With a new year comes for many the opportunity for a new start. Resolutions will abound next week. For some they will be physical resolutions, packing out the gyms for a month or two. For others certain destructive behaviors will be suppressed. Many of these resolutions, however, will be short lived because resolutions are only as good at the one resolving them. Resolutions aren’t all bad, though, especially when they are good and godly and for the glory of God. Paul prayed, “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every good work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:11).

If there is one resolution we ought to make every year, yes always be making, it is a resolution to grow in grace. Peter exhorts us thusly, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18).

What does this look like, practically speaking? Simply put, it means that we avail ourselves to and resolve that we will be engaged in those activities where God has promised to extend his grace. To phrase it like this is to draw a sharp wedge between this position and the mystics because it presupposes that there are certain places or activities where and through which God extends his grace to his church and others that he does not. The mystics of today and yesteryear have consistently rejected the idea that God normally restricts himself to certain external means/instruments (like going to church) when communicating his grace/favor to his people. Instead they suggest that God is free to act when he wants and how he wants (like being with me at the mall on Sunday or at the Charger game). There is, of course, some truth to that–sometimes God does work apart from ordinary means. The key word there is “sometimes.” Normally he works to grow his church by the means he has ordained.

What are those means? Simply put, the means of grace are the Word of God preached and the sacraments. In this way God’s special grace is specifically tied to his church. The church has been given the keys of the kingdom and to the Church Christ has given the task of administering the sacraments and proclaiming the gospel word. Here God attaches his blessing. I am amazed when I meet pastors who tell me, with remarkable impunity, that when they vacation they don’t attend church. May it never be! God’s ordinary means are not found at the beach (no matter how beautiful) nor in the woods, but rather in the church. There are exceptions to this, of course, but we dare not make rules based upon exceptions. So then, growth in grace begins with growth in Church attendance. Provocatively put, it is better for you to never read your Bible all year individually and attend all of the corporate gatherings of the church on Sunday all year than to read your Bible every day and miss corporate worship. Hopefully you won’t have to make that choice as Christians for 1500 years did. Nevertheless, hyperbole is some times helpful and in making the point and feeling the full impact of it.

Tonight in the evening service I am going to expand on this and include some other disciplines we should avail ourselves to if we want to grow. May God grow us strong for his glory.

Happy New Year. – Pastor Tallman