Intro: It is not hard to see that we live in a broken and wrecked world. God told us that this would happen. Jesus said in Matthew 24:12 He said that as the end draws near because lawlessness is increased the love of many will grow cold. It is very obvious we live in a wrecked world. Wrecked marriages, wrecked homes, wrecked economy, wrecked political system and the promise is that as the return of Jesus gets closer it will get worse.
Jesus promised to give us life to the full. This life to the full is not defined by the things we have or don’t have. The full life is defined by how we respond to trials, temptations, tragedy and things. One of the main things that can sabotage and strangle the full life is an attitude of ungratefulness.
Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “God’s will is what we would want for ourselves if we were smart enough to want it. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 clearly tells us a right attitude we should have in a wrecked world. “Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I. Gratitude is seeing that God is good
Gratitude comes from a clear vision of who God is. The devil has always tried to destroy God’s character. Psalm 100 makes it clear that an attitude of gratitude comes from seeing that God is good. Remember Jesus wants to give you a life that is full and joyful, peaceful, powerful, purposeful, useful and faithful. The devil also wants you to have a life that is full. Satan wants you to have a life that is ungrateful. The devil knows when you ignore His will of thankfulness it will lead to darkness and destruction.
Romans 1:18-21, 22-32 God turned them over to their own ungrateful desires. God is good enough and loves you enough to turn you over to what you worship!
There is a non-believer study on the internet called 31 benefits of gratitude. http://happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/
Two of the things that this person discovered were that gratitude makes you happier and healthier. Church God wants to give you a full life!!
“A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent.a1,a2,a3 That’s the same impact as doubling your income.”
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Psalm 86:5 “For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, rich in faithful love to all who call on You.”
Psalm 145:9 “The Lord is good to everyone; His compassion rests on all He has made.”
Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”
Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; He cares for those who take refuge in Him.”
There are many things designed by the devil to distract us from the graciousness of God. We must cultivate a mindset of looking for God’s goodness in the mess of our lives. Remember that all things are not good. However God makes all things work to the good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. Don’t be distracted by the momentary!! We are preparing to spend forever with God. Set your eyes on the goodness of God in Jesus, this will give you a reason to be grateful!! When we see how gracious God is gratitude is our natural response!
II. Gratitude is sharing the Lord with witness (Hebrews 13:15) (read)
According to the writer of Hebrews thanksgiving or gratefulness is a fruit. Fruit of any sort require cultivation and fertilization to produce fully. There may be nasty things you have to walk though in order to have your fruit of thanksgiving fully fertilized.
A grateful attitude doesn’t happen by accident. Giving thanks in this passage is in the present imperative which means it is to be a habit of attitude and action. God knows how this will benefit us and others and calls us to be disciplined to make it part of our daily routine!!
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What does a witness do? Witnesses tell about what they have seen and heard? We are called of God to offer a sacrifice of sharing the good things God has done in our lives. Witnessing is less about memorizing someone else’s way of evangelizing and more about sharing about God’s goodness and mercy in your life?
Has God done anything good in your life this week? Then share it with someone!
Has God done anything good in this church family this week? Then share it with someone!
III. Gratitude is serving the Lord with Gladness (Psalm 100:2)
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and other passages in the New Testament the Greek word used for giving thanks is eucharisteo and originally meant “do a good turn to.” So gratefulness is a Spirit filled attitude that leads to an appropriate Spirit filled actions – serving the Lord God with gladness. Gladness here means delight, overflowing joy, festivity, mirth or laughter.
Serving God isn’t dull, dry and boring. When you get your sight right there is joy and laughter and festivity at seeing God’s goodness take root in others’ lives!!
Our gratitude cannot be simply tied to our good words. It is clear that God’s will for us is for our gratitude to be tied to good words and good works!!
A) You can’t serve God with grumbling inactivity
1) We have the example of the Israelites
Exodus 16:12 they complained about their food, Numbers 11:1 They complained about their hardships.
2) We have the instruction of Paul
Philippians 2:14-15 “Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.
1 Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without complaining”
1 Corinthians 10:10 “Nor should we complain as some of them did,[f] and were killed by the destroyer.”
Ungrateful complainers are lumped in with idolaters, sexually immoral, and those desiring evil that were destroyed by God.
Life is a gift from God to be lived for God. When our mouths are full of thankfulness they can’t be full of grumbling
B) You can serve God with grateful activity
1) Give thanks in all things
Gratitude isn’t about the pain, pressure or problem you face. It is about a right attitude toward the one who controls all that is your life!! When we remember that God is in control and works all things to the good then we can give thanks in the worst and best of circumstances!!
We thank God because He causes many a tight place to open into the right place.
2) Give thanks by finding your place of service
We are taught that thankfulness should be part of worship, giving, relationships everything we do.
Your are not at Immanuel by mistake you were called here by God to encourage, build up and give thanks to God through your service?
Serving God and His people and those around you is part of giving thanks always. Have you found your place of service?
Conclusion: It is obvious that we are to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
How do we actively make our attitude one of giving thanks?
1) Make it part of your prayer life, “let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving”
2) Sing songs of thanksgiving to the Lord
3) Thank those that do the simplest and smallest things in your life
4) Serve God and others. This is one of the greatest ways to give thanks. Ask God where you are to serve His body?
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon Th
