Sermon Illustrations

THE SECOND PILGRIM WINTER

After the first Thanksgiving with Massosiat and the Indians, the Pilgrims were excited that another ship arrived with 35 new colonists. Quoting again from William Bradford, “they were all landed; but there was not so much as bisket-cake or any other victialls [AO] for them, neither had they any beding, but some sory things they had in their cabins, nor pot, nor pan, to drese any meate in; nor [overcoats] for many of them had brusht away their coats & cloaks at Plimoth as they came. ... The plantation was glad of this addition of strenght, but could have wished that many of them had been of beter condition, and all of them beter furnished with provissions.

(Bradford, William (2011-03-17). Bradford’s History of ’Plimoth Plantation’ From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts (p. 109). Kindle Edition.)

The food that was stored would have to feed twice as many. That winter, RATIONS were reduced to 5 kernels of corn per day! However, not one of them died from starvation!

The Pilgrims were just as thankful, even when they had very little. Their trust in the Lord was never shaken because it was not dependent on material things.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, "yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments."

The focus of your gratitude is the same as the focus of your faith. Trust God and give him Thanks for all that He sends into your life.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

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