Enter with Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:1-5
Introduction-
Psalm 100:1-5
Good Evening everybody.
Isn’t this a great time of the year, a time to reflect and a time to rejoice as we officially begin to get ready for the Christmas celebration.
I know if you put your attention on the economy, if you put your attention on all the negatives, it would also be a time to be discouraged.
As I read the Psalm, couldn’t you picture a person standing on the town square proclaiming the goodness and greatness of our God.
Can you not sense His presence.
Stand and reread the scripture as a town crier. (Verse 1-5.)
I believe we are a people and a nation who have been truly blessed.
Compared to other parts of the world, this is the greatest place to live.
Of all places, we should be giving Him thanks and believers should be leading the way at praising His wonderful name.
At Christmas we draw up a list of wants
At New year’s we draw up a list of resolutions.
At Thanksgiving, we ought to draw up a list of things that we are thankful for.
Illustration-
Here are some of the things that a housewife was thankful for.
For automatic dishwashers because they make it possible fo us to get out of the kitchen before the family comes back in for their after dinner snacks.
For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.
For smoke alarms because they let you know when the turkey is done.
Our list may not be the same, but we should have one.
My list would include family, friends, health, and our nation despite the flaws.
It would include my helpmate, my partner and best friend, my wife.
It would include my church family, at the top of the list is Jesus
Jesus gives us so much to be thankful for
Have you ever thought that no American today can be compared to the first small handful of people who came off the Mayflower and started a tradition of being thankful, Thanksgiving as we know it.
53 people:
22 Men
9 married women
9 adolescent boys
5 adolescent women
13 young children at that first thanksgiving.
They had no homes. No government help
They didn’t go to Giant for a free turkey.
No social security, no medicare.
Food came from what they could catch or hunt.
What they did have:
They had boundless faith in God
They had a belief that the God they served was bigger than any problem they had.
They had initiative, courage, willingness to work, a willingness to step outside the box.
If God would be in it, they would be a “one nation under God”
Our hollowed, “Declaration of Independence” proclaims
“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights,.....and it ends with these words “”with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor”
Thanksgiving is a distinctive holiday.
It does not commemorate a battle or anyone’s birthday or anniversary.
It is simply a day set aside to give thanks to our nations God.
That may seem strange today in a time when some are doing everything possible to strip that away from the foundation of this country. It was built upon the conviction that they would be one nation under God.
They did not have to decide what God He was.
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness.
Illustration-
George Washington in 1789 made a public proclamation.
By the president of the United States of American; “whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor, and whereas; both houses of congress have by their joint committees, requested me to recommend to the people of United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer , to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God.. Now there I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious being.
The 100th Psalm was written for the people of Israel.
God was telling them , when you came into the promise land and settle into your warm homes, and you have plenty to eat, don’t forget me.
It doesn’t take long to realize Israel needed a remember , and I am afraid that we do too.
As far as I can tell, the USA, Canada, Phillipines, are the only countries that have some sort of Thanksgiving day.
What would our world look like if more would be giving thanks.
If we determine our thanksgiving on weather we have enough turkey to eat, weather our money is safe in the bank, our health, we would be in trouble.
These things change on a regular basis.
We have to like the Psalmist, stand in the town square and proclaim the goodness of what
God has given us, not a list of what we do not have.
Question:
How do we do that? How do we get ourselves and those around us to have a heart of thanksgiving? The Psalmist gives us the answer.
He tells us that these are the ways of giving thanksgiving
v1- Shout to the Lord, all the earth
v2- Worship (serve) the Lord with gladness
v2- Come before Him with joyful songs
v3- Know that the Lord is God
v4- Enter His gates with thanksgiving
Are you seeing the common denominator here. It is the Lord.
It is your relationship with the Lord.
Illustration-
Alex Haley author of Roots, had a picture of a turtle setting on top of a fence post. When asked why he was there, Alex answered, everytime I write something significant, every time I think I have done something wonderful. I look at the turtle on top of the fence and remember, that I did not get there on my own, I had help.
Basis of Thanksgiving- to remember that we got here with the help of God. He is the provider of everything we have.
Circumstances change all the time. They may drift away, burn up, someone may steal them. The only things we have for sure is our relationship with God.
1 Thess. 5:16-18
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”
Praise and thanksgiving go hand in hand.
Luke 17
Jesus heals 10 lepers of their leprosy. Out of those 10 only one came back to give thanks. Jesus says to him” where are the other nine”? “Rise and go; your faith has made you well”
what did he mean?
10 lepers, 10 healed, only one came back to day thank you. 10 physically healed, only one spiritually made whole.
Psychologist today tell us that sincere gratitude, thanksgiving is one of the healthiest human emotions.
Stress is a killer. Great fulness is a healer.
Thanksgiving lifts and glorifies the Lord.
Thanksgiving draws us closer to Him and strengthens our relationship.
Closing:
I pray that this is a meaningful thanksgiving for you and your family.
Look over the Psalm again this week. Offer up your Thanksgiving to God.
You are thankful when:
you spend time with Him (more than one hour)
when you forgive others
when you serve the church
when you reach out to others
when you give Him your time, talents, tithes
when you praise him from your heart
count your blessings, name them one by one...count your blessings see what God has done.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.
Going through a hard time?
Try giving thanksgiving.
Prayer:
