Out with the Old, In with the New

·42 min·4 clips

Nick Harris recalls chopping cotton as a child to frame how God leads us from old struggles into new promised lands.

Nick Harris opens by sharing personal childhood memories of starting school after summer cotton work, linking it to the excitement of new beginnings. He transitions to the biblical narrative of the Israelites leaving the wilderness for the Promised Land, reading Deuteronomy 11 in full. Harris emphasizes remembering God's past works, both blessings and judgments, as seen in the Exodus and rebellions like Dathan and Abiram. He reflects on 2024, mentioning three new grandsons and his 59th wedding anniversary as mountaintops, but acknowledges valleys too. The promised land is described as having hills and valleys, with God's constant care. Harris outlines five key actions for the new year: remember God's past salvation, reflect on God's character, rejoice in God's promises, resolve to fill life with God's word, and respond to God's commands. He delves into why people forget salvation, citing diminished views of God's holiness and sin's seriousness. For Scripture engagement, he recommends Tara Lee Cobble's Bible Recap app, which offers a chronological reading plan with daily recaps. Harris shares an anecdote about a pastor in Bulgaria whose sermon on genealogies led to a conversion when the listener heard 'he died' repeatedly. He warns against viewing grace as license to sin, using a personal story about his mother reminding him 'remember who you are' before 4-H camp. Harris distinguishes between slave, servant, and son obedience, advocating for loving obedience as children of God. The sermon concludes with a prayer for trust in Jesus and an invitation to visit Bear Creek Baptist Church.

As heard by us

A warm New Year's sermon connects Deuteronomy 11, cotton-field memories, and faith through life's hills and valleys.

Bear Creek Baptist Church's sermon treats the turn from 2024 to 2025 as a spiritual threshold, framing the new year through Deuteronomy 11 and Israel's movement from wilderness toward the promised land.

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Why you'd press play

If 2025 has you standing at the edge of something new, press play for a Deuteronomy-shaped reset.

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