John 7:25-36 - A Breakthrough Year
I don't know about you, but I'm more than ready for a breakthrough. I have a sense of optimism, ready for a new era and new beginnings. I'm not quite ready to start my 2025 diet, but I am ready for growth—personal growth, church growth, and growth in every area. I pray 2025 will be a breakthrough year for all of us. But what does that mean and how will we measure a good year, nay, a breakthrough year?
How do we make each day count in the coming year? How we grow this year will of course be in large degree a function of what we do (eat, watch, read, work, say, exercise, drink, listen) and who we do it with. But our breakthrough comes by faith. All good things are from the Father; so it's through God that we'll get a breakthrough. Through increased faith, we will grow in our ability to learn, understand, serve, and mentor others. Let’s trust Jesus for miraculous growth this year. Spiritual growth. You know what you need. Ask God for that now.
All Scripture points to Jesus (Luke 24:27). The message of God’s redemptive love story is the promise of an eternal King, a loving and powerful King, who comes to save His people and prepares an eternal home for them. God the Father sends God the Son to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). The baby born in a manger is the Holy One the prophets said would be born of a virgin in the City of Bethlehem (Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2). The Messiah. The Savior. The Rescuer. The Son of God. The King.
We are now in the age of the church - where God’s Kingdom is growing one believer at a time until Jesus returns (2 Peter 3:9-10). It’s a time when God’s people are to make disciples of Christ and to be known for growing in Christ - known for our love, unity, and good deeds that show God’s glory.
We tell and retell the Christmas story because it is the climax of the human story. It’s the story of Gabriel speaking to young Mary (Luke 1:26-38) telling her of the glorious honor and responsibility about to befall her. It’s the grand story of our King. His blessed birth, short life, and cruel crucifixion for our sake. In very few days on this earth, Jesus taught and prepared those who would build an everlasting Kingdom through the power of the Spirit of Christ. It’s the story of the end of the old. The beginning of the new. God raised Jesus from the dead to mark the truth and finality of canceling the first covenant to put the new covenant into effect.
Believers now have God’s laws written in their hearts. His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Jesus rules today (Hebrews 10:21). I believe that. And I believe Jesus will bring a breakthrough this year. With Jesus, this will be a miracle year. God is patiently building His people - one believer at a time. Our breakthrough this year will come as we trust Jesus. God knows what we need. As we grow let’s ensure our biggest breakthrough is increased faith in Jesus Christ. Hold tightly without wavering to faith in Jesus. His return is our hope. God promises us eternal life with Him. And God can be trusted to keep His promises (Hebrews 10).
In this passage from John the people of Jerusalem puzzled over Jesus. They were torn. Was he or was he not the Messiah. We are not torn. We know and believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world and that we can trust Him in all things but most importantly for His promise of eternity. Our hope is not in this world, but in the world to come. That said, we are given one life and we are to live it well. To that end, we trust Jesus for a breakthrough this year in every facet of our lives.
It’s Christmas Eve. As we celebrate this year let’s be expectant of what God has in store for the year before us. And let’s prepare our hearts so that we are ready for the acts of love and good works that God has prepared for us.
Dear Jesus, we are ready to grow. We trust You alone for the miracles that we seek this coming year. We pray for a breakthrough for Your church and for our families and our friends. Help us to know You more. Amen.
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