FBC Lorenzo
The call to worship

      • Colossians 3:16–17ESV

  • Come, Thou Fount
  • How Firm a Foundation

  • The Danger of the Drift

    Good morning, church family.
    We are standing in a strange week, aren't we? Christmas is behind us—the wrapping paper is in the bin and the carols have stopped playing. Ahead of us is a brand-new year, 2026. Most of us are already making lists of what we want to change or how we want to work harder.
    But there is a danger in this "in-between" week that we usually miss. It’s called the drift.
    Think about a boat sitting on a calm lake. If you don’t drop an anchor, that boat isn't going to stay in the same place. Even if the water looks perfectly still, there is a hidden current underneath. You don’t have to try to get lost; you just have to do nothing, and the current will pull you away.
    Our faith is the exact same way. If we don’t anchor ourselves right now, the noise, the stress, and the busyness of the new year will pull us off course before we even get started. Next Sunday is Vision Sunday. We’re going to talk about where we are going as a church. But today, the Bible tells us to stop the drift. Before we can move forward, we have to drop the anchor.

    The Pioneer Who Cleared the Path

    Now, if we are prone to drifting, how do we find our way back? We look to Jesus.
    In Hebrews 12, the Bible calls Jesus the "Pioneer" of our faith. In the original language, that word is Archegos. It describes a man who walks into a thick, scary jungle where there is no trail, and he hacks a path through the brush so that everyone else can follow behind him.
    This is so important for us to get: You don't have to find your own way through 2026. You don't have to "blaze a trail" to make God happy or to figure out your life. Jesus is the Pioneer. He entered the wilderness of sin and death first. He cut a path through the Cross and out the other side of the empty tomb.
    Our anchor isn't how hard we work; it’s the path that Jesus has already finished for us.

    Deep Roots, Not Hard Work

    So, if Jesus has cleared the path, how do we stay on it? We don’t do it by running faster; we do it by sinking deeper.
    Colossians 2 says we should be "rooted and built up in Him." I want you to notice something: a tree doesn't "struggle" to grow roots. It doesn't wake up in the morning and say, "I’m going to work really hard to grow an inch today." No, it just sits in the dirt. And the dirt feeds the tree.
    Your job this week isn’t to "try harder" to be a better person. It’s to stay in the "Soil" of God’s grace. We stay in that soil through four simple postures:
    Prayer: We get on our knees. This is how we admit we are weak so that He can be our strength.
    The Word: We get into the Bible. The world’s opinions change every hour, but God’s Word never moves. It’s the solid ground under our feet.
    Focus: We stop looking at our past mistakes and we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer who is already standing in our future.
    Gratitude: We start being thankful. When you are thankful, you aren't worried. Gratitude is the proof that you trust the Anchor is holding.

    Dropping the Weight

    We anchor today so that we can set sail next Sunday. Next week, we’re going to pull up the anchor and run the "Race" of our 2026 Vision.
    But the Bible gives us a final warning: You can’t run a race if you are carrying a bunch of heavy weights. What are you carrying today that doesn't belong in 2026?
    Maybe it’s tradition—holding onto "the way we've always done it" so tightly that you can't reach out for what God is doing next. Maybe it’s hardheadedness—a stubborn spirit that refuses to be corrected or led.
    For some of you, the weight is laziness, a spiritual slump that has kept you on the sidelines. Or maybe you’re just tired—you’re carrying the exhaustion of trying to do everything in your own strength. Whether it’s an old sin, a grudge, or just being plain worn out, drop the weight today. You can’t be rooted if your hands are full of your own heavy plans. 2026 isn't about you becoming a "better version" of yourself; it’s about you trusting a "better Savior."

    Let Him Hold You

    I want to end today by getting our hearts ready. I invite you, right where you are, to just turn your palms upward in your lap.
    The Anchor is not your faith. The Anchor is Jesus. Even when your grip on Him is weak, His grip on you is unbreakable. Do not leave here thinking of all the things you have to do for God; leave here resting in what God has done for you in Christ. Let the Pioneer take the load. Let Him root you. Let Him hold you.
    Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being our Pioneer. We drop our weights at Your feet—our traditions, our stubbornness, our laziness, and our weariness. We give it all to You. Root us deep in Your Grace this week. Help us to stop drifting and start resting. As we look toward a new year and a new vision, let our only confidence be in You. Amen.
    Next Step: Would you like me to create a series of short "Heart Check" questions based on these weights (tradition, laziness, etc.) for your congregation to reflect on during the week?
  • I Surrender All
FBC Lorenzo
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806-634-5601
https://fbc-lorenzo.faithlifesites.com/
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