Why don't we turn our Bibles to 1 Corinthians 15? And as we do so, I want you to think again about what is the big deal about New Year's Day? I mean, after all, isn't it just another day on the calendar? Well, isn't it just the flip of a calendar to another month? Or isn't it just a difference of a single moment in time? You know, at least in our hemisphere, the moment that ball drops. Just that moment from one month to the next. Well, yes, that is all true, and some people don't really think it's that big of a deal. But a new year has been significant since the beginning of time itself. After all, didn't God create on the fourth day in Genesis 1, verse 14, the lights in the firmament of heaven? speaking especially of the stars and the sun and the moon, and he says, those are to be for signs and for seasons and for days and for what? For years. So new years have been significant since the beginning of time. And a new year does bring a lot with it, especially for those who are believers in Christ. Each new year of your life is like a mile marker on your road home to be with the Lord. And each one of those markers that you pass means that you are closer to your final destination, which is, of course, heaven itself. But even for the world in general, the new year brings time for reflection about what has happened in the past. In fact, on January 1st, 2022, a year ago, who knew that there would be some unprecedented firsts in our own country? We like to watch, my wife and I, those year-in-review things because so much has happened in just one year that you tend to forget. Well, here's a few things. Who knew that there would be a new associate justice on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court? And, of course, her name is Katonji Brown Jackson. But the unprecedented thing about this is she's the first black woman ever to serve in that capacity. Again, a first. Who knew a year ago that the same court would overturn the 50-year-old Roe versus Wade decision affirming that abortion is not a constitutional right? Again, this is unprecedented. One year. Who knew that the FBI would execute a search warrant for the very first time in the history of the United States at the home of a former president of the United States, even the last president, Donald Trump. Who knew? On a lighter side, who knew a year ago that a new record would be set by American astronaut Mark VandeHei for the longest spaceflight by an American? He actually completed 5,680 orbits around the Earth, traveling more than 150 million miles, and spending nearly an entire year in space, 355 days. That was unprecedented for an American astronaut. Or who knew that Elon Musk, who I think at one point, I don't know if he still is, the richest man in the world, he single-handedly changed the news and social media industry by just purchasing Twitter for $44 billion. I wonder if he's thinking that he got his money's worth. But he changed some things. Or who knew a year ago that the world's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, would erupt for the first time in nearly 40 years? Did you remember any of those things? And yet, that's just scratching the surface of all the things that took place last year and that really has made an impact for years to come. And so on this New Year's Day, we might wonder what is in store for this new year. What's in store for 2023? We don't know. What's in store for the world? What's in store for our country? What's in store for my family? And really, what's in store for our church? And that is why this morning, as has been our practice to do as a church on the first Sunday of the new year, we're going to take some time to review where we've been in God's word last year. as well as to preview where I believe God would have us to go and grow in His Word for this new year. So first, why don't we review where we've been since the beginning of 2022? Last year, just like we just sang, our theme was complete in thee. And of course, the thee of that song is our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are complete in Christ. And we find that great truth in Paul's letter to the Colossians, Colossians 2.10, which simply says that you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. So if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are complete in Christ. That means when you possess Jesus, you possess all. That may not be all that the world thinks that you need for life, but you possess all that you do need for life and godliness, because God has provided Christ to you and to me. And that is why on Sunday nights last year we looked at the foundation that we have on Christ. The foundation because even before the foundations of this world were laid, the foundation of Christ was laid and then revealed from the beginning of time, the beginning of creation, all throughout the Word of God. And so what we did Sunday nights and what we're going to finish up doing this Sunday night is we looked at how God unfolded for us His eternal plan of redemption through Christ in the Old Testament. And I know that we spent just about every Sunday night looking at Christ in the Old Testament. We'll spend a little bit more of that tonight, but just how rich the Old Testament scriptures are for us who know Christ and can learn more about Christ even from those passages and books in the Old Testament. You know, Jesus Himself demonstrated this in Luke 24. We were told that right after His resurrection He met with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, and Luke says that beginning at Moses, and of course that's referring to the first five books of the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, which we're going to start reading through in the Old Testament ourselves. Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Jesus knew that the Old Testament was about Him. And that's why it was important for us to spend time in the Old Testament looking for and learning about Christ there. And so following his example, we look for him in all kinds of ways as he is revealed to us and even promised to us in the Old Testament scriptures. And I do trust that that theme has actually enriched your own Bible reading and study of the Old Testament as you've progressed through our Take 20 or other Bible reading, because when you find Christ in the Old Testament, it really does put a whole new light on the entire scripture that we have. And I pray that you will find a stronger faith in Christ. But then, On Wednesday nights last year, if you remember, for our prayer meeting devotions, we looked at the fulfillment that we have in Christ. Not just His foundation, but the fulfillment. And the reason why, as Christians, we are complete in Christ is because, at the same time, we're actually united with Christ. This doctrine of union with Christ is such a precious truth for believers because that union is the very basis of all spiritual communion that we have with Him. So we looked at just about every reference in the New Testament that uses the phrase, in Christ, or in Jesus Christ, or in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason we did so was to learn that That phrase is used different ways in the New Testament. If you recall, there are three main ways. We're told about what God the Father has done for us in Christ. Do you remember? And God the Father has done so much for us in and through Christ, His only begotten Son. Here's just a snippet of what we looked at. God the Father provides for us in Christ. God the Father pours out His grace upon us in Christ. God the Father enriches us in Christ. God the Father loves us in Christ. God the Father does so much for us in Christ, and that's why we owe everything to God for the great gift that Jesus is to us as his people. We're then further told about what we now have as Christians in Christ. And again, so much, we have so much in Christ. Again, this is just from a couple of passages in the New Testament. We have righteousness in Christ. That is, even when we fail in our duty and our righteousness, yet we have a righteousness that does not belong to us, that is full and perfect, and it's the righteousness of Christ. And that's the righteousness that God the Father looks at to justify us before Him. We have Christ's righteousness. We have redemption in Christ. Of course, because of that redemption, we have hope in Christ. And because we have that hope in Christ, we now can have joy in Christ. And there's so many other things that we have. in Christ. Spiritual possessions in Christ. But then we're also told about all that we now can do as Christians in Christ. So there's things God the Father does for us, there's things that we have in Christ, and now there's things that we can do in Christ. Jesus himself makes it possible for us to love more like Christ. to speak for Christ, to be faithful to Christ, and even, when it comes time, to die in Christ. So, go through the New Testament, whether it's that one time this year or two times this year, and key in on that phrase, in Christ. And look and see, is it something God the Father does for us, something that you have now in Christ, or something that you can do in Christ? Because this precious truth, to be in Christ, means that we are completely fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. And that truth is a transforming truth. Remember 2 Corinthians 5.17, Paul says, if any man be in Christ, he is what kind of creation, what kind of creature? He's new. All those old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And all those things that we have and can do in Christ are things that we could never have done, never had, without Him, when we were outside of Christ. So that's part of what it means to be complete in Thee. But then we also considered the fellowship that we have with Christ, the fellowship that we have with Christ, with a goal that Paul described for us in Philippians 3.10, that I may know Him. You see, to know Jesus was Paul's greatest desire, wasn't it? And that really ought to be our desire for this new year. To know Jesus more. To know Jesus better. To know Jesus was his greatest desire, and not just to know more about him, not just information, but to know him personally and intimately. And that's why we started learning more about Jesus on Sunday mornings by going through the Gospel of John. who John himself invites us through his book to know Jesus and really to believe more on Jesus as he did. So that's some of the highlights of where we've been in 2022. And I pray and trust that those services were something that enriched your own life and caused you to think more like Christ and live more for Christ. But for this year, I want to provide now a preview, a preview of where we're going. You've already seen the theme for this year in our Adult Sunday School class, as well as the title of the message guide, and that is Victory in Jesus. I know that particular hymn is a favorite for a lot of you, but I think it's appropriate, especially when we think about all the things that we will face that we don't know about in this new year. We can find this theme here in one of Paul's letters in 1 Corinthians 15, where he describes the hope that all Christians have because of the resurrection of Christ. Of course, we know that the gospel is presented in 1 Corinthians 15, and then he really focuses on the resurrection of Christ and the benefits of his resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. But I'd like to pick up there in verse 51 of 1 Corinthians 15 and read through verse 58, where Paul says, Behold, he's referring to believers in Christ who've accepted this good news, this gospel of salvation. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. We shall all be changed. Every believer in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must be put must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the same that is written Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? Oh, grave, where is thy victory? Oh, the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. First Corinthians 1557 is going to be our theme verse for this new year. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory. through our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, victory in Jesus. So here in these verses, Paul first describes the promise of victory, the promise of victory that we have in Jesus when we believe in Him. And the promise of victory is given to us as a promise of change, a change that is something that we fully, really can't comprehend at this point in our life. In fact, that promise of change is given there in verse 51. He says, we shall not all sleep. That is, we will not all die. but we shall all be changed. So even though not every Christian will die, and that is still a promise yet for the future, every true Christian will one day be changed, be transformed, and that change is even described for us in a verse that we didn't read, verse 49, where Paul says, because as we have borne the image of the earthy, here's the promise, here's the change, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now the earthly is dealing with Adam. We're all people, we're all human beings, and we bear the image of our earliest father and earliest mother, Adam and Eve. But if we know Christ is our savior and we have his resurrection, we're united to that, guess what? We shall one day bear the image of the heavenly, even the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And so whether you're dead or alive, at the time here of Jesus' coming, every Christian will be changed. And God will change us into the image of our incorruptible Savior, Jesus Christ. And that, my friend, is victory. That's victory. But that's just part of the victory that we have in Jesus. Because all who have a transformed heart will one day be given a transformed body, and that body will be fit for heaven. But there's more to this victory. So that truth leads Paul there in verse 57 to express his great praise for the victory that we have in Jesus. Again, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which giveth us that victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You see, when Jesus returns to rapture his people who are living, as well as to resurrect his people who have died. When that happens, something else will happen. What's gonna happen? Death itself will be defeated. Death itself will be defeated. It will be, according to verse 54, swallowed up in victory. That is actually a direct fulfillment of an ancient prophecy found in Isaiah 25, verse 8, and that final victory will be accomplished over death, but not just death, but everything that leads to death and culminates with death. It's death and everything that's related to death. For example, it'll include the dangers of this fallen world, the dangers that can often threaten death and lead to death, even for the people of God, that will all be gone at this moment, when that final victory is obtained. Also, the depravity of our own flesh will be gone. You know, even today as Christians, we still live in a fallen body and we still have fallen lusts and we still have fallen desires. But there will come a day where there will be a final culmination of victory over all of those things. And even that depravity will be gone. And that, of course, will also lead us to that great victory over the devil himself. And since that victory comes to us through our risen Christ, death is no more threat to us. In fact, in verses 55 and 56, it's almost as if Paul is mocking death itself. He says, you have nothing over me, death. Even Jesus said to his followers, you don't have to fear what man will do to you. Don't fear those that can kill your body, even though we think, well, that's certainly the worst they can do to us. And Jesus says, you're right, that is the worst they can do to you, because they cannot kill your soul. And if you know that you are a child of God, and you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation from sin, guess what? To be absent from that body, even if you are killed, is to be present with the Lord. So really, death is no threat to God's people. Death is no threat to you. And that's why Paul asks, where's your sting, O death? He's talking about kind of the sting of a bee or a sting of a scorpion, which is painful. But he says, that has no pain over me anymore. Because for believers in Christ, the pain of death is absolutely gone. He might even be asking and mocking, where's your success, O death? Because for believers in Christ, the permanence of death is over at this moment. Where's your strength, O death? The power of death is no more for believers in Christ. Death is no more threat to us. And that deserves our praise. That's why Paul says, thanks be to God. As we go throughout this year and we think about the victory that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, whether it is past, present, and future, we ought to thank God each and every day. We ought to always have something to praise God for because we have that victory in Christ. But not only that, even more, not only does death have no more threat to us, death has no more triumph over us. You see, Jesus Christ, through His gospel, gives us victory. He gives us victory over that which convicts us, even God's law. We spent an entire Sunday evening series a few years ago looking at the law of God, the moral law of God, the Ten Commandments, which, again, is holy and just and good. It is something that we ought to go back to every single day, even, and consider that it reflects God in His full glory. But as we do that, we realize that it convicts us, doesn't it? I haven't kept God number one in my life. I haven't stuck with the truth every day of my life. I've been unfaithful in different ways, shapes, and forms. And yet, here we have this promise that even the conviction of God's law has no triumph over us. Why? Because we're trusting in Jesus, who actually fulfilled all of the law for us. We're not resting in our own acts. We're not resting in our own accomplishment of God's law to make our way to heaven. We're resting in the accomplishment of Jesus in keeping all that law for us. We're resting in His righteousness, not our own. And that's why even the conviction that we face ought to bring us back to the gospel. Oh, sometimes we do feel heavy with guilt because of our sins and our crimes against God, even today. And yet it brings us back to the throne of God's grace, the gospel. recognizing that we do not stand on our righteousness because that is like shifting sand. We stand on the righteousness of Christ. Again, Jesus gives us victory over that which convicts us. He also gives us victory over that which condemns us. And of course, that is our sin. We stand condemned because of our sin. And yet what does he do? God because of Jesus has removed all of our sin from us when we believe in him. Psalm 103 verse 12 says, as far as the east is from the west, so far have he removed our transgressions from us. So every sin that you committed last year, 2022, if you have Jesus Christ as your savior from that sin, guess what? That sin has been forgiven. That sin has been separated from you. And you have victory even over that sin. Victory over that which condemns you. You have no condemnation if you are in Christ. That is another thing that we have. But even more, Jesus gives us the victory over that which ultimately would cost us, and that is death. Remember, death is what separates man from God. That was the intended purpose, to punish man. And yet now we don't have to worry about death itself. Death has no more threat to us. Death has no more triumph over us because he destroyed death. Jesus destroyed death through his life. And for that, for all of that, we can be thankful. And again, fill our mouths with the words of praise, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So that's gonna be our theme for this new year. Victory in Jesus. To develop that theme in our Sunday school class, we're actually gonna continue to look at the great promise of victory, which is what we find there in the book of Revelation. That is the final victory that is foretold in vivid pictures, right? In vivid ways. And so that's really our hope, is as we explore more of the book of Revelation, we see again the victory of Jesus yet in the future. Of course, our morning messages, we're going to keep going through the Gospel of John in that series, and we're going to learn more about the great person of our victory. We don't have victory in anybody else but Jesus. Not through anybody that we're related to, not through anybody that we know, but only through Christ. In our evening services, though, we're going to do things a little differently. We're going to look at the great progress of victory. That is, the progressive victory that we can have in Christ in our daily walk with Him. We're going to have several series throughout the year that will actually help us to fight the good fight of faith. You know, the Christian life is a battle. There's spiritual warfare going on each and every day. The Bible says that the devil is like a lion. He walks around seeking whom he may devour. And if that's even possible for his elect, that's something he desires to do. And so we are threatened by that, though we have victory, and we can have more victory, more victory over sin, more victory over our flesh, more victory over the world in us, more victory over the devil himself. And so we're going to look at how the spiritual warfare can be waged through the spirit of God, through his word. So we're going to look at several different series throughout this Sunday night's services so that we can experience more victory. But then on Wednesdays, of course, one of the great things that we have for victory is the Word of God. Ephesians 617 said it's the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And so we're actually going to be using our Take 20 Bible readings as the setting for our studies each Wednesday before our prayer time. So it might be something that we've read a week before, or two weeks before, or even three weeks before. And as the Lord has spoken to us through that word, we're going to share what God teaches about his word, and use that weapon of God's word to help each other fight this good fight of faith. One other thing that we're gonna do through this month of January, though, is we're actually gonna see some great pictures, video pictures of victory. We're going to watch some videos through the rest of this month that actually portray the victory of Jesus today in some of the earliest places the gospel reached. The same producers and really the same person, Tim Cassee, that did the dispatches from the front that we looked at a number of years ago was actually coming out with another series called Luke's Dispatches and going through the Book of Luke, or the Book of Acts with Luke, to some of the key areas that the Gospel first went to. And even though it might seem like the Gospel has fallen away in many of those places, He will show that the victory of Jesus is still as strong as ever, and is penetrating some of those places even as they did before. So we're gonna start that off next Sunday night. But all in all, we need to see with our eyes and feel with our hearts in a fresh new way that we can only find our victory in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are complete in him, and we have our victory in him. And so that is our theme for this year. Victory in Jesus. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you again that we've been able to look at so many places from your word this year that taught us about Christ. Lord, we've learned about Christ in the Old Testament. We've learned about Christ in the New Testament. We've looked at how we are united with Christ when we believe in him. And Lord, we look forward to seeing how you will teach us even more about Christ and the victory that we have in him. And so, Father, I pray that you'll teach us. Help us to have humble spirits and humble minds that you will teach us of what this victory entails. Oh Lord, we know that we already have victory. There's this past aspect of victory that we have in Christ because when Jesus died on the cross, he accomplished something there for his people. He paid the price and the penalty for every sin that we have ever committed and will commit. Jesus paid it all and all to him we owe. And so yes, Jesus achieved victory on that cross. What the world thought would finish him is actually what finished them. And so Father, we thank you for the victory that we already have in Jesus. And Lord, we look forward to the final victory where all the final vestiges of sin and death and the devil itself will be cast away and we will never have to worry about any of those things ever again. We don't even have to feel the effects of sin in our life. Oh, Father, we pray even as John did it toward the end of his book of Revelation. Even so, come Lord Jesus. That's our longing. That's our desire. That's what we're looking forward to. That is the glorious hope that we have in the appearing of Christ, that final victory. But Lord, we also know that we need a present victory. We still struggle. We still struggle with temptation in our lives. We still struggle with sin in our lives. We still have that old flesh that, even though dead, still seems like it's alive sometimes. So, Lord, we need your help for victory. Oh, Lord, we need your help for victory over this world. Lord, I think so often we, as even Christians, get so cozy and friendly with this world system that is still so opposed to you. that we forget that we have victory over this world and we need a greater victory over this world. And yet so often, Lord, we do love this world and the things that are in this world. And yet we are told not to. Teach us, Lord, what it means to love not the world and to not have more of the world in us than even you in us. And so, Father, I pray that you'll give us a greater, progressive, present victory, even over this world. And, of course, Lord, we need your strength and help for victory, even today, over the devil. Lord, he does desire to take us out of commission, to take us out of the way to do your work and your will. And so Lord, I pray that you'll help us to beware of him and his power, his wiles, but recognizing again that greater is he that is in us even than he that is in this world. So Father, I pray that there will be a more progressive victory in our lives even this new year, a victory that can only come in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, Father, I pray your blessing upon this new year. I pray, O Lord, for those who are not able to make it here today, Lord, to be able to start this new year with us. I know many would have desired to be here if they could. And so, Father, I pray that together we will realize that we're in this battle. We're in this warfare together and that we need each other to help us through these times. We're thankful that we have each other to be able to feast upon your word together and to grow together. So, Father, I pray that we will experience a greater victory this year than we ever have before. For it's in Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen.