*Give Thanks To God*
Col. 1:3-5
(Please note: A small portion of this sermon -- main points and subpoints are from the sermon of another though cannot remember who it was from. Probably 85 % of the message would be my own.)
The following link will take you to an MP3 Audio recording of this sermon: http://chirb.it/hwAbO5
INTRODUCTION:
1.) This is a special holiday weekend on our calendars and in our hearts.
A.) It is the time we celebrate the harvest, and consciously think on the many blessings of God in our lives.
aa.) Certainly there are many things and many people for which each one of us need to be thankful at this time of Thanksgiving.
ab.) Yet for the Christian, every day should be a day of thanksgiving and of Praise to our God.
aba.) Just the same, there is something very special of having a day and weekend set aside specifically for that purpose.
2.) This morning as each of you think of the many blessings in your life, I want you like the Apostle Paul to also look around at your brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
A.) In every letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the churches you will find there are three things for which Paul was always grateful when he would think of the church.
B.) Today, I want us to look specifically at Colossians as we see these three things for which Paul always expressed thanksgiving for the churches.
ba.) Paul was thankful for their faith.
bb.) Paul was thankful for their love, and
bc.) Paul was thankful for their hope.
C.) I pray that this morning as you think on your brothers and sisters in Christ, that you too will be able to thank God for these same three things with the body of Christ:
I. PAUL WAS THANKFUL FOR THEIR FAITH.
Colossians 1:3-4
1.) Faith is the channel through which our salvation comes.
A.) "By grace through faith" (Eph. 2:8).
B.) Certainly the Colossian Church understood the meaning of thanksgiving.
ba.) Paul rejoiced as thought on the Church, and blessing they had been to him.
bb.) What a powerful testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ that other Christians were thankful to God because of the faith of this church.
bba.) That was exactly the scene at Colossae; Paul was giving thanks to God because of the faith in this church.
bc.) If we could roll the pages of time back a short bit, Paul had worked with the saints of God in Colossae, but was now separated from them.
bba.) He was likely not able to have regular contact with the church at Colossae.
.01) Now and then somebody might drop by who had some news on the church there.
.02) Once in a while Paul might receive a letter from the church.
.03) Though the arrival of such news was always welcome, it was quite possible to go several months at a time without ever hearing a word on the church.
.04) Yet the occasional tidbits of news Paul would receive filled his heart with thanksgiving.
C.) What greater compliment could any church receive than to hear the words that our faith is causing other Christians to be giving thanks to God?
ca.) What a blessing it would be for this congregation to receive a letter saying that this church has been a blessing to them, and they are thanking God for this church, and for your faith in Christ.
2.) Faith is the knowledge that God is in absolute control of all situations of life and that He is working in everything, all the time.
A.) As we listen to news broadcasts, and events that are happening around the world and even in our own country we could easily get down.
B.) When we come to doubt or wonder we need to go back to the Scriptures, and see how the hand of God has used peoples, nations, and even terrible and wicked events to accomplish great things for his people and those who fear Him.
ba.) It is when we can see the broader perspective that we can lift our eyes to heaven and proclaim ¡§Thanks be to God!¡¨
bb.) It is when we are able to see the hand of God that we grow stronger in our faith and in turn our faith becomes a blessing to those around us.
bba.) It was exactly this type of faith which made the Church at Colossae to be such a blessing to the Apostle Paul.
3.) Faith makes possible our daily Christian walk.
A.) Gal. 2:20
B.) Even this morning, I am mindful of many individuals who are experiencing difficult and challenging things in their lives.
ba.) On any Sunday there are people in this congregation who are experiencing things in their lives that are great challenges.
baa.) Some of these things we will know of, but there are people who may be experiencing challenges that we are not even aware of.
C.) Yet as Christians face great trials, often they will find in their life a strong and victorious faith that has given strength greater than what we could even imagine for the challenges of life as they come.
ca.) In the presence of trials, there can be great faith, and great testimonies of thanksgiving.
caa.) Such faith it comes not just in the midst of the trials, but because of completely trusting in the Living God before the trials of life had come.
cb.) A person of faith, will continue to live and rejoice in the awareness of the presence of God even in times of trial.
cc.) The early church faced many trials including severe persecutions, and incredible trials that we cannot imagine.
cca.) Amazingly, these Christians grew stronger in their faith during those times.
ccb.) The strength of faith found in those Christians gave encouragement to the Apostle Paul, providing a stimulus for his own thanksgiving to God.
ccc.) May this church be that same kind of encouragement to the body of faith here.
4.) The faith of these Colossians was in the right place - - in Christ Jesus.
A.) Our faith and hope must stand in Him alone.
aa.) There is nothing else, nor is there anybody else in whom our faith can motivate others to a spirit of thanksgiving to the Living God.
5.) The faith of the church brought Paul to Thanksgiving.
A.) Sometimes it will be as we look at others in the church that we can see the working of God.
B.) When Paul looked at the church in Colossae, he was encouraged by their faith, and found it an occasion of thanksgiving.
C.) May the faith we see in others also move us to thanksgiving.
ca.) Really that is one of the great blessings of coming together as a church.
cb.) There are times that any of us can get down or depressed, or discouraged.
cba.) There have even been times that I have gotten up on a Sunday morning and may not even have been excited about the idea of going to church that day.
.01) Maybe it is shocking to think that sometimes a minister is not excited about going to Church on a Sunday morning, but the reality
is that sometimes that is the case, just as it is with you.
cbb.) Yet when I joined with God¡¦s people I would often be encouraged by the faith, and joy of others in the body of Christ.
.01) That is one of the powerful things of thanksgiving.
.02) When any of us have thanksgiving it brings out that same thing in others, and results in a joy within the heart.
II. PAUL WAS THANKFUL FOR THEIR LOVE.
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Colossians 1:3-4
1.) Where there is true faith, there is also love.
A.) It has been my experience that as a person grows in his faith, so also he will grow in his love to God and man.
aa.) Rom. 5:5
B.) A strong faith also transforms every other area of our lives, including in the area of love.
C.) The church at Colossae had strong faith, and that faith motivated them in the realm of Christian love as well.
ca.) In Paul's Thanksgiving of praise for the Colossian Christians, he praised God for the love the church had for each other.
2.) There is something very beautiful when Christians have love for each other.
A.) 1 John 3:14
B.) When Paul looked at that church he thanked God for their love.
ba.) On this Thanksgiving weekend, let us thank God for the evidence of his love for us.
baa.) If we were to have a time of testimonies today, there are people in this room who could speak of the working of God¡¦s love in their
lives, and how his love and presence has been a great blessing.
bab.) I expect there are many here who could even speak of others in this room whose love has been an encouragement to you in your walk with Christ.
bb.) It may have been in times of sickness, or tragedy, or death, or when there was a special need, but every person and family here have felt, and appreciated the love of God shown to you by others in this room.
bba.) May we like Paul go to God thanking Him for the love you and I have experienced from the body of Christ.
3.) Let us be conscious and thankful for each person in this congregation.
A.) Perhaps as a reminder of thanksgiving we can try something today.
aa.) When you go home this afternoon, take fifteen minutes or so and sit down with a pencil and paper.
ab.) On that pad of paper write down the names of say four or five members of this congregation.
aba.) As you do so, write one or two things after that person¡¦s name you appreciate, and are thankful for.
abb.) Take that list to God and thank him for that person, and why you are thankful for that person.
.01) I can almost guarantee you that if you will do that, you will be greatly blessed as you become conscious of this other person.
.02) If you really want to be blessed, and to be a blessing to someone else, phone or write a note to one or two of those people on that
list and tell them why you are thankful for them, and their presence in your life.
III. PAUL WAS THANKFUL FOR THEIR HOPE.
Colossians 1:5
1.) Biblical hope is, "A confident expectation which rests upon the promises of God."
A.) Biblical hope believes God¡¦s Word is true and can be trusted.
B.) Genuine hope is not merely wishful thinking, but a confident expectation God will do as He has promised.
C.) Hope takes the Word of God at face value!
2.) Hope speaks of things to come, or a time to come.
A.) Ultimately, for the Christian, our hope rests in Jesus Christ.
B.) Our hope looks forward to the day that Christ will come through the clouds, and take his Church to be his bride for all of eternity.
C.) On thanksgiving weekend, what grander thought could bring our hearts to thankfulness than the realization of the forgiveness of our sins, and the hope of eternity with Jesus Christ.
3.) True Christians have a future - - a real future.
A.)We have a glorious Hope.
aa.) Rom 5:2
B.) One day as Christians, we will stand in the very presence of God, and behold His glory with a confidence coming from our walk with Christ.
ba.) We have the hope of eternal life.
baa.) The Church¡¦s hope filled the Apostle Paul with thanksgiving as he rejoiced in God.
bb.) Through the years, many in this room have demonstrated a Biblical hope.
bba.) When we witness the God and Christ based hope of others, may we too be filled with thanksgiving.
4.) For the child of God, our hope is far greater than anything from this world.
A.) Our hope Is In Jesus Christ, who is soon coming back to this Earth.
aa.) The One who has served as Co-creator of this Universe is the only one who can give hope to the world today.
B.) The day is coming when He who has created this world will recreate it and bring us into a glorified and eternal home without any of the defilements or curse that has come into this world because of sin.
C.) This Is hope for which we need to give thanks to our Heavenly Father.
CONCLUSION:
1.) As I close this morning, I want to encourage you sometime to sit down and look at the opening and/or closing of every letter of the Apostle Paul.
A.) As you do so, you will find that in each of these letters, even the personal letters of the Apostle Paul that the three things for which Paul usually gave thanksgiving to God was the faith, love, and hope of the body of Christ.
2.) May we also leave here today confident in the body of Christ.
A.) May the faith, love, and hope you see here in the body of Christ, give you occasion to give thanksgiving to God today for this church and for each one in it.
B.) I also pray that not only will you be so blessed by the lives of those in this church, but that you will be that same blessing to the others who are here today.
C.) Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: ¡§And now abide these three: faith, hope, and love but the greatest of these is love.¡¨
ca.) Be blessed and a blessing by these three virtues of the Christian life.
