A new year is upon us! The time of new beginnings is here. As we reflect on the year past, what lessons have we learned? I believe in new resolutions on January 1st as I believe them on March 26th. Why? Because the Christian life is immersed in repentance and new beginnings. You cannot have new beginnings if there is no end to old habits.
Advent came, Christmas is here, Epiphany is upon us! Time moves us as a repentant heart should move our resolutions. What are we resolved to do? What changes will we make that will cause us to love God more, serve him more faithfully, and cherish my neighbor? Will I continue in a life of self-comfort tolerating my own sins while pounding deeper and deeper on the sins of my neighbor?
Someone posed the question to the great Swiss theologian, Karl Barth: “Professor Barth, what is the most significant theological idea you have ever encountered in your life?” Barth pondered for a second and replied: “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” If we cannot accept this statement than our resolutions will not even make it through this service. You are what you are because God’s love has been poured on you. Every resolution you make now til’ December 31st needs to be grounded in this immeasurable characteristic of our God, his resolution before the world began to love you.
Jonathan Edwards, in his famous resolutions, put it this way:
Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
On this eleventh day of Christmas, remember that the second Adam came for you so you may not henceforth die and perish, but live and love the God who is determined to give you abundant life. Amen.
