Exceptional Faith, Hope, Love | Sunday, January 4, 2026

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father... For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth... how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven... even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:1–10)

At the start of a new year, the aspiration is simple and weighty: become a Christian others can imitate, growing in faith, hope, and love.

Numbering Our Days at the Start of a New Year

Happy New Year, Cross Connection Church. It's hard to believe we are now in 2026. Time goes by far too fast. My oldest son turns 18 this year, and I turned 46 a little over a month ago—both of which are frightening realities. For some people the marking of a new year is just an arbitrary date, but I see it as an important turning point.

It's wise to take account of time. In Psalm 90, considered to be written by Moses, he says the days of a man's life are seventy years, or by reason of strength eighty—so teach us to number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom. When you're young, those years seem like an eternity away, but life flies by. God has placed you in this moment for a purpose. Like Esther, you are here "for such a time as this," strategically positioned for God's plan.

Seven Things God Will Do in 2026

This past week I caught David Guzik and Lance Ralston's live stream, where David shared seven things God will do in 2026. I liked them so much I want to share them with you.

First, God will rule and reign over the affairs of men. It is so good to remember that God is still on the throne. In Isaiah 9, of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. In Revelation 1:8, Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega... the Almighty." Nothing will dethrone Him.

Second, God will continue to remain faithful to His people. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations while watching his nation destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar's armies—Jerusalem and the temple fell in 586 BC. In the midst of that terrible situation he wrote, "This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness." Just as certainly as you woke up this morning, His mercies are new. You can come boldly before the throne of grace, and you will never get there to find that someone took it all.

God Will Work Through His Obedient People

Third, God will work in and through His obedient people for the gospel to go forth. Part of God's purpose for you and me is the furtherance of the gospel. The amazing thing is that the work of God relies upon us—not because He could not work without us, but because He has chosen to fulfill His mission through His people. In the Great Commission, Jesus said, "All authority has been given Me in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Fourth, God will continue to overcome the world. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Fifth, God will rejoice over every lost sinner who repents. In Luke 15, Jesus says there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. There are people God has placed in your life whom He is seeking to reach. Maybe 2026 is the year they turn to faith, and maybe He will use you—even through a simple question: "Can I pray for you?" I don't think I've ever had someone say no, even people who are totally uninterested in God. The prayer doesn't have to be amazing—just, "God, I don't know how to help, but You do." You'd be amazed how effective that prayer is.

Sixth, God will hopefully return to establish His kingdom. The last words of Scripture say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." He is outside of time; the delay isn't long for Him. In John 14 He promised, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself."

Seventh, God will work in and through His obedient people to grow in discipleship and holiness. My favorite passage, Philippians 2:12–13, says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Who is working—you or God? The answer is yes. Work out what God has worked in.

What Else You Can Be Sure Of in 2026

Some other things are certain. The world will continue to be chaotic and crazy. Yesterday morning I woke to a stream of notifications that the United States had just deposed a dictator—helicopters, explosions, another wild moment in a wild timeline. This isn't unprecedented; some of you remember December 1989 in Panama with Noriega. But it shakes the world.

Jesus, in His most prophetic passage in Matthew 24, told us this is how the broken world would be until He returns. "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation." So it should not surprise us when another dictator is deposed; we live in a fallen world. Jesus says, "See that you are not troubled. This is the beginning of sorrows."

You can also be certain that the enemy—a roaring lion, sometimes a serpent, sometimes an angel of light—will continue to oppose God and His people. Here is the encouragement: opposition is an indication that God is working. There is always opposition when God is on the move. When the enemy isn't opposing, that's when you should be more worried. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." The gates of hell—the place where strategy was formed in an ancient city—will not prevail against the church.

Point one: God remains on the throne and in control of all the things that overwhelm me. David says in the Psalms, "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Our God is a refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. As a goal for the first part of 2026, I encourage you to read through the Psalms—about 150 days, with a few extra for Psalm 119—and your heart will be better for it.

A Word for the New Year from 1 Thessalonians

People often ask me at the start of a year, "Do you have a word for 2026?" I am not a prophet—I've proven that many times. I'm a pastor, a Bible teacher, a preacher. So I won't give you a predictive novelty. But there is a sentiment that's been on my heart for me, my family, and our church, and it comes from 1 Thessalonians, which many scholars regard as Paul's first letter.

On his second missionary journey, Paul planted the church at Thessalonica in Macedonia. He was only there three weeks—three Sabbath days—before they ran him out of town. In three weeks a church was planted, and now he writes back to encourage them in their difficulty. He writes of their "work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope," and how the word of the Lord sounded forth from them, so that they became examples to all who believe.

God Was Faithful Through the Lows of 2025

In many ways 2025 was a good year, but it was also a challenging one. That's the bittersweet reality of life—highs and lows, some of them deep. My family walked through one of those this year, and we're not the only ones. Some of you are still walking through difficult diagnoses and losses, and some of you will receive such news in 2026.

One encouraging reality is looking back to see how God worked through those challenges. Romans 8:28 is true: "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Not everything taken by itself is good, but God works all things together for good. Hebrews even says of Jesus that "He learned obedience through the things He suffered"—a hard verse, but it points to how God trains and teaches us in suffering.

When we go through those things, Philippians 1:6 encourages me: "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." Paul wrote that from prison, facing execution. God will continue to accomplish the work He began in us. That is my hope.

God Will Make Us Exemplary Among the Saints

Point two: God will continue to make us exemplary among the saints. My hope is that we, as the people of God in this local church, would become examples to others. When I was nineteen and just starting to teach junior highers, I came upon Paul's words, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ," and I thought, I don't know that I could say that. There used to be "demotivator" posters—one showed a sinking ship with the caption, "Your life may serve as an example of what not to do." Hopefully that's not the kind of example we are.

In Hebrews 11, of the men and women of faith it says, "God is not ashamed to be called their God." That implies some people claim to be Christians of whom God is, in a sense, a little ashamed. I want to be the kind of believer where God says, "That's one of My kids right there."

The Thessalonian believers persisted after Paul left. God was working in them, and they were working out their salvation, and as a result they became exemplary. My prayer is that you would too. So here is the vision for January 4, 2026: orient your life toward becoming an example of what it looks like to be a Christian. Whether you like it or not, people are watching you. May they see in us believers who can say, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." Make it a prayer this year: "God, help me become exemplary among the saints."

Humbly Pressing On

Aiming to become exemplary is itself a humble acknowledgment that we have not yet arrived. After decades of ministry, in prison and facing execution, Paul writes in Philippians 3, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me." That's why Philippians is my favorite book. God saved Paul for a purpose, and Paul says, "I haven't laid hold of it yet."

At forty-six, having pastored this church for eighteen years, I still feel I have not achieved all God has called me to. I can't even articulate it perfectly. But I press on. My hope for you is the same, whatever stage of life you're in. To the junior highers and high schoolers here this morning: press on and lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of you. To those in the last chapter of life: God still has a purpose for you—how do I know? You woke up this morning. You're still breathing.

Three Marks: Faith, Hope, and Love

What made the Thessalonians exemplary? Three things. In verses 2–3 Paul says, "We give thanks to God always for you all... remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." These are three of the chief Christian virtues.

Point three: God desires that we grow in faith, hope, and love. Cross Connection Church is forty-five years old. Some of you, like Jim and Marcia, have been here since 1985. Pastor Pat Kenny pastored this church for twenty-seven years before handing it to me in 2008—a hard moment for him, having just lost his wife to cancer and facing physical struggles. He kept insisting he wasn't retiring, and he was right. Eighteen years later, God is doing more through him today than then. He is still running the race, with that work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.

Notice that the Thessalonians displayed these virtues "in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit," and that's exactly when they became examples to all who believe. That can be our testimony too.

How We Become Exemplary

How do you individually become exemplary? Turn to the end of the same letter. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul reminds us, "The day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." But "you are all sons of light and sons of the day." Then in verse 8 he says, "Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation." There are those three words again—faith, hope, and love frame the entire letter. The book opens with them as a testimony and closes with them as a command: keep putting them on.

How? Paul gives a series of exhortations. Recognize and esteem your leaders. Then, directed at the whole church: be at peace among yourselves, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all (Lord, I need help with that one), render evil to no one, pursue what is good, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything, do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophecies, test all things, hold fast to what is good, and abstain from every form of evil. Fifteen commands directed at you.

Our Obedient Effort, Empowered by the Spirit

Point four: the growth God desires requires our obedient effort. Yes, God works in you to will and to do His good pleasure—and yes, you must put in obedient effort, with the Holy Spirit's help. When He says, "Be patient with all," and a particular person comes to mind—maybe sitting right next to you—you can confess it: "God, I have a hard time being patient with that person. Would You give me Your patience?" Patience is a fruit of the Spirit; He will enable you.

That effort is compelled by and in response to the love of Jesus demonstrated at the cross. This is why it is good, at the beginning of every year, to partake of communion—we are reminded of His body broken and His blood shed, and so are stirred to greater love and good deeds.

Notice Paul said in 5:18, "In everything give thanks." The verb is eucharisteo—the same word used when Jesus took the bread and the cup and gave thanks. That's why the meal is called the Eucharist. When we partake, we give thanks to God for what He did, remembering His body and blood given for us, so that we might press on to lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of us.

Closing Prayer

God, I thank You for the work You did on our behalf. We thank You for Your grace, goodness, and love demonstrated through the cross—Your body broken and Your blood shed. Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

Lord, we remember and give thanks today. Stir us to greater love and good deeds in 2026. Help us to be at peace among ourselves, to warn the unruly, to comfort the fainthearted, to uphold the weak, to be patient with all, to render evil to no one, to pursue what is good, to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all things, to not quench Your Spirit, to test all things and hold fast to what is good, and to abstain from every form of evil. Help us to give our obedient effort, empowered by Your Spirit, that we would become examples among the saints, well known for our faith, hope, and love. We praise You, Jesus. Amen.