New Year, New You

“No one is too old or too sinful to experience a new life in Jesus.”

What are you asking God for in 2021? I know we are all praying for an end to the pandemic and for God’s peace to prevail. And perhaps, individually, you are ready for a fresh start.

During His time on earth, Jesus met many people who longed for new beginnings. To the blind, the lame, and the lepers, He gave physical healing. Through a word or a touch, they were suddenly able to see, walk, and live.
He brought spiritual healing as well. To the Samaritan woman at the well, with a history of broken relationships, Jesus offered “living water” (John 4:13, 14). To Nicodemus, the religious leader, Jesus explained how to be “born again” (John 3:3). To His disciples, Jesus offered a new identity, asking them to put down their nets and become fishers of people (Matt. 4:19).

Jesus extends this invitation for a new beginning to you and to me. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, we are given a new identity and a new life. Romans 6:4 explains, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Because Christ died for our sins and conquered the grave, we are a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). I am deeply thankful that the life-changing transformation of the gospel does not depend on who we are or what we have done. Instead, Jesus offers us complete transformation from the inside out. He invites us to come as
we are and to accept His divine grace, allowing God to change our hearts and minds. No one is too old or too sinful to experience a new life in Jesus. Acts 9 introduces us to Saul, a man driven by hate, actively persecuting Christians. God transformed him into Paul, who would become a pillar of the early church. Paul later wrote, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners— of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim. 1:15).

Friend, are you hungering for a fresh start? You can be assured that true and lasting change is available to all at the feet of Jesus. Start this new year by accepting His gift of salvation, a decision that will give you a new life, a new identity, and a new purpose in Jesus.

BY Dr. Mark Jobe, President

Dr. Mark Jobe is the president of Moody Bible Institute. He has served as the lead pastor of New Life Community Church, one church that meets at 27 locations. Mark earned a diploma from Moody Bible Institute in 1984, a master’s degree from Moody Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University. He is the author of What Now?: How to Move into Your Next Season (Moody Publishers) and can be heard on Bold Steps, a daily program on Moody Radio. He and his wife, Dee, have three adult children and four grandchildren.