LIFE IS AN ATTITUDE – PICK A GOOD ONE
Thankfulness – An Uncommon Attitude
Sunday January 28, 2007
Scripture Reference: Romans 12:2, Luke 17:11-19
Intro.
A. In this series we are looking at good and bad attitudes. Each week we will look at a bad attitude that God wants us to eliminate from our lives and in order to do that we also have to look at what good attitude needs to replace the bad attitude we are removing. Last week we looked at the bad attitude of complaining. So how can we best remove this attitude that according to the scripture we looked at last week causes the angry of God to be aroused and also caused him to send a fire upon the children of Israel? Do we remove that attitude by working really hard at having a better attitude? Do we remove that attitude by reading a bunch of books on having a positive mental attitude? Do we remove the complaining attitude by thinking happy thoughts through out the day?
1. Well I think we all know the answer to these questions is “no” don’t we? Our whole premise through out this series is that we get rid of the bad attitudes by replacing them with a good attitude and the best attitude to replace a complaining attitude with is the attitude of Thankfulness or Gratitude. The best way to stop complaining about what we think is wrong in our lives or wrong with our world is to look around and give thanks for what is right. Here is a poem that was given to me by a member of my creative worship team that expresses what I am trying to tell you.
I Am Thankful
For The Wife
Who Says It’s Hot Dogs Tonight,
Because She Is Home With Me,
And Not Out With Someone Else.
For The Husband
Who Is On The Sofa Being A Couch Potato,
Because He Is Home With Me
And Not Out At The Bars.
For The Teenager
Who Is Complaining About Doing Dishes
Because It Means She Is At Home,
Not On The Streets.
For The Taxes I Pay
Because It Means
I Am Employed.
For The Mess To Clean After A Party
Because It Means I Have
Been Surrounded By Friends.
For The Clothes That Fit A Little Too Snug
Because It Means
I Have Enough To Eat.
For My Shadow That Watches Me Work
Because It Means
I Am Out In The Sunshine
For A Lawn That Needs Mowing,
Windows That Need Cleaning,
And Gutters That Need Fixing
Because It Means I Have A Home.
For All The Complaining
I Hear About The Government
Because It Means
We Have Freedom Of Speech..
For The Parking Spot
I Find At The Far End Of The Parking Lot
Because It Means I Am Capable Of Walking
And I Have Been Blessed With Transportation .
For My Huge Heating Bill
Because It Means
I Am Warm.
For The Lady Behind Me In Church
Who Sings Off Key
Because It Means
I Can Hear.
For The Pile Of Laundry And Ironing
Because It Means
I Have Clothes To Wear.
For Weariness And Aching Muscles
At The End Of The Day
Because It Means I Have Been
Capable Of Working Hard.
For The Alarm That Goes Off
In The Early Morning Hours
Because It Means I Am Alive.
And Finally, For Too Much E-Mail
Because It Means I Have
Friends Who Are Thinking Of Me.
B. I think you get the point. The fact is there are many, many things that we can spend our days gripping and complaining about but if we are willing to take a closer look we can discover that in all the things we complain about there are things to give thanks for.
1. What I want to do this morning is to share with you some facts about the attitude of gratitude from this story of the ten lepers and then to share with you how I think we can begin to develop this attitude of thankfulness because remember attitude are developed over time, both good and bad. You are not going to walk out of this sanctuary today magically having a thankful attitude if for years you have been battling a complaining attitude. What you will have are the tools, or at least some of the tools you will need to begin to replace that complaining attitude with the attitude of thankfulness.
Trans. So let’s explore some facts about thankfulness from this story in the bible.
I. SOME FACTS ABOUT THANKFULNESS.
First of all I think that just as complaining is a common ailment of much of our society.
A. Learning To Be Thankful Is A Common Need.
1. I am going to strive to make this message pretty interactive today and that is why you were all given a pen as you cam in today. I am hoping that you will use that pen to start you on your way to developing that thankful attitude. So let’s begin by answering this question, “Who are the people you know that you would characterize as having a thankful attitude?” I want you to take just a few moments right now to write down the people that you know that you feel characterize thankfulness. Go ahead right now and write those names down. How many of you have more than five names? How many have four, Three, Two, One, None?
2. You know that old phrase, “Misery loves company?” Well this scripture perfectly portrays this expression. Look with me again at these verses. There were ten lepers, according to V.16 one of the ten was a Samaritan. Now if you know your biblical history then you also know that Jews and Samaritans did not mix. [] On the morning I wrote this sermon was listening to the radio as I was going in to the office and I was listening to the host talk about racial wars in Harbor district of LA. It is a place where the Blacks and Mexicans have actually created a dividing line where if one or the other of the races cross that line they will likely be killed. One person they interviewed said that he could wave to the person across the street but he dare not cross the street for fear he would be killed. This was some what of the racial tension that existed between Jews and Samaritans. If you read John four you will read about Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman and you will see this more clearly.
a) The fact that these two racial groups did not associate at all and yet here they are ten lepers nine of which appear to be Jews while one is a Samaritan. As I thought about this something came to me that I don’t think I ever realized before and that is that misery seems to bring people together while thankfulness seems to divide. Now I don’t mean that thankfulness divides in a negative way but consider this. We are all the time seeing people gathered in large groups to protest. To meet to express their complaints, but when was the last time you ever witnessed either personally or in the news where a large group of people gathered together to give thanks? [] I just wonder if the media would cover it at all if we organized a rally down on the lawn at city hall and the purpose was to just give thanks for things in our city? Now if we did this to protest the police or some ruling by the city council I am sure we would get some attention but I have a feeling that a rally to give thanks would not be of much interest to the media. Why? Well I would suggest that we are more comfortable complaining that we are giving thanks.
3. What I also see as I look at these verses is that we are a people who seem to have little trouble asking for things but we have a great deal of difficulty giving thanks for things. And isn’t it interesting how often it is the case as it was with these men that we are drawn to Jesus when our lives are filed with trouble but we have little time for God when life is easy or simple? I have witnessed over and over again in my 21 years as a pastor when people were in a crisis and they turned to God and found the relief they were looking for but it wasn’t long after the crisis had passed that they were right back to the same old ways they were living before the crisis occurred. ** Friends we need to be very careful of using God for our personal gain.
Trans. This story shows us that our ingratitude does not escape God’s attention.
B. Our Ingratitude Does Not Escape God’s Attention.
1. Look at V.13 again (read). What we can say here is that they had the faith to pray, they had the faith to call out to God for a need but what they did not have was the gratitude or thankfulness to come back and give thanks to God. You probably don’t remember but I actually preached from this same passage back on Thanksgiving Sunday. In that sermon I shared this quote by a pastor named Vance Havner who said, “Our biggest problem in the church today is the vast majority of Sunday morning Christians who claim to have known the Master’s cure and who return not to thank Him by presence, prayer, testimony and support of His church. In fact, the whole Christian life is one big “Thank You”, the living expression of our gratitude to God for his goodness. But we take Him for granted and what we take for granted we never take seriously.” It is amazing to me as a pastor to know of so many people who profess that God has saved them from their sins. That God gave up His only son Jesus to die on a cross for them, and yet they find it a real inconvenience to have to show up for an hour or so on a Sunday morning to give Him thanks. [] I will tell you quite honestly today I think the church of Jesus Christ today is overflowing with 7/11 Christians. What I mean by this is that the churches are filled with people for whom Jesus is little more than a convenience for us. I only need to stop in the 7/11 when I need an item or two. I don’t go to 7/11 for the things that sustain me I get those things at the supermarket. You have to ask yourself a very serious question and that question is, “Why am I really here today?” Is it only because you finally had a Sunday morning free of other obligations? Is it because you decided not to stay up and watch Saturday Night live last night so you weren’t so tired this morning? Is it because you could not get a tee time at the golf course or because you couldn’t get reservations at the camp ground this weekend?
a) Yes I am probably stepping on some toes but maybe God wanted me to step on your toes today so that He could get your attention. So that He could say to you today, “It hurts me that you only pay attention to me when you want something.” [] As a parent what does it feel like to you when your children only come to you when they want something? Does that make you feel loved and appreciated? I doubt it, it probably makes you feel cheap and used. You are only valuable as long as you can give them what they want.
Trans. What causes us to be thankless? Let me offer a few suggestions.
C. The Causes Of Thanklessness.
1. Probably the biggest reason for our thanklessness is simply Being Thoughtless. The root of the word “thank” means to think so it is only logical that as we give thought to what we have so that we become thankful people. When was the last time that you thought about the things you are thankful for? I would bet that you could easily tell me the last time you complained but when did you last give thanks?
a) I want to challenge you to do something right now. In your sermon notes there is a list of 1-10. I want to give you a moment to begin being thoughtful so that you can begin being thankful. Take a moment to write down as many things as you can think of that you are thankful for. Now try to be specific, don’t just say I am thankful for my family. That is good but who are you thankful for in your family? You see being specific helps us to remember why we are thankful for that person. So go ahead right now and write down the things you are thankful for.
b) Now let me ask you, “How do you feel right now after thinking of these things you are thankful for?” You feel pretty good don’t you? What would you feel like if I asked you to come up with a list of things to complain about? You probably would feel depressed. Let’s learn to be thoughtful so we can learn to be thankful. [] I have made up a sheet that I put into your bulletins to help you begin to develop this attitude of thankfulness. It is a way for you to daily list the things to be thankful for. Now I made this to fit a 51/2 x 81/2 binder like I give to the people who finish CLASS 201. You can use it this way or redesign it to make it fit your own uses but I want to recommend that you use it in whatever form works best for you. Let’s see what will begin to happen to us as we daily give thanks to God for all we have.
2. How about Pride as another cause for thanklessness? Why didn’t these other nine men come back to Jesus to give thanks? Maybe they thought that as Jews they were deserving of being healed. It was something God owed to them because of who they were. I don’t really expect any thunderous “Amen’s” but I just wonder how many of us have said at least in our hearts, “I deserve these blessing I have. After all look at all I do. I attend church almost every week, I pay my tithe, I go to a small group, I serve in a ministry. It really is no surprise that I have all that I have.” Now again I am not expecting anyone to shout out a loud “Amen”, but I can’t help but wonder how many of us here today are saying to ourselves, “OUCH”?
Trans. Well I am afraid I could go on and on here but let me share with you a few ways that I believe we can begin to develop this much needed thankful attitude. I have already shared a few things but here are some more.
II. HOW TO DEVELOP A THANKFUL ATTITUDE.
First of all if we are going to develop this attitude I think we need to understand that the fact that it has to be developed means that there are stages of growth. Did any of you have to go through elementary school before you went on to High School? Sure you did and you will have to go through a few stages to become a person who can be characterized as thankful. I think the bible shows us three levels of thankfulness. Let me share them with you.
A. The Three Levels Of Thankfulness.
1. The Elementary Level. Hebrews 13:15 NLT says, Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Here is why I call this the elementary level. Normally when we make a sacrifice we are saying, “I really don’t want to do this but I know I should so here goes.” Now I know that a sacrifice doesn’t always have to have this connotation but normally it does. When we sacrifice we are giving up something we want for what we feel is the greater good. This probably the place where a lot of will have to begin in our developing an attitude of thankfulness. It may not be easy but we know it is the only way to replace the complaining attitude we have and it is what will bring joy to God.
2. Level number two is the High School Level. Here is the scripture for the High School level, 1 Thess. 5:18 NIV give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. This is certainly a step above the elementary level because now we are not so much making a sacrifice but we are mature enough to realize that even though the thing we are in right now may not be what we want or enjoy we know that God is with us and that He deserves our praise. What this level tells us is that we can always find something to be thankful for and we are going to look for what that thing is.
3. Now here is level three and this is the Graduate Level. The scripture is Ephesians 5:18 NLT And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the difference between level two and level three might seem indistinguishable at first because what separates them is a very small word. In level two we are thankful “in” the circumstance but in level three we are thankful “for” the circumstance. Do you see the difference in the maturity level here? In level two I will try to find something to be thankful for, but in level three I already know that what I am going through will be blessed by God.
a) How many of you know that most of us will do a lot of bouncing around from level three to level two? Once we grow out of the elementary level and begin giving thanks in the hard times there will be times when we jump into level three and given thanks not because we discovered something to be thankful for but because even though we can’t see anything we already know God is there with us and we are looking forward to what we will learn. I am not sure this is a level that most of us will reside in but I do know it a level we can be in if we are willing to trust God fully.
Trans. Let me finish with what I want to call the three keys to a thankful attitude.
B. The Two Keys To A Thankful Attitude.
1. Thankfulness is a decision. I told you last week that complaining is a choice and it is but let’s be honest and admit that it is a very simple choice. It is not a choice that requires a great deal of thought or contemplation. We basically fall into the attitude of complaining, but this is not so with thankfulness. Everyday you and I will have to make a decision to resist the temptation to complain and choice to be thankful even though it is not easy. Listen to Psalm 107:8 LB Oh, that these men would praise the Lord for his loving-kindness, and for all of his wonderful deeds! Did you notice that the Psalmist said, “Oh that these men would praise the Lord…” He did not say “Oh that they could” he said Oh that they would! All of us can praise the Lord for the wonderful things he has done it is a matter of will we do so?
2. Thankfulness is based on reality not fantasy. I feel this is a very important point. I said at the beginning of this message that developing a thankful attitude is not a matter of thinking happy thoughts or having a positive mental attitude. Having a thankful attitude is not something we physic ourselves up for. A thankful attitude is not pretending that things are just fine when in reality they are not. Having a thankful attitude does not mean that when the boss hands me a pink slip that I shout out “Praise The Lord!” Usually what is going on when we do this is we are trying to bury the pain and pretend it will all go away.
a) Remember the Samaritan? Remember the prejudices I told you they faced by the Jewish people? Guess what? This Samaritan was healed but the same prejudices that existed before he was healed still existed after he was healed and he had to face them. His problems did not just disappear. In fact it could very well be that he came back alone to Jesus because they others realized that now that they were healed they didn’t want to be with him.
b) We will look at this scripture later in our study but look at Numbers 14:5-19 NIV Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." Joshua and Caleb were dealing with the reality, yes the land was full of giants but what they also saw was God with them to conquer those giants.
LIFE APPLICATION
A. How is your attitude of gratitude today? Why don’t we take a moment one more time to do a little personal evaluation? Here are few places where you can rate your own attitude of gratitude levels.
Employment
_____________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wife/Husband
_____________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Your “Stuff”
_____________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Your Church
_____________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Finances
_____________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B. If we know that our attitude needs improvement then what are we going to do to make those improvements? Remember that the bile says that if we know the right thing to do but don’t do it, we sin. If you know your attitude needs to change from complaining to thankfulness then are you going to begin to make those changes? Maybe just writing down on a daily basis the things you are thankful fro can be the start you need.
