RENEWAL 2026: The Source of Renewal 1-11-26
INTRODUCTION
Renewal 2026!
We have hope of renewed strength, spirit, and joy. We have that promise!
William Hinson, Sr. retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest church in American Methodism tells the story about a time when he was going to Columbia, South Carolina to preach in a revival. He had not slept well the night before and had gotten up that morning and preached in two Sunday morning services. He went immediately to the airport to leave for Columbia. He had looked forward to sleeping on the plane, but it just so happened that the person next to was a talker, and so much for sleep.
His plane arrived late, so he was immediately picked up by a church member and whisked off to the church. He arrived at the church just a couple of minutes before the service was to begin and did not have the opportunity to freshen up at all. He felt yucky. As he preached he could feel his body swaying from fatigue.
When the service was over, he was led to the fellowship hall where a receiving line was set up to greet the visiting preacher. The line seemed to extend forever. Near the end of the line, a large man stepped aside and suddenly he saw his youngest daughter.
His daughter was attending school in Augusta, Georgia, and when she heard her dad was going to be in Columbia, she had borrowed her boyfriend’s noisy car and had driven for hours just to be with her dad and to talk with him about some things. They left the church and went and got some coffee and pie, and then went to the hotel and talked for several hours.
When she finally left, he said he realized the most unusual thing. He was no longer tired. He had spent time with someone very special to him and found himself renewed.
James Drake, "Genesis: The Road to Revival" from a sermon by Joel Smith, "The Road to Renewal," 2/9/2009.
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 SOURCE OF RENEWED STRENGTH
Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV
A. God restores our soul.
B. God’s presence (“You are with me”) renews our strength.
Psalm 23:4 NKJV
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4 NKJV
C. God renews beyond “full.”
Psalms 23:5 NKJV
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.”
Psalms 23:5 NKJV
Martin Luther said "There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow."
My new car, my hybrid, was down to 5 miles worth of gas the other day. When the tank is empty it will not go anywhere. With a full tank, I can drive 456 miles.
II. THE SOURCE OF RENEWED SPIRIT
Titus 3:3-7 NIV
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:3-7 NIV
A. We are saved when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared.
Titus 3:4-5a NIV
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Titus 3:4-5a NIV
B. We are saved through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5b NIV
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,”
Titus 3:5b NIV
C. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Titus 3:6-7 NIV
“[The Holy Spirit] whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:6-7 NIV
III. THE SOURCE OF RENEWED JOY
Calvin Coolidge, our thirtieth president, was an extremely quiet and reserved man with very little personality. When questioned, he rarely answered in more than two or three words—a tendency which earned him the nickname, “Silent Cal.” The public saw him as a stiff and emotionless man. Someone said that he looked like he was weaned on dill pickle juice! Well, in 1933 the radio airwaves were filled with the news of Coolidge’s death. Columnist Dorothy Parker was in her office at The New Yorker when a colleague flung open the door and blurted, “Dottie, did you hear? President Coolidge is dead.” She shot back her most famous quote, “How can they tell?”
John 15:1-11 NIV
““I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
John 15:1-11 NIV
A. Jesus is our source of renewal.
John 15:4a NIV
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
John 15:4a NIV
B. Jesus is our source of renewed joy.
John 15:4b NIV
“Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4b NIV
C. Joy can be ours if we follow the Jesus’ commands as Jesus kept the Father’s commands.
John 15:10-11 NIV
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
John 15:10-11 NIV
Robert A. Fryling, in his article titled, A Renewed Mind: The Practice of Humble Thought, said, “A blessed person is one who is delighted and immersed in the teachings of the Lord. Such a person is consciously choosing to have a right relationship with God and consequently exhibits a life of fruitfulness and spiritual prosperity. We use our minds to choose whom we follow, what we read, whose advice we accept, whose lifestyles we emulate. We choose with our minds whether to know God’s teachings and whether to obey them. What we think directly affects what we feel and what we do. Practically speaking, I find that paying attention to what I am thinking about in my unscripted moments is often revealing as to what is important to me. Listening to my unguarded thoughts is a valuable diagnostic practice to discern what is going on inside of me. When my waking moments are focused on how others view me or on my negative thoughts about them, I am not being renewed. I am living in conformity to the world’s values of status and power. By way of contrast, Paul encourages the Philippian believers to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8). This is not just positive thinking or temperamental upbeatness, but a genuine honoring of God and others. It is characteristic of a renewed mind that is not conformed to the world.”
ACTION! Doing something is the proof of renewal.
CONCLUSION
God is the source of our renewed strength. The Holy Spirit is the source of our renewed spirit. Jesus is the source of our renewed joy.
A. W. Tozer said it this way, “An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those who heard it would conclude that he had been examining two distinct and contrary religions!”
A. W. Tozer, Renewed Day by Day, 1/14.
Let us demonstrate our renewal by renewed action! Let’s go!
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.
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