New Year's Resolutions — What does the Bible say?

Speaker: 
Andrew Fountain
Date: 
Sun, 2023-01-01
  • There are a couple of basic reasons why your New Year’s resolutions are probably going to fail.
  • But the answer is that we have the wrong person making the resolutions.
  • Here’s a resolution that can’t possibly fail!
  • If you have trouble viewing this video, you can try watching it directly on Vimeo
  • Play Audio

Sermon Slides - New Year’s Resolutions – What does the Bible say?

New Year’s Resolutions – What does the Bible say?

  1. Common Resolutions
  2. Why they usually fail and what is a better way to change?
  3. When the Bible speaks of resolutions: A surprising twist

1. Common Resolutions

Goal

To find out what the Bible teaches
on how we can make effective changes
in our lives
this coming year.

Top New Year’s Resolutions

  1. Exercise more
  2. Lose weight
  3. Get organized
  4. Less time on social media
  5. Learn a new skill or hobby 
  6. Save more money / spend less money
  7. Drink less alcohol / Quit smoking
  8. More time with family & friends (not on social media)
  9. Travel more
  10. Read more

Top Christian Resolutions

  • Pray more
  • Read through my Bible this year
  • Love people more -can’t keep it because not defined
  • Evangelize more
  • Be more unselfish
  • Be a better employee
  • stop doing [xxx] sin

Improved Resolutions

  1. Recognize that apart from Jesus I can do nothing (John 15:5 - “I am the vine; you are the branches”)
  2. Pray for wisdom (James 1:5) for what resolutions, if any, God would have you make
  3. Pray for wisdom how to fulfill God’s goals for you
  4. Rely on God’s strength to help you
  5. Find an accountability partner to encourage you
  6. Don’t become discouraged by failures
  7. Don’t become proud or vain over success

2. Why they usually fail and what is a better way to change?

Identity → Change

  • The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. [Rom 13:12]
  • -Because our identity is people of the day, not the night
  • I therefore… urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, [Eph 4:1]

Identity → Change

  • Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. [Phil 3:12]
  • Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [1 Tim 6:12]
  • Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [1 John 4:7]

3. When the Bible speaks of resolutions: A surprising twist

Ephesians 1

  1. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight.
    In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the resolve of his will…
  2. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his resolution that he purposed in Christ

Philippians 2

  1. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.
  • What makes us change is God’s resolution towards us. Our change flows out of that!
  • The most important resolution you can make is: to fix your eyes on God’s love and destiny for you!

Adopted at 17

Suggested Resolutions:

  1. To think more about how much God loves me and has resolved to care for me, and
    to fix my eyes on his love & care.
  2. To remember who I am now, adopted into his family and
    to fix my eyes on his destiny for me.
  3. To depend on his strength to change me in 2023
    ”For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. [Phil 2:13]

Updated on 2023-01-01 by Andrew Fountain