GIVE IT YOUR BEST A. I don t like New-Year s Resolutions, because they so often end as Year-Long Resignations. 1. Because resolutions require change, & change is difficult to bring about. 2. Change takes resolve: making up your mind, daily determination, minute by minute steadfastness. B. But it takes resolve to be a Christian, so we must consider making some resolutions. 1. I love the old invitation hymn, I Am Resolved -- I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world delights. Things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured by sight. 2. It takes resolve to trust God, & to put our confidence in His faithful Word, & that He will always do what is best for His people. 3. But trusting God doesn t mean that we just sit back & let Him do all the work. Philippians 2:12-13 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear & trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will & to work for His good pleasure. 4. That mean we should try with all our might to please Him; we should resolve to give it our best; to give Him our best. [Let s look as some admonitions in the NT that encourages us to Give It Our Best.] I. Give It Your Best To Eliminate Your Sins. 1
2 Peter 3:13-14 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens & a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent [to make speed; to make effort, to be prompt or earnest Strong s] to be found by Him in peace, spotless & blameless, A. Are you having trouble with a particular sin (Heb 12:1)? 1. Identify it & leave it in your subconscious mind, i.e., that you re having trouble with that sin. a. In the same place you store your cell-phone number. 2. Next, identify the circumstances in which the temptation for that sin confronts you. 3. And if you cannot avoid those circum-stances, then the next time you re tempted just shut down for a moment (don t say or do anything), when your head clears pray for strength or for an escape. B. Being a Christian is admitting we do sin & confessing them when we do (1 John 1:8-9). 1. But also, being a Christian means resolving to be through with sinning. 2. The fact that we were baptized into the death of Christ means that we are through with the practice of sin (Rom 6:1-4, 13-14). 3. And yet we sometimes keep a sin around like a pet; we coddle it & it becomes part of us which is more dangerous than caring for a wild animal. [We live in a down stream world where right is called wrong & wrong is called right. A Christian has to swim upstream in this down stream world, which means effort, & a lot of it.] 2
II. Give It Your Best To Eliminate Conflict In Your Relationships Hebrews 12:14-15 14 Pursue peace with all men, & the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, & by it many be defiled; A. Paul is telling us that our relationships with others are not disposable; especially is that true in the church. 1. Our relationships are not like a razor, This one hurts so get rid of it, throw it out. 2. Jesus said it is the peacemakers, not fault finders that will be called the sons of God. 3. We should give it our best to actively love, as Jesus did, those whom we may feel deserve it the least. Varina Davis & Julia Grant, wives of Jefferson Davis & Ulysses S. Grant, who became President of the U.S., after both men died, these two women moved to the same town & became neighbors & best friends. [We need to live peaceably wherever & with whom it is possible.] III. Give It Your Best To Do More Edifying Romans 14:17-19 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating & drinking, but righteous-ness & peace & joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God & approved by men. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace & the building up of one another. A. The words build up or edify refer to the construction of a building. 3
1. There is no relationship where building up is more important than in the Lord s church. 1 Corinthians 3:9 9 For we are God s fellow workers; you are God s field, God s building. Ephesians 2:20-22 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles & prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. 2. How would you feel if you were a brick-layer, & every time you placed a brick in its proper position, someone came along & knocked it out of place? a. That s how the Lord must feel many times as He watches His church. Acts 11:23-24 23 Then when he [Barnabas] arrived & witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced & began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, & full of the Holy Spirit & of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. Colossians 4:8 8 For I have sent him [Tychicus] to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances & that he may encourage your hearts; 1 Thessalonians 3:2 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother & God s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen & encourage you as to your faith, [Notice the subject matter of their edifying; it was concerning their faith in the Lord.] IV. Give It Your Best To Be Unified 1 Corinthians 1:10 4
10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree & that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind & in the same judgment. Ephesians 5:21 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. A. I wonder what would happen if we were forced to sit in a different seat every week. 1. Would we get to know some people better if we did that? 2. Would there be a greater sense of unity among us? 3. Lisa & I visited the W. Allen congregation or church of Christ last week, but they were meeting in the building of the Plano congregation. a. And I ll bet you can guess what I noticed? People sitting in the same general areas in that auditorium as they do in their own auditorium. B. It took great effort on the part of Jesus to create our unity (Eph 2:14-15). 1. It will take great energy on our part to guard it (Eph 4:3-4). 2. Satan has learned that what will destroy the church is not an attack from the outside, but turmoil on the inside (Acts 4-8). 3. And you know, here s something to think about Sometimes what creates turmoil on the inside is a lack of proper planning & vision for our work. Proverbs 29:18 18 Where there is no vision [revelation], the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law. 5
[Unity is a powerful force for good in Christ s kingdom (John 17:21-22); it needs to be guarded with all our efforts. Why do I accept you & you me? Because Christ has accepted us both; He has united us in one body.] V. Give It Your Best To Be Like Christ A. Don t ever be content as a disciple; there s always more to do to be like Jesus (2 Pet. 1:3-10). 1. God did not save us just to get us to heaven. 2. He saved us to transform us into the image of His Son (Rom 8:29); He wants heaven to be filled with people who have the character of His Son. a. That way there will be no trouble or tears in Heaven. [Our greatest reward & God s happiest moments are when the character of His Son is seen in our lives.] CLOSING There is a monument stone in the Alps dedicated to a man that was on his way to rescue his friends. While on his ascent he died. On his gravestone it says, He died climbing. Isn t that what we want said of us? He or she died on the upward call of God in Christ Jesus in pursuit of being like Jesus He died climbing. Where is God asking us to climb? 1. He is asking us to rid our lives of any sin we may be harboring. 2. He is asking us to make peace in the relationships in our lives. 3. He is asking us to be an encourager. 4. He is asking us to do everything in our power to maintain peace & unity in the church. 5. He is asking us to work at being more like His Son. 6