A Resolution of Repentance

Begin with “A Christmas Scale” video.

Loop video into sermon by explaining a season of hope

It’s a season of hope because it’s a new year and we have an opportunity to be made new and make new decisions, and become a new person.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What Is Your New Years Resolutions?

24% Lose Weight/ Eat Healthier

8.5% Better Financial Decisions

7.1% Quit Smoking

6.2% Spend more time with Family

5.2% Philanthropy

4.3% Find the love of my life

New Years Resolution Statistics

41% actually make resolutions

17% sometimes make resolutions

42% never make resolutions

8% of people actually succeed in their resolutions

42.4% of people never have succeeded on their resolution each year

37.8% of people in their 20’s achieve their resolution

Only 16.3% of people over 50 achieve their resolution each year

Resolution Time Line

72.6% of resolutions are maintained through the first week

50% make it through one month

40% make it six months

Why Do You Fail at Your Resolutions?

12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

HUMBLE YOURSELF

The Lord (literal translation is Yawheh) is telling Solomon that if things are looking bad, or if disaster is happening in your life, stop and REPENT. He begins verse 14 by telling us to humble ourselves. There is no accident this is at the beginning. We must always put God first. Humbling ourselves is the act of putting all of our wants aside and focusing on his will first. How else will you truly know why and what you need to repent for unless you put God first and let him show you all the sin and idles in your life.

The resolution with the highest percentage of people committing is work out more, lose weight. The biggest focus is on Vanity. Even today, thousands of years later, we still have not corrected what Solomon told us. At the end of his life and achievements he said, “Vanity, vanity, it is all vanity.” Instead the biggest resolution should be I want to fall on my face more. I want to bend the knee more. Oh God give me more passion towards your word. May your word be the thing I hunger for. My your words be my words and my lips speak the words of God continually.

Samuel Morse was born into a preacher’s home in New England just two years after George Washington was elected the first president of the United States. After finishing his education at Yale, he went to England to hone his painting skill. Upon his return to America he was recognized as a gifted artist and was soon in much demand. Morse’s first wife died while he was away from home painting in Washington, D.C. He did not receive the news until it was too late. In his heartbreak he turned away from painting and began trying to develop a means of rapid communication over great distances. This eventually led to his discovery of the telegraph.

Despite his fame and the many honors that came his way, Morse wasn’t proud or boastful. In a letter to his second wife he wrote, “The more I contemplate this great undertaking, the more I feel my own littleness, and the more I perceive the hand of God in it, and how He has assigned to various persons their duties, He being the great controller, all others His honored instruments.... Hence our dependence first of all on God, then on each other.”

When we walk in pride and are conceited regarding our talents and accomplishments, we are demonstrating that we do not understand or appreciate the role that God holds in everything we do. None of us are able to succeed in our own strength or wisdom; we should always remember it is God that makes what we do possible. As Paul put it “what hast thou that thou didst not receive?” ().

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

PRAY and SEEK MY FACE

How Do you Pray? At home, at church only, in the car, on your knees?

How many people pray? How many have a personal prayer list? How many have seen prayers answered? How many are here today because of prayer?

How many of you have ever hear someone pray like this -

Lord thank you for blessing me with good looks.

Thank you that I’m smarter than most.

Why am I always the one waiting for everyone else.

That you that I don’t look like that lady at the gas station. Bless her heart. She looked retched. She had a bird nest for hair and smelled like mexican food, 4 days old.

Thank you God that I don’t sin as bad as other people.

Thank you God that I know the Bible better than most people in here.

Thank you God for making me so Humble.

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

A publican was a tax collector in Christ’s time. He was hated by the people. A Pharisee was the Church leader of the time. He was respected by the people. What a paradox Christ’s shows us here. The Pharisee full of pride and completely ignorant to his one true sin, Pride. The Publican abased and ashamed. He was broken before God and so passionate about his repentance that he was beating his chest, sobbing and emotional. He was crying out for forgiveness. He was exactly where God could use him. Broken Down.

On February 24, 2001, a one-year old Canadian girl named Erika wandered out of her house and spent the entire night in the Edmonton winter. When her mother, Leyla Nordby, found her, Erika appeared to be totally frozen. Her legs were stiff, her body frozen, and all signs of life appeared to be gone. Erika was treated at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Health Center where she was resuscitated. To the amazement of all, there appeared to be no sign of brain damage, and doctors gave Erika a clear prognosis. When a Christian backslides, his heart grows cold to the Lord, but God is able to restore the Christian’s first love if he will repent. Oh God my heart is cold. I walk away from your warmth constantly. I choose the bleak winter over the warmth of your loving embrace. Forgive me for my sins God. Forgive me for being foolish and not listening to you. Please show mercy to me even though I deserve only death. I am a sinner, and I am lost forever without you God. Please warm my heart and wash my soul as white as snow.

When her mother, Leyla Nordby, found her, Erika appeared to be totally frozen. Her legs were stiff, her body frozen, and all signs of life appeared to be gone.

turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

IF NOTHING CHANGES, NOTHING CHANGES

How Long Has It Been Since You Made A Meaningful Change In Your Life?

You may hate yourself for your sinfulness, but self-condemnation only opens wider the wounds of guilt and despair. We should hate our sins, not ourselves. Hate your false ways, hate your vain thoughts, hate your evil passions, hate your lying, hate your covetousness, hate your greed, but do not hate yourself. Self-hatred leads to self-destruction, and it is wrong to destroy that which was created in God’s image. Repentance is not self-condemnation.

True Repentance requires change. If you repent of getting drunk at the bar, knowing that your planning on going back to the bar the next night, you probably didn’t really repent. The reason Resolutions don’t stick is because they require change and not many people really want to change. It’s time we all take the opportunity to turn around, repent, and make a change.

Sandra Bullock won the 2010 Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Leigh Ann Tuohy in The Blind Side. The sensational film chronicles a Christian family who took in a homeless young man and gave him the chance to reach his God-given potential. Michael Oher not only dodged the hopelessness of his dysfunctional inner city upbringing, but became the first-round NFL draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. At a recent fund-raiser, Sean Tuohy noted that the transformation of his family and Michael all started with two words. When they spotted Michael walking along the road on a cold November morning (the movie depicts it as nighttime) in shorts and a T-shirt, Leigh Ann Tuohy uttered two words that changed their world. She told Sean, “Turn around.” They turned the car around, put Michael in their warm vehicle, and ultimately adopted him into their family. Those same two words can change anyone’s life. When we turn around, we change directions and begin an exciting new journey. Some may need to make an about-face concerning their disbelief in Christ, or it could be a Christian needs to turn around and reconsider the value of fervent prayer. Whatever your situation, a great story of wonderful change could be just two words away.

Erika was treated at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Health Center where she was resuscitated. To the amazement of all, there appeared to be no sign of brain damage, and doctors gave Erika a clear prognosis.

When a Christian backslides, his heart grows cold to the Lord, but God is able to restore the Christian’s first love if he will repent.

The two words I want to pray now are - I REPENT

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

What Is Your Prayer of Repentance?