Sermon Tone Analysis
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Every New Year many of us make New Year’s resolutions.
Typically they are to loose weight or exercise more, get on a budget, quit smoking, get organized, or some other area of our lives that we want to see improved.
For most of us it is a focus on self improvement.
But you realize that the majority of us fail.
I think you should approach the New Year different than the World.
As believers I would argue we are called to something much deeper than self improvement.
Let us turn to Colossians chapter 3 and seek what God wants are focus to be in 2023.
The world emphasizes self help and methods to improve our habits to improve our earthly existence but what does God want for us?
We are going to begin in verse 1 of chapter 3
The first thing I want to call your attention to is in verse 4, were should our focus be?
On improving our earthly existence?
Heaven is our home isn’t it.
That is what we should be living for.
Not that a goal loosing weight or excising more or getting on a budget is bad I would argue they are secondary.
I believe that if we obey the Lord and what He is saying in this text those goals will be accomplished as we are sanctified and as we obey.
So with our focus on God’s eternal kingdom and our renewed focus in 2023 on eternity.
What does God call us to?
What should be our New Year’s resolutions according to this passage?
I want to highlight 3 this morning.
First God calls us to “seek the things above or set your mind on things above”
I need to back up a second to verse one.
The first step to a new you in 2023 is what?
Let’s look at verse 1 again.
The first step is regeneration isn’t it?
If then you have been raised with Christ.
Have you this morning?
Has the Spirit of God breathed life into your dead soul?
If not that is the first step seek Him while He can still be found.
Salvation isn’t the end game, it is the beginning.
It is the new birth, what happens when a baby is born?
We feed them and care for them and what happens they grow.
The true is the same spiritually.
SO if you are in Christ, the first New Year’s resolution is to “Seek the things that are above” or “Set your minds on things above”
How do we seek or how do we set our mind on things above?
The Word of God right?
Are you reading it everyday are you meditating on it?
Quick question does buying an exerciser bike help you loose weight?
I mean just buying it and letting it set in you house help you loose weight?
Of course not, just like buying a Bible and letting it sit on your shelf doesn’t help you grow spiritually fit either.
Does riding the bike a half hour a week on Sunday morning help you get in shape and loose weight if you eat junk food and sit on the couch the rest of the week well of course not.
Then why do we treat our spiritual lives the same?
The only way to set our minds on things above is to be in the Word and in prayer and seeking the leading of The Holy Spirit.
I was talking with a friend this week and we both have some difficult decisions to make and as we talked a felt foolish.
The pattern that we are all susceptible to emerged in our conversation.
We have a tendency to neglect our relationship with the Lord.
Until we need wisdom and we are facing a difficult decision and then we turn to Him.
But when we do are we looking for Him and what He is trying to teach us or do we want Him to reveal the least painful path forward?
Do I want to go through the trials He has for me or do I want Him to lead me in the least painful path?
Remember God uses our trials to mold us into the character of His son doesn't He.
Look back at verse 4
Remember God is not looking to bless you with your best life now, He is preparing you for your best life when Christ appears and you will appear with Him in glory.
The second command from God you need to focus on in 2023 is in verses 5-11
God wants you to put off the old self.
He actually states it a little stronger than that doesn’t He?
He says put it to death!
Why are we called to this?
Does it earn us more love from the Father?
No does it earn our salvation?
No Salvation is only by the shed blood of Jesus on Calvary isn’t it?
Look at verses 12-17 with me.
So why, why focus in 2023 on putting on the new self and putting to death the things of the flesh?
Verse 12
We chosen that is God calls us to.
We are holy that is you were set apart from the world.
TO have compassionate hearts and to be kind and humble and meek and patient.
Why to give glory amen!
Our reward is great!
Look at verse 15
“Happy is the man who posses a Bible!
Happier still is he who reads it!
Happiest of all is he who not only reads it , but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice.”
As we prepare our hearts for communion this morning we are reminded that the communion table is a table of grace.
You will never be good enough in you own effort to come, but Paul warns us in
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