The 3 Ingredients of Thanksgiving
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Thanksgiving is a very special time of the year. Traditionally, it’s a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. The worldly perspective of thanksgiving however has turned it into a time of gathering with the family, eating a big meal, watching football, hunting/shopping. Maybe your family has their own unique tradition. However you decide to celebrate Thanksgiving, the fact remains that it’s a time for us to count our blessings. Scripture is very clear to us that every blessing in our life is a result of God’s provision…
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.
If you’re in good health and have a roof over your head, God has blessed you. If you get enough to eat each day, are part of a church family, have faithful friends, a source of income, then our generous God has blessed you. Because of God’s great love he provides for us, just as He has provided for His people for thousands of years.
Another problem with today’s thanksgiving other than the worldly traditions we’ve placed on it is that it’s limited to an annual holiday. True thanksgiving, however, is identified and verified by a life of daily thanksgiving. Let’s take a look at God’s Word to find out how to lead a life of thanksgiving. Now I want you to keep in mind that the christians of Thessalonica were going through a period of serious persecution when this letter was written.
Read vv.16-18
Rejoice always (v.16)
In order for us to be able to rejoice always, we have to understand the difference between joy and happiness.
Understanding happiness
Happiness is just a feeling. It comes from the word “happenstance” from which we get the word “circumstance”. In other words, our happiness depends on our circumstances.
Ex. If things are going my way, then I’m happy.
The problem with happiness is that it’s temporary. The moment you think you have a hold on happiness, it slips away and then you find yourself needing another fix.
Ex. I’m convinced that’s it’s next to impossible to go to Disneyworld and not be happy. As a matter of fact, they call it the happiest place on earth for a reason. But you can’t stay there forever so when you leave often times you find your happiness leaving too.
Understanding joy
People are naturally happy depending on their circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is not natural. Its source is supernatural. The only way you’re going to have joy is if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, because Jesus is the author of joy. In Christ we can decide to be joyful despite our problems. A Christian’s joy is not dependent on circumstances, it comes from what Christ has done. Its permanent; it doesn’t fade away. It’s the strength of His children:
Nehemiah 8:10 says,
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Lessons for the church
Be joyful – David knew how to (Psalm 13:1-4; 5-6)
Decide: He says in verse 5 “but I…”
Then: Trust in God’s unfailing love (salvation): God has proved His love for us. Sooner or later He will provide a way of escape.
Through continual prayer – which takes me to the next point…
Pray without ceasing (v.17)
The only way you’re going to be able to cultivate a joyful attitude during times of trial is through a personal relationship with Jesus, one important aspect of that relationship is praying without ceasing. Uninterrupted prayer keeps temporary and spiritual values in balance.
What did the apostle Paul mean by “pray without ceasing”? How is it possible to carry on a normal life if we’re praying all the time without ever taking a break?
First of all, Paul didn’t mean that we should walk around all day mumbling prayers to God. No, he was teaching that we can live in a constant attitude of prayer, even as we go about our daily routines. Lifting our hearts to God while we are occupied with miscellaneous duties regardless if words are uttered or not. Of course, some days we’ll pray much more than others. But regardless of the particular items on our “to do” list for that day, we can maintain a natural attitude of prayer that encompasses our whole lives.
When we develop this sort of prayerful outlook, prayer becomes our first instinct any time we face a challenge or encounter a difficulty rather than our last resort. When we maintain an attitude of prayer, we don’t even have to think about moving from first gear to second, from an attitude of prayer to the practice of prayer. It never occurs to us that we shouldn’t pray.
Should you pray about trivial matters? Yes! God listens to every prayer. Because God is interested in every aspect of your life, He invites you to pray about whatever concerns you, interests you, confuses you, frightens you, or in any way touches or challenges your life. Prayers to find lost glasses or to mentally retrieve forgotten information are both worthy requests.
God has called us to be people of prayer. Regular communication on this level creates intimate fellowship with the Savior. Through prayer we discover the goodness and faithfulness of God. But the point I’m trying to make is this: while taking time to get alone with God is the ideal situation, we don’t have to limit ourselves to such times. God hears our prayers no matter where we pray.
Put reckless confidence in God. Too many times we limit our praying precisely because we don’t trust God’s grace and mercy in difficult times. Sure, nonbelievers might consider such wild trust in God foolish, even crazy. But so what? Only through prayer can we tap into the limitless resources of God. Only by praying can we test the Lord’s promise: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Jn. 14:14).
Prayer is one of the best ways we have to remind ourselves that God is our gracious heavenly Father and that we are His much-loved children.
When Paul writes about the armor of God in the 6th chapter of Ephesians, he talks about using prayer in spiritual warfare, praying in the Spirit – that is praying through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
The Thessalonians were under constant attack from Satan that came in the disguise of persecution. They were fighting spiritual warfare but they found strength to face persecution through prayer.
Lesson for the church
Prayer is our most powerful but also most unused resource. We use prayer as a weapon to manipulate God and we easily give up when God doesn’t answer the way we want Him to. The primary purpose of prayer is not to change situation, it’s to change us.
Rejoicing always and praying without ceasing pave the way for our final ingredient…
Give thanks (v.18)
Great men of God thanked Him even in their worst situations:
Ex. 1: “Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy upon me.” –John Hus, while being burned at the stake!!!
Ex. 2: “May I become agreeable bread to the Lord?” –St. Thomas, while being devoured by two lions!!!
We ask ourselves, how in the world were men like this able to give thanks even in the most unimaginable situations. It’s because they truly believed the words Paul wrote in…
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
God is aware of everything going on in this world. Nothing surprises Him, nothing catches Him off guard, therefore nothing we ever face can be labeled as “bad.” The problems you and I face are a temporary part of God’s larger plan for our spiritual well-being.
Why should we give thanks?
Failure to do so is a symptom of unbelief. When Paul was describing to the church in Rome a world that had fallen away from God, he wrote about people not fulfilling their duty to thank God.
Romans 1:21
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Everything we have has been given to us from God. We owe Him more praise and thanksgiving than we can offer but what I see in many Christians today is just the opposite of appreciation, I see a marked lack of gratitude.
Lesson for the church
We need to ask God to forgive us for taking Him for granted so badly. We need to make thanksgiving an everyday habit, not just a once a year tradition.
Conclusion (v.18b)
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The three ingredients of thanksgiving that we’ve looked at tonight certainly don’t exhaust God’s will, but they are important parts of it.
“…in Christ Jesus…”
One thing we must remember as sons and daughters of God, it’s no longer you and I that live, but Christ within us. He’s the One that gives us the strength to continue with this attitude of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving…
is appropriate for every circumstance of daily life – so trust!
can abound in any aspect of human life – so pray!
will activate the joy of the Christian life – so praise!
