Just Be Thankful Series

I’ve entitled our message for this morning “Just Be Thankful.” If I were to subtitle this sermon, it would be “Learning Contentment in Tofurkey Times.” Right now you’re probably thinking I’m crazy, or perhaps you’re stumped wondering what tofurkey is! Hang on, and a little later in the message I will tell you about tofurkey! For Americans, Thanksgiving typically involves sitting down and eating a large meal with friends and family. The root of this tradition is grounded in the very first Thanksgiving meal eaten by the Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims sailed for nine weeks on the open seas, and the one hundred two puritans arrived in America on November 9, 1620. That first winter was very difficult and they weren’t prepared for the hardships they were to endure. It was difficult for them to care for the sick because the sick actually out-numbered those who were healthy.(1) During the Pilgrim’s difficult time the Native Americans stepped in and provided them with food to eat.

A leader of the colony, named Edward Winslow, commented on the first Thanksgiving in a work called Mourt’s Relation. He said, “Many of the Indians [were] coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others.”(2)

In the year 1623, after having gathered the harvest, the governor of the Plymouth Colony, William Bradford, proclaimed: “All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones, do gather at the Meeting House, on the hill . . . there to listen to the pastor, and render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings.”(3) Bradford had not forgotten God’s provision during that first hard winter; nor had he forgotten the Lord’s provision at harvest time and in each and every day.

Thanksgiving is about being thankful for God’s continual, never-ending provision in our lives. This year when we sit down to eat our Thanksgiving dinner we must realize that the food on our table is a great blessing, and it represents only a small portion of the abundance that God has bestowed on us here in America. We must realize that just as God provided the food on our table, He has provided every good thing we have in our lives! The Bible says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).

There Are Unthankful People in the Last Days (vv. 1-3)

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Paul spoke to Timothy of “latter times,” meaning the last days. Jesus said we can’t know the day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36), but we can know the season by the things we observe (Matthew 24:32-33). Paul shared with Timothy about some of the things that signify the season before the end.

People will depart from their faith in Christ, believing instead the doctrine of demons (v. 2). There are a lot of people today who’ll worship Buddha before they’ll ever submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ! People will also speak lies in hypocrisy (v. 2). Have you noticed how hard it is to trust anyone these days? I wonder why? It’s because you can’t seem to find honesty and integrity anywhere! We also read that people will forbid to marry (v. 3). How many people today forgo marriage in order to pursue a career; or perhaps, decide to live with a partner outside of wedlock? We’re indeed living in the last days!

In verse 3, we read that in these days people will command “to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” Do the words “vegetarian” and “vegan” ring a bell? How many people in war-torn Somalia do you think are vegetarians by choice? If you brought in a planeload of pigs and cattle, no one would complain! I knew a mission team that traveled to Djibouti, and they told of how the people there were so hungry they ate goat tails! People in America can be vegetarian or vegan, or establish whatever diet they so desire, because of the abundance of food we have in our country. If you have abundance, then it’s easy to be picky!

Tofurkey is a good example of just how picky we’ve become here in America. Let me share with you the definition of Tofurkey from Wikipedia. “Tofurkey is faux turkey - a loaf or casserole of vegetarian protein, usually made from wheat protein or tofu with a stuffing made from grains and flavored with a broth and seasoned with herbs and spices. Tofurkey can serve as the main dish of a formal meal for people who abstain from or would like to abstain from eating meat. It has become a popular vegetarian meat alternative served at Thanksgiving.”(4)