Celebrating A Great Thanksgiving ... Even In A Challenging Year

Celebrating a Great Thanksgiving ... Even in a Challenging Year

November 22, 2009

AS WE BEGIN THE HOLIDAY SEASON, LET’S CLAIM THIS PROMISE, "THERE WILL BE GREAT THANKSGIVING."

2 Corinthians 4:8-16 New Living Translation by Tyndale

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke."*14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,* will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16 That is why we never give up.

I. There will be great Thanksgiving despite circumstances.

Many people in the Norwalk area will be asking the question is it possible to have a great thanksgiving this year.

A. Being Pressed by Troubles

* 240 families were at our food bank distribution this last week.

* The unemployment rate in Norwalk, OH, is 18.00%, with job growth of -4.60%.

* Ytd in Norwalk there have been 114,957. (Search Ohio website)

* Local taxes have risen and services have gone down.

* Like many community Norwalk is Pressed.

B. Being Perplexed with No answers

* People know it’s bad and they are trying to find answers.

* Holiday shoppers to spend less on gift cards in favor of deals (Los Angeles Times - ýNov 18, 2009ý)

* These are the similar to the circumstances that Paul was facing when he wrote about the great thanksgiving.

T.S. Look with me in 2 Cor 4:8-9

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Appl: Paul has a sense that their can be a great thanksgiving because he has faith that even though it is bad, God has not abandoned them. Seeking more of God’s presence in your life enables you to trust he has not abandoned you even in times of difficult circumstance.

II. There will be great thanksgiving despite an unknown future.

ILL: President Obama Warns of Future Job Loss, "We are just not where we need to be yet" November 02, 2009 12:33 PM

A. Sense of Constant Danger

* Ohio had seen 30 swine flu-related deaths as of Tuesday, and that there have been more than 2500 hospitalizations. ...

* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting a review of the weight loss medication due to a recent study suggesting heart problems may be associated with the medication.

B. Sense of Constant Uncertainty

* Ohio’s Job Losses in 2000s Worst Since Great Depression

* Manufacturing’s job loss in Ohio is 236,000.

Paul had some serious concerns about the future when he wrote about the great thanksgiving.

T.S. Look with me in 2 Cor 4:10-12

10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

But he took comfort in knowing he was living in a way that mattered in the kingdom.

III. There will be great thanksgiving when we embrace a missional perspective.

In 2 Cor 4:13-15, 16 Paul gives us a clear picture of his philosophy of life that he embraced which led to the great thanksgiving.

13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke."*14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,* will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit.

A. Continue the task

But we continue to preach