Duct Tape Resolutions

Mark 10:17-27

December 30, 2007

Duct Tape Resolutions

This week and next have to be some of the most depressing of the entire year! The holidays are over, the family and friends are gone, there are no more presents to open, the Christmas candy has dwindled and has left a mark on our mid-sections, and now it’s time to go back to work and school! What a drag!

While all of those things are very depressing, there is one thing more depressing and that is what will occur in about 36 hours. The most depressing part of the first week in January has to be starting those New Years resolutions! You see up to December 31st, you can tell yourself, ‘next year I will be more active in church, next year I’m going to get my finances in order, next year I’ll start getting in better shape,’ next year, next year, next year. . .

But after December 31st, there are no more excuses! Once the clock strikes midnight and we begin writing 2008 we have no more excuses. It is next year, this is where the rubber meets the road! Where we find out if we are talking the talk, but are we willing to walk the walk!

I read about a man who decided to make 2 very basic new year’s resolutions - - lose weight, and become a more patient person! He was just going to tackle his resolutions and be victorious. So on January 1, he put on sweat pants and worked out. Lunch was a nice big salad and steamed vegetables and a grilled chicken breast for dinner. The next day he woke up and worked out, ate a salad for lunch and salmon and veggies for dinner. The next day when he woke up, he hurried into the bathroom stepped on the scale, but hadn’t lost any weight.

He was so depressed, he put on sweat clothes, got into the car and drove to Dunkin Donuts and got a large Cappuccino and 3 creme filled Donuts. Then, while he was driving home eating donuts and drinking cappuccino, some guy pulled out in front of him, and he slammed on the brakes and the cappuccino went sailing onto the seat. He laid on the horn and nicely yelled at the guy, “watch where you’re going!”

So within ½ hour, and less than 3 days into the new year he had broken both New Years Resolutions! And he thought, how depressing!

But from broken new year’s resolutions we learn a couple of things - the main item being duct tape resolutions never last.

So, what must I do to inherit eternal life? The man today’s gospel story came to Jesus with sincerity. He fell to his knees before Jesus, but this man was only looking for one thing, he was looking for a quick fix.

There has always been one thing that gives us a quick fix . . . duct tape. You can duct tape just about anything. In fact, I received the book you are seeing on the screen for a Christmas present a couple of years ago.

I remember when I was younger, there was always duct tape laying around. It could fix about anything. The cracked seat on a bicycle, a broken tennis racquet, and a leaky pipe. It was good for rolling into a ball when your baseball busted. And it’s got 1001 other uses. If you could name it, duct tape could probably fix it!

However there was one small problem with Duct Tape, after a while it would start to tear and rip. If it got too wet it would begin to loosen and after a while your bike seat, tennis racquet, leaky pipe, or ball would be broken again! Duct Tape was only a quick fix! It was a temporary solution! This morning there are people out there who are living lives covered with Duct Tape! People who are looking for the quick fix.

You can’t say yes I want to take control over my finances and continue spending your money on useless stuff.

You can’t say yeah I want to have a better relationship with my kids and continue to work 80 hours at the office.

You can’t say Yes Lord I want to have a dynamic and growing relationship with you, and continue to give Him an hour out of your week!

You can’t say yes I want to see great, awesome and powerful things happen here at FBC and continually refuse to get involved.

You see New Years Resolutions require more than Duct Tape! It requires more than just a quick fix! The man in the story came to Jesus and said teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said keep the commandments, Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, honor your father and mother!