How To Use Five Kernels Of Corn

"How To Use Five Kernels Of Corn"

(Adapted from a message by Bruce Howell)

Psalm 103:1-5

Thanksgiving Message

Chester’s FBC, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker

INTRODUCTION:

A The Pilgrim fathers who landed at Plymouth Rock over 300 years ago knew nothing of the affluent times which you and I enjoy today in this great country of ours.

a During that first long winter at Plymouth Colony, seven times as many graves were made for the dead as home for the living.

* The ship which was to bring food and relief brought 35 more mouths to feed, but not an ounce of provisions.

b Touching indeed is the picture of William Brewster, rising from a scanty Plymouth dinner, consisting of a plate of clams and a glass of cold water, to thank God "for the abundance of the sea and the treasures hid in the sand."

They had a custom of putting 5 kernels of corn upon each empty plate before a dinner of "thanksgiving" was served. Each member of the family would pick up a kernel and tell what they were thankful for. It was to remind them that the first Pilgrims were in such dire straits that their allowance was only 5 kernels of corn per person each day.

PS 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

B Today, we are going to look at our five kernels of corn and how we can use them to be thankful.

a (ETS) The psalmist gave thanks to God for the blessing he had received.

b (ESS) Every believer has reason to give thanks to God.

C (Obj.) I hope you will know five things you can thank God for this Thursday.

a (PQ)What are thankful to God for this Thanksgiving?

b We have many reasons to be thankful. Let’s take 5 grains of corn, and using Psalm 103:1-5 as a basis, think of 5 things to praise God for.

I The first kernel we can thank God for is. . .HE FORGIVES.

". . .who forgives all your sins. . ." v.3a

A Forgiveness of sin is the first thing that David praised/thanked God for.

a David was just like us, he was a sinner. (Adulterer, involved in a conspiracy that cost Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, his life.)

The psalmist had messed up, not always made the right choices, and didn’t always honor God with his decisions.

b David is saying Do had pardoned/removed ALL of sins. .

Guilt, punishments, and penalties!!!

B The forgiveness of our sin is the greatest thing we could ever thank God for.

(Yes, even greater than being a daddy, husband, pastor!!!!)

a Our sin caused a split in our relationship with God. (Capital Crime)

(It only takes one sin to cause the split. This last Summer Sammy Sosa was fined and suspended for seven games when his bat broke while hitting a ball. From the bat came cork. An ensuing investigation checked more than 70 of Sosa’s bats and not a single one of them was corked. Nonetheless, his suspension stood because it only took one corked bat to become disqualified. We can have 70 good bats, but it just takes one to disqualify us!)

b The loving judge pardoned me in August, 1978. (I’ll never forget he forgave me!)

If you have forgotten about it,. . . maybe it didn’t happen!

C God permanently removes our sins from us!

a Isaiah 43:25c (NIV) "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25c (MsgB) ". . . I don’t keep a list of your sins."

b The deepest part of the ocean is 35,802 feet deep. 16,045 lbs. pps. The water temp. is about 31F. The only that lives at depth is tube worms and clams!

Micah 7:19 (MsgB) And compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You’ll sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean.

II The second kernel we can thank God for is . . .HE HEALS.

". . .and heals all your diseases." v.3b

A David thanked God for healing/making him well.

a The psalmist knew that all the healing and well-being that he had ever experienced was from God’s healing ministry.

b The healing was not limited to just physical for David.

PS 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

B Does God heal everyone’s disease? NO. He does cure ALL disease.