New Years Eve - Wesley Covenant Renewal Service

Pastor's Note - This is a service that is based on a Pamphlet Written by John Wesley (c. 1780, and adaptation by George Lyons. Read it with contemplation and meditation.


Leader: "Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Thrown away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15)
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us now pray together the Prayer of our LORD.

THE SCRIPTURE LESSON: Revelation 21:1-6

REFLECTION: “Newness”

The Lord has always been in the “let’s make something new” business. It began with creation, and will continue until the new heaven and earth comes into existence. But the interesting thing about God’s “making” is that the old and the new can never exist together. Note that in verse 1, the old earth and heaven had vanished from the scene, and only then was the New brought into existence. But this is nothing new – Jesus had to die and be buried before his divinity could be fully revealed in his resurrection; we are forgiven only after we confess our sin and seek the Lord’s forgiveness; when God forgives our sin, we are told that he also forgets the sin – because it no longer exists; we receive the Lord’s salvation only after we surrender this present life to him.
It appears that the Almighty never remakes, never fixes, never repairs our lives, or anything else, for that matter! Verse 4 tells us “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. … I am making everything new!” It appears that the old isn’t worth renovating – it is simply replaced with a new version of what had once been.

So what does this new concept of “newness” mean for us tonight? It means that we have to allow the old to pass away from us. It means that yesterday, and all of the yesterdays of 2014, are gone. We can do nothing to repair them, nothing to make them right – we can only let the Lord make something new in and of us for tomorrow, and all of the tomorrows, in 2015.
But forgetting what happened in the past isn’t as easy for us as it is for God. We don’t have the ability to wipe our memory clean. So what do we do about it? How do we move ahead with “what must be” when we seem to still have a fairly firm grip on “what was”?

Sorry. I don’t have a good answer of how to do that! The only suggestion I can offer is that we need to adjust our life’s focus from yesterday to now. Let the past become fuzzy, and then let it become a little more fuzzy with each passing day. The old saying tells us that we must learn from our mistakes, and if we don’t learn from them, we will be condemned to repeat them. Yeah, I know – easier said than done. But when we firmly commit to the new way, and make that commitment again, each and every day, over and over again, pretty soon it will become the established way, and the old way will remain right where it belongs - in the past.

But a word of caution - this commitment will never succeed if it resides solely within our own heart and mind – the commitment must be with the Lord. Our strength is never adequate, but his always is. In 1 Corinthians 1:24-25, we read “… to both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” Jesus is both the power and the wisdom of God, and for those who believe that this is all some sort of foolishness and ignorance, Paul says that even this foolishness and weakness is far better than anything we will ever have, even on our best day!

So no more New Year’s Resolutions for us – what we truly need is a commitment, a covenant, with the Lord and with each other, and when we begin to live in that level of strength and wisdom, victory is already assured.

Tonight, we covenant together, in support and encouragement of each other, to surrender our lives, to release our ways and to let God work in us, every moment of every day throughout 2015.

CONFESSION
People: We acknowledge a deep sense of sin and misery. We see ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior. The Spirit of God has awakened us; a kind of awakening, as it were, in hell. We cry,
"LORD, what am I! What mean these legions round about me? These chains and fetters that are upon me?
"LORD, where am I! Is there no hope of escaping out of this wretched state? I am but dead, if I continue as I am. What may I do to be saved?"

Leader: Being made aware of his sin and his danger, a sinner will look for help and deliverance, but he will look everywhere else before he looks unto Christ. Nothing will bring a sinner to Christ but absolute necessity. He will try to forsake his sins. He will go to prayers, and sermons, and sacraments and search out if there is salvation in them. But all these, though they be useful in their places, are of no help. His duties cannot help him; these may be numbered among his sins. Ordinances cannot help; these are but empty Cisterns. They all tell him, "You knock at a wrong door; salvation is not in us."
Do you now utterly despair of your own goodness, or do you trust in anything but Christ?

PRAYER
People: LORD, be merciful to me. What shall I do? I dare not remain as I am, and I cannot help myself. My praying will not help me. My hearing will not help me. If I give all my goods to the poor, if I should give my body to be burned, all this would not save my soul. Woe is me. What shall I do?
Leader: You must let your sins go. You must let your righteousness go. Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He came to seek and to save those that are lost.
Friends, will you now risk yourselves for Christ? You have this threefold assurance:
First, God’s initiative. He has taken the first move. God the Father has appointed and sent Christ into the world to save sinners. Jesus Christ is the One whom God the Father has made our Savior. He is redeeming and reconciling the world to himself.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Second, God’s command. This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Third, God’s promise. "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious; and whoever believes on him shall not be disappointed.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Now, because we have this threefold assurance of God’s initiative, command, and promise, we may now be bold to risk everything for Christ and to make ourselves totally available to Him.

Unison Prayer:
LORD Jesus, here I am, a lost creature, an enemy to God, under His wrath and curse. Will You, LORD, take me as I am, reconcile me to God, and save my soul? Do not refuse me, LORD, for if You refuse me, to whom then shall I go?
If I had come in my own name, You might well have ignored me; but since I come at the command of the Father, do not reject me. LORD, help me. LORD, save me.
The Leader and People will bow and pray together.
I come, LORD. I believe, LORD. I throw myself upon Your grace and mercy. I trust Your saving death alone to save me. Do not refuse me. I have nowhere else to go. Here I will stay. I will trust You, and rest in You, and risk myself for You. On You I lay my hope for pardon, for life, for salvation. If I perish, I perish on Your shoulders. If I sink, I sink in Your ship. If I die, I die at Your door. Do not bid me to go away, for I will not go.

COMMITMENT
Leader: Yield yourselves now to the LORD. As His servants, give up the rule and government of yourselves to Christ. "Do not yield the parts of your bodies as tools of unrighteousness to continue in sin. Instead yield yourselves fully to God, as those who have been made alive from the dead. And yield every part of your whole body as instruments of righteousness to God." "Don’t you know that you make yourself a slave to obey whoever or whatever you yield yourself to? You are God’s servants; obey Him! Yield yourselves so fully and finally to the LORD that you may henceforth be only the LORD’s.
Those who yield themselves to sin and the world say in their hearts, "Sin, I am yours; World, I am yours; Riches, I am yours; Pleasures, I am yours."
Rather, with the Psalmist, let us say to the LORD:

AFFIRMATION
Leader and People: I am Yours, My God; I reverence You. I dedicate myself to Your service.
Leader: In so giving yourselves to the LORD, you affirm that you will be heartily contented that He assign you to your work.
Let Him assign you to your work. Christ has many services to be done; some are more easy and honorable, others more difficult and menial.
Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests; others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, as when He requires us to feed and clothe ourselves. Indeed, there are some spiritual duties that are more pleasing than others; as to rejoice in the LORD, to bless and praise God. These are the sweet works of a Christian.
But then there are other works. In these we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves, as in enduring the sins and shortcomings of others, reproving others for their sins, withdrawing from their company; as in witnessing against their wickedness. Confessing Christ and His name is never easy when it costs us shame and ridicule. It is never easy to sail against the wind, swim against the tide, surrender our rights and privileges because Jesus Christ is our LORD.
See what it is that Christ expects, and then yield yourselves to His whole will. Do not think of making your own terms with Christ; that will never be allowed. Let us now approach Christ in prayer.

Unison Prayer
LORD Jesus, if You will receive me into Your house, if You will but accept me as Your servant, I will not stand upon terms. Impose on me whatever condition pleases You; write down Your own provisions; command me to be or do whatever You will; only let me be Your servant.
Make me what You will, LORD, and set me where You will. Let me be a vessel of silver or gold, or a vessel of wood or stone; so I may be a vessel of honor. I am content. If I am not the head, or the eye, or the ear, one of the nobler and more honorable instruments You will employ, let me be the hand, or the foot, as one of the lowest and least esteemed of all the servants of my LORD.
Leader: LORD, put me on whatever task You will; rank me with whom You will.
People: Put me to doing; put me to suffering.
Leader: Let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You, exalted for You, or trodden under foot for You.
People: Let me be full; let me be empty.
Leader: Let me have all things; let me have nothing.
People: I freely and heartily resign all to Your pleasure and disposal.
Leader: Friends, such a commitment to Christ as you have now made is the essence of Christianity. When you have chosen God to be your portion and happiness; when you have laid all your hopes on Christ, casting yourself wholly upon the merits of His righteousness; when you have thoughtfully and heartily resigned and given up yourselves to Him; then you are Christians indeed, and never till then. Christ will be the Savior of none but of His servants. He is the Author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. Christ will have no servants but by consent. His people are a willing people, and Christ will accept of no consent but in full to all that He requires. He will be all in all, or He will be nothing.

THE COVENANT
Leader: And now let us confirm our commitment by a solemn covenant.

Leader: Search your hearts whether you either have already, or can now freely, make this commitment to God in Christ.
First, consider what your sins are and examine whether you can resolve to forego them all. Consider what His laws are — how holy, strict, and spiritual, and whether you can, upon deliberation, choose them all as the rule of your whole life.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Second, compose your spirits into the most serious frame possible, suitable to a transaction of so high importance.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Third, lay hold on the covenant of God and rely upon His promise of giving grace and strength, for only through these will you be enabled to perform your promise. Do not trust your own strength, but take hold on His strength.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Fourth, resolve to be faithful. Having engaged your hearts, opened your mouths, and subscribed with your hands to the Lord, resolve in His strength never to go back.
Moment of Silent Reflection

Fifth and last, being thus prepared, in the most solemn manner possible, as if the Lord were visibly present before your eyes, bow and open your hearts to the Lord.
Moment of Silent Reflection

The Leader and People will bow and pray together.
O most holy God, we humbly beg You, accept the poor prodigals prostrating themselves at Your door. All of us were once, or are even now, far from You because of our sins. We are all by nature worthy of death, and we made ourselves a thousand times worse by our wicked practices. But out of Your infinite grace You have promised mercy to us in Christ, if we will only turn to You with all our heart. Therefore, since we have heard the call of the gospel, we now come, throw down our weapons, and submit ourselves to Your mercy.
And because You require, as the condition of our peace with You, that we should put away our idols, we here and now from the bottom of our hearts renounce them all. We firmly covenant with You not to allow ourselves to continue in any known sin. We will, instead, conscientiously use all the means that we know You have prescribed, for the death and utter destruction of everything that corrupts us. We humbly affirm before Your glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of our hearts to forsake all that is dear unto us in this world, rather than to turn from You to the ways of sin. We will guard ourselves against all temptations, whether from prosperity or poverty, pleasure or pain, so that they may never draw our hearts away from You.
And since You have, out of Your boundless mercy, offered graciously, to be our God through Christ, we call heaven and earth to record this day, that we do here solemnly acknowledge You as the LORD our God.
And now, speaking not only as one in this sacred assembly, but speaking for myself alone, I do take You, O Eternal God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be my God. Be my portion. I do give up myself, body and soul, to be Your servant, promising and vowing to serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.
O blessed Jesus, I come to You hungry, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked, unworthy to wash the feet of the servants of my LORD, much less to be solemnly married to the King of Glory. But since such is Your unparalleled love, I do here with all my power accept You and take You for my Head and Husband, to love, honor, and obey You before all others, and this to death. I renounce my own worthiness and do here acknowledge You as the LORD my righteousness. I renounce my own wisdom and do here take You for my only Guide. I renounce my own will and take Your will for my law.
And since Your word has told me that I must suffer with You if I am to reign with You, I do here covenant with You to accept my lot, as it falls, with You and by Your grace to risk everything for You. It is my purpose that neither life nor death shall part You and me.
Now, Almighty God, Searcher of Hearts, You know that I make this covenant with You this day, without any known deception or reservation. I humbly beg You that if You see any flaw or falsehood in my resolve, reveal it to me and help me to put it right.

All stand and say in unison:
Leader and People: And now, I praise You, O Father God, whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father. Glory be to You, LORD Jesus, O God the Son, who loved me and washed me from my sins by Your death and resurrection and who are now my Savior and Redeemer. Glory be to You, O God the Holy Spirit, who by Your almighty power and inescapable presence have turned my heart from sin to God.
O eternal, all mighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are now my Covenant-Friend, and I, through Your infinite grace, am Your Covenant-Servant. And the Covenant which I have made on earth, may it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Celebration of Holy Communion.

Benediction