December 31, 2023 - Happy Resolution?
Notes
Transcript
As we stand/sit here today - we stand/sit in a unique position...
with a unique vantage point.
Based on our CALENDAR - we have the option today - to look back at this past YEAR...
And take inventory of all that has happened.
NOW - 364 Days ago - We all SCREAMED out as the clock struck midnight...
As we STOOD on the FRONT END of this past year.
What did we shout out?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
We shout out those words - because we’re HOPING (for ourselves and for others) - that the coming year will be a - HAPPY one!
NOW - looking back - we can see how the year played out!
NOW - today - we do the same thing.
We prepare ourselves - TO HOPE for another year...
To pray for a - Happy year to come!
What comes with those CRIES of - Happy New Year?
New Year’s - - Resolutions!
*Anyone have any resolutions this coming year?
As we all know - Resolutions can take on MANY different forms...
BUT typically - you’re looking at...
a new Diet
a new Workout regimen
a new hobby
a new routine of some sort
Here are some interesting stats...
62% say they feel pressured to set a new year’s resolution.
Women (64%) feel slightly more pressured to set a resolution than men (60%).
Women are more likely to focus on fitness (52%) in 2024 compared to men (42%).
20% of respondents say they keep themselves accountable when it comes to sticking to their goals. This is a massive drop compared to last year’s survey, for which 77% of respondents said they would keep themselves accountable.
Overall, 80% of respondents feel confident in their ability to reach their goals, and only 6% lack this confidence.
Men are slightly more confident (82%) than women (79%) in their ability to reach their goals.
The More common resolutions people set - deal with the following:
Improved fitness (48%)
Improved finances (38%)
Improved mental health (36%)
Lose weight (34%)
Improved diet (32%)
NOW - Here’s what we know -
ALL of these things - TAKE - what?
Effort
NOW - why do we make resolutions?
We make resolutions because we think that LIVING OUT those resolutions - will make our New Year - - Happy.
NOW - that’s not totally off base.
One of the reasons we’re always tired...
Always miserable...
Always down on ourselves… (mentally and physically)
Is because we DON’T eat well...
We DON’T get enough sleep...
We DON’T exercise...
Where if we would DO those things consistently - we WOULD feel better.
And part of that - is actually a PARABLE for us - and speaks to the Spiritual side of life.
Many people - for the past several weeks if not months - have been contemplating - GETTING BACK IN SHAPE...
And STARTING NEW routines - to help them get there...
AGAIN - we scream Happy New Year - and we think that starting these routines -
STICKING to these new routines - will bring us HAPPINESS...
And to an extent - those things can do that.
But TODAY - for us - we want to look at a DEEPER side of life...
Not merely the PHYSICAL - but the Spiritual.
And so HOPEFULLY today - we can take - INVENTORY of our lives.
Our Spiritual lives...
and the FOCUS is going to be on...
SLIDE:
Spiritual Obesity
We all know the issues and problems that lead to and COME WITH physical obesity...
But maybe we haven’t thought long enough about Spiritual obesity… our own.
There are MANY factors that play into Physical Obesity...
But 3 that we’ll look at today are these...
Diet
Exercise
Heart Health
SLIDE: Spiritual Obesity: Not Eating the Proper Foods
Spiritual Obesity
Spiritual Obesity
When we’re teens - a lot of us knew NOTHING of the dangers of a poor diet.
When I was in high school and college, I literally could eat whatever - and it wouldn’t impact me at all.
BUT NOW - things are different - and you start to feel/see how our diets can impact us.
The same is true for our Spiritual Walks of faith.
SLIDE:
What does my spiritual diet consist of?
Our physical diets consist of the things we put into our stomachs that provide some level of nourishment to our bodies.
A spiritual diet consists of the things we fill our hearts and minds with...
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
When we consistently choose to eat foods that are high in fat - we experience the consequences of that...
Tiredness
Lack of energy
Lack of drive
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Other diseases / complications
And we understand the connection between - what we eat - and all of these complications.
Our spiritual diets will have the same effects - but not only on the physical side of life.
If I continue to FEED my mind - earthly things - SETTING my mind on the things of the flesh...
THE RESULT of that will be -
Spiritual tiredness / apathy
A spirit that is weak and vulnerable to sin
A life that is ABSENT of peace
And I SAY THAT - because - AS Christians - when we set our minds on the things of the flesh...
I’m LIVING - contrary to MY INNER BEING…which has been redeemed...
And this battle of WILLS - will drain my soul of energy.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
THIS BATTLE - will DRAIN US...
And so - as Christians - we have to DECIDE - WHAT WILL I FEED my soul?
What DIET will I feed my soul?
And Jesus SPOKE to this very thing - and CONFUSED MOST when He did...
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Jesus isn’t SELLING BREAD here - He’s speaking of Himself.
He’s saying - DINE ON ME -
“come to me” and you’ll never HUNGER or THIRST again.
And so we’re called to FEED OURSELVES - as believers - the things of the Spirit...
Or in OTHER WORDS...
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We’re called to DIET / FEED on God’s word!
God’s WORD - His TRUTH - should be what we FEED ON...
To NOT feed on God’s word - is to become spiritually obese.
And when I say - FEED ON IT...
it doesn’t mean - simply read it.
It entails - STUDYING it.
*Let’s say you decided, for the rest of your life - that you were ONLY going to CHEW your food…and NOT swallow it.
How long would that last?
WHY?
You would EVENTUALLY - DIE...
BECAUSE - you wouldn’t be getting the NUTRIENTS out of the food!
They always say - you ARE what you eat.
That’s NOT true...
You ARE what you - DIGEST.
And so feeding on God’s word - isn’t just about READING IT...
It’s about studying it - to KNOW what it means.
Doing so will ALSO help us to live out this command of Scripture...
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
When we FEED on God’s word -
When God’s TRUTH is part of our DIET...
We’re more likely to TAKE every thought captive...
Contemplating on the Victory of Christ over sin and death!
AND SO - an END of the YEAR question...
SLIDE:
What does my spiritual diet consist of?
Some of us DON’T eat...
vegetables
dairy
meat
cheese / chocolate /
And some of us - don’t eat God’s word.
And BECAUSE we don’t - we’re spiritually malnourished!
we’re SICK!
We’re DEFICIENT - in discernment
Deficient in...
love
mercy
fellowship
truth
We need to CHANGE our diet.
We need to get in - spiritual shape.
BUT as you know - ON THE PHYSICAL side...
getting in shape entails more than just our diet.
SLIDE: Spiritual Obesity: Not Exercising
Spiritual Obesity
Spiritual Obesity
As we know - this time of year - people EVERYWHERE - decide - I’m gonna start exercising again - and DOING THAT will make me happy.
And as I said before - it can definitely impact our happiness...
BUT - the Bible tells us that PHYSICAL exercise isn’t the TOP Priority of life...
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;
8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
It says - physical exercise has SOME value...
It provides some benefits for us on this earth…!
BUT - there’s something MORE important!
ANOTHER kind of - training.
It says - SURE - exercise physically - BUT - MORE importantly - TRAIN for Godliness!
And so - HOW do we become Spiritually Obese?
When we don’t exercise SPIRITUALLY!
NOW - what would be a good Spiritual WORKOUT?
Let’s start with the Ultimate Goal of Spiritual Exercise...
SLIDE:
Spiritual Exercise: Working Out Our Faith
And THIS right here - is the ONE thing - we don’t NATURALLY WANT to do...
Why do you think that is??
Question: What is - faith?
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is the CONFIDENCE in things NOT SEEN - but HOPED for!
SO - another word for Faith - could be - - TRUST.
So if I was going to try to STRENGTHEN my TRUST in God…how would I do that?
I would need to begin to VIEW this world = MY LIFE - as a WORKOUT GYM...
I would need to STOP merely STARING at the equipment all around me...
And I would need to CHOOSE to START WORKING OUT.
SLIDE: Exercise #1: Lifting the Weight of Trials
Exercise #1: Lifting the Weight of Trials
In the Christian life - we ALL will walk through the GYM of this world - and we will come before - a workout machine - called - a TRIAL.
When we choose to VIEW that trial - for WHAT IT IS - under God...
We will get on that MACHINE - and we’ll begin to EXERCISE our faith.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And so ONE OF THE MAIN Workout Machines - in the GYM of your life - are the trials you face!
We all know that TRIALS are a GIVEN in this life.
And here’s the thing I think MOST OF US have never thought about...
When we think of TRIALS - we ALWAYS think of things that end up HAPPENING TO US - (from the outside) - as we walk through life.
Now - that can be true...
Someone we love - passes away.
We unexpectedly lose our job
Our plans don’t play out what we thought they would
We DON’T get into that school
We DON’T pass that test
We DON’T get the call
And so - I KNOW - that when we read James 1:2...
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
We ALWAYS view these TRIALS as OUTSIDE of our control - things that COME to US…in life.
BUT here’s the interesting thing…
- Something that may be the ONE thing that sticks - from this SERMON...
...and I believe this to be ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
SLIDE:
Many times, as followers of Jesus, we need to create our own trials to walk through.
Here’s what I mean...
When I was first got out of college...
I was NOT someone who would find JOY in speaking in front of people
And so - the 1st time I was asked if I’d like to preach - I knew that I was looking at a - - TRIAL.
I KNEW IT - why?
Because in that moment - I could feel my HEART begin to pound… just thinking about it.
I was in a TRIAL in that MOMENT - ONE that I DID NOT create!
Some of you have walked recently through a trial and some of you are IN ONE NOW....
TRIALS that you did not create.
BUT - we have to know - that MANY times in this life - we need to create our own trials - so that we can walk through them.
…so that we can - EXERCISE.
**How many of you - have ever been walking thru your day - and then out of nowhere you find yourself -
Helping a friend shovel dirt
Helping someone move
Helping someone pour concrete
paint their ceilings
Whatever it is...
You find yourself - EXERCISING - but in the context of life.
Think about the difference between...
ONLY relying on Exercise in the context of life...
Compared to...
Getting a MEMBERSHIP at the gym…and CHOOSING to jump on a machine - to workout.
Exercise - as we know - is - HARD.
In order to get STRONGER - we need to make our muscles - WEAK
We need to WORK THEM to the point of - FATIGUE
We need to - STRESS our muscles...
We need to introduce our muscles to - CHAOS
THAT’S how you get stronger.
*Josh (call him up)
Who in here - ASSUMES that Josh avoids working out?
Who assumes the opposite?
ASK JOSH - Ok, if you were to just rely on life experiences to provide you with exercise, would you be as strong as you are now??
NO way!
NO - it takes Josh - CREATING his own STRESS for his muscles...
He takes him - choosing to INTRODUCE his muscles to - CHAOS....to TRIALS.
And so - the question goes out to us today...
SLIDE:
Who in here wants to grow in their faith?
This will take you - creating your own trials - to walk thru.
When we look at the apostle Paul’s life - we know he had a MIRACULOUS salvation experience...
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Here’s this amazing Salvation experience - and then Paul begins MAKING decisions...
Decisions to - WALK TOWARD - trials!
We’ve talked about this next account OFTEN in the past couple months - and we’ll go there AGAIN...
25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Jesus SHOWS up - WALKING on water - and the apostles are TERRIFIED!
Jesus tells them - Don’t be afraid…and then Jesus stops talking.
v28
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
What did Peter DO HERE?
He CREATED - his own - TRIAL!
He was afraid...
But he went with it anyway!
So what about you?
That DAY - Jesus looked at Peter - and said - COME!
Come out onto the water!
For some of us...
Jesus HAS looked at you and said:
“Come...”
Come - follow Me into this ministry!
Come - follow Me into this conversation with your family member
Come - follow Me into a NEW job.
Come - Follow Me into a classroom - You’re gonna teach
Come - Follow Me into a new degree
Come - follow Me up onto the stage to sing
Come - follow Me behind the pulpit - You’re gonna preach.
Come - follow Me into a lifelong commitment to this GROUP of PEOPLE.
Come - follow Me into this CRAZY THING you’d NEVER thought you’d do.
*How many of you don’t like - Sardines??
OK - now - how many of YOU - would CHOOSE to make yourself a MEAL consisting of ONLY sardines?
This is what we need to do...
NO - not make a meal of sardines...
But CHOOSE to create our OWN trials…so that we can EXERCISE our faith!
Do HARD things for Jesus!
Some other EXERCISES that we need to perform - would be...
SLIDE: Exercise #2: Practice Discernment
Exercise #2: Practice Discernment
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
We need to RUN on the treadmill of Discernment.
Well - what would it take to have good DISCERNMENT?
*If you were tasked with finding the best...
QB for the Browns
You would need to STUDY to find out what makes a good QB
Accountant - for your company...
You would need to STUDY to find out what makes a great Accountant.
If we’re going to have Spiritual Discernment - then we’re going to need to STUDY God’s word…
In order to see how to discern between TRUTH - and ALMOST TRUE.
And some of us conclude - NO…I don’t STUDY well...
My response?
Well maybe you need to commit to teaching a Bible Study…or
Preaching a sermon - because maybe THEN you’ll realize that you actually can study.
Maybe you need to CREATE your own TRIAL..in order to walk through it.
Practice Discernment.
What else?
SLIDE: Exercise #3: Pursue Holiness (Obedience)
Exercise #3: Pursue Holiness (Obedience)
if we think that BECAUSE we’re saved - we can just DO WHATEVER and God’s cool with that...
We’d be missing the point of Salvation...
And POTENTIALLY in real danger - depending on the depth of that rebellion.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Jesus says - you were CHOSEN - to BEAR FRUIT...
Well BEARING FRUIT is another way to say - Obey.
You were chosen to - OBEY!
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Obedience to Christ is a SIGN that we are HIS...
And as we ALL know - this isn’t always - EASY!
Sometimes it IS easy....
Sometimes it’s extremely difficult!
it’s the BATTLE of the Christian WALK...
WHY?
Because for every ACT of OBEDIENCE...
There’s ANOTHER choice...
An act of DISOBEDIENCE - as ANOTHER option to choose.
And so it can be very difficult!
Our NATURE is always - present - looking to CHIME in...
Looking to TAKE CONTROL!
And so - OBEDIENCE - is an Exercise of Faith that we MUST fight for.
It MUST be part of our WORKOUT routine.
So what have we seen?
What does our workout routine look like?
SLIDE:
Exercises of Faith:
Lift the Weight of Trials
Practice Discernment
Pursue Holiness (Obedience)
And so when it comes to Spiritual Obesity...
We’ve seen how our DIET plays into it...
What we FEED our hearts and minds
We’ve seen how EXERCISE plays into it...
What we put our EFFORTS into...
AND now - to close - we need to know how HEART HEALTH plays into Spiritual Obesity...
SLIDE: Spiritual Obesity: Not Wanting to Eat Right or Exercise
Spiritual Obesity
Spiritual Obesity
Question: How do we NORMALLY respond to the trials we face?
I think a lot of us - like to complain our way through them...
OR - we jump right into SOLVING the issue - without first speaking to God about it through Prayer...
*HOW many of you have gone through periods of working-out - Devoting TIME to trying to get in shape?
have you ever had days where you just DON’T WANT to be working out?
Don’t FEEL LIKE IT… just drained?
OK - now compare THAT workout…on THOSE DAYS...
TO a time when you were at the gym or at home - and you were SOO pumped to work out.
Which workout was better?
Which workout gave you better results?
HAVING a DESIRE _ makes ALL the difference!
Why do so many New Year Resolutions fail?
The Desire - Joy - fades.
And what happens when our Joy In GOD fades?
2 THINGS...
We will EITHER - stop EXERCISING our faith...
OR
Our Exercise - will TURN (IN OUR MINDS) into - a PASS/FAIL test.
....works-based.
AND THAT’s WHY - after hearing a sermon on - HEY- Get EXERCISING for GOD - we have to be careful.
SLIDE:
Our hearts, by nature, will try to convince us to… work for God.
Now you might think - well that’s GREAT!
NO - it’s NOT.
We don’t hear this sermon - and then START by - creating a list of things to do…and jumping right in!
We start by assessing where our HEARTS are.
What are my MOTIVES?
Am I TRYING to GET to heaven - and thinking these new activities will get me there?
We need to know - the ONLY work - FOR GOD - that HONORS God - is GRACE-Driven work/exercise
if I think that MY EFFORTS - to SERVE God and WORK for him - are - MY OWN EFFORTS - done in MY OWN strength...
THEN I’ve MISSED the mark!
Our EXERCISING of our FAITH - MUST have “JOY in GOD” FUELING it.
And so - in Exercise language -
Our PRE-WORKOUT? - Joy in God
Our Post-WORKOUT?
Protein? NO - Joy in God
God is HONORED - when we DELIGHT in Him.... Not when we merely DO THINGS for Him.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In his JOY - he goes and sells all he has.
Do you see the difference between THIS MAN - and the rich young ruler?
Was the Rich Young Ruler - WILLING TO SELL ALL he had?
NO - the bible says - He walked away - SAD!
This guy here = JOYFULLY sold all he had!!
And so - WHERE IS YOUR HEART?
before you MOVE A MUSCLE here -
Before you decide to exercise your faith - in a crazy way...
ASK YOURSELF - where’s my heart?
Am I doing this THING - because of DUTY - or DELIGHT?
SLIDE:
May delight in God fuel our fight, the exercising of our faith.
SUMMARY
Spiritual Obesity
Not Eating the Proper Foods
Not Exercising
Not Wanting to Eat Right or Exercise
EATING:
We must feast on God’s word (meditate)
EXERCISE:
We must Exercise our Faith:
We must Lift the Weight of Trials
Practice Discernment
Pursue Obedience
JOY in God:
We must fuel our exercise with Joy in God - ONLY THEN will God be honored in our work - because ONLY THEN will HE be at the center of our motivations.
Let’s get exercising -
Let’s pray -