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t k !~----I ýýp r ý'. Thé ýNýw Yèârs' dpyoÉtunit. Scrip$.sre Lesson - I Thessaloni- ans 5. Takeh fro#n a sermon preached by 1ev. Basil E. Long. As we stand at the doorway i whicb opens to a New Vear. w'1e are reminded of two verses from Scripture. The first is fromn the Book of 'Revelations, "Behold, 1 have set bMore thece an op)en door and no man can shuitt it ." The sen-ý ond is fromt the letter to thie Thessaloniions, "Therefore ]et uis not sleep as others do, but ]et us wvatch and be sober." The -New Year's opportuniity is to be found in maniy things, in re- sponsibilîty, in spiritual insight, in1 ways of ser-vice. We cani stand be- fore these opportunities and ig- nore thc--n or be unconsciouis Of tbeni. In 1960 Wim Essai 'as pre- pared to en)ter the 800 metre race at the Olympics andi after training fotir years he slept tbrouigh the qualifying heat of bis event and1 was shu;t ouit. 11e said, "It is dis- ajster, a terrible tragedy; it is the en ,vI as the end of that op- portýunityý. So it is wïlibu as we stand before the 0open door of a Ne-v, Vear. Time oesowad We value jj1Vtim vwesune it foolishly Wihtimle Come"s op) potuities 1ic c f e vise PrepraUo is ecesaryof ee are I tocpiaie nay fee 0 o be ready. TLife is ntsoice that we needte b tke, uawre be derived thýrou sh econiio and! seizing of opruntisthe said Paul, -"Let ius not sleep as otesd, lbut !et us ýwaf ch and besober." Asý we stand at 'the ti-resldC of another year we can lJook back and sýee our 'sucýcessý-es-, f allures, JOy s, sorrows, our seizing of opportun- ity and our a1lowingý it to sliîp use- lessly by. But he wbo stands look- ing býack, basking in the warm glow of satisfaction, or dismnayed znd discouraged hy many failures. cannot fuilfil the requirements ofj discipleship, because we must looki abead. We mnust gain knowledge1 and trutb froin the past, buî-t we mnust not stand there looking bc.Jesus said, "No man having put his band to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kin-1 dont of God." Look ahead, follow your Lord and you will please~ Goffd. Opportunities will corne, per- haps for some, great opportunities. God bas preparedi for every person a supreme opprtunity, a 'momient of destiny, wbich if be misses lie rmy live in, miser'y t1-e rest of bis îife. Saepaesoe wel wen he 'saidV "Tbere is a t1ide ini the affaý1irs of nmen Wýhicb akn t1heflood, leadis te fortune. Ts bou"d inhi osadil (n scisa' filseaare -e)-% afloat. W,1e imust take the uren when it seve o )lseou vnt ures Opprtuntiesmaybe recog- igcdio-nrcgizdadmissý ed. n oportuity ay go iun recognlized becausý,e wc re care- less or di-l of pecpion or, just uplaini indolent. Or it may be that wearec so concened with sel utat e re - taware of the greater opportunities -wbicb lie be- yond ours'eles. They ý.1May be in the form-of dcsoste make eonernngChrist and Ris Way; -wecan aim-. -Mak ideisions very ay rci siig p 1 tee with hi, ance ani lix tren der con-, ent - a] hlmi he thougbt was ai man wit Way ma son's hI over. O1 by the over us knew n If he ti dull, im face he Christiai artificial puts us tbings.1 of the oria Capital aifter il 'elux sýaid to tune ti ition for uttier reasons. <Gri< onfrontsearh one (Y ny have be- n the power ues are lost.- ýave a way of1 idî,aI hi his ni about religion, temper- ;"l U 1-U iuiUi iLn -...r ..ý-v-a k di wideett onF-iwth a chalenge to live for christ hiighest potenitial. nbled because hie was un- and His Way, to serve lm, to viction. Here was his mnorn- continue to dlaim Mis blessings A social climiber, thiebetde- in opportunity was before rn our lives. So it is nrot just one ed womnan in Europe, died in fei. I shok im s h gratdecision but also invoîesParis with a wardrobe of a thous- what hewould o. j ranyv small decisions day by way, andcotms Abu th sae wa ewudd,,leail along the way. time a manicied in London who manof nfuenea bsyhad but one suit, a blue suit with t th ealh. heChrstin Tt is poSibe for one to iuss a red collar. H1e was Williami de such îernandLs in a perl the oppor-tunlities which he alone Booth, the founder of the Salva-t fe, he dld Weil to think, it can renlder. Noah had a uni-ique ýtion Army. Ife took uponu himself ur decisions are influencedI calling. 11e was obedient to God ithe burden of others and will ai- i power of miaterial things Iand buîlt a big, boat and a certain ways be known with a great deal iielixofwas wy eat and nmer of souls were saved, but , of affection. One dlied with a iuc o wrllyplasre Noah alsýo "miissed the boat" be- ithousand costumres and wili be houht hritinit wa ~cause whien the Ark came to rest remembered for her selfishiness. ýelancholy life with a longl we read, "11e planted a vinleyard 'The other died with one suit but was mnaking a mnistake. and,, iehe ecamne drunken." lifyou yjil lonig be remremnbered because inity is nio "goodly, goody" read on \-ou know, his life was hie cared. Life is more than ward-e fl way of life. Christianity !tragedy,,. 1e -missed the greater roe.Cpte d oCmk h into the very core ofiopportunity of founding a newm nani. Chirisian living is more than fit ives us an appreciation race of spirituially mature menl. something to soothe us and keep1 truths of life we do not One dfoes not have to indulge mn us gongTt is a change of mind ily bave. Tt is Life with a lhard libuors anld wines to get and heart which involves service.f "L", if e with a plus sign drunlk-MWe rmay miss a unique'h Wbtve istouhspossibility in1 our life or a sup-I Perhaps we can take part inv remne opportunity because of thîe fulfilling of certain opportun-c postponed decisions, H1edrnens in one way or an- ities without recognizing tbemi be-E Paul, "At a more oppor- othier, becaus drunkeness is more :Cause our bearts are riglit. Tesusn Ile I will hnear from you thLan the liquid which we pour spol of the sheep and the goats. J That time did flot corne. down ou;r throat. Many have been As thle sheep were standing before'L drunken with obsessions or with the Lord tbey heard the words ,l "Corne ye blessed of MyFtb, enter. into the possessiol, of tbte Kingdont which fias beeni prepared 'ý for you siiice the creaton of t.he wonld. For I was hungýry and yessý gave rne foodl, 1 was thirs,,ty pand you gave me drink; 1I was sick n 'you visited me. I1 was in prisonan you niniistered to me." in amaczf ment they said, "When ý â We thýis?" The ILord replied, Ia much as you did it to the leais-i fý these miy brethr'en, youi did it usý- to mre." Ilowever, we canm& these Wo)nderful oppo)rZLlnitieS iý we are preoccuipied wt ie lwrong things.ý3 Jesus said, "The Kingýdom cfý' Heaven cani be compared !ote virgins Who took their lamnp>sai went forth to mieet thýebrd groomn. Five were prepared wt extra Qil and five were >not. REý- cause of a delay somne ran out c oil and trîed to borrow but coull not and tbey did not have tir,- to go for miore. Tbey cold lno)t go in becauise they had no lgh.Thc,- lhas been a universal truthi i, warning for us. Certaintig cannot be done at the last mo- ent. A man said to me, 'just gis me one hour at the endi of myý life to repent. i arn reallIygin to live it uip until then.'" H1 (Conitinued page 5) e There's something exhilarating about a '6G Caprice. You'Il feel it the moment you slip inside. You've just got to turn it on. Do. Then headl for the highway. That's where you'Il find out ail about Caprice . . . its Jet-smocother ride.,. comfort . . . silence .. . but reading about it isn't half as gond as doing it. Your Chevrolet dealer is the m-an to sec. What are you doing to-day? -7 9(jrlioliIL ERM wnu.V il Bl ý ALL KINDS 0F CARS, ALI IN ONE PLACE... AT YOUR CHEVROLET DEALER'S C 4zC N UT1O42:4 litOETDAE Y 0 MA IL oY Ii Bewmanviile, Onit. Phon: 7284M ________Be ure to sec E Bnania on the CBC-TV network eaCb Su'nday, Cheýck your locl istin-g for channe! condtm - ýL- - - ý-, -,. - , - 1