The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.
Luke 4:18-19
In the Old Testament, we find that New Years were of major spiritual importance. No such view can be found in the New Testament, however '¦ and I wondered why.
I think that annual celebrations are absent from the New Testament because the focus shifts to what is truly important. Colossians 2:16-17 explains that the feast days and festivals were 'a shadow of the things that were to come. The reality, however, is found in Christ'. In Christ we pass from the temporary to the permanent.
Jesus did not come to establish a religious system, to give us rituals, special days, observances or any other traditions or commandments. That would be religion but Christ mentioned none of it. Some people like a liturgical style of worship with special trappings and garments but Jesus has never required them of us and, let's be clear about it, they do not save. They may mean something to individuals but they are meaningless to God.
For the children of God, Passover, for example, is not one day a year: 'Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival with the bread of sincerity and truth' (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). That important festival is not once a year but every day '“ without interruption.
When we look at things like that, the start of a new year does not mean a great deal. Figures on the calendar are blotted out by the glory of Christ. The flow of God's blessing, power and goodness is eternal, without reference to earthly times, dates or festivals.
However, Jesus did give us the Lord's Supper, inviting us to take bread and wine in remembrance of him. Why did he do that? Christ asked us to break bread and drink wine as an act of worship and devotion. It is not a saving act but it does recall his all-sufficient act of salvation. Only he did that! The only saving act that we will ever need is what he did when he gave himself and his blood was shed at Calvary. He stands before us as our great Saviour. Christianity is not a religious system founded by Jesus. It is Jesus himself!
JESUS LIVES FOREVER
In the Roman Empire, time was marked in reference to the ruler at the time. Tiberius, for example, was the Roman emperor for 23 years. When he died, events were dated as occurring in a particular year of the reign of Caligula, the next emperor. He was assassinated four years later and was succeeded by Claudius. Events were then reckoned with reference to his reign. He ruled for 13 years and is mentioned in Acts 11:28. He was succeeded by Nero, and so on. Interestingly, the dating system was always based on the living emperor and never on a past emperor '“ not even Julius Caesar although he introduced a calendar.
We date events according to Christ. Today is 2012 AD '“ 'Anno Domini', the year of the Lord. We date events with reference to him because he is not dead. He is the living and reigning Lord, who never dies and has no predecessor or successor. No other Lord will ever take his place.
We do not know exactly when Jesus was born, although it was probably in 4 BC. However, that is not important because Jesus Christ was the same yesterday as he is today and will be tomorrow. Christ's coming to earth gave true meaning to all human existence. Unless the world relates to him, it ultimately relates to nothing. Its significance rests on a relationship with him. 'What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?' (Matthew 16:26).
We do not know the date of Christ's second coming. Some Christians were adamant that Christ would return at the end of the second millennium '“ by our earthly calendars! That date has long passed by but any old day could be 'the day'. God has no sentimental regard for our special days or years.
With God every day and every year is special. For those who trust in God there are no lucky or unlucky numbers and no unlucky days like Friday the 13th. In fact, it is not luck but the blessing of God that is the overriding reality for God's people. The Psalmist said, 'Goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. My times are in your hands' (Psalm 23:6, 31:15). With God there are no ordinary days for he makes each day unique and extraordinary.
GOD IS WITH YOU AND IS FAITHFUL
The world lives from change but believers live from the unchangeable. The world lives through what is temporary, believers through what is permanent. So much time is wasted talking about the 'post-Christian era' but that is to rush to the wrong conclusions. The Christian era is eternal. It is the reality of the kingdom of God.
For the New Year 2012 I would like to present you with one tremendous fact from the Bible '“ God is with you and is faithful! Life for the believer is not haphazard, a matter of chance or fate. God is faithful and dependable. He is not affected by our fickle nature or dependent on our faithfulness, our constancy or our flawless spirituality. We may not be perfect Christians, but nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). We can lose a lot because of our sin and foolishness but we cannot get away from the love of God any more than we can escape from the air we breathe.
God the Father proclaims himself as the everlastingly changeless and faithful Lord. Christ promises never to leave us and tells us that the Holy Spirit will abide with us for ever.
A 366-day life journey through unexplored territory lies ahead of you in the New Year. Let this glorious truth be your guide and promise: God is faithful! He is with you! 'Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age' (Matthew 28:20). You can be sure of one thing: that applies to you!