The Challenge of Preaching on the New Year: Thoughts from the Founder’s Desk

I’ve often found it a bit difficult to preach on the subject of the New Year. Yes, of course there are themes of newness of life and the new creation, and these seem appropriate connection points to a time when we say goodbye to one year and hello to to a new one.

But for me, it’s always felt a bit artificial. But yesterday, while waiting in line for a COVID test (yes, it is 2021 after all), I began reading through a collection of sermons by Eugene Peterson, published just this year under the title, “This Hallelujah Banquet.“

Eugene’s writings have been for me, as they have for so many others I know, “a balm for the soul.”  They constantly draw us back to the God of the scriptures, while simultaneously drawing a contrast with the “good life” offered by the consumerist world in which we live.

With all that said, Eugene deftly contrasts this “worldly New Year sentiment” with a Biblical picture of the future from the Book of Revelation, part of which is found below. I pray that this, along with the beautiful prayer from TPW contributor Lisa Degrenia, to be an encouragement in the days and year ahead,

Blessings,
Stu