Scripture Reading: Psalm 107
Basic Sermon Outline:
---
"Give Thanks!"
Introduction
I. Good Times
-----A. Times of Blessing
-----B. Times of the Miraculous
-----C. Times of Realization of God’s Character
II. Bad Times
-----A. Times of Discipline
-----B. Times of Trial
-----C. Times of Temptation
-----D. Times of Perceived Hopelessness
Conclusion
---
Message:
To commemorate Thanksgiving, we will go over another set of short verses. Last week, we talked about Jesus’ compassion for us.
Here is some background on the holiday that we know as ’Thanksgiving’:
The Pilgrims were a group of Christians who wanted freedom to worship the Lord. They initially left England for (Amsterdam) Holland since Holland was much more free, but after seeing the corruption of the culture, and the undesired results of the culture on their children and for extra reason of lack of funds, many decided to return to England, and yet others still wanted freedom.
The Pilgrims took a long journey from Holland to America in 1620. It took 66 days, and 102 passengers, with a crew of about 25, set sail for Virginia. It was an extremely grueling journey, and 2 died on the way. They landed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and did not begin in Virginia -- the seas were much too threatening.
In 1621, likely what we think of most when we think of Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims as well as 90 Wompanoag Indians (whom the Pilgrims befriended and vice versa -- both benefited from each others’ services) took part in a feast of thanksgiving on the plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims were gathering to celebrate in thanksgiving to God for a good harvest. They didn’t call this ’Thanksgiving’, though it was declared much later in the century as an official commemoration. It is a little different today in commonplace American celebration, but at the very least, we need to focus on thanking God for what He has done this year.
The Pilgrims gave up everything they knew and took an extremely long and risky journey in order to have freedom to worship the Lord freely.
Edward Winslow, one of the Pilgrim leaders who served as governor for several terms, wrote in 1621:
"Our Corne did proue well, & God be praysed, we had a good increase of Indian Corne, and our Barly indifferent good, but our Pease not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sowne, they came vp very well, and blossomed, but the Sunne parched them in the blossome; … And although it be not alwayes so plentifull, as it was at this time with vs, yet by the goodneses of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty." (Winslow, 60-61)
In 1623, another feast was taken in thanksgiving after a notable drought occurred and yet ended up with enough food harvested for the people. These were feasts of celebration.
These were very thankful men and women who had gone through insane circumstances and risks in order to pursue freedom in areas yet to be obtained -- they wanted to praise the Lord freely.
Scripture states:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We are commanded to give thanks. In all things, whether good or bad, we are to be thankful for what God has given us OR what God can make of our bad situation. Does this mean that we can’t ever work to correct fixable situations, or that we can never be angry about anything? No -- there are things that God does give us that we are to take action on. God’s Sovereignty never rules out man’s responsibility.
But in all things, regardless of whether it’s a situation that tries us or whether it’s one that blesses us dramatically, we are called to give thanks.
Before we discuss further, let’s pray.
Opening Prayer
(Part I: The Good Times)
We need to give thanks to God in the Good Times:
(Times of Blessing)
He is the source of all good things:
James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
He blesses us with good things. He doesn’t spoil us, and He sees that often what we want would not be a blessing to us. We know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord from Romans 8:28. This doesn’t mean that everything that happens here will be pie in the sky. However, it does mean that God has a purpose for His chosen, and that He will bring all things together for our ultimate benefit. In addition to that, as Paul states in Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
He has given believers an everlasting blessing -- inheritance in Heaven -- through faith in Him.
In return for His blessing us, we should respond in love (and not obligation) by giving thanks to Him!
(Times of the Miraculous)
Our Lord Jesus is a miracle worker!
We’ve been going through John, so what are some of the miracles that Jesus did in John?
- We just studied Lazarus. Jesus raised him from the dead in John 11.
- Jesus turned water into wine at Cana in John 2.
- Jesus heals
- Jesus heals a man who could not walk in John 5.
- Jesus fed 5,000 families in John 6.
- Jesus also walks on water in John 6.
- Jesus healed a blind man in John 9.
- Jesus had a miraculous catch of fish in John 21.
So we see Jesus as:
- Powerful over all things, including the natural
- The supernatural healer
- The miraculous provider
Again, as John stated in John 20, there are so many miracles that Jesus did that all the books in the world probably could not contain them.
So in times of the miraculous, when the Lord gives you miraculous blessing or provision, give thanks to Him!
(Times of Realization of God’s Character)
Sometimes through the miraculous, and often through what we write off as mundane, we notice the Lord’s amazing character. The Lord who miraculously created the Universe also takes part of our existence, and we need to acknowledge Him in all things.
We should be thankful to God for who He is and, flowing from that, what He’s done.
In addition to who He is, what has He done for us?
- Forgiven us
- Shown us His grace (unmerited favor)
- Given us Life
- Given us Purpose
- Given us Hope
So when we reflect on who God is and what He has done, we can give thanks that He has made Himself known to us!
So in the good times of life, give thanks to God!
(Part II: The Bad Times)
We also need to give thanks to God in the Bad Times:
We are called to be people of prayer and thanksgiving, not people of anxiety and frustration.
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The point here is that we are not to worry or fear -- God is bigger than any of our situations, and in seeking Him, we can find amazing peace. So what kinds of situations in life do we usually consider as ’bad times’?
(Times of Discipline)
Sometimes as a result of sin in our lives, God will take things away to develop our character.
Hebrews 12 discusses the dynamic of God disciplining us as a human father disciplines his children, though there is no sense of abuse or unrighteous anger in the equation with God. In the best of situations, fathers discipline their children in love, trying to develop their children as best as they know how. How much more does God lovingly seek to develop our character through all things?
Hebrews 12:5-11
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
So when God answers ’no’ or even ’wait’, or when He brings things into our lives to strengthen our character -- no matter how hard they may seem -- give thanks!
(Times of Trial)
(Root: peripipto - through falling into -- things we fall into)
Hard life situations. Despite them being hard, we are to count them PURE JOY, as James says.
James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
These seem somewhat interchangeable with the other root James uses for temptation, though there is a slight difference in the nuance he is using in these terms.
God allows trials. When He brings these along, let us consider it pure joy and give thanks to Him. God does not, however, entice us to sin.
(Times of Temptation)
(Root: peirazo - to entice to sin)
Lure towards sin. James 1:13 makes clear that God does not tempt us toward sin, though He does bring and allow trials.
James 1:13-15
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
We actually can pray to Him to deliver us from evil (cf. Lord’s prayer, from Matthew 6).
We are called to endure through temptation:
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
At times, we may stumble into sin. However, we do have a Savior who is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us. Know that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13):
1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Peter also mentions in 1 Peter 1:6 that we will go through many temptations (here, peirasmo). It’s a part of life here under the curse of sin. We will be tempted. We have an adversary who hates those in the image of God. So the constant is that we will be tempted. The variable is that we can fight to reject and flee from sin.
So when we are tempted to sin, rely on the Lord for strength against it. Thank Him for deliverance in those times.
(Times of Perceived Hopelessness)
Then there are times in which everything seems dim and impossible. When all seems lost and hopeless, what do we do?
We can put our trust in that we have a living hope.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
We have a living, or active hope. This is not the American ’hope’ we’re talking about, as in, ’I hope I win the lottery.’ This hope that Peter is talking about is certain -- our certain hope is found in the inheritance promised to us through faith in Jesus -- rest in Heaven.
So when we are without hope, do as David discussed within himself:
Psalm 42:5 (and Psalm 42:11 and Psalm 43:5, serves as a refrain) - Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
So whether we are in a good or bad season of life, remember that we are called to be people called to give thanks to God. God can make amazing things out of bad situations. God can also bless us with amazing situations. Let’s thank Him for what He will do in either circumstance. In all things, we are called to give thanks. With that in mind, let’s close in prayer.
(Bibliography)
Winslow, Edward. Plymouth, in New England, this 11th of December, 1621. in A RELATION OR Iournal of the beginning and proceedings of the English Plantation settled at Plimoth in NEW ENGLAND, by certaine English Aduenturers both Merchants and others. (London: Printed for Iohn Bellamie, 1622).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
