“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:16-19 ESV)
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2011!
What an opportunity for a fresh start... a clean slate... maybe a few resolutions to straighten out your life?
Usually people think about losing weight, quitting a bad habit, or maybe even going to church more often. Great goals always come around January 1, and there is nothing wrong with that. On New Year's Eve on December 31, 2010, I was among all the folks at church who took the time to write down prayer requests for the year 2011. These aren't just goals -- these are requests for God to answer. They're more than just resolutions -- these are things we are submitting to God. It probably isn't what most people consider the typical New Year's Eve activity.
Take a look at this passage from Matthew. John the Baptist, who was sitting in jail, wondered whether Jesus Christ was the Messiah to come, or if He was merely some special teacher. You can't exactly blame John, who totally was expecting a powerful Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and be in power. Sure, John also believed Jesus as the Messiah, but when you're stuck in jail, somehow that thought doesn't really help.
Jesus told the messengers to tell John about all the wonderful things that are happening because God the Son is on this earth. After speaking about that, Jesus talks about John the Baptist. John was an odd character... he wore some rad clothes, and frankly, he probably looked a little crazy too. Many folks, including the priests and teachers, despised John. Jesus points out how John isn't playing their games, and they hate him for it.
As Christians, we can't be sucked into the same worldly pattern, conforming to what the people want. We are definitely in the world, but we are not of the world. We are to shine the light for Christ. John was definitely frowned upon by others, and guess what those same people did to Jesus?
New Year's Day comes around every 365.25 days. It's time for a fresh start. Why don't we start off with a simple request: That we may be a radical force in the world to bring truth and light to a place that only appreciates the self-centered world of popularity and materialism? If our focus is the reflect who Christ is, then all those resolutions become prayer requests, and God hears our requests. He may not answer them in the way we want it, but He will definitely give us the best answer.
If you don't know who Christ is, let me invite you to explore more about the person we Christians call "Our Savior." For because He loved us so much, He was sent to die for us, and if we believe in Him, we will live forever in a pure, unbreakable relationship with God.
Welcome to 2011. May this New Year bring you much joy, happiness, peace, and ultimately, a life of light to all.
Many blessings wherever you are,
Jonathan Oh
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