Thanksgiving to the Glory of God
Text: 2 Corinthians 4:13-18
OPEN WITH PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING
It almost seems like Thanksgiving is becoming a “forgotten holiday”. Immediately after Halloween is over, the shelves start stocking up with Christmas items, and advertisements tell us that we need to get our Christmas shopping done. Don’t wait until “Black Friday” anymore… order online, and get free shipping now!
It shouldn’t be that way, but it is… and I think part of the reason that it is – is because the act of “Giving Thanks” is becoming a foreign concept to so many folks. I want you to just think about this with me for a second. Way back, when we had our very first Thanksgiving in this nation, it was Pilgrims and Native Americans gathering together – giving thanks for God’s provision, protection, and providence. Those Pilgrims didn’t have electricity… they didn’t have cars… they didn’t have refrigerators filled with turkey and ham, and pumpkin pie. The food they had they had to work for. Either by hunting, or fishing, or farming. It was the result of the sweat of their brow and the labor of their own hands. They didn’t have heaters for the cold winter, they didn’t have healthcare if they got sick… they didn’t have TV to watch the football game on… in-fact; there was no football. They literally had next to nothing – and so… when they did manage to get food, and make it through the winter… they were profoundly thankful.
But the Bible tells us that one of the signs we should expect to see, as we draw nearer to the Day of the Lord is more and more people who are unthankful.
And so; as we draw near the Thanksgiving Holiday, I want to share something with you, and it is my hope and prayer that as we hear God’s Word, our hearts will be filled with thanksgiving and praise – which is the only proper thing.
So… if you will, please take your Bible and open it up to 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 and follow along as I read from God’s Holy Word (READ).
Now I know we’re talking about Thanksgiving this morning… but before we get into that, and into our text, I want to back up just a bit to October 31st… 504 years ago. Not Halloween… but a day that all Christians should remember and celebrate. October 31st 1517, the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis on the doors of Castle Church in Whitenburg Germany. That was the day that most historians like to say kicked off the Protestant Reformation… but another day… that was just as important was a few years down the road… April 18, 1521. That was the 2nd Day that Martin Luther was forced to stand before an inquisition council of the Catholic Church, at a place called “Worms”. They were demanding that he renounce his teachings that Scripture alone is authoritative. Martin Luther knew that if he didn’t do that, he was probably going to be put to death. And he stood before that council and listen to what he said, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason – for I believe neither Pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves – I consider myself convicted by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. Here is stand – I can do no other… God helm me.” Now to me; that is one of the most inspiring speeches given in all of history. More inspiring that Patrick Henry’s “Give me Liberty or Give me Death!” More inspiring than Churchill’s “Never Surrender Speech”. More inspiring than Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbechev, tear down that wall!” Because with Martin Luther, you had a man, who was surrounded by his enemies… and he knew… for all intents and purposes, he was a dead man. In-fact; they were probably going to take him out the next day and execute him… but he stood – bold as a lion, and said, “I will stand on God’s Word!”
Church – my question for you this morning is – What makes a man be able to do that?
Here’s my answer – Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, there is no reason to do something like that.
Let me say that again – Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, there is NO reason to do something like that.
Church… the implications of what we’re talking about today, and what you’re going to be hearing… and what you should be hearing each and every Sunday… the implications of believing in a resurrected Savior who has conquered sin and death, and who has justified us before a Holy and Righteous God – should change EVERYTHING about the way you live.
The Apostle Paul paints a picture for us here in the text of what faith in Jesus produces in the life of a believer. First; he says that our faith, should produce in us, a Gospel witness.
Look at verse 13 (READ)
Now what Paul has done here in this verse is actually quote Psalm 116:10… And if you were to go back and read Psalm 116, you’d see that the writer of that Psalm is talking about being afflicted and persecuted for righteousness sake. He’s suffering for the Lord, and for his faith. And what Paul is doing here is equating that to his own circumstance and situation. He’s been talking to the Corinthians about the troubles they are facing for their stance in the faith… if you go back up to verses 8 and 9 you’ll see it (2 Cor. 4:8-9), he says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”
And so Paul is saying here… what’s in your heart is going to come out of your mouth… if the world is hammering you and you think that God has given up on you, you’re going to give voice to that… you’re going to complain, and question – simultaneously; if the world is hammering you and you trust in the Lord, you’re going to say that. One of the greatest examples of this in Scripture is Job… you all remember the story right? Job gets attacked by Satan himself. The devil kills his children, robs him of his wealth and eventually his health, and Jobs wife says, “You should curse God and die.” But Job says nope… “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.” In chapter 2 of Job he says, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” And then later on he says to his friends, “Even if God slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”
Job wasn’t faking it until he made it – those words came out of a heart that believed in a sovereign and good God. Martin Luther stood before the Diet of Worms and said what he believed. It came from a heart full of faith in God, and in God’s Word. And the Apostle Paul here in our text assumes that if you believe something – it’s going to come out of your mouth. You won’t be able to not talk about it! What’s in your heart should be what comes out of your mouth!
But it’s interesting isn’t’ it? Not too long ago Barna did a study on personal evangelism… and in that study it found that more than 50% of millennials – (that’s the generation that research scholars tell us were born between 1980 and 1999, give or take a year either direction.) – anyway… more than 50% of millennials (and these were millennials surveyed in the Church)… believe that it is immoral to share their faith with someone else. Did you catch that? It’s not just impolite, or not culturally acceptable, but they believe that it’s IMMORAL to tell someone else about Jesus.
Now what that survey actually tells us is that something is wrong with their heart! That they have some kind of wrong, messed up belief system. Because what the Bible teaches over and over again is that what’s in your heart, and what you believe, you’re going to speak about. Whether what’s in your heart is good, or whether it’s wicked. Jesus said it like this in Luke 6:45, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of the evil treasures produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
When my wife MariJo was going to school for nutrition, she would get out of class, and she would start talking to me about proteins, and carbohydrates, and calories, and all this crazy chemistry stuff that would be involved in digestion, and who knows what else. And she would be passionate about that stuff and want to share it with me. And do you know how I responded to her? Well I didn’t look at her say, “Mind your own business, you bigot! How dare you talk to me about this. Don’t you try to force your knowledge of chemistry and food and nutrition on me.”
Now why did MJ try to share that with me?
Because it was something she was super interested in, and it was something she was passionate about, and to her it was really cool and interesting, and she wanted to share it with people she loves and cares about.
But our society seems to have this adverse reaction to sharing the Gospel… we see to be terrified of telling people that their sin has separated them from a Holy and Righteous God, and that they need to be reconciled to Him… and the only way that can happen is through Jesus Christ! Our society sees that and says, “That’s not only offensive, it’s hateful. It’s immoral. How dare you presume that Jesus is the only way! How dare you tell someone that they are an enemy of God just because they don’t believe in Jesus.”
That’s what our society says and does… that’s what they believe – and that’s why it comes out of their heart.
But what about you brother and sister in Christ? What do you believe? Does that come out of your mouth? Why is it so hard for so many Christians to share the Good News? Could it be that there are many within the Church who have no real understanding what God has done for them in Jesus Christ? Could it be that there are many who don’t understand – that when you agreed to follow Jesus, you agreed to sign up for the mission which includes the Great Commission!?!
I actually think that Paul digs into one of the reasons why so many Christians struggle with this in verses 17 and 18. Listen to what he says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient (temporary), but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
In other words, I think that many within the Church lose sight that this world is not their home. They get caught up looking at the here and now… they get caught up in the rat race. Making money, living a lifestyle, keeping up with the Kardashians or whoever you’re comparing yourself too, becomes the number one priority. They forget that they’re just missionaries on this earth… They are supposed to be an occupying army – advancing the cause and the kingdom of their King – Jesus! You know… when we send troops overseas… they get deployed to some place like Iraq, or Afghanistan, they have to stay there and do a job… and yes, that particular country may be very interesting. It may have a rich and vibrant history, and interesting culture. You may get to experience exciting and interesting things, and eat some different foods, and see historical sites, and learn all kinds of things. And there may even be things in those countries that are alluring and intriguing, and interesting to you, but ultimately; you know that when your tour is over – you get to go home. That place is not your home… You are just part of an occupying force as a soldier. And it’s supposed to be the same with us. This world is not our home. In-fact; this world, and everything in it is passing away.
But a big problem in the Church, is that we forget this world isn’t our home… instead we start thinking it is our home… and our goal is to do whatever it takes to make our lives here as comfortable and as easy as humanly possible. And so the goal changes from sharing the Gospel to avoiding it at all costs because it makes us feel so uncomfortable. And the goal changes from taking a stand against sin and against the wickedness of our culture and society, and instead keeping our heads down… because we know – Jesus told us – if they hated Him, they’re going to hate us… but we don’t want them to hate us… we want them to like us so that they don’t make our lives uncomfortable.
So here’s what Paul says in verse 15 – All of these things that we must endure. The pain and suffering and hard things of this world are no big deal in the larger scope of things. And the reason for that is because if we are enduring those things, that means the Gospel is going forward. People are being saved. People are being born again and given eternal life, and being forgiven of their sin. And rescued from the kingdom of darkness… and once they see that, and realize that, and it becomes more and more real to them it becomes, guess what happens? It increases thanksgiving to the glory of God.
Paul isn’t saying here, that when we all get to heaven, we’ll look back and say, “Boy this sure outweighs all the pain and suffering on earth.”
That’s not what he’s saying.
He’s saying, “When we all get to heaven, we’ll look back and we’ll see exactly how God has used each and every one of those things, each and every one of those tragedies, and hard things, and He has worked them, and used them to mold us and shape us, and bring greater glory to Himself.” That’s why the Bible tells us that we are to give thanks IN ALL THINGS. Because God is working ALL things together for good, to those who love Him, and are the called according to His purpose.
And so we look at our lives, and our circumstances, and situations, and we look at those hard things, and we say, “Oh wow! Isn’t our God amazing! I am a sinner, I am a wretched man. I deserve wrath and judgment. But look at all those good things He has given me. Look at the very fact that He allows me to continue living, and that He even blesses me with good things. I deserve wrath, but I get grace. I deserve judgment, but He shows me mercy. I deserve an eternity of hell, but He gives me eternity with Christ.”
And we see that, and we begin to understand it, and we really, truly believe it, instead of just intellectually agreeing with it… but it is something we understand and believe deep down in our heart… and we can no longer help ourselves but praise Him and thank Him, and tell others how great our God actually is. And the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
CLOSING
