Introduction

Good morning, everyone. It's always a joy to see familiar faces and new ones too. We gather here today, in this place, at this time, to share in the love of God. We are here to remind ourselves of His promises and to learn how to live a life of thankfulness.

Our guide today is the Holy Scripture. The words we will focus on come from 1 Chronicles 16:34: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." And from Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." And lastly, from Colossians 4:2: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

These three passages speak to us about God's enduring love, the importance of gratitude, and the call to live our lives in constant prayer and watchfulness.

G.K. Chesterton once said, "When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude." This quote speaks directly to our gathering today. We are here to learn not to take things for granted, but to take them with gratitude.

Let's pray together.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for bringing us together today. We thank You for Your love that never ends and for Your promises that give us hope. We ask You to open our hearts to Your word and to help us live lives of gratitude. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Understanding God's Love

In the first letter of John, we read, "God is love." This is not just a description of what God does, but of who He is. His very essence, His very nature, is love. This is a love that is not just an emotion, but a commitment. It is a love that is not just a feeling, but a choice. It is a love that is not just about affection, but about action.

This love is demonstrated in the most profound way in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John, we read, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This is the ultimate expression of God's love - a love that is willing to sacrifice, a love that is willing to give, a love that is willing to die.

But this love is not just about what God has done for us, but also about what He continues to do for us. In the letter to the Romans, we read, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Even when we were at our worst, God's love was at its best. Even when we were far from Him, He was close to us. Even when we were lost, He found us.

This love is not just about the big things, but also about the small things. It is a love that is present in the everyday moments of our lives. It is a love that is there in the sunrise and the sunset, in the laughter and the tears, in the joys and the sorrows. It is a love that is there in the mundane and the extraordinary, in the ordinary and the extraordinary.

This love is not just about us, but also about others. In the first letter of John, we read, "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." This is a call to action, a call to love as we have been loved. It is a call to show the same kind of love to others that God has shown to us. It is a call to be a reflection of His love in the world.

This love is not just about the here and now, but also about the there and then. In the letter to the Romans, we read, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love." This is a promise of eternal love, a love that will never end, a love that will never fail.

Expressing Gratitude for His Promises

The first promise we encounter is the promise of His presence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO