A Song of Thanksgiving
Chuck Sligh
November 20, 2016
TEXT: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36 – “Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. 8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, [Go on down to verse 23] 23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. 24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.”
INTRODUCTION
David recited this song of praise and thanksgiving after the Ark of the Covenant (called the “ark of God” in verse 1) had come back to its rightful place in Jerusalem after having been captured by the Philistines. In thanks to God, David ordered that sacrifices be offered to God, so the people gathered to celebrate the return of the Ark and to bless and honor God.
Whenever God has His rightful place in our lives, thankfulness and gratefulness are sure to be the result! Let’s look at this song of David to see what it teaches us:
I. FIRST OF ALL, IT TEACHES US WHAT WE SHOULD GIVE – 1 Chronicles 16:8 – “Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”
David says that we should give thanks. Giving of thanks is not natural. We’re naturally prone to griping, complaining, and “belly-aching,” to use a perfectly good Southern colloquialism. A grateful spirit must be cultivated through constant diligence and through acting against the natural grain of our flesh.
Gratitude is an attitude. It’s not something we should do occasionally or just on Thanksgiving Day. God wants us to develop an ATTITUDE of gratitude where we’re constantly, regularly LIVING a life of thanksgiving. In other words, thanks-GIVING should be thanks-LIVING—a LIFESTYLE of thanks.
David not only says we should be thankful internally in our hearts, but he indicates that our thankfulness should be public—told to others. He says, “make known his deeds among the people.” I’ll say more on that a little later.
II. NOTE SECOND, WHAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER.
Usually the reason we fail to have a grateful spirit is because we’re always thinking about what we don’t have NOWs. The key to thanksgiving in the PRESENT is remembering what God has done in the PAST as an indicator of what He will surely do in the FUTURE.
In our text, David points out three things about God and our relationship with Him in the past we should call to remembrance:
1) First, remember His WORKS and WONDERS. – 1 Chronicles 16:12 – “Remember his marvelous WORKS that he hath done, his wonders,”
In other words, remember what He has DONE in your life.
Illus. – INCOME TAX STORY
I have many stories from that time when we were raising our support in which God wonderfully provided for us. God has shown all of us His works in powerful ways. And that should fill us with gratitude, and remind us that because He has done great things in our lives in the past, we have every reason to believe that He will do so in the future.
2) Second, we should remember God’s WORDS. – David finishes verse 12 by telling us to remember “…the judgments of his mouth.”
• First, remember GOD’S PROMISES in His Word.
> Think about the wonderful promise we read about in Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Here God promises full and free pardon for those who believe in His promise that Jesus articulated in John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Remember and be thankful for that wonderful promise. It will fill your heart with thanksgiving.
> In Hebrews 13:5, God gives us this wonderful promise: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake.”
Here God gives us His word that there is NOTHING that will ever cause Him to leave us or forsake us. God’s love for His kids is eternal and unconditional. Just as He never forsook the Israelites, His earthly chosen people, no matter how they broke His heart with their sin and waywardness, so He will never leave nor forsake you if you are one of His kids.
That means that your salvation is settled and secure. That’s not a license to sin; that’s a promise of security. And if you remember that truth, it will fill you with thanksgiving to God for His incredible love and mercy.
> Jesus gave His children another wonderful promise in John 14:2b-3 – “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Think of it—Jesus is preparing a place for us where we can live with Him for all eternity! That’s not pie-in-the-sky rhetoric—Jesus is not a politician who makes promises he has no intention of keeping; this is a promise of the eternal God who, Titus 1:2 tells us, cannot lie! It will make you grateful to such a wonderful Savior if you remember Jesus’ precious promise to you.
> But you know, while we’re still here on this sucky earth, here is a wonderful promise to remember: Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
If you are one of His kids, no matter what you experience in this life; no matter what you suffer; no matter how difficult the road you’re on—God promises it will work out in the end for your good. When you’re going through the valley of despair and suffering, remember with thanksgiving this wonderful promise. These are all precious promises we should remember.
• But also remember SPECIAL WORDS HE GAVE YOU at critical points in your life to give you comfort or direction.
Illus. – How the Lord used Psalm 25:17-22 when I was in the hospital for cancer. – “The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.”
Illus. – How the Lord used Psalm 64 when I was under personal attack at Tri-County Baptist Church in 1981.
These verses were written for every believer for every age, but they were for me PERSONALLY during those difficult days, and I remember them and thank God for them and will not forget how God nourished me and mended my broken heart. From time to time I recall those words given me in the crucible of suffering, and they fill me with thankfulness.
3) The third thing David tells us we should remember is God’s FAITHFULNESS – 1 Chronicles 16:15-17 – “Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.”
God always keeps His promises. God is always faithful, even though we are so unfaithful to Him.
Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:21-23 – “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
The Lord’s faithfulness never fails and may we never forget it! He’s even promised that He is faithful to forgive us our sins if we confess them to Him in 1 John 1:9. That He would be ever faithful to forgive us our sins despite our constant unfaithfulness to Him is remarkable, to say the least.
What a great God we serve! Let’s be thankful to God for His faithfulness this Thanksgiving Day and every day.
III. NOTE THIRD, WHAT WE SHOULD SPEAK.
1) We’re to speak TO ONE ANOTHER of all His marvelous works – 1 Chronicles 16:9 – “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”
Singing psalms to God in the Old Testament was always in the context of corporate worship in the temple by God’s people. So David tells us to speak to other believers about all of God’s marvelous works.
So much of what we say to one another is mealy-mouthing and griping and complaining and murmuring about all the bad things that are happening to us. Some of your Facebook rants are informative. Maybe we should rename it Ragebook or perhaps Gripebook!
How that must grieve the Lord! Furthermore, it’s unscriptural. [ADD THESE VERSES TO THE SLIDE PRESENTATION]
• Ephesians 5:20 tells us the attitude we should have: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• In Philippians 4:6 Paul tells not to be in a state of worry about anything, “…but in every thing by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.”
• And he says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Though it is natural, it is not scriptural to be unthankful.
2) Not only should we speak to one another as believers of God’s marvelous works, but we’re also to speak to THE LOST of all His marvelous works – 1 Chronicles 16:24 – “Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.”
People are looking for the reality of the supernatural working of God in our lives. Often a big evangelism explanation is not the best place to start with a lost person. They’re amazed when they hear stories of God’s works in our lives that cannot possibly be attributed to chance.
Illus. – I recall a man named Bob who came to fix my computer in Wiesbaden.
I asked him about his spiritual condition and he said, “Well, I don’t believe in God.”
At some point, He said he could believe in God if he could see some concrete evidence of God. I said, “Well, this world around you is pretty concrete evidence, but let me give you some personal evidence from my own life of the reality of God.”
I then shared story after story of God’s incredible works in my life.
I shared several occasions when God supplied financial need EXACTLY to the penny needed—at EXACTLY the time needed.
I told him about how when Susan was diagnosed with cancer when we were in Wiesbaden that we asked people around the world to pray for her, and on the morning of the surgery, the doctor decided to do a last-minute ultrasound to see the tumor once more, and was shocked, as we all were, to find nothing and the surgery was called off—and she’s still kicking today!
Folks, that’s called a miracle! I shared several stories like that; and Bob was amazed. He didn’t trust in Christ that day, but when he left, he at least confessed that he believed in God’s existence, which was a start.
When God has done great things in your life, tell the lost about them. They’re POWERFUL testimonials of the power of God.
CONCLUSION
So brethren, God wants us to have a thankful, grateful spirit. He wants us to have an “attitude of gratitude”—to have a life of thanks-LIVING.
We can have that by:
1) Remembering God’s WORKS in our lives.
2) Remembering God’s WORDS to us.
3) Remembering God’s FAITHFULNESS to us.
Then we should share what God has done and is doing in our lives with both the brethren and our unsaved neighbors and colleagues.
