One Resolution To Keep

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• The ushering in of the New Year causes us to have to make some real decisions.

• SLIDE #2- CAT

• The New Year ushers in new hope, so much so that we make this awesome New Year’s resolutions.

• From the web site Statistic Brain I learned some interesting facts concerning New Year’s resolutions. This comes from a 12/13/2012 Study from the University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology.

• Percent of Americans who USUALLY make a resolution- 45%

• Percent of Americans who INFREQUENTLY make a New Year’s resolution- 17%

• Percent of Americans who ABSOLUTELY NEVER make a New Year’s resolution- 38%

• Percent who are successful in achieving their resolution- 8%

• Percent who have INFREQUENT success- 49%

• Percent who NEVER succeed and fail (CRASH and BURN) on their resolution- 24%

• The top 10 resolutions for 2012 were starting with #10- Spend more time with family, 9-Fall in love; 8-Help others in THEIR dreams; 7-Quit Smoking (I WILL DO THIS ONE );6- learn something exciting; 5-Staying Fit and Healthy;4-Enjoy life to the fullest; 3- Spend less, save more; 2- Getting organized; #1 LOSE WEIGHT!

• I would like to offer some other resolutions that are not on this list that I found.

• I will no longer waste my time relieving the past; instead I will spend it worrying about the future.

• I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.

• I will read the manual... just as soon as I can find it.

• I will lose weight by hiding it somewhere you'll never find it.

• I will start smoking to lose weight.

• I will stop buttering my doughnuts.

• I will watch less T.V…. in standard definition.

• Here is one for you, Stop buying worthless junk on Ebay, because QVC has better specials.

• Here is a final one for the yuppies and younger. Spend less than $1825 for coffee at Starbucks this year.

• Today as we have some laughs about resolutions, I want us to think about 1 resolution that we ought to work on keeping. This one resolution is important because what we do with this resolution reflects our commitment to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

• In our passage today we unwrap today the Apostle Paul is writing the Philippian church about the importance of living for Jesus no matter what the circumstance.

• As I read Philippians I thought our verse was apropos for where we are on the calendar.

• Let’s turn to Philippians 1:27.

• SLIDE #3

• Philippians 1:27 (ESV) Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

• SLIDE #4

SERMON

Here is one resolution we should consider keeping.

I. Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel.

• In the previous verses back to verse 18 Paul is on the subject of speaking of the dilemma he faces. His real desire is to be in heaven with Jesus.

• He longs for that time, but yet he realizes God has a plan and purpose for Paul’s life as long as he is here on earth.

• Verse 21 encapsulates his thinking and feeling.

• SLIDE #5

• Philippians 1:21–22 (ESV) 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

• As Paul works through this dilemma, Paul surmises that he really needs to stay around in this world for a little longer.

• His selfish ambition to be with the Lord will need to wait because God has a purpose for Paul and that purpose was to help others grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

• That brings us to verse 27, our passage of interest today.

• The verse starts with the word ONLY.

• This indicates that Paul is emphasizing that what he is going to share with us is of the upmost importance.

• What we are seeing is the ONE ESSENTIAL thing. The NIV translates it this way, WHATEVER HAPPENS.

• The translators are trying to catch the flavor the passage by saying NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, follow this instruction!

• We are encouraged to reach our potential in Christ; we need to live life with PURPOSE.

• The PURPOSE or the 1 RESOLUTION TO KEEP is for us to strive to let our manner of life be WORTHY of the Gospel!