RENEWAL 2026: The Hope of Renewal 1-4-26

RENEWAL 2026: The Hope of Renewal 1-4-26

INTRODUCTION

Happy New Year!

The prospect of a new year

The need for change

The need for renewal

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I. THE HOPE OF RENEWED STRENGTH

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬b-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

‭‭ Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬b-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A. We all grow weary,

B. We all stumble and fall.

C. We all can be renewed.

Billy Graham says: "As an evangelist, I have often felt too far spent to minister from the pulpit to men and women who have filled stadiums to hear a message from the Lord. Yet again and again my weakness has vanished, and my strength has been renewed. I have been filled with God’s power not only in my soul but physically. On many occasions, God has become especially real, and has sent His unseen angelic visitors to touch my body to let me be His messenger for heaven, speaking as a dying man to dying men."

Tony Abram, Sermon Central, March 3, 2007.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ‬‬‬‬‬

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

‭‭ Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ‬‬‬‬‬

II. THE HOPE OF RENEWED SPIRIT

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The renewal of our natures is a work of great importance. It is not to be done in a day. We have not only a new house to build up, but an old one to pull down.”

George Whitefield

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A. We have been given a pure heart.

B. We have a renewed spirit.

C. We have a steadfast spirit.

III. THE HOPE OF RENEWED JOY

“Joy is not gush; joy is not jolliness. Joy is just perfect acquiescence in God's will because the soul delights itself in God Himself.”

H.W. Webb-Peploe

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A. God can restore the joy of our salvation.

B. God can restore our willing spirit.

C. God can sustain us.

Oh the sheer joy of it!

Walking with Thee,

Out on the hilltop,

Down by the sea,

Life is so wonderful,

Life is so free. 

Ralph Spaulding Cushman

CONCLUSION

God will renew your strength, your spirit, and your joy.

When the Psalmist mentions the renewal of the eagle, he may be referring to the "molting process" in an eagle’s life. As eagles age, their beaks and talons become encrusted with calcium. Thus, neither is as sharp as they once were. When this happens the aging eagle cannot hunt as effectively as he once did. As he ages, he also loses some of his feathers. When this happens it causes his body to "whistle" in the air as he dives toward his prey. This destroys his ability to hunt in silence, thus further reducing his effectiveness as a hunter. When the eagle enters this period of his life, he will descend from soaring in the heights above and find him a place in the rocks. There, he will pluck out all of his feathers and break off his own calcium encrusted beak against the rocks. He will even scratch his talons against the rocks until they are reduced to nubs. At this point, the eagle is absolutely vulnerable and defenseless. Many eagles die during this process because they cannot feed themselves or escape predators. But, during this time a wonderful thing begins to happen to those who survive.

One day the feathers of the eagle begin to grow back. His beak will also grow back. His talons regrow as long and as sharp as ever before. After a time, the eagle will step out on the rocks, flap his great wings and take to the skies once again in victory!

Are you walking through a time of great loss? Do you stand before your enemy feeling defenseless and vulnerable? God is your defense. He is growing you through this valley in your life to become stronger in Him than you have ever been. Wait on Him. Your spiritual feathers will grow back and your talons will reappear. Stay with the process for He is faithful who has called you. He will finish what He started in your life and ministry!

Dr. Larry Petton, Sermon Central, February 24, 2016.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins     and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.