Good morning, I hope everybody had an enjoyable week that was full of joy and thanksgiving and I hope some moniker of rest.
!
Well, on the one hand, we will only be another day into another journey around the sun.
On the other hand, there is something seemingly significant about passing from one year and into another.
Doesn't it always feel like we are turning a page in a book, closing the chapter that we call 2024
at opening the chapter we call 2025.
I was born in 1980, and I can remember the openings of movies
that were set in the future being set to 2025.
And here we are in the future.
Doesn't it feel like an opportunity for a fresh start?
Because of the grace of God to us in Jesus Christ,
we always have the opportunity to start afresh.
Isn't that wonderful?
But our minds are often drawn to make new commitments
at the beginning of the year that we most often call resolutions.
We are surrounded by people making resolutions.
If you've not already heard this language, it's coming this coming week,
and you're going to see lots of suggestions for resolutions,
and many of them are good things.
But this morning, my prayer for us is that we can look to God's Word together
and consider how we can make resolutions that please the Lord.
Some have asked if resolutions are biblical.
Should we make promises to change?
And I say to you, absolutely yes.
Yes, we most certainly should.
To believe in change is Christian.
We are a people who have been changed from enemies of God into friends,
from dead to alive,
because we have placed our faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Further, we have set for us a pattern in the Bible
of God's people making promises that are pleasing to God.
Let me just give you two examples,
one from the Old Testament and one from the New,
and then we will turn our attention to today's text.
First, Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself
with the Babylonian king's food or wine.
Daniel chapter 1 and verse 8.
Secondly, Paul resolved to make his way to Jerusalem
to fulfill a Nazarite vow that he had made.
Acts chapter 19 and verse 21.
So we have some examples set for us of this type of behavior.
So, let us resolve to change,
believing that change is really possible.
May we do so not just at the first of the year,
but may we do so at the first of the year,
and may we do so in a way that pleases our God.
So our text today is 2 Thessalonians chapter 1,
verse 11 and 12.
Before I read it, let me remind you,
Beloved, this is God's word to us,
written for his glory and our good,
and so we would all do well to listen to it
in order to believe its promises
and to obey its commands.
Paul here writes to the Thessalonian believers,
To this end, we always pray for you
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and may fulfill every resolve for good
and every work of faith by his power,
so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you
and you in him according to the grace of our God
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The outline for this morning's text is as follows.
Number one, resolve to be holy.
Number two, resolve dependently.
And number three, resolve for the glory of Christ.
At the age of 19 and across some time,
a young follower of Jesus Christ
penned 70 resolutions,
promises aimed at God's glory and his good.
The first resolution reads,
and this quotation is on the back of your bulletin this morning,
quote,
resolved that I will do whatsoever I think
to be most to God's glory and my own good,
profit and pleasure in the whole of my duration
without any consideration of the time,
whether now or never so many myriads of ages hence.
Resolve to do whatever I think to be my duty
and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.
Resolve to do this,
whatever difficulties I meet with,
how many and how great so ever.
Nineteen years old.
Boy, have we come a long way in our writing, haven't we?
This young man's name was Jonathan Edwards.
In the preamble to his resolutions,
he wrote the following,
which is found in the sermon note section of your bulletin today.
He said,
being sensible,
that I am unable to do anything without God's help,
I do humbly entreat him by his grace
to enable me to keep these resolutions
so far as they are agreeable to his will
for Christ's sake.
Now, it is my intention this morning
to weave Edwards' poignant preamble
through our text
to set for us an example of application
for how it is that we should be making resolutions.
So the first point,
resolve to be holy.
If you make resolutions
that are not aimed at your holiness,
those resolutions, again,
not altogether bad,
but if that's it,
then you are setting your sights
far too low.
If conformity to Jesus Christ
is not the end goal
of all that we do as Christians,
then we are falling miserably short
of that which God has called us to.
Holiness is our high calling
in Christ Jesus.
Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1,
verse 13 and following,
Therefore, preparing your minds for action
and being sober-minded,
set your hope fully on the grace
that were brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As obedient children,
do not be conformed
to the passions
of your former ignorance,
but as He who called you is holy,
you also be holy
in all your conduct.
Since it is written
in Leviticus 11.44,
You shall be holy
for I am holy.
Be set apart.
Be transformed.
Different from this world.
Live lives that are righteous
and pleasing to God
because you are found in Him.
In our text,
I first want to draw your attention
to the specific what
that Paul's pray for,
the Thessalonian believers.
Verse 11, he says,
To this end,
we always pray for you.
What is that end?
What is he aiming at?
That God would make them
worthy of His calling
and may fulfill every resolve
or see desire for good
and every work of faith.
It's not an aimless prayer
that Paul is praying.
He is not primarily concerned,
notice,
about their circumstances.
That they would have jobs
or find houses
or be in good health.
All good things to pray for.
But rather,
his concern here
is about their holiness.
Their greatest,
their highest good.
Paul prays, notice,
for two specific things.
That they would be made worthy
of God's calling.
Some translations say there,
count you worthy.
Paul's prayer is that
they are in fact
counted worthy
of God's saving call.
Which is just to say
that the evidence
of their call
is the practice
of their faith.
That they would show themselves
to be in Christ.
And that their desires,
their resolves
for good and works of faith
would be realized.
This was a consistent concern
of Paul's
for those who claim
to follow Jesus Christ.
Because the fervent pursuit
of holiness
is a marker
of those
who are truly
converted.
You hear me say this
all the time.
We cannot,
we are not saved
by our works.
We're saved
through faith.
But if we have
this faith,
this conversion faith,
and it is going
itself to work.
It's going to show itself.
It's going to evidence
itself in the way
that we live
our lives.
Now I don't want you
to lose sight
of our text
in 2 Thessalonians,
but let me show you
how concerned
Paul was
with the holiness
of those who profess
to follow Christ
by looking at the prayers
he mentions
in four other epistles.
His prayers
for the saints
are constantly full
of this holiness
language.
In 2 Corinthians
chapter 13,
the first part
of verse 7,
he says,
but we pray to God
that you may
not do wrong.
And in the same chapter
in verse 9,
that their restoration
is what is being
prayed for.
In Philippians
chapter 1,
verse 9 and 10,
there Paul says,
it is my prayer
that your love
may abound
more and more
with knowledge
and all discernment
so that you may
approve what is excellent
and so be pure
and blameless
for the day of Christ.
In Colossians chapter 1,
verse 9 and following,
there he says,
and so,
from the day we heard,
we have not ceased
to pray for you,
asking that you may be
filled with the knowledge
of his will
and all spiritual wisdom
and understanding
so as to walk
in a manner
worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing to him,
bearing fruit
in every good work
and increasing
in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened
with all power
according to his glorious might
for all endurance
and patience
with joy.
And then lastly,
1 Thessalonians chapter 3,
verse 11 through 13,
now may our God
and Father himself
and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you
and may the Lord
make you increase
and abound in love
for one another
and for all
as we do for you
so that he may establish
your hearts blameless
in holiness
before our God
and Father
at the coming
of our Lord Jesus
with all his saints.
And then chapter 5
and verse 23
of 1 Thessalonians,
now may the God
of peace himself
sanctify you completely
and may your whole spirit
and soul and body
be kept blameless
at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
biblical sanctification
is progressive.
We are from one degree
of glory to another
being made to look
more like Christ.
And so it's good for us
at the beginning
of a new year
to set our gazes
in that direction.
Back to the Edwards quote,
he says,
being sensible
that I am unable
to do anything
without God's help,
I do humbly entreat him
by his grace
to enable me
to keep these resolutions
so far as they are agreeable
to his will.
There's his concern, right?
He's looking toward
what is it that God
would have me do?
How am I to live?
Edwards resolves,
and I just greatly encourage you
to look up.
I think you'll be
prodded on by them.
All of his resolves,
those 70 of them,
were aimed at
his character,
his personal habits,
his relationships,
and his service.
Now I'm going to give you
just three examples
of my own
for this year.
And at the end of this,
I'll ask you some questions
to help kind of guide
your thinking,
and I'll put those
in your sermon note section
as well.
You can go ahead
and be looking at them
if you would like to.
So, in addition to my resolve
to not make any errors
in the bulletin in 2025,
resolved to spend more time
praying for and with my family.
I find that I often pray
too little for
and too little with my family.
And I want to be better at that
this year for the glory of God.
Secondly,
resolved to create
more margin
in my schedule
for reflection.
And by margin,
I mean times that are unplanned,
times that are not packed
to the very brim,
which so often seems
to be the case,
just to slow down
and to think.
And of course,
I want to think about good things.
I don't want to think about
just anything.
I want to think about
good things,
the things that God is doing
in my life
and the things that God intends for me.
I want more space
this year
for reflection.
And then thirdly,
resolved.
This is a long-standing one
many of you have heard.
To read 50 books this year,
I normally do that.
I regularly get into
the mid to high 30s.
I haven't yet reached 50.
I'm kind of sad to say.
But,
I set a goal
and I work toward
that goal.
This past year,
I did an abysmal job at it.
Many of you know
I've been building a house.
I'm in the low to high teens
from this past year,
depending on how you want
to count audiobooks.
So,
read 50 books
and I typically set
some direction
for that reading.
And this year,
I want to read 50 books
that increase my affection
for Christ.
So,
those are three examples.
Three examples
of resolves
for me.
And there are other things
that I'd like to do
to change.
They're practical things.
Goals for this next year.
This is the kind of resolution
that I'm talking about.
I think these are the kinds
of things
we should be committing
ourselves to.
Right?
Aimed
the same way Edwards did
at character
and personal habits
and relationships
and service.
So,
let us resolve
to be holy.
But as we do that,
let us resolve
to be holy
dependently.
You are
powerless
to change yourself
in any
meaningful way,
but God is
all-powerful
and desires
to change you
into the image
of His Son.
God supplies
for all of those
changes
that He asks
of us.
And we need
to make resolutions
dependent on Him
to work
in our
efforts.
This is why Paul
so readily
prays
for the church.
Right?
All of those examples
that I give you,
he's asking that God
would do
this work
because he knows
that only God
brings about
these types
of meaningful
changes.
We cannot
just stay
on our heels.
It requires
effort on our part,
but it must be
God-empowered.
It must be
imbued
by Him
for it to
accomplish
its end goal.
So again,
notice our text.
2 Thessalonians
chapter 1.
Paul says,
To this end
we always pray
for you
that our God
make make you.
And he launches
into it.
It's worthy
of his calling.
And notice
at the end
of verse 11,
By His
power.
And verse 12,
According to the
grace of our God
and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Most of the words
in these two verses
are about God's
power working
in the lives
of believers.
Paul wrote
in Philippians
chapter 2
verse 12 and 13,
Therefore,
my beloved,
as you have
always obeyed,
so now,
not only as
in my presence
but much more
in my absence,
work out your own
salvation with fear
and trembling
for it is God
who works in you
both to will
and to work
for His good
pleasure.
Meaningful change
takes effort
on our part.
We should think.
We should make plans.
We should apply.
We should jump
over hurdles.
We should kick
down doors.
It takes effort.
Too many people,
too many people
want to change
and want to make
no effort
to change
at all.
But,
here,
it also takes,
it takes
the grace
of God.
If we resolve
to be holy,
we can have
confidence
that God
will work
in our
working
toward that
great end.
If you are
in Christ
this morning,
God loves
you
immeasurably.
It's difficult
to even comprehend
how much
God
loves you.
And He loves
you so much
that He is working
to conform you
to be like
His Son
who had
no sin,
no baggage
of it,
didn't carry
around the
guilt of it,
had no separation
of fellowship
with the Father.
God loves you
so much
that He's working
to give you
Himself
by making you
look more
like Christ.
Great
high end
for you
to the praise
of His name.
So,
if we aim
ourselves
in this direction,
if we're
looking to grow
in our holiness
to look
more like
Jesus,
we can have
the confidence
that God
will help us
to that end.
And,
oh,
do we need
His help.
remember
Edwards'
preamble.
He says,
being sensible,
being reasonable,
being sensible,
that I am unable
to do anything
without
God's
help.
I do
humbly
entreat Him
by His grace
to enable me
to keep
these resolutions.
So,
we should
resolve to be
holy,
we should
resolve
dependently
and
we should
also
resolve
for the
glory
of Christ.
The third
point.
Why did
Paul want
to see
the Thessalonian
believers
grow in
holiness?
Why does
Paul desire
that we
would grow
in holiness?
Look at the
beginning of
verse 12.
So that
the name
of our
Lord Jesus
may be
glorified
in you.
not just
about us.
Our good
is a good
thing to
aim at,
but it's
more than
that.
It's also
for the
glory
of Christ.
Resolutions
aimed at
making you
a better
you
miss the
mark.
When your
end goal
is your
glory
and not
the glory
of Christ,
in your
intention,
you have
made
yourself
a god
and you
have
vowed
before a
paltry
throne.
A
resolution
to be
more
healthy.
For
example,
fall
short if
it is
merely
for your
image.
Is it
bad to be
more healthy?
Of course
it's not.
But if
the aim
of it
is that
you
would
look
good
to
others,
then it's
falling
too
short.
If it
is aimed
properly
to be
healthy
in order
to give
yourself
and service
to others,
then it's
a good
thing to
resolve
to.
Samuel
Rutherford,
Puritan
preacher,
once said,
build your
nest upon
no tree
here,
for you
see,
God
has sold
the forest
to death.
We should
invest in
that kingdom
that is
coming.
And that
means good
things happen
here.
Paul wrote
in 1 Corinthians
chapter 10
verse 31,
so whether
you eat
or drink
or whatever
you do,
do all
to the
glory
of God.
And in
Colossians 3
verse 17,
and whatever
you do
in word
or deed,
do everything
in the name
of the
Lord Jesus,
representing
Him,
giving thanks
to God
the Father
through Him.
It is the
high calling
and the
greatest joy
of the
Christian
to know
God
and to
make Him
known.
A chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people
for His
own
possession.
Why?
Why do we
belong to
God?
Peter doesn't
leave us
guessing
that you
may
proclaim
the excellencies
of Him
who called
you out
of darkness
into
His
marvelous
light.
Once you
were not
a people,
but now
you are
God's
people,
changed.
Once you
had not
received
mercy,
but now
you
have
received
mercy.
Beloved,
I urge
you as
sojourners
and exiles
to abstain
from the
passions of
the flesh
which wage
war against
your soul.
Keep your
conduct among
the Gentiles
honorable,
so that when
they speak
of you
as evildoers,
they may
see your
good deeds
and glorify
God on
the day
of
visitation.
Our
resolutions
should be
for holiness
and they
should be
dependent on
God to
work in
them and
they should
be for
the glory
of Christ.
Again,
Edwards
preamble,
being sensible
that I am
unable to do
anything without
God's help,
I do humbly
!
Entreat
Him by
His grace
to enable
me to
keep these
resolutions
so far
as they
are agreeable
to His
will
for
Christ.
sake.
So let's
resolve to
be holy,
let's do it
dependently,
and let's
do it
for the
glory of
Christ.
So in
conclusion,
I want you
to think,
and I want
to help you
do that by
asking you
seven
questions
with some
follow-ups,
and these are
again in your
notes.
What about
you most
needs
to change?
What sins
seem to
ensnare
you?
What habits
do you
neglect?
Do you
read your
Bible enough?
Do you
pray enough?
Are you
regularly
sharing the
gospel?
Do you
work hard?
Do you
rest
well?
All just
examples,
all just
thoughts.
What about
you most
needs
to change?
I gave you
some examples
for myself.
things that
pop in to
change?
What are the
motivations that
come up
underneath those
things that
pop in to
your mind?
Is your
desire for
change for
God's glory?
That way,
you need to
go back to
number one.
What about
you most
needs to
change?
What should
be motivating
that change?
change?
Thirdly,
how are you
going to
change?
What is
the plan?
Beloved,
most of the
biblical
counseling we
do here as
a church is
helping people
come up with
a good plan
for change.
They typically
know what
needs to
change.
They know
the goal.
They know
where they're
trying to
go.
They just
need help
making a
plan to
get there.
What's the
plan?
What are the
steps you're
going to
take to
change?
God has
given us
so many
tools at
our disposal
and he
works in
those
tools.
Scripture
reading and
prayer and
gathering with
the church.
Just some
examples.
Fourth,
what is
most likely
to prevent
your change?
You know
the obstacles.
The things
that most
need to
change about
you are
probably
things that
you've
tried to
change
before and
you've
bumped
your head.
You've
fallen
over
the
hurdle.
What
circumstances
need to
change in
order for
you to
change?
Your
schedule?
Your
friends?
Maybe
some
influences
in your
life that
are not
conducive
to change?
Have you
failed to
change so
many times
in the
past that
you are
afraid
to
even
try?
Fifth,
what
truth or
truths do
you need
to believe
in order
to change?
Paul says
a nation
for those
who are
in Christ
Jesus.
When I
fail to
change,
I need
to be
reminded
of this.
I need
to be
reminded
that God
loves me
in Christ
and I
am not
condemned
because of
my failures
but I'm
set free
from them.
I'm
liberated
from them.
This is
such a
motivation
to change,
to pick
up and
to keep
moving
on.
Or how
about
Philippians
chapter 1
and verse
6 where
Paul says
I am
sure of
this,
that he
who began
a good
work in
you will
bring it
to
completion
at the
day of
Christ.
I need
to be
reminded
sometimes
of
Paul's
confidence
in the
saving
work
of
God
to
give
me
the
courage
to
press
on
and
to
change.
So what
truths
do you
need
to
believe
in
order
to
change?
Six,
are you
committed
to
change?
Are you
a half-hearted
attempter
at change
or do you
believe
God
intends
for you
to?
He's
got good
plans
for you.
He's
going to
empower
the
work
because it
will
take
work
on your
part.
Are you
committed
to
change?
Are you
ready?
And lastly,
how can the
church
help you?
How can
those people
sitting to
your left
and to
your right,
how can
the elders
of our
church,
how can
we
help
you
change?
To help
you think
about those
things you
need to
put to
death,
those
things you
need to
be
putting
on
for
your
good
and
for
the
glory
of
Christ?
So let
us resolve
to be
holy.
Let us
resolve to
do so
dependently
and let
us do
it
for the
glory
of our
Savior
and Lord.
Let's
pray.
as