New Beginnings | Feb 1 2026 (Rob Lodge)

Well, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Rob Lodge, who

will be bringing God's word to us this morning.

Rob and his wife Louise and their lovely family have been

part of this church fellowship for I guess about a year and a

half. And it has just been a delight

to get to know them and to serve along with them and to love them

and to receive the love of God through them.

It's just been, it's just been fantastic.

Rob is a is a businessman, but he knows that as primary

business, as the father's business.

And so he has committed even in business to bringing the love of

Christ to this world and seeing his Kingdom, God's Kingdom

expand. Rob leads a life group and Co

leads another life group. And as part of the men's group,

he's getting more and more involved in ministry.

He has just recently come on as a volunteer intern at Forest

View. And today, he's going to be

preaching his first message to us, to this church.

And so lean in, get ready, and let's give Rob a warm welcome as

he comes up here. To bring it in.

My own Rich. There we go.

Thanks, John. I was gonna introduce myself a

little bit, but I wouldn't do such a good job.

So if you can all reduce your expectations a little bit based

on that, we'll be just fine. Yeah, I'm going to put a timer

on too, like Tim said. Not the same reason that Louise

will tell me off for going on too long, but want to get to 45

minutes, I'll start wrapping up. That's what you said, right?

New beginnings. My half my sermons been done by

the children's message. Really.

But new beginnings, what do we think of when we think of new

beginnings? Don't worry, it's not

interactive. Don't shut out New Year's

resolutions you've heard about in January, February 1st.

So I know you've nailed those. Those are done.

Pick them up again next year or not, but we have different types

of new beginnings. We typically think positive and

know that, you know, it's like that clean slate, fresh start,

new beginning. Lots of those happened in this

church that over the last year. New babies, marriage, maybe you

moved to a new house, maybe got a new job and maybe all those

have been positive. The small stuff too we got.

Maybe you changed your car, maybe you've decided to walk to

work everyday or whatever it is. There's lots of small new

beginners happened to, but we could have negative new

beginnings too. I've already mentioned new job,

but that could be negative too. Maybe you didn't plan on

changing that new job, maybe you did and it's terrible.

So we did. We go into new beginnings not

knowing sometimes if they're going to be as positive as we

think they are. Maybe you're looking for a new

beginning. Maybe that's you're searching

for something right now and you're looking for that.

Maybe you're avoiding one. Maybe you know, you're supposed

to be going towards 1 and you'll say no.

Either way, lots are expected. So all the things we've spoken

about getting married, you expect that you've got a date,

you're aiming towards it, have having a baby, I hope it's

expected and you've got a date and you're working towards that.

You're moving house. You know they're expected.

But we also have non unexpected new beginnings.

We have lots of those and that's kind of more what we're going to

looking at and how God uses those or how maybe He instigates

them. So let's pray as we go into His

Word. Lord, thank you that we can come

together in your house freely Lord, to worship and to look

into your word. We pray you bless this time.

Help us to hear your word clearly.

Lord in Jesus name, Amen. We're gonna be looking in

Cheerful Book of Lamentations. This is where you do need this

index. John puts it up often, but

unless you're always in there, I don't think many of you were

going Lamentations every day. But maybe you are.

So there it is. After Jeremiah, before Ezekiel.

We're going to be in chapter 3. But what is it to lament?

Let's talk about that for a second before not a word you

hear people use very often. And I would have said that.

And then last week I got a phone call from someone and they used

it normally in a sentence which surprised me, but they for they

did. So what is it?

What does it mean to lament? What is lamenting complaining of

sorts? Complaining is not lamenting.

Complaining is making noise about your circumstance or

someone else's circumstance. Just you know what complaining

means. But without solution normally

right, you're just making noise about what's going on.

Lamentin could be complaining, but it's complaining with

grieving, with sorrow, and not without solution.

Without our solution, maybe, but it's where we lament.

We lean into God for his solution.

That's that's what it is to lament.

So it is an expression of deep pain and sorrow, and that's the

way we get to express it. Traditional belief is that

Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations.

He prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and he was there for

it. So he lived through it, and this

is his our writings in poem form through that time.

It was a single scroll made-up of five chapters, books, poems,

5 poems and each of them in acrostics.

So if you I'm sure you know acrostic is but a passage or a

poem laid out with the 1st letter of each line as makes up

a word. In this case it's the Hebrew

alphabet. So 22 letters in the Hebrew

alphabet, 22 verses in each poem in line with the Hebrew

alphabet, other than chapter 3 which is 3 lines per letter of

the alphabet given us 66. Just a bit of education for you

here. This is what I learned, so I'm

sharing it. So we are going right into the

heart of that now. This, if you haven't read

Lamentations lately, I'll talk more about in a second, but just

some awful stuff in there like the the Jerusalem has been

destroyed, people without their homes, they are in starvation.

And here Jeremiah is trying to make some sense of that and

putting it in some kind of order actually with the the poem form.

But we're right in the middle. So I said 5 poems were in the

middle one and we're right in the middle of that poem.

That's the reason why I'm saying that.

And we are going to verse 19. So we are right in the centre of

the Book of Lamentations, starting at verse 19.

We'll go to 24. I remember my affliction and my

wandering, the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His

compassions never fail. They are new every morning.

Great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, the Lord is my

portion. Therefore I will wait for Him.

So first thing to note, although I notice is in verse 20 or or

all of it really, it's it's in present tense.

Yet this I call to mind my soul is downcast.

He's there. It's not this isn't a hindsight

recollection of what happened. He's in this my soul is that I

am downcast. But then he goes on to say his

compassions, though, never fail. And he said compassions, which

intrigued it was plural. So I looked at the original word

in the Hebrew Scripture and it was it's Raheem.

I'm not going to try and say it totally properly because I don't

want to spit on you. John more embarrassed myself.

But it's Reham, which means actually means womb and it but

in this context, it means that all-encompassing compassion of

God, like the tender love of a mother.

That's the full description. So it's big.

It's it's compassion, but it's more than that.

And he's saying compassions and he's in the middle of this.

I said things were bad at that time.

They were awful. Like if you read some of this,

it talks about cannibalism for people to survive.

It's horrendous. There's just awful stuff going

on. And then right in the middle of

that, Jeremiah is able to say, yet this, yet this I call to

mind, and therefore I have hope. His compassions never fail, so

how was he able to say that he had experience?

We know that. We know some of Jeremiah's

story, so we know he knew God. We know he was close to him.

Was he experienced in God's compassions himself in that

moment? Was he recollecting stuff?

I'm sure it was a bit of both, but really to the first touch of

the word new beginnings. I think suffering initiates new

beginnings and I believe that strongly.

I I know that's true. And I've got that a, a story of

that in my life, which I'm gonna share, which happened just about

a year and a half ago where God came into suffering to, to start

a new beginning, which is why I'm stood here.

I was in a John already shared having a business locally.

And we're in a tough spot. We're in a really tough spot.

But I thought to the point where I thought that could be it.

We we could be done. And we had about 70 people

working for us at the time. There were several things

happening. But the biggest thing, and

without going into detail with I told you he's given, that's not

suffering. Well, it was I was suffering.

I didn't know how to function. I couldn't function.

I would go to work and I would say to the guy who runs things

for me, I gotta go home. I just can't make a decision.

I can't function. So I was at breakdown point.

If you ask guys, if he says I did breakdown, but I, I was at

that breakdown point and I didn't know what to do and I was

driving to work and I was listening to my devotion that

morning. I and it was about love and it

it finished and then I had this just overwhelming presence of

God. And he said as clear as

anything, I love you and it's all you need to know.

And it was as simple as that. Now, if you've experienced

anything like that, you'll know what I mean by this.

It wasn't like I could recognize his voice and in an audible way,

but that's what he said. And whenever I look back at that

moment, that's what he said. I love you and it's all you need

to know. But it was what he did with

that. That was the powerful bit.

He moved me to a new beginning and to illustrate where he put

me, God used something else. A few weeks later I was watching

the King of Kings animation. If any of you have seen that.

Like Christmas before last, I think it came out.

And there's a bit in there where that disciples getting the boat

without Jesus, you know the story and they're going across

the lake and they start getting tossed around in the storms.

And the animation does a pretty good job of making that look

pretty dramatic. And they don't know what to do.

And then they see something and it's Christ and he's on the

water. And this is, you know, the story

where Peter wants to get out and say, God, if it's you, Lord of

it's you, let me come. And but it was that moment.

It was that moment and that visual and that picture that I'm

talking about at that moment in the car where I was in that

place in that perfect calmness with Christ, but could still see

all the storm like, but the storm didn't matter And it

wasn't like anything changed because I didn't get to work.

I was on my way to work. I didn't get there and everyone

was waiting at the door and said, Rob, you're not gonna

believe it's a miracle. All the problems have gone away.

None of that happened, but it didn't matter anymore.

Of course it still mad and I'm not saying we don't pray for

change. We don't pray for healing all

those things, but it was where I was at in that moment that made

all the difference. Dave Snow, I don't know.

Obviously I can't see him, but he shared that two weeks ago

when he came up and shared some of his story with us where he's

in a point of suffering. He's suffering, but his

testimony was fantastic. He's I'm good, I'm good.

And he said I, I don't know about the healing.

I'm good. He was, he's, he's in that

place. Which is more important?

I'm not diminishing the suffering.

I'm not. I'm not taking away from that.

But I'm saying that new beginning that God can create

through suffering is something else and and it's and it's

guarantee. It's written many times, the

sufferings guaranteed. If you're not in it, you're

gonna get it. So we want him to use it, right?

We do want him to use it. And I and the new beginning that

was starting to meet literally to make being stood here today

is been incredible. I'm gonna use this moment just I

would be remiss to mention Linda, I know you mentioned

Linda Fraelich, but those of you that knew her and I

unfortunately know well, but those of you that did know this

is true of her too. That in our moment of suffering,

she honoured Christ. She was suffering in Christ and

and her testimony goes on honoring Christ because of the

way she was able to suffer with Him.

And I think that's just a a good example of of that too.

And of course, we continue to pray for Gary and the family as

they go through their moment of suffering now.

And we pray that they they meet him right there too.

Romans 8 talks about this, talks about suffering, and if you

wanna, I'm not gonna go right to it, but if you wanna read from

verse 18 in your own time, it says a lot about that and

there's a lot in it. But what it concludes with

really is 828, which Louise's favorite verse actually.

And we know that it wasn't all things God works for the good of

those who love him have been called according to His purpose.

So I'll conclude that little bit with that.

I mean, there's enough to know that God uses it.

He does. He does that was first 22.

His compassions never failing. We moved verse 23.

They are new every morning. So talk about everyday new

beginnings not in regular everyday new things.

Everyday new beginnings spoken about just now in the children

message. We have this perfect privilege

is believers that every day we can renew.

We have this infinite amount of times we we get to renew with

Christ doesn't mean you know John's been talking about this

with the death to life and living the life we don't get to

forget it. We don't get to erase what we've

been through, but we get to use it and remember it and remember

what Christ has done for us through it.

So what a incredible God we have that every morning we can come

back to him and do that with this guilt free walk.

There's no condemnation. We don't look back with

condemnation. We look back with thank you,

God, you did it for me again. But it's better than that.

It's not every morning, it's anytime it's throughout the day.

It's not you don't have to wait till the morning.

You certainly don't have to wait till the new year for your

resolution. It's it's any time I, you know

the story, we know what Peter goes up to Jesus and asks how

many times should we forgive our brother?

7 times. And I kind of like the sound of

that having a tally mark. You're up to three today.

Just letting you know, like Randy, you up to 4.

Like, you know, having a televised with, well, you know

the answer Jesus gives us that it's 70 * 7.

I don't know what the math is. Someone can shout that number if

they've got it. Or is it 490?

The point is if you're getting up to 490 sins against just one

of your brothers against me, then there's a different problem

we need to deal with. But the point is Jesus saying

that there's no number. You continuously forgive each

other, and the great thing about that, that's talking about you

and I. So we don't understand God's

love, and how much more does He forgive us?

So we get to come to Him any moment in time.

God, I'm sorry I've messed up again.

God, I'm sorry I've done it again.

We don't have to all tomorrow. I'll do better now.

Right now, right now, any moment in time, we get to renew and

restart with Him. Salvation is one time, but the

renewing with Him is constant and ongoing.

That growing in sanctification is is a process of new

beginnings throughout. I think I'm going fast, might be

less than 45 minutes. So the we have to talk about the

greatest new beginning, which is salvation becoming a Christian,

death to life, crossing the line, being born again.

When we become aware of our sin and that need for our salvation,

then we get, we get, have it and we had it.

Um, but it's also the start of many new beginnings.

Like it's actually exactly what Sandra said at the in the

children's message. It's, it's, it's the one

greatest big beginning you can have, but it's the start of

many. I remember when I became a

Christian, I'm going back to when I was I think 19 and I was

a bad lad for a while. I was, I was involved in all

sorts of drugs, drinks, I was selling drugs.

I was in a bad spot and I had quite the dramatic salvation.

My moment of that crossing the line was was dramatic and

happened instantly. But because I had a lot of

things wrong, I felt I knew what I needed to be done next, right?

I had, I know this is bad. I need to stop doing that.

I need to stop doing that. This isn't a good look.

I need, you know, I had all these things that I remember and

I remember clearly get into a a moment of realization with that,

that I was trying to instigate my new beginnings.

I don't know that I would have given it that phrase then, but I

remember realizing I was trying to fix things and God needed to

do it and and when he did, He dealt with the root of that

rather than the face of that. And I feel like actually, since

my story I shared earlier on, I feel like I've been going

through that again a little bit. I've realizing that we try and

do it ourselves. We gotta let him have it.

We've gotta let him have it. We gotta let him show us where

we need a new beginning. Not thinking we've got it nailed

because we never do. Which is frustrating, I know,

but we never have it nailed. So my favorite new beginning in

the Bible is the thief on the cross.

I just think it demonstrates everything that we need to know

with Salvation is you've got he's tends to Jesus, Jesus

Remember Me and Jesus says yes and he can't do a thing.

He I mean, he's pinned right. He's nailed.

He can't move, he can't go anywhere.

He can't prove his new beginning to anyone.

He can't go and repair any damage he's done to others.

He can't ask for forgiveness from anyone.

He can't do anything. He's hours from death and he

starts a new life in Christ. Like how incredible, how

incredible, and how complicated we can make that, but it's so

simple. It's so simple that we can just

accept that moment of salvation and on we go.

There's nothing like it and I just, that's why it's my

favorite new beginning. It's just, it's, it says it all

without having to say anything. It's great.

SO application stuff, well, Sunday school answers easy.

Pray and read your Bible more, right?

Those are good things. Do them.

But I can't tell you to go get suffering.

And I, like I already said, you're already gonna have that.

You're already either you're in it, you've had some, you're

gonna have some, you know, and, and allow God to use you through

it. And I know that's easier said

than done. My moment that I described

wasn't expected. I wasn't going away.

Well, this is the morning. God's going to sort me out this

morning. Everything's going to come.

I didn't know that, but. I was crying out to him for

sure. So we keep doing that.

We keep looking to Him, but there are a couple applications

verses verse 2021. My soul is downcast within me,

yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.

Well, what is he calling to mind?

What is he calling to mind? What can we call to mind when

we're in those times? Anything that reminds us of His

faithfulness. Anything, however small or big,

just call it to mind. Maybe write it down daily.

Maybe remind yourself of the things he's done during that

day, the things we can be thankful for.

And when we realize they're there during that day, they're

probably things that he's kind of nudging the new beginning.

They always are. And then we got the big things.

We got the big story that I shared.

I should write. I have written it down.

Now. There we go, but we're so prone

to forget. And it reminded me as I thought

about that. I mean, even thinking through

like I've been reading the Bible again in a year and I'm in

Exodus, They walked through the Red Sea with a wall of water

each side of them. And how soon after they've

forgotten. So we're the same.

We forget, so we need to write it down.

We need to remind ourselves. We need to call to mind what

he's done and what he's doing, what we've seen him do in other

people's lives with just need to keep recalling that and when we

look what he's done, other people's lives, sometimes that's

an easier way to see it, I think.

I don't know why that is, but it's a good reminder too.

It's not always about us. It's not always about me.

I could be in the midst of someone else's new beginning and

being mindful of that. And I'm going to talk about

myself again for that. The story I gave and the the the

tough night. Better not look at the family

cause that's why I get emotional.

But OHP there's a new beginning. I wasn't planning on talking

about this when I turned 50I cry at everything now my kids will

tell you. You can ask him yourself.

I they had never seen me shed a tear until I was their age and

now I cry at everything. Don't worry if you're not 50.

I don't think it happens to everybody, but I say maybe you

don't care. I just I still I'm still getting

used to it 52. I'm still trying to figure it

out. Anyway, now I've lost myself.

No, not being about us. So when I was going through that

stuff, I don't think they were all aware they were fantastic,

right? Everyone of my family around me

were. Just knew there was something

they needed to do different, but they didn't think, see, see what

I mean? It's ridiculous.

OHP My goodness, they didn't No. Oh, this is a point of Rob's new

beginning. This is point of Dad's new

beginning. They weren't thinking that way,

but they knew there was a way to deal with me.

It's a little bit differently, right?

They could see needed to give me a little bit of slack.

They could see there was a little bit of understanding.

They could maybe I need a little bit of extra prayer.

I don't know, but I could feel it.

I could see it. So I would say something or they

would say something that they would always say and they would

see my reaction and and Oh yeah, we need to be a bit different

around. So let's, I think there's an

application there. We need to remember that in

other people it's not always about me.

And then final application, really the greatest new

beginning I mentioned of coming to him for the first time.

If you haven't asked him to do that, if you don't know him, if

you haven't gone from that death to life, if that isn't something

you feel you've experienced now, well, don't wait.

I always remember my my dad became a Christian a little bit

later on after I did and he would tell me about times we'd

be sat in church before being a Christian and have that

conviction and just knew there was the truth there.

No, I need to go and fix this. I need to change this first.

I need to do this first. Well, there's missing the point,

right? We don't, we don't plan it.

It's not we can't put anything right.

Go back to the thief on the cross.

This is the moment you just accept and then let Christ walk

alongside you for that greatest new beginning you could

experience. So if you haven't done that,

don't wait. Do it today, do it now.

We'll pray in a minute and you can do it right now.

Don't leave it, it's too important.

And there's two incredible to experience.

You just gotta get him in your life.

Well, like on quicker than I thought, but let's pray.

Dear Lord, thank you for new beginnings.

Thank you for whatever we do, Lord.

You're right there with your hand outstretched for us to

start again daily. But not just daily Lord anytime

and Lord of that greatest new beginning of salvation and I'm

I'm gonna put it out there now with her when everyone's got

their eyes closed. If you're one of those people

who think you need to accept Christ for the first time, then

no one's looking. You could put your arm up and

and acknowledge that so that we know we can pray for you and and

join you in that journey with Christ.

If you don't wanna put your arm up then just do that.

Pretty except Jesus, you won't regret it.

So Lord, thank you for this time.

Thank you for everything You are to us at all times and bless

this day and make it a new beginning for all of us.

In your name the greatest name there is Jesus.

Amen.