I Resolve

Good morning,

Let us open with a word of prayer

Pray 3+

Today we will be in our last sort of topical message, our text is found in Ephesians 5 and we will be reading verse 6-16. I chose this passage for today because today is New Year’s Eve and by the end of this I want to offer you a better way to think about how to make resolutions.

Before we dig into our passage I want to tell a bit of a story.

A young 18 year old man getting ready to turn 19, found himself away from his home in Connecticut. He was asked to come pastor a church along the docks of New York. The year was 1722 and while the city was not yet near the size we see today, it was still a world of difference to what the young man had grown up with. Amid all of this change this man began to write what he would call his “Resolutions,” these resolutions were a place for him to stand and a compass for him as he lived his life. He would go on to write 70 of these resolutions before the age of 20 and this man Johnathan Edwards would use these to guide and guard his entire life.

At the very beginning of his writing before any of the resolutions he wrote, “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. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.”

Our passage today starting in verse 6 of Ephesians 5 reads,

Ephesians 5:6–7 “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them;” I will stop there for now.

I wanted to start a bit before the Therefore in verse 7 so we have a bit of context. Verse 6 tells us to not let any one deceive us because God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience for the verse says “these things.” But what are these things? Sexual immorality, all impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking, all of these things and I would argue this is not an exhaustive list but it is because of all of these that the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. Therefore we are not to become partners with them if you are in the NASB it says we are not to be partakers with them. The specific Greek word used for partners or partakers is only used one other place and it is found in Ephesians 3 verse 6.

Ephesians 3:6 “6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

The idea in this verse is that the Gentiles are now able to reap the benefits of the promise in Jesus, the Messiah. We get to partake in all of the benefits through the Gospel. As believers, we know what the wrath of God is and since it is so severe we should not want any part in it. So we must ask...

What are we partnering with?

I really love what Johnathan Edwards wrote before writing any of the resolutions because it was a reminder to him that he was unable to accomplish anything of heavenly value by his own power. He asks God to help him to keep his Resolutions, as long as they fit within the will of God and for Christ’s sake or Glory. But why was that important? Verse 8 tells us.

Ephesians 5:8–9 “8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),” Paul tells the Church that at one time we were these sons of disobedience and we were darkness. Turn back to chapter 2 of Ephesians with me. This will give us a better understanding of what it is to be darkness as our passage says and what it is to be light. But starting in verse one it says:

Ephesians 2:1–3 “1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

What is it to be darkness? It is to be dead in sin, following this world’s systems, under the prince of the power of the air, and living in the passions of our flesh. It is to be a child of wrath separated from God but now you are light in the Lord. Jesus says he is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will have the light of life in John 8:12. So if you are here and you have put your faith in Jesus you have been given that Light now Paul tells us at the end of verse 8 into verse 9 of our passage to Walk as children of light. We are to be walking in all that is good and right and true.

We see these in the resolutions of Johnathan Edwards.

1. 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 myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

As you read all them they continue to build on the idea here in Ephesians to walk as a child of light and to work for the Glory of God always striving for the fruit of light. As we are thinking about the new year and what we plan to do with it, do we have the same heart we see in Johnathan Edwards, the same heart we see in the Apostle Paul, and ultimately the same heart that we see in Jesus? One that is focused not upon ourselves but on Glory of God, the Light of the World.

Back in our passage verses 10-14 read:

Ephesians 5:10–14 “10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.””

Are we trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord?

We are told, on top of walking as children of light, to try and discern what is pleasing to the Lord. How do we do this? I would say start with studying the one with whom the Father was well pleased. Two times we see God open up the heavens and call Jesus his beloved son with whom he was well pleased, but I want you to turn with me to a different place. Turn with me to John chapter 8 and I will start in verse 27 and read through 32.

John 8:27–32 “27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””

If you and I are going to try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord, we must commit ourselves to knowing the one who came to save us, the one who always did what was pleasing to the Father and abide in His word. We must be judging our actions and lives based upon God and His standards. If we are abiding in His word we will know the truth and it will set us free.

However we also know that we are to take no part in the works of darkness but rather we are to expose them. If there is someway we are partaking with the sons of disobedience we are to expose it. We are to be examining our lives for areas that ought to be exposed. If we are taking part in darkness, we must expose it. Even if it seems like it will hurt, it is far worse to continue to hide it. I am damaging my relationship with God and the people in my life if say I am looking a pornography or sitting alone and getting drunk. Sin has an affect on everything, however, there is this amazing thing that happens. When anything is exposed by light, it not only becomes visible, but it becomes light.

It was the sin of another in light of the Gospel that helped me to come to faith in Christ. It is the shared experience of sin that gives us compassion for one another. We so often feel alone in our sin and experiences but scripture tells us that there is no temptation except those that are common to man.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

There is no temptation that we can go through that is unique, but God will provide a way of escape. Sometimes it comes from someone who has lived through the struggles you have had. You can find comfort and help in what was once their sin, and they can guide you through. Christ will shine on you, if you trust and expose it, he will use you to reflect His light. What was even shameful to speak of can be used for His glory, you might be used to provide a light to someone else.

Then finally verses 15 and 16 read...

Ephesians 5:15–16 “15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

Are we trying to make the best use of our time?

Are we trying to make the best use of our time and are we looking carefully at how we are walking? This is a question we must ask ourselves because as it says the days are evil. It is easier than ever to see this. How many of us have sat down for a quick break and realize we lost two hours. This might be on tv or scrolling facebook it might be something else entirely. How many of us started a small project then the day is gone? Or maybe it is more serious and we take a drink of alcohol or a hit of some drug to take an edge of then we wake up 3 months later. The world, satan, and our flesh are all actively working to keep us away from God and if we are not wise, even as those who have been saved by grace we can easily stumble. We can take our eyes off of the one who saves.

In Jonathan Edwards’s 23 resolution, we see this type of wisdom and care for his walk.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

He deeply understood his purpose in life was to bring God Glory and his care was such that it was his desire to evaluate all that he did and what was his purpose for it. But even if the action was good, but not for God’s glory he considered it a failure. This is the same feeling that the Apostle Paul writes about in Philippians 3, and starting in verse 7 it reads:

Philippians 3:7–11 “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul counted everything that was separate from Christ, and those things found in Him, as rubbish or dung. Christ was his all and all and everything Paul did from his salvation onward was to know and glorify Jesus more.

Is this how we are living our lives or are we wasting what time God has given us on this side of Eternity. We do not know what moment will be our last, but we do know that God has them numbered. An old neighbor of ours had a saying that we sometimes repeat, but he used to say, “All you can do is the best you can do.” And this statement does have some truth to it, but only in light of Jesus. The best we can do is offer ourselves up as a living sacrifice.

Romans 11:36–12:2 “36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Now as I said at the beginning of this message, it was my desire to offer to you a better way to think of resolutions. If you or I are making new years resolutions to be the better form of us, then I will tell you they are in the words of Paul rubbish. Even if we are able to be part of the 8% of people who fulfill their resolution, it is worthless. They have no eternal value. However, if you are in the family of God, you and I have the ability to do things that will last into eternity. I encourage you to look at Jonathan Edward’s Resolutions, you can find them freely on the internet. He was a man who wanted to live his life for God’s glory and he wanted every aspect of his life to be a reflection of that goal. His Resolutions, were statements about the man he intended to be and he reviewed them over and over again. These resolutions, for him, were a life long en devour. He finished writing them by the time he was 20, long before he was a well known pastor or theologian, but we can now see how his life was a reflection of these and his desire to live his life for God.

Do our resolution bring God glory, are they a reflection of walking a children of light? And do they make the best use of our time? Or are they for our glory and our self fulfillment?

Let us close with Prayer.