Sitting In The Thanksgiving Chair Series

INTRODUCTION

• CLICK TO PC VIDEO

• SLIDE #1

• As you live your life each moment, is it not easy to forget that we are to be thankful for so much?

• I like the way the video clip brings an awareness of how we are to be in a constant state of thankfulness.

• Today we are going to spend some time in Colossians 3:15-17 as we look at the concept of sitting in the Thanksgiving Chair.

T.S.: As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday season, let us take a look at how we can sit in the Thanksgiving Chair!

• SLIDE #2

• Colossians 3:15-17(ESV) 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

• Let’s begin by examining the following question.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. What does it mean to sit in the Thanksgiving Chair?

• As we ponder the thought of sitting in the figurative Thanksgiving Chair, there are a few things we need to understand so we can sit in the chair.

• So what does it mean to sit in the Thanksgiving Chair? There are at least three things it means. FIRST…

• SLIDE #4

A. We acknowledge the grace of God in all areas of our life.

• In the New Testament, the word for “thanksgiving” and “thankful” come from 2 basic root words.

• One of the words that can be translated “thanksgiving” comes from the word “grace”. The second word comes from a root that means to “acknowledge”.

• From theses two root words we can see that an attitude of thanksgiving has to do with God’s grace and a person acknowledging that grace in their life.

• The particular focus here would be gratitude for the forgiveness and new life from God described in the previous verses. This was essential to the faith, and is to be a Christian’s constant motivation.

• Thankfulness should spring forth from our relationship with Jesus and because we realize all He has done.

• A second thing for us to remember is:

• SLIDE #5

B. We do not allow circumstances to affect our thankfulness to God.

• Sitting in the Thanksgiving Chair also means that even when things look terrible in life, we will be able to be thankful.

• Corrie Ten Boom in “The Hiding Place” relates an incident which taught her this principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea-infested.

• Their Scripture reading that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters.

• Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted. She finally succumbed. During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was several months later when they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.

• In every tragedy you can look at what you’ve lost and be hateful, or you can look at what you have left and be grateful. Joseph (Old Testament) was a grand example of choosing to be grateful instead of hateful in the face of betrayal. -- Gerald Mann, When the Bad Times Are Over For Good, p. 150-152.

• Sitting in the Thanksgiving seat also means:

• SLIDE #6

C. We recognize who we serve.

• Christians should always be the most thankful people in the world, because we are serving the Living God! True thankfulness is something that proceeds out of the inner person, from the heart through the lips.

• If we are thankful, we will not spend our time grumbling and complaining.

• If we are grumbling all of the time, then we need to have a heart exam!

• The Israelites when they were wandering in the desert, grumbled and complained all the time, God did not LIKE it.

• Our Founding Fathers understood who they served when they sacrificed to fight for this country.

• Let’s look at:

• SLIDE #7

II. Why we should want to sit in the Thanksgiving Chair?

• Thankfulness is a theme that runs throughout the bible and through the book of Colossians. (1:3, 1:12, 2:7, 3:15-17, 4:2).