WHERE GRATITUDE GRACEs The GOSPEL—Romans 1:15-24
Attention:
Per ‘The 1621 Thanksgiving’ @ mayflowerhistory.com
Written by Edward Winslow dated:Dec. 12, 1621 & first published 1622.
“Our harvest being gotten in, our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, & amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained & feasted, & they went out & killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation & bestowed on our Governour, & upon the Captaine & others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie.”
Need:
There is still the undercurrent of the average American who deeply appreciates their family & God’s provision for them. These realize that they have been abundantly blessed by the Lord their God.
Even those without Christ may recognize ‘a higher power’ as it were. This leads to sentimentality during Christian holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas , & Easter.
Thanksgiving holiday may not seem like much to some but for those of Christ, it is an opportunity to reflect on God’s love for them & offer many heartfelt thanks for all they have.
For the Christians in Rome, Paul delineated the relationship of gratitude to the Gospel.
Gratitude must grace the Gospel of Christ.
Where does Gratitude grace the Gospel of Christ?
1—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
SHAMELESS TRUST(:15-16)
Explanation: (:15-16)
:15—“So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”
:16—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first & also for the Greek.”
Paul is ready to preach the Gospel to those who are in Rome(:15). It is because he is unashamed of it.
A thankful person is unashamed of the God —& His plan of salvation—who has granted them certain victory over sin & the grave.
Argumentation:
Lk. 9:23-26—“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily, & follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, & is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me & My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, & in His Father’s, & of the holy angels.”
Illustration:
I have no qualms about driving into my driveway, opening the garage door, parking my car in the garage, opening the door & entering/Why?—I have a SHAMELESS TRUST that this particular property is my home! I would never do the same at anyone else’s house!/SHAMELESS TRUST
Family & friends at your Thanksgiving gathering/We accept them no matter what they wear/We are grateful they are there/SHAMELESS TRUST
My oldest daughter Catherine is very concerned with fashion/She tries to modernize me with ‘younger looking’ jeans/They came with the back belt loop turned 45˚/The front pockets came with the edges partially frayed/The legs are flared slightly/She didn’t want me to have washed-out colors/Yet she is unafraid to tell others that I’m her Daddy/SHAMELESS TRUST
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your SHAMELESS TRUST?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
2—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
SHARING(:17)
Explanation: (:17)
:17—“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.””
In the very Gospel of Christ, “the righteousness of God” is manifested to all yet it is only revealed “from faith to faith.”
“From faith to faith”—This is a quote from Habakkuk 2:4.
Hab 2:4—“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
This phrase is a description of the fact that the truth of the power of God in Christ(“righteousness of God”) moves & conquers by means of my personal faith to your personal faith, to another’s personal faith, etc.
God’s “righteousness” is revealed on at least 2 planes—
—1)Horizontal—in that faith can only be revealed to another upon their accepting that faith. It will never be revealed/shared in its fullness except thru another’s faith. And thus it continues, progresses & prospers.
—2)Vertical—in that the believer’s relationship to the understanding & depth of God’s righteousness is something that continues to grow greater & more multifaceted, thus carrying him to new levels of faith which reach into all areas of life. This ‘growth’ in Christ is also shared with others!
To be “Just” is to be declared accepted by God so that the faithful are ‘justified’ in what they believe & do.
Argumentation:
Mat. 28:18-20—“And Jesus came & spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth. Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Mk. 16:15—“And He said to them, “Go into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature.”
Yet we are also told...
Mat. 7:6—““Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, & turn & tear you in pieces.”
Illustration:
We will roast, fry & casserole turkey for Thanksgiving/We will offer our guests the dark & white meat no matter what our preference/It is meant to be shared/SHARING
BBQers have secret sauces & techniques/Contain vinegars, tomatoes, sugars, spices, fruit/Dry rub-Wet rub-Marinades/Different woods—Cherry, Hickory, Mesquite/Indirect heat for a long time/Not too keen on giving up their information/Built on secrecy—NOT SHARING
Just the opposite of Christianity...No secrets here!
However, BBQers also share their finished product/That is why there are cook-offs, competitions & judges—to see who makes the best BBQ around/People impressed with their credentials are fed by the BBQers/Its delicious!/SHARING
& Like good BBQ, The Gospel of God in Christ is meant for sharing!
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your SHARING?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
3—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
ADHERENCE to God(:18)
Explanation: (:18)Oppose the lie
:18—“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”
In the Gospel of Christ the “wrath of God” is simultaneously “revealed” with His righteousness in salvation. The wrath originated “from heaven.”
This wrath is directed “against” the “ungodliness” & unrighteousness” which “men” levy against God’s righteousness.
In their battle against God’s righteousness, men willfully “suppress” God’s revealed “truth.” They hold God’s truth from others by their personal unrighteousnesses as well as the unrighteousness which characterizes a world without Christ.
“Truth” is objective & not subjective to individual opinion. It is reality whether I like it or not. It is still reality no matter how much effort I put into holding it back—Philosophies, sciences, theories, religions, ides, civil participation, love for country, emotional ties, etc.
“Suppress/Hold”—katecw—To hold back, detain, retain; To get possession of, take. Strong—To hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively). Used 19X.
Argumentation:
Col. 2:6 -9—“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted & built up in Him & established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy & empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, & not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”
Eph 2:1-10—“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses & sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh & of the mind, & were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Illustration:
We all use some specific recipes at Thanksgiving/Certain ones are expected to be there/We can’t get these anywhere else/They are our favorites & the guests expect them when we visit/My brother’s favorite was Momma’s Coconut Cream Pie/These foods cannot be enjoyedevery year unless we Adhere to the specific recipe/ADHERENCE to God
We have some ‘expensive cheap’ chairs which I abhor/If you spend any time in them—moving them in & out the bolts will inevitable loosen & the chairs are always wobbly/I have literally found bolts on the floor underneath these chairs/Bolt gradually frees itself so its power cannot be trusted/Wooden parts of the chair then break/Loc-tite type cement can keep it in place/I want a chair that will remain intact thru thick & thin!/ADHERENCE
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your ADHERENCE to God?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
4—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
Residing KNOWLEDGE(:19)
Explanation: (:19)
:19—“because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
In God’s showing His truth to mankind(who readily suppresses it) brings responsibility to all men for that truth.
In their hearts & consciences all men know the reality & truth regarding God.
“Paul’s point is that which is capable of being known about God apart from special revelation is indeed known by fallen mankind.”.....“God’s natural revelation of Himself is not obscure or selective, observable only by a few...”—John MacArthur
*They know whether they should listen to you when you share the Good News of Christ.
Argumentation:
Ps. 19:1-4—[David writes]“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world....”
Missionally, the blood of the world will be on our hands if we do not share the special revelation of Jesus with those who are accountable to God thru the general revelation of creation.
Acts 14:15-17—We[Paul & Barnabas] also are men with the same nature as you, & preach to you that you should turn from these useless things[idol worship—Greek gods] to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, & all things that are in them, “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven & fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food & gladness.””
Acts 17:22-28—“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus & said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;” for as I was passing through & considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: “God, who made the world & everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven & earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, & all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, & has determined their pre-appointed times & the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him & find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live & move & have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”
Ideally saving knowledge should follow intellectual knowledge, however, man undoes his potential salvation when he gravitates toward what his flesh tells him is right...A poor choice!
Illustration:
Canned or frozen beans for a Green Bean Casserole/The cook knows the beans are available in whatever form/They must get into the package for it to be useful/Residing KNOWLEDGE
As is said, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”/Can’t say “Officer, I didn’t know!”/You do something wrong against something or someone else it is actually obvious to you that you’ve done something wrong/REsiding KNOWLEDGE
Likewise, Ignorance of God is No excuse!
Before the invention of the GPS & satellite navigation men traveled on the sea by the stars & sun/Used a sextant or simply navigated by the position of the stars, moon & sun/
“Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;”(Gen 1:14)
— A residing KNOWLEDGE of God’s goodness
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your KNOWLEDGE?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
5—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
SIGHT(:20)
Explanation: (:20)Insight
:20—“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power & Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”
Paul intensifies his explanation so that the condemnation(“without excuse”) is clearly understood.
God’s “invisibles” “are clearly seen” by men, as if getting ‘the big picture’ from above.
This vantage point is obtained merely by observing the created things of ‘nature.’ These give all men such an understanding that they are rendered excuseless in both their decision to turn from God & tempt others from Him by their choices. No one is immune. All are thus guilty before God.
The particular invisibles of God which are pertinent & applicable to man’s attention & acceptance are 1)God’s “eternal power” & 2)His divinity. No one of any time, can deny these things & be guiltless.
“God’s eternal power refers to His never-failing omnipotence, which is reflected in the awesome creation which that power both brought into being & sustains.”—John MacArthur
*Evolutionists attempt to disarm this truth with their theories.
We live in a world where we regularly attempt to explain-away God’s hand thru secular scientific means & think we have arrived when we can describe the principles at work! This merely scratches the surface of the physical mechanisms which God initiates & maintains.
Rather than dismissing God, this actually brings us greater accountability before God!
His Divine nature(“Godhead”) refers to His characteristic godly goodness in provision for His creation.
“Clearly seen”—kaqoraw—V.—1)To look down upon, see from above, view from on high; 2)To see thoroughly, perceive clearly, understand. To behold fully, i.e. (figuratively) Distinctly apprehend. Used 1X.
“Godhead/Divine nature”—yeiothv—N. f.—1)Divinity, divine nature. Yeiothv "deity" differs from yeothv (Adj.)"divinity" as essence differs from quality or attribute. Strong—Divinity (abstractly).
“Excuse”—anapologhtov—Without defense or excuse; That which cannot be defended, inexcusable. Used 2X.
Negation of—apologeomai—1) To defend one's self, make one's defense; 2) To defend a person or a thing; 3) To give a full account of—3a) To calculate or consider well. Strong—To give an account (legal plea) of oneself, i.e. exculpate (self).
Argumentation:
Ps. 36:5-9—“Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man & beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
Acts 14:17—“Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven & fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food & gladness.”
2Cor. 5:7—“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
1Pet. 1:3-9—“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, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.”
Illustration:
The flight paths of certain birds/Navigate flawlessly over thousands of miles to return to the same places year after year after generation after generation/UNCTV a place on the NC coast where martins? leave & return year by year/Not just local flocks but flocks from many other locations even outside NC meet there to fly south/traveling specific paths indetectable by the man/Speculations abound but there is nothing we can definitively say regarding the driver of their flight/SIGHT
Butterflies, sea turtles, whales, etc. all migrate extensively.
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your SIGHT?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
6—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
CHOICE(:21)
Explanation: (:21)
:21—“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, & their foolish hearts were darkened.
This makes it plain that some men(suppressors of truth) make a conscious choice of denying God the glory He deserves.
These not only deny Him glory but they were also not grateful for His manifold lovingkindnesses.
As a result, they then became—by their poor & self-serving choice—empty, vain & “futile” in their personal deliberations.
Thus also their God-designed hearts, given over to foolishness, became “darkened” regarding the truth...being obscured from their comprehension.
“Knew”—ginwskw—V.—Second aorist active participle—1) To learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel; 2) To know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of; 3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man & a woman; 4) To become acquainted with, to know. A knowledge grounded on personal experience. Strong—To "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications & with many implications.
“Futile/Vain”—mataiow—V.—To make empty, vain, foolish. Strong—To render (passively, become) Foolish, i.e. (morally) Wicked or (specifically) idolatrous. Used 1X.
From—mataiow—Empty, i.e. (literally) profitless, or (specifically) an idol.
“Foolish”—asunetov—Adj.—Unintelligent, without understanding, stupid. Strong—Unintelligent; by implication, wicked Used 5X.
“Darkened”—skotizw—To cover with darkness; To darken; 2)To be covered with darkness, To be darkened—To deprive of light. Strong—To obscure (literally or figuratively).
Argumentation:
Mat. 6:22-23 ““The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Lk. 11:34-35—““The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.”
Illustration:
Family gathers for a meal at Thanksgiving/Our Choice to recognize them/We can choose to ignore or accept them/CHOICE
Fluorescent billboard ads for porno shops entering NC from I-85/Welcome to North Carolina....A wonderful place to raise your family!/What political choices allow that?!/CHOICEs—
& we wonder why people aren’t thankful for God’s graciousness!
Children give us multiple examples about what NOT to do!/
Juxaposed with the billboards some years ago which stated among other truths.... “Meet Me at My place this Sunday—God”
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your CHOICEs?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
7—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
AFFIRMATION & PRACTICE(:22-23)
Explanation: (:22-23)
:22—“Professing to be wise, they became fools,”
Thus being dismissers of God’s glory & glorifiers of themselves, ungrateful, limited narrow thinkers & dark-hearted, it is no surprise that these also proclaimed themselves to be “wise” while in the throes of foolishness.
“Professing”—faskw—V.—1) To affirm, allege, portend or profess. Strong—To assert. Used 4X.
From—fhmi—To show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. speak or say.
“Wise”—sofov—Adj.—1) Wise—1a) Skilled, expert: of artificers, 1b) wise, skilled in letters, cultivated, learned—1b1) Of the Greek philosophers & orators, 1b2) Of Jewish theologians, 1b3) Of Christian teachers, 1c) Forming the best plans & using the best means for their execution. Denotes wise, skilled, an expert. Strong—Wise (in a most general application).
“Fools”—mwrainw—V.—1) To be foolish, to act foolishly. Strong—To become insipid; figuratively, To make (passively, act) as a simpleton.
:23—“& changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--& birds & four-footed animals & creeping things.
In their foolishness they chose to destroy God’s “incorruptible” glory by pressing it into a corruptible representation of created & corruptible things such as men & animals.
The foolishness of man choses to worship himself & creation refusing to worship the God who created them. How foolish! Men see much with their eyes, but are willfully oblivious to God’s handiwork.
Argumentation:
Prov. 17:28 “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”
1Cor. 1:18-21—“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
Job 38:1-3—“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, & said: “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, & you shall answer Me.”
The remainder of Job is a diatribe of God asking questions of Job which highlight man’s general lack of real knowledge.
Illustration:
Family diversity become apparent at Thanksgiving gatherings/Varied & intense beliefs are made known by voice & action/AFFIRMATION & PRACTICE
Secular media is obsessed with worshiping created things/As if the creation itself is worthy of recognition for its own creative ability/They see how plants & animals change &, in an egalitarian manner, extrapolate & apply this as proof of the ability in nature to produce vastly different genera & classes/The reality is they have only revealed their short-sightedness/AFFIRMATION & PRACTICE
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ in your AFFIRMATION & PRACTICE?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
8—Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
HONOR(:24)
Explanation: (:24)Intended use
:24—“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,”
Because of men’s choice to deny God & invent his own, God in turn “gave them up” to their own devices.
Such a godless lifestyle is borne of the “lust of the heart.”
God allows/permits them to live as they choose. However in so doing, man is only postponing his appointment with God’s final judgment(2:5).
The choice to reject God also holds temporal present ramifications as well as eternal ones. Particular manifestations of this rejection & subsequent “giving over” to flesh results in “dishonoring” the body God created to honor Him. The dishonoring occurs “among themselves, i.e. among others of like belief. Birds of a feather do indeed flock together!
“Lusts”—epiyumia—1) Desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust. epiyumia is more comprehensive in meaning than payov; epiyumia is (evil) desire, payov is ungovernable desire. It denotes any natural desire or appetite, usually with the implication that it is a depraved desire. Its meaning may be good, but it is usually bad. Strong—A longing (especially for what is forbidden).
“Dishonor”—atimazw—1) To dishonour, insult, treat with contempt—1a) Whether in word, deed or thought. Strong—To render infamous, i.e. (by implication) Contemn or maltreat. Used 6X.
Argumentation:
Gen. 1:26—“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over the cattle, over all the earth & over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male & female He created them. Then God blessed them, & God said to them, “Be fruitful & multiply; fill the earth & subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
Rom. 6:12-14—“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, & your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Col. 3:4-15—“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, & covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, & have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all & in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, & forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; & be thankful.”
2Tim. 2:21—“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”
Illustration:
Kitchen knives/A knife can be used to kill someone or vandalize someone’s property/OR a knife can be used constantly to prepare meals for the family we love/We will carve the Thanksgiving Turkey & Ham/HONOR the intended use
Application:
?Do You Grace the Gospel of Christ by HONORing Him?
?Does Your Gratitude Grace the Gospel of Christ?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
THANKSGIVING—What a wonderful time to Thank our God of mercy, grace, & provision!
Action:
Gratitude graces the Gospel in our...
1. SHAMELESS TRUST(:15-16)
2. SHARING(:17)
3. ADHERENCE(:18)
4. KNOWLEDGE(:19)
5. SIGHT(:20)
6. CHOICE(:21)
7. AFFIRMATION & PRACTICE(:22-23)
8. HONOR(:24)
Presented 11/23/2011pm to:
South River UMC—Community Thanksgiving Service
2880 South River Church Road
Woodleaf, North Carolina 27054
