and the world’s weary wars, the year neared its conclusion and the nation celebrated New Year’s Eve in a thoughtful and subdued mood. In some actual festivities around the world, the celebratory ball wasn’t shown dropping in NY city and the crowd reveling in Bejing stood waiting for fireworks at midnight and got—nothing. I’m sure people still got drunk and threw up with hangovers, but they were probably doing it in a subdued and thoughtful manner, because nobody knows what 2026 will bring.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but many things interrupted our lives last year. Throw in your garden variety of sickness, struggles and trials. There were scheduled surgeries and some unexpected ones. Some experienced the death of a loved one or a relationship. There were hopes that never materialized and plans that didn’t come to fruition. I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know, for we’re still living through it. We are, aren’t we?

Living, I mean.

At the beginning of this new year let’s see the glass half full. Let’s think of what we’ve gained rather than what we’ve lost. Let’s focus on what to learn from our experiences 0f 2025 to help us grow and move ahead. As Christians we need to look forward through fresh eyes of faith, hope and love. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on.” Let’s face it. Spending the rest of your life looking over a shoulder to the past, instead of setting your eyes toward the future is a debilitating thing that’s detrimental to your soul and wellbeing.

I see the turning of the calendar to a new year as a big deal. Doesn’t the idea of a clean slate appeal to you? Doesn’t the chance to start anew sound great? I’m not suggesting that you make a list of New Year’s Resolutions. In fact, I’d advise against it, they’re made only to be broken for the most part. Like the guy said, “The only resolution I’ve kept is by not making any more resolutions.”

Perhaps there’s a better way. Remember the advice Jesus gave about just taking care of today and not biting off tomorrow’s troubles? He said that each day has challenges enough of its own.

New Year 2026 is God’s gift to you. The fact that you were able to get up out of bed this morning is a gift. Today is a gift as is every other day that’s been afforded you, so live your best life. Not in fear, anxiousness, or regret but with gratitude, gratefulness, and joy.

The Lord spoke through his prophet Isaiah saying, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” With his presence and a one day at a time attitude, creative new things will come out of the waste and void of the past. I’m not sure what living your best life means to you, but you do.

Won’t you purpose to do that this year? Think about this. Time is the thing you spend that you will never get back. Spend your time wisely, invest in what’s important. Invest in what’s urgent. Live your best life.

Some of you probably remember a song that we frequently sang here years ago on any given Sunday. We sung it so often that the worship team would say, “Aw, man. We’re singing this again?” I’d nod and say, “Yep.”

A part of it went like this:

Give me one pure and holy passion.

Give me one magnificent obsession.

Give me one glorious ambition for my life,

To know and follow hard after you.

Anyone remember it? You see, it had become a prayer to me, for you and The Sanctuary. That’s why we sing any certain song here as often as we do. It becomes a prayer to us that we sing to God.

So, I have a prayer for us all to pray this new year.

Let us pray,

Father, please give us a new year. Not just a new number, but a truly new year. Give us a year full of new things, new adventures, new attitudes, and visions. Lord, give us a new year full of new ideas and refresh our old ones. Give us new relationships, renew our current ones.

Father, give us a new year. Give us a new one holy passion song. Give us a new memory. Give us a new image of your Son and help us to show his image to those who are new to you. Give us new thoughts and new things that replace old worn-out thinking and things.

Father, give us a new year. The year that has just ended was difficult. There were struggles and frustrations and disappointments that we didn’t handle so well. Give us a better spiritual insight that will help us deal with the struggles, frustrations and disappointments that will come this year.

Father, give us a new year. Give us a year filled with new ministries, new opportunities, new voices, and new messages. Help us hold on to the things that are worth holding and help us let go of the things that are empty and have served their purpose.

Father, give us a new year. Give us a year that is not controlled by fear. A year in which we are not afraid of the 24-hour news cycle. A year when this nation needs your guidance and help perhaps more than ever. A year when we are not afraid of ideas that are new, of plans that are new, and places that are new.

Father, give us a new year. Give us a year filled with new love. A new love for You. A new love for each other. A new love for your Kingdom. A new love for all people.

Father, give us a new year. Help us put the old one to bed. Help us to leave the things of the past in the past. Help us look forward. Help us look beyond what we can see, to what You have planned for us that we cannot see. Help us move forward with confidence and courage, humility and gentleness.

Father, give us a new year. Help us, in this New Year to completely surrender to You and what You have planned for us in this year filled with new things. May they all come to pass according to your will.

We ask these things in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And everyone said…

Amen.

This is the Word of the Lord for the day.