"Let us look back first. I am sure that every one here can say what Samuel said, 'Hitherto hath the Lord helped us;' or what Joseph's children said, 'The Lord hath blessed me hitherto.' Yes; every day and hour of your life God has helped and blessed you, or you wouldn't be here to-night. But what have you done hitherto? Your past life, do you like to think about it? Are you quite satisfied with it? Do you like God to think about it? Your life up to the moment you entered this hall, what has it been? What is it? Honestly, now, do you wish this New Year to be just what past ones have been? Aren't you ashamed when you look back on a life stained with sin and spent in forgetfulness of God? 'Ah,' you say, 'but I mean to be different now. I've turned over a new leaf. I've signed the pledge and joined a Bible-reading Union, and I mean to attend here regularly.' But, my friends, 'God requireth that which is past;' and before we can talk about a better 'henceforth' we must settle a bad 'hitherto.' In 2 Cor. v Paul writes about changed lives, about those who henceforth were going to live, not unto themselves, but unto God. But before he speaks of this, he tells of One who died for all; of One whose blood was shed to blot out the stains of the guilty 'hitherto.'"
"Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
"Has your past, with all its sin, been blotted out of God's sight in the precious blood of Jesus? He offers now to do it, if you will come to Him, not excusing yourself, but confessing your sin; for 'if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin.' Then we can begin to talk about a better 'henceforth;' for when God forgives a man, He gives him a new heart, which is a new power to lead a new life; a life henceforth not unto themselves, not just seeking their own pleasure, but the pleasure and the glory of God."
"And so, when this question of the past is all settled, we can begin to look forward, and to say with David, 'The Lord is round about His people henceforth, even for ever.' After salvation comes safety; never alone any more when the devil comes along with temptation, or when sorrow or suffering are permitted to try us. Hitherto we've had to meet them alone; but henceforth God will be close at hand, As Jerusalem was sheltered all around by mountains, so every child of God shall be sheltered and protected by Him; and thus we can look forward to another year with its unknown path, and can say, 'I will trust, and not be afraid.'"
"But Paul looks farther ahead. When he was in prison, expecting almost every day to be led out to die, he wrote to Timothy, 'Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' Ah, he was expecting a reward! Are you? He had a bright prospect; have you? If Jesus has saved you, are you working for Him? It may be some of you haven't much longer to stay here. Oh, set to work at once, and tell some poor sinner how Jesus has forgiven you, and is waiting to do the same for them. Won't you be ashamed to meet your Saviour if you have never done anything for Him since He saved you? If this has been so 'hitherto,' oh, let 'henceforth' find you working for Jesus."
"And then, when the last call has come—and it may come very soon—and your place here is empty, and we miss you, and look for you in vain, there will come a message from the other world about you, 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.' Yes, they rest in Jesus. Oh, blessed prospect! Is it yours? Should you to-night, if the call came, 'die in the Lord'? or should you be among those of whom Jesus said, 'Ye shall die in your sins'? Oh, friends, this evening God speaks to you in love. Bring your guilty 'hitherto,' your life that has been spent in sin, to the cross of Jesus now, and you shall know what it is to say,—"
"The cross now covers my sins;
The past is under the blood."
"'Henceforth' my life here shall be for Jesus. 'Henceforth' my life there shall be with Jesus."