New Year, Same Sermon!

Summary

In this episode, Kevin discusses the repetitive nature of New Year's sermons in churches, emphasizing the need for accountability among preachers and parishioners. He highlights the importance of biblical literacy and encourages a mindset shift from expecting blessings to seeking ways to serve God in the new year.

Transcript

Kevin (00:02.67)
The saying goes, are two things in life that are certain, death and taxes. Well, I'm not going to argue with that well-known axiom that is true. Everyone's going to die, and especially if you're in America, you are going to pay taxes. You may get away, your IRS uncle Sam is going to catch up with you. But you know what else is also a certainty? So often, there's a certain thing that we know that's certain like death and taxes. Every New Year's Eve service at just about every church, you hear.

The same old sentence. Now I'm not trying to rant on your parade if you're watching this and you're thinking, oh my goodness, I'm coming into the new year with optimism. I got my new year's resolution list ready. I want to do great things. I'm commissioning myself. I committed myself to the gym, committed myself to Bible reading, committed myself to ministry. I'm not telling you not to do any of those things. What I'm going to deal with in this episode in this is close to my heart as a preacher.

And this stemmed, really, if I'm honest, this is the third episode that I settled on when I was going to do a New Year's episode. But those who have been watching me, my last episode I did, I said I was going to do something for New Year's Eve. This is the third different episode because the first two, I felt like the Holy Spirit didn't want me to do those. But this episode came to me as a result of two things. One, I had the privilege of preaching.

not on New Year's Eve, but on the 29th. And I basically preached a New Year's sermon. So it was this kind of expression in my head. But then also I had been seeing a bunch of different sermons of preacher. I watch other preachers. And what I had noticed is that pretty much, not all, because I haven't seen every church in every sermon, the rhetoric is still the same. The sermons are not geared for Christ. They're geared for the Christians. Telling you

This is your year telling you God's going to bless you, telling you God's going to fix it. God's going to move blessings on blessings on blessings. Now am I saying God's not going to bless you in 2025? Hopefully he does. But is that should be the mantra that a Christian lives on as we go into the new year. Now last episode I mentioned this text. I'm going to read the scripture again. This is the scripture.

Kevin (02:28.952)
That was actually, if you go to most of the Bible apps, this was the scripture for New Year's Eve. And I guarantee you most churches refer to this scripture. As a matter of fact, as I looked online, I saw a lot of people sharing the scripture of the day. And this was the scripture. And it's Isaiah 43.19. And it says, see, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. So of course that's good news. You're hearing God making a way. Now, of course, I need you to watch my last week's episode when I talk about different extremes of faith. So now you see what this scripture is in a proper context. I'm not going to break down that scripture, but my point is that particular scripture is used to get people again, to pump you up, to have you believe in that. Yes.

This is my year because God's going to do a new thing. Everything that happened in 2024, old, bad, and some of us may have had a bad year. My 2024 was not the best, if I'm honest. So who does not want to hear that this is going to be your year? And again, not to say that it can't be. Hopefully it is. But the problem becomes, it's the crux of this episode. And I'm holding preachers to...

We are not doing a job of preaching effectively. We are preaching to fill the seats, not to propel people from ministry. We're giving people a bad perception of who God is, why we exist, and what we should expect from God and what we should expect as a Christian. And the problem is twofold. The preachers want to make you excited so you can give. I'm just being honest.

Because if I tell you how great things are going to be for this year, I tell you how wonderful it's going to be. You're excited. You're in a good mood. Guess what you're more willing to do. You're more willing to give. So these preachers, not all the ones who follow this formula, they know that that's going to promote you or provoke you to give. So it's a double-edged sword. I say this kind of stuff, it's going to make you want to give, but it's double-edged sword because we're coming there not to grow, but to be blessed.

Kevin (04:55.234)
So we're coming with the mindset that this is what I want to hear. Preacher, it's New Year's Eve. I want something that makes me feel better about myself, better about how the last year went, and I need optimism, I need a shot in the arm. I need something good to hold onto. Now, in and of itself, all of us need encouragement to some degree. But the problem becomes we look for encouragement for the wrong things, through the wrong channels, and from the wrong source.

Because we're going to this person to act as God's mouthpiece and we're assuming that God even is speaking to him or through him. How do we know that? Just because he said God said it doesn't mean God actually said it. And that's the problem we have. So again, I'm holding preachers accountable, but I'm also holding you accountable. Because at what point do you hold that preacher accountable? Just say, okay, what is the rationale?

Or what is the substance that you have to give me this admonition, this prophecy? Because let's be honest, most of them saying they're decreeing and declaring and they're prophesying, turn to your neighbor and prophesy. What authority do you have the right to prophesize? How do I know God spoke to you? Is it just because you happen to have the mic and you are a quote unquote preacher? Does that mean you're telling the truth? What is it?

Real quick, and it's not going to be a long episode, but it's just something that I just felt compelled to do. Because again, it's so frustrating for me as a preacher, someone who wants to preach the scriptures and really preach the gospel and want to promote biblical literacy and promote discipleship. And I see these things every single year. And it's frustrating because part of me is like, how come we don't see the propaganda? How come we don't see how the enemy

is using people to not really follow Christ, but follow what Christ can give or can possibly do for us. So part of the reason why even though it's a new year, we have the same sermons is because, and I'm only you accountable first, you the parishioner, is because your memory is short. I'm gonna make it and simple. Every year you hear these kind of sermons.

Kevin (07:19.89)
about it's going to be your year that you're going to be blessed, that God's going to do something amazing. And sometimes they go real specific and say, you're going to have contracts, you're going to have that new house, you're going to have that new car. And this is the last year that you are going to be single. This time next year, you're going to be planning your wedding. This time next year, you're going to be planning your honeymoon. This time next year, you're going to be in your new house.

your credit score is going to be better. But the problem is your memory is short because if you really pay attention, it's really not different from the previous year or the one before that, the one before that. How do I know? I had this awakening myself years ago. The church I was attending, every year in January, they would have a revival, like a three, four day revival, fresh new year.

I think the church I used to attend still does that. And what I noticed, I'm like everyone else, this is before I was called to preach. I was just regular parishioner like everyone else. But as I grew, I started reading the Bible. I started diving deeper into the faith and the doctrine. I really started learning. I went from the bottle of the milk, I needed some meat. So there was a particular preacher that would come every year, and he would come in and the place would be full. He was a very dynamic and charismatic speaker.

you would come and say some of the same things I've been saying about your year, your year, God's gonna bless it, this is your time. And every year people would get excited. And I remember, because my church used to record the sermons from the revivals and sell them on CD. People don't buy CDs anymore, so it's been a while. But they buy CDs and I bought them. I bought the CDs and the DVDs and I had them in the car. And I would be listening to CDs. And I remember one...

in anticipation of the survivor. I put in one of those CDs and I listened to it. was like, man, this is good stuff. And the person came that year and while the text he chose was different, the message was the same. And I remember sitting in that church and I'm looking around at the people and I'm like, am I the only one who hears the same?

Kevin (09:44.207)
I'm saying, wait a minute, preacher, you told me that last year was going to be my year. That I was going get all these blessings. And when I check my memory, none of the things you said was going to happen for me actually happened. I did not get all those blessings you said I was going to get. My finances not improved. a matter of fact, they got worse. So it was like none of the things that you prophesied that you said was going to happen.

actually happened. So I wondered is it because our memory is so short that we forget when these false prophets say something we don't hold them accountable to say wait a minute prophet I put in their quotes you said last year I was gonna have it why don't I have it because let's be honest we forget all about what was said back then we focus on what's being said right now and we don't hold these quote unquote preachers of prophets accountable. So guess what they do?

take advantage of your our short memory. They don't have to remember. They won't even remember what I said in January of 2022, 21, 20, 19, 18. And you come every year with this optimism because all you're thinking about is, man, I hope this year's better than the last. So because of all that, your optimism blinds you to the memory of the false prophecy that you got. And I blame the preachers because they said they know these people.

They know you and I, when we go to these Provivors, all we want is good news, even if it's repetitive good news. And because, I'm going to talk about it in minute, my next point, because our memory is short and we don't really pay attention, guess what, guys? Coming from a preacher, they don't have to work hard to prepare someone. I guarantee you, a preacher, a seasoned preacher, and not even a seasoned preacher, is someone who's been doing it for a while.

They know what to say to get responses from you. They don't have to work hard to give a message. The only thing they gotta do is change the scripture, change the title, maybe the introduction a little bit, some different illustrations, but all in all, the sermon is still the same because guess what? The results are still the same. You and I are gonna keep coming every year, keep paying our money, and keep saying, my year, this my year.

Kevin (12:12.942)
This my year. And they're just getting money every year, every year, every year, because you keep waiting for that year that they promised and there's nothing about them that even proves that they even spoke to God. Now I'm going you another scripture. Famous one, I've used it before in many episodes, but this fits the conversation very good. Deuteronomy 18, famous one, verses 21, 22. It says, you may wonder, how will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord? Verse 22.

the prophet speaks in the Lord's name, but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord and I give that message that prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared. Now when it says feared, it doesn't mean fear as in shaken fear, but feared as in respected, feared as in revered. So ask yourself that question. How long is your memory? Think about

2023 going into 2024, the sermons you heard on New Year's Eve. And think about the previous years. Think about those promises. Think about those prophetic utterances. Think about all those cliches they said. And that's just like what it is, a bunch of cliches with some scriptures thrown in. And it's basically a Christian motivational speech that prompts you to give. And then when you leave that building, and by the time you go to work,

You forgot everything that was said. How do I know? Because you probably can't remember what was said last year. Think about it. Do you remember what exactly the pastor of your church told you last year? If you do, compare and contrast it to what they told you yesterday, New Year's Eve. And tell me you don't see similarities. And then, taking it step further, if you do see similarities,

ask yourself the question, do what they say come true for you. Because they didn't give you a wide ranging prophecy. They said, you are going to be blessed. You are going to have a house. You are going to have a new spouse. You are going to have a child. You are going to have those things. They made it clear that they were speaking to you. So you did not receive what they supposedly prophetically said you were going to get.

Kevin (14:41.198)
The scripture here says, they should not be feared, but yet adhered to. That's the first thing, what happens when you get a new year, but the same sermon. But the second reason why they get away with these new year, same sermons, is because, and I'm gonna hold you accountable, first I'll talk about the preachers, coming back to you now. Because your ignorance is shown. Now by that I mean, these preachers know they can say the same thing, and flip around because they know you're ignorant.

to what the scriptures say. Because I've said this in 400 episodes, the most scantily attended thing in most churches are two places. Prayer meeting, Bible study. Now, when they have revivals, people come. Sunday morning, they come. Prayer meeting, not so much. Bible study, not so much. Now, let's talk about that, first you.

Shouldn't you be reading your Bible? Isn't that an essential thing for a Christian? Absolutely. Should you be praying? Isn't that an essential thing for a Christian? Yes. So the two most probably essential things you should do to grow as a Christian, we're not doing. Now two people take advantage. Obviously, the first person is the enemy because he knows if you don't know the word, he can manipulate you to believe that anything else is a-

me say that again. Because you don't know the word, he can manipulate you and fool you to thinking that any kind of clever cliche or rhyme or alliteration is a word. Because most people when they hear a sermon coming from a preacher, they don't remember the scripture, but they will remember the illustration. They will remember the alliteration of the points. They will remember the funny story of the joke to get you interested, to get you hooked.

But the actual substance of the scripture, most people don't know it. And not only would they not know it, when you hear someone preach a sermon, do you go and read the scripture yourself? Do you even read it as they're preaching? Now that's the devil side. But the second part is, these preachers know that you don't know your Bible. Not only do they know you don't know your Bible, they know you are not going to read it and you're going to trust what they say.

Kevin (17:08.238)
So guess what I gotta do if I'm a preacher? I don't have to work hard. I don't have to get creative. I don't have to exert any effort. All I know is if I read the scripture, you're gonna say, well, that's what the scripture says, because Pastor Kevin read it. But Pastor Joe read it. So I believe them. Really? So you're basing your walk with Christ, your souls, where your soul's going to end up, your spiritual growth on just what the preacher said.

nothing else but what the preacher says. So guess what he can do? Same old sentence. Same old thing. Because first of all again, these people don't care. So they're going to tell you what they want to say. But then they know you're ignorant. And they know you're not going to read what the scripture says. You're not going to read your Bible like they say as an act. We need to be that Berean to know what the scripture says. But not only

what the scripture says but so we know the truth about what awaits us as a Christian. So guess what? If you know what the word says our faith is, what the Christian walking tells, when you hear those sermons you won't get fooled by that.

Like I said earlier, for me, that was one of the things that led my transition and my growth out of the church that I attended. As much as I loved the people and I grew as a Christian, it was a foundational place for me. But it came a point to where I was like, wait a minute, when I look at this book, I hear what it says. I'm not seeing these things as convenient. Cause I'm reading the Bible.

And it doesn't say that I'm going to be blessed all the time. But every time I come in this building, that's all I'm hearing. What about a part about me learning how to repent? I need to learn how to do that because I'm struggling right now. What about a part about, it says here in Matthew 28, I need to spread the good news to all creation. How do I do that? It says in James that I got to watch my tongue. How do I do that? But when I come in this building, all I'm hearing

Kevin (19:23.98)
It's about how God's gonna bless me. Something's not right here. So it was incumbent upon me to get into the Word and the Holy Spirit showed me some things that were not good and eventually he said, okay, Kevin, it's time for you to this place. So now ask yourself the question, it's not necessarily the episode per se, but ask yourself the question. Are you sure you should still be going?

Kevin (19:52.558)
This is hard because a lot of times in churches you develop relationships and emotional attachments and that's not easy to sever. But is God going to be more concerned about the relationships you have with people versus your relationship with Him? Not saying you're to be around people, your relationship with people don't mean anything. But if you're still around people who are comfortable on milk and God wants you to start eating meat.

Who's more important that you, who you trying to please more? The meal crowd or the meat?

Who are you trying to impress more? The people who are on milk or the God who offers you the milk? Who are you trying to impress more? The people who are on the milk or the God who's offering you the meat? You have to get to the point. And again, the reason why this episode came to me is because I saw this and it frustrated me. And I wonder why other people aren't as frustrated. How can you sit in a church every year and hear the same thing and ask yourself,

Why am I not saying anything different? Is it on them? Or, like I said in this point, is it on me? Because I am not aware of what the word says. So I am thinking that this Christian walk is solely about me getting blessed. So I guess I need to come every year and hear these same songs because this is what it means to be a Christian. As long as I come to church and pay my tithes and sing a song and, hey, God is going to bless me. This is what it's all about. It's just about me getting blessed.

the Word, see that's what it's all about. Just waiting for your next blessing until God comes back, more specifically when Jesus comes back. I think not.

Kevin (21:41.356)
Thank you.

And it's a case where we don't know what the word says. And because we don't know what it says, and we don't try to learn what it says, then we get to the point to where we forget who God is. We forget that God has a standard for us. Let me give you a scripture. And this is one I think people will forget.

Because again, we forget what the word actually says we're going to have to deal with as Christians. It's scripture, Matthew 24, verses 12 and 13. And it says, sin will be rampant everywhere.

Kevin (22:32.462)
Matthew 24 verses 12 and 13, and it says, sin will be rampant everywhere and the love of many will grow cold, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. Wow. So you see that? It says right there that the one who prevails to the end will be saved. So what does that mean?

that we don't just come to church for that blessing. We don't just wait for every year. We come to church as if the New Year's service is a new batch of blessings that we receive on the 1st. That the 31st of December, all the blessings of the previous year have been used up. So now January 1st comes, here's my new batch of blessings. This is the thing I heard too. We put a lot of emphasis on January 1st, know, first of the year.

But have you ever considered that God doesn't operate by a calendar? God does not pay any special attention to January 1st versus December 31st. That's a man-made thing. God is not that concerned about clipping one day to the other. What, versus 2025? That is of no consequence to God. But we put so much emphasis in again reiterating.

point I made early is because our memory is short and our ignorance is showing we are subject to even though it's a new year we get the same tired repetitive sad and there I say false. But what I want to give also because again it's not gonna be very long episode this week and again this came out of nowhere I said earlier in episode this is the third

I had two different episodes I was going to do. Neither one them came to fruition. I was like, nope, nope. This one literally came out of nowhere. I want to show you two scriptures. And both of them show how we should view God and then maybe we'll view the sermons in the New Year differently. First scripture. And this is actually a verse.

Kevin (24:59.96)
from the sermon I preached on Sunday. And it's Isaiah chapter six. I preached verses one through nine, but I want to read verse five. So Isaiah chapter six, verse five. And it says, woe to me, I cried. I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips. I live among people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. So of course, that scripture's Isaiah when he came into the temple. This is when he was called to be a prophet.

Now, when he came into the temple, he saw the train of the Lord and he saw him. And the first thing he said was, I'm a wretched sinner. And he said, he had to kneel down and just avert his eyes because he realized how unworthy he was. And he saw God, him being in the presence of God, relegated him to the center that he was. And he realized, I can't come in this place before God and he not as anything else before I've not the fact that I'm not worthy.

to even see him in Amos center. That's the first script. Now that's Old Testament. Now I want to give a different one. Same kind of thought, but New Testament. So I want to go now to Revelation chapter six, verses 14 through 16. And it says, the heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up in every mountain that Olym was removed from his place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, and the rich, the mighty, and everyone else,

both slave and free, hidden in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They call to the mountains and the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb." So we see two different versions here. Old Testament, Isaiah comes in, he realizes who he's in the presence of, he says, woe to me, I'm a man upon clean lips and I've seen God. Now we see Revelation, Jesus is returning, people see him.

And they also avert their gaze from a different perspective. The first one, he sees a sin and he ends up being called by God. Revelation, these people see God and they run away because now they're going to face the wrath of God. In both cases, the response is still the same. Neither one, Isaiah in Old Testament with these folks in New Testament, both realize that God is whole.

Kevin (27:23.936)
And they approached him and they realized they had no business even approaching him in the way that he was because they saw how messed up they were. If we had the same level of reference when it comes to God, the last thing we want to do on New Year's Eve is go there expecting God to do something for us. We were referred to God, like I said, in Isaiah, send me Lord.

I know I'm messed up, but Lord help me to be the man or the woman you call me to be. Lord send me to do your will. In both cases, they realized how sinful they were and they couldn't even stand to look upon God. But in Isaiah's case, and that's where we fit in, he got into God's presence. He recognized his sin. He accepted God's covering and then God allowed him to be used by him.

get before the Lord. Our continence should not be God give me, it should be God I'm a sinner. We should be able to avert our gaze and be like Lord I'm in your presence, I don't deserve this privilege. Please Lord, how can I be of service? Let us go into the new year doing new things for God instead of expecting God to do new things for us. Because this is way we got it backwards. We are asking God.

that do the new thing for us and they would do new things for him. Instead of us saying, God, let me do some new things for you. And as I do new things for you, you would do new things for me. First of all, if I'm decided to do new things for you, you're going to take care of me. That's what that initial scripture when it talks about that new thing, that's what it's referring to in a sense, would not necessarily. So when it

That's what it means when we're talking about getting before the Lord. We should have a mindset every time, but most specifically the new year, which is not be a time of request. It should be a time of reflection and a time of commission. Lord, as I reflect on 2024, I praise your name that you got me through throughout 2024. I've messed up a million times in each time.

Kevin (29:49.354)
I deserve to not even be used by you, but you saw it fit to allow me to see this day. So if you allow me to go through 2025, Lord use me how you see fit. What would you have me do this year that I could not do in 2024? What ways have I fallen short in 2024 that I can now make an asset and bless your name in 2025? Instead of coming with expectancy.

We should come at the ready to be used by God. That's what a new year sermon should be. That's what a Christian should be looking forward to doing in the new year. I was looking at all these preachers, and I'm gonna say this, I'm gonna end up with this one, in all these different sermons. And I juxtaposed that with the sermon that I preach. The sermon I preach again was Isaiah chapter six.

verses one through nine. talk about Isaiah's commission and at the end of it Isaiah said, God said, who will go for us? Who will we send? And Isaiah said, here I am Lord send

If you're a Christian, you've already had that encounter. So when we approach his temple, just like Isaiah did in chapter six, we're not saying send me for the first time. We're saying, Lord, here I am. me again. That's the mindset we should have when we come before him. More specifically, New Year's Eve service.

So again, this is a quick one, nothing too heavy, but hopefully if you don't make any changes for next year, use this and question yourself. The scripture says, examine yourself to see if you're in the faith, which we should always do. Examine yourself to see if your pastor, your preacher is following the faith or is he giving you the same stuff every

Kevin (31:57.856)
A person could be a very good chef, but even the best chef won't be considered a five star chef if he cooks his best meal. And all he does is reheat the leftovers and serves it to you like it's new. Ask yourself that question. In this new year, are you getting

The best of that pastor, that preacher, or are you just getting another helping of last year's? That's to think about. Thank you for watching, listening. I pray this episode bless you. Happy new year. Go out, serve your King in 2025 because he's worthy. Thank you for watching. And as always, make sure your life shines brightest for the Lord Jesus Christ beyond the benediction. Till next time.