Ephesians 1: 5-8 Series

Thanksgiving Sunday Oct. 8/00

Meeting Creek

Objective: To understand that thanksgiving should have it’s foundation in what God has done in salvation in order to survive the hard times and to begin to build that foundation.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1: 3 - 10

Tell the Story of the Roman slave who runs away and is bought back as a son.

1 Thessialonians 5: 16 - 18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

But how do you keep it up? How does this thanksgiving survive the hard times?

First put and end to a common misconception:

- it does not say give thanks for everything

- There are many things that are downright evil and we should not thank God for them.

- ask what does God hate - we should too

sin, sickness, death, temptation, war, etc.

- be careful - you can be thankful for these things - and you should never be ungrateful because of them but that is different

- we are to be thankful "in" them or while they occur or even in spite of them.

But how do you do this?

Think of the slave/son ; always thankful because of who he has become and his knew relationship with his adopted father.

Who is that slave? Of course it is you!!

Eph 1:5-8

- Plan to adopt us from before time

- we all ran away

- redemption = deliverance by payment of a price

- to adoption

So how is it possible to be thankful in every circumstance?

- by trying harder?

- by ignoring difficulties?

- by having a positive attitude?

- by pain avoidance?

Look at Paul in his writing;

Romans 7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

25 Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

1 Corinthians 1:3-6 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way-- in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Colossians 2: 6 +7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

It is possible to be thankful at all times because we have first received so much from God

- everything can be looked at in two ways

start with things and end in trouble(end up rejecting God)

start with God and things are easy

give examples - harvest - sickness - large gift -

So which way will you chose?

Read Eph 1:5-8 again

- if I have this the rest can come or go and there is still enough remaining for thanksgiving6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,

7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.