January 1, 2012
“Something New,
Something Old”
Did anyone here get something new for Christmas this year? Do you like new things? Would anybody give or get anything that was not new as a Christmas gift?
It was the year 153 B.C. that the Roman Senate set the beginning of the New Year as January 1st. Prior to that the calendar year began in March. And it appears that the earliest recorded New Year’s Celebration took place in the country of Babylon somewhere around the year 2000 B.C. – and somewhere around the middle of March? It was a huge pagan celebration lasting eleven days. Strange as it may seem, the oldest celebrated holiday in the human race is the celebration of New Years.
And how about the Pilgrims? As they were about to celebrate their first new year in the New World, they watched the strangest sight on New Year’s Eve – Iroquois Indians throwing clothing, wooden household items, furnishings, uneaten corn and grain, and such into a huge bonfire.
Now there’s nothing inherently wrong with celebrating the onset of a New Year, is there?
Well, as usual, the idea of new things got me thinking this past week; especially since most, if not all of what I believe, is old.
I’ve decided to title my sermon “Something New, Something Old.” Please open your Bible with me to the Book of Acts at chapter seventeen. Shall we pray?
Here’s something to consider as we enter this New Year of 2012. What does the word “new” mean? Isn’t there something of an attitude here?
Can you imagine living according to this philosophy? “I’ve got to get the latest news, the latest Apps, and the latest version of the I-Pad.” You see, there is a constant comparison going on. “Do you have the newest – whatever?” If you don’t, do you see how really sad your life is?
Now, can you imagine what you might say to someone who believed in a “most popular right now” philosophy, or someone whose outlook was a constant interest in hearing something new? Please look with me at an example of someone just like that. Look with me at Acts 17:16.
Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. (17) Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
(18) Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
(19) And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? (20) For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(21) (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”
Here we have those who might be described as the smartest people in the Greek world of Paul’s day. They are called philosophers.
And, yes, they are intelligent. But did you know that every single person on the planet has a philosophy? Here’s what it means. “A philosophy is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and about people. A philosophy is a group of ideas, worked out by a philosopher (someone who has studied ways of thinking about the world).” [Found on www.wikipedia.org]. A philosophy is a set or values or a sense of life. [Found on www.atlassociety.org article called “Philosophy—Does Everyone Have One?” by William R. Thomas.
It was the year 153 B.C. that the Roman Senate set the beginning of the New Year as January 1st. Prior to that the calendar year began in March. And it appears that the earliest recorded New Year’s Celebration took place in the country of Babylon somewhere around the year 2000 B.C. – and somewhere around the middle of March? It was a huge pagan celebration lasting eleven days. Strange as it may seem, the oldest celebrated holiday in the human race is the celebration of New Years.
And how about the Pilgrims? As they were about to celebrate their first new year in the New World, they watched the strangest sight on New Year’s Eve – Iroquois Indians throwing clothing, wooden household items, furnishings, uneaten corn and grain, and such into a huge bonfire.
Now there’s nothing inherently wrong with celebrating the onset of a New Year, is there?
Well, as usual, the idea of new things got me thinking this past week; especially since most, if not all of what I believe, is old.
I’ve decided to title my sermon “Something New, Something Old.” Please open your Bible with me to the Book of Acts at chapter seventeen. Shall we pray?
Here’s something to consider as we enter this New Year of 2012. What does the word “new” mean? Isn’t there something of an attitude here?
- Latest news
- Newest fashion
- Newest cars
- Newest toys
- Newest science
- Newest I-phone App
- Newest accessories
- Newest poll numbers
- Newest EBook or Kindle
- Newest tattoos
- Newest movie
Can you imagine living according to this philosophy? “I’ve got to get the latest news, the latest Apps, and the latest version of the I-Pad.” You see, there is a constant comparison going on. “Do you have the newest – whatever?” If you don’t, do you see how really sad your life is?
Now, can you imagine what you might say to someone who believed in a “most popular right now” philosophy, or someone whose outlook was a constant interest in hearing something new? Please look with me at an example of someone just like that. Look with me at Acts 17:16.
Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. (17) Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
(18) Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
(19) And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? (20) For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(21) (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”
Here we have those who might be described as the smartest people in the Greek world of Paul’s day. They are called philosophers.
And, yes, they are intelligent. But did you know that every single person on the planet has a philosophy? Here’s what it means. “A philosophy is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and about people. A philosophy is a group of ideas, worked out by a philosopher (someone who has studied ways of thinking about the world).” [Found on www.wikipedia.org]. A philosophy is a set or values or a sense of life. [Found on www.atlassociety.org article called “Philosophy—Does Everyone Have One?” by William R. Thomas.