Introduction:
Think about these two words for just a moment and what they take into account. If we define them by our English standards they look like this:
Gratitude: to be grateful for something. Grateful: to appreciate something. Appreciate: to grasp the worth, quality, or significance of something; highly value something.
Granted: to permit as a right or a privilege.
Body:
Now let’s put them in our southern tongue: gratitude is realizing how lucky and blessed we are that God loved us enough to come and die for us!
Granted is thinking that because He loves us so much He died for us.
Let’s see what the Bible says the difference between granted and gratitude is: John 1:1-13
Now God does so love us that He gave us His Son: but that is not what saves us! If that were the case, everyone would automatically be saved! His love was the motivation for saving us: we take His love for granted: a right, or a privilege He gave us!
John tells us that God has "granted" or given us the right to become children of God; if we do as others have and believe that He, Jesus, is the Messiah, the Savior, and that we receive (accept) Him as our Savior.
His love was the motive but His death on the Cross was the act that saves us: He did not love only in Word, but in deed!
Conclusion:
Hebrews 12:1-2
We should have an attitude of gratitude; grasping the worth of the crucifixion. It was my sin He died for! Yes, He loves me, that alone does not save me; it was the fact He bore my transgressions and paid the price of them for me, that has allowed me the opportunity to be saved; He has “granted” me the privilege of being saved; I must be grateful for it, appreciate it, and highly value it; by accepting Him!
Hebrews says: Lay aside, put out of your way, anything that would hold you back, sin or busyness of life, that prevents you from seeing what Jesus has done for you;
Don’t take His love, or His death for granted; be grateful and appreciative for what He has done for you.
