A psychology professor at Yale University has listed the 12 most persuasive'' words in salesmanship. Third on his list is the word "new" as in "Buy it, it''s new." We like the word new, don't we? We like it in the cars we drive and the houses we live in and the clothes we wear. "Give me something new," may be the slogan of every American. And that is what our message is about today.

What a magnificent opportunity Christ has given us—the opportunity to make new starts and fresh beginnings.

The word "new" has lost some of its punch in our day and age. We owe that, in a large part, to manufacturers who have taken the same old products and repackaged them and put them back on the market. Either they or their advertisers have introduced them to us saying they are new and improved. But you buy…