Sunday 01/11/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church
Sermon Title: “Are
you Enjoying the Winter?”
Genesis 8:22, Job 37:9-10, Psalm 147:16-18
In
beginning this message for this morning, I have a question for us all to
consider on this day, January 11, 2026. The question is this: “Are You Enjoying
Winter?” This is a simple question, but it can also be a complicated question. Are
you enjoying and do you like the season of winter? Some of us seem to love the
season of winter, some of us might not, and some of us are indifferent about
winter.
I
have always been fascinated though by four of all the seasons, and to an extent
by how we live differently with the changes that occur in each season. We wear
different clothes during different seasons and sometimes do different things in
different seasons of the year. Yet we are presently in the winter season. So, I
ask us all again: “Are You Enjoying Winter?” How many of us here love winter?
How many of us here would say that winter is your favorite season? How many of us
here, on the other hand though, do not like winter, and look forward to it
ending every year?
Some
of us may say, for example, which Fall or Autumn is our favorite season with
the leaves changing colors, apple cider, and of course football. Some might
love spring the most, as the rain comes back, the flowers bloom, and the bird’s
chirp. Or sometimes in January the rain comes back like it did this past week!
Either way, maybe we should try to like and appreciate all four seasons of the
year for varied reasons.
Whatever
our preferences are, we have seasons. Some places in the world though might be
more like summer most of the year due to their climate, and in some places in
the world it might be more like winter most of the year, due to their climate.
In fact, in places in Alaska, there is a period of time up north, especially Utqiagvik
(Barrow), where people experience periods of no sunlight in winter, known
as polar night.
This is due to the Earth's tilt, with the sun staying below the horizon for
over 60 days (around Nov 18 to Jan 23).
I
have heard many people already tell me about this winter, for example, how they
do not like having less sunlight than we do in the summer months. Every year I
also always hear the arguments for and against daylight savings time. Who here
wants to get rid of daylights savings time? Who hear wants to keep it? I hear
people every year tell me that the winter is too dark, too cold, and yet, as I
said, some people that I talk to love the winter.
As
I asked the kids this morning for the Children’s Corner, “Is snow mentioned in
the bible?” Which we now know that it is mentioned in the bible if we did not
know this before. From what I have studied and researched, snow is mentioned in
twenty-four scriptures in the bible, and winter is mentioned as many as sixteen
times in scripture, based on your bible translation. Since we are in the season
of winter, I thought it would be good this morning to discuss winter and a
little bit of the bible says about it.
In
the first scripture that I read for this morning, once again, we hear again in
Genesis 8:22 this:
22 As long as the
earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease’ (Gen. 8:22, NRSV).
This scripture is God speaking as the
great forty-day flood of the earth with Noah and his family has just ended. God
is saying to Noah, that as long as this earth exists, we will have seedtime or
the planting of crops, the harvesting time of crops, cold and heat, summer and
winter, day and night, and this will be the natural order of things until the
earth is no more. The seasons will always be with us, even if “snowbirds” and
some of the rest of us are constantly trying to escape the seasons that we are
potentially not the fondest of. Of course, up until more resent history going
to different parts of the country and the world were not as easy as they are
today.
As
I said, the seasons have always amazed me. In the winter much of the foliage,
plant life, and animals seem to be gone or hibernating. Then in the spring it
all just comes back every year. It really is an amazing and miraculous thing.
This always reminds me of Jesus crucifixion, death, and entombment on Good
Friday, and his resurrection to new life on Easter morning. New life come in
the springs, and new life always comes on Easter morning when we celebrate
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Since
we have the season of winter, and all four seasons, it call also remind us that
we have seasons of our lives. With this said, what kind of season are we
currently in, in our lives? Are we in good season, an ok season, or a not good
season? Wherever we are at, God is with us, and we are with one another. It was
so exciting to have a good turnout for our movie night last night, as the more
we are together, the better and the stronger that we are.
The
next scripture that I chose that mentions snow, is Job 37:9-10, which says,
once again:
9 From its chamber
comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are
frozen fast (Job 37:9-10, NRSV)
We hear, once again, in these verses from
Job 37:9-10 about the power and majesty of God is in the natural world. In
these verses specifically, we hear about winter, cold ice, and frozen water. All
four of the seasons is God’s plan for us, and it is how we are supposed to
live. Some of us might not always be thrilled about this, but the seasons of
the year are here to stay.
In
the famous hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter” we hear these familiar words in verse
1:
1 In the bleak
midwinter
frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone:
snow had fallen,
snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter,
long ago (https://hymnary.org/text/in_the_bleak_midwinter).
In hearing this, for those that do not
like the season of winter, how many of your cringe just a little when hearing
verse 1 of “In the Bleak Midwinter?” I mean winter is not described to me as
particularly pleasant. Since we will always get all four of the seasons though,
we should try to embrace the parts of them that we like and not be so critical of
the parts that we do not like.
For
example, who among us likes summer as your favorite season of the year? How
many of us would love to have nothing but summer all year long? If so, do I
have your permission to remind you of this in August, when this church is going
to be very hot? Maybe just maybe for a moment on those days or those warm
Sundays this summer, winter will not look so bad?
The
point is, is that seasons are not only biblical, as snow is biblical, but they
are from God. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall are all from God, and we will
always have them, as God told Noah, once again, in our Genesis 8:22 reading for
this morning. So, what if we reframed our view of the seasons as this what God
Has given us. Further, would it not be boring if we only had one season?
For
example, went on a mission trip to the Central American country of Niacaragua,
nine years ago. I was there in late winter/early spring at was unbelievably hot
and humid. The temperature there is always hot and humid. Wouldn’t we miss the
variety of the seasons if we no longer had them in their fullness? I would.
The
final scripture that I want to read for this morning, which is one of my
favorite scriptures on snow and winter, is Psalm 147:16-18. This in part, is
also the scripture on our welcome to worship picture for this morning. Psalm
147:16-18, says once again of God:
16 He gives snow like
wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs—
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow (Ps. 147:16-18).
I
remember when I was a Methodist pastor, that I formed a pastoral mentoring relationship
with a pastor in the African country of Kenya to help him with his ministry.
This pastor was shocked when I explained to him that in New York we were in
winter. I told him the temperature and the weather conditions. His response
was, “How do you stay alive and not die?” This pastor was fascinated to hear
that burn fuel, use electric, wood, etc. to hear our homes.
This
pastor asked this because he had never been in wintry weather before. This
pastor had never seen the leaves change, this pastor had never seen or
experienced snow. I helped this pastor and collaborated with him to help get
his church built up virtually in his country, but I took for granted the fact
that we have all four seasons in their fulness where we live, and he did not.
I
mean imagine for those folks who ski, or snowshoe, or snow tube, never having
done that because where you live there is no snow? Imagine living somewhere
where there is no fall or autumn? This means no changed leaves, and if it is it
is outside of the United States, no NFL Football! Now of course in the time
that we live in we travel to places with different climates, but imagine if we could
not do that?
People
jokingly asked Melissa and I, as we were starting here at the AVBC, “You know
what kind of winters that we get here in the Tug Hill Region right?” I guess
they were jokingly saying, “Do you know what you in for here!” Would we really
want no winter in Adams though? No fall? No spring?
In
asking the question at the beginning of this sermon “Are You Enjoying the
Winter?” if your answer is still no, challenge yourself to see God’s majesty in
this season. As you see the snow on the trees, and all the beauty of this time
of the year.
So,
to bring all of this home, here are some application points, to take this
sermon with you out into this winter day here in Adams, NY:
Winter and seasons are important in the Bible as metaphors for life's spiritual cycles, representing hardship, rest, and preparation, while also affirming God's constant control, covenant promises (like seedtime and harvest), and the necessity of spiritual pruning for future growth, echoing themes of death and resurrection. They symbolize spiritual "winters" of testing and barrenness that lead to deeper intimacy with God, renewed hope, and eventual flourishing, much like the earth rests before spring.
Key Meanings of Winter & Seasons:
- God's
Sovereignty & Covenant: Winter's predictable return
confirms God's power and faithfulness over creation, fulfilling His
promise to Noah that seasons will continue (Genesis 8:22).
- Spiritual
Trials & Pruning: Winter imagery often represents difficult
times, spiritual barrenness, or a stripping away of illusions, preparing
believers for deeper spiritual growth (like pruning in John 15).
- Rest
& Reflection: Like the earth resting, winter signifies a
necessary pause for spiritual rejuvenation, prayer, and drawing closer to
God.
- Hope
& Renewal: The
cold, dormant winter holds the promise of spring's rebirth, symbolizing
resurrection, new life, and the eventual triumph over hardship.
- Practical Life & Hardship: The Bible notes winter's practical challenges (difficult travel, agricultural slowdown) and its lessons in endurance, community, and reliance on God's provision.
Examples in Scripture:
- Song
of Solomon 2:11: "For
now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone" – announcing
renewal.
- John
15:2-6: Jesus'
teaching on pruning branches to bear more fruit, paralleled with spiritual
winters.
- James
1:2-4: Trials
(spiritual winters) produce perseverance and maturity.
- Genesis 8:22: God's promise of continuing seasons, seedtime and harvest.
Ultimately, seasons in the Bible teach that every phase, even winter, serves a divine purpose in God's grand plan, preparing for greater fruitfulness and closeness to Him (https://www.google.com/search?q=why+is+winter+and+the+season+important).
Remember brothers and sisters, Jesus
experienced all that we did. He experienced the seasons, probably not as cold
and snowy as we do, but he experienced everything! He still loves us. He still
died for us. When we repent our sin, guilt, and shame, and turn to Him, He
makes us a new creation. He offers us forgiveness, new life, and eternal life.
The good news is that we can accept this from Christ any day, any time, and in
any season. So, once again, Amen.
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