TITLE: WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?
SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-8
(This is not an original message, points gleaned from various ministers over the years)
As many of you know in my haste, I actually scheduled our Church Anniversary/Homecoming a week early. We will spend a day of celebration on next Sunday. It is ordinarily on 4th Sunday of November, and I inadvertently sent the invite to the guest preacher for 3rd Sunday. And that is okay, however; I want to deliver a Pre-Thanksgiving message for us, in particular, for those that will be travelling out of town or feel too busy to attend our Thanksgiving Day Worship here at ‘First Church’ from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. where our own Rev. Mary Finley will bring the message.
I want to lift as a thought this morning - “What Are You Thankful For?” We hear that question a lot this time of year, from Christians and non-Christians alike. It seems that human beings know intuitively, at least to some extent, that the privileges and good things we enjoy in life are, to some measure, given to us and we are to be grateful for what we have.
• Some thank God, or some sort of deity
• Others thank their lucky stars - good fortune - karma - or some nebulous cosmic force at work in the universe
Among all sorts of people, the question is asked - “What Are You Thankful For?” even if it is not entirely clear who it is that is being thanked. No matter; just celebrate the feeling of being thankful. And people generally seem to understand being thankful is good for you. One doesn’t even have to be a Christian to say things like, “count your blessings,” or “look on the bright side” to know that gratitude in general brings some peace and consolation to the mind.
Scientific research proves gratitude is an essential part of our physical and mental health and well-being. Some studies even suggest thankfulness and “counting your blessings” is linked to –
• Better sleep
• Increased desire to exercise
• Fewer physical complaints
• Even the tendency to have healthier heart rhythms
So, the question - “what are you thankful for?” Seems to be therapeutic. And this shouldn’t surprise us, because if the Bible is true, and I believe every word of it, then thankfulness is really the proper posture. We are by our very nature creatures, and we have been given life and all good things by our Creator.
• We were made for Him and His good pleasure
• We were not made for ourselves
• The chief end of man is to Glorify God and enjoy Him forever
Clearly, there is a very real connection between thankfulness and happiness, even if that thankfulness is totally misguided and misdirected by sin. Here, near the end of his letter to the Church at Philippi, the Apostle Paul picks up on that connection. He links our Thanksgiving to God with peace in our mind. Paul was certainly qualified to speak about such things. Not only was he an Apostle writing with apostolic authority and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but he wrote these very words while he was suffering in a Roman prison and facing the possibility of execution.
• He didn’t write these things as one who knew them only in theory, but as one who knew them by experience as well
Paul did not write these words to the church at Philippi as mere good advice. It is important that we do not misunderstand Paul as giving us some platitudes in this text, good advice on how to stay positive and think happy thoughts in life. He was not trying to be like that song by Bobby Mcferrin – you remember it don’t you --
Here's a little song I wrote,
you might want to sing it note for note,
don't worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble,
when you worry you make it double
don't worry, be happy
If Paul were alive today, he would not be making an appearance on Oprah promoting a book like -- “Transformed By Thankfulness: How I Stayed Positive In Prison” - “LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE NOW.”
• No, he is not giving us platitudes for how to be a better you
• Rather, he is proclaiming promises to those who are in Christ
He addresses this letter to the saints who are in Philippi, and he is saying for all those who are saints, that is, all those who are set apart in Christ, God has promised them if they BRING THEIR REQUESTS TO HIM “WITH THANKSGIVING” He will give them something far greater than a positive attitude; He will provide them with His peace which surpasses all understanding, the peace of Christ. And it will guard their hearts and minds as they travel through this life with its dangers – toils - and snares.
For the Christian, the question - “What Are You Thankful For?” is very serious business. Paul gives us at least three things in this text and throughout this whole letter, really, for which we are to be supremely thankful and bring to God regularly in our prayers to Him. three things should stand out in our minds immediately when we hear that question -- “What Are You Thankful For?”
Firstly - WE ARE THANKFUL TO HIM FOR RESCUING US IN CHRIST -- In VS. 4 - Paul says - “REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE.” He says “Again” because he already said this at the beginning of Chapter 3 - “REJOICE IN THE LORD.” Now, what does it mean to “Rejoice in the Lord” but to thank God for rescuing us?
• Remember how the remnant of Judah had been rescued from exile in Babylon and brought home to the land of Canaan
• Remember how they heard the law read in that great public worship service, and how they felt deep sorrow over their sin
• They felt the sting of the Holy Spirit’s conviction and wept over their own wretchedness
• But Nehemiah told them - “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH”
• The joy of the Lord is the knowledge that God had rescued them and restored them
• The joy of the Lord would be their strength, their refuge
Here, Paul gets at the same concept, but in the far greater reality of Christ and the New Covenant -- “REJOICE IN THE LORD.” In other words, be thankful that God has rescued you from Sin - Death - and Hell. The word “REJOICE” simply means “To Be Glad, To Take Delight.” From his Roman prison, Paul is telling his fellow believers in the Church at Philippi, “take delight in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord.”
• He is not merely saying, “Be happy”
• He is not saying - Think happy thoughts,” - but, “Rejoice in the Lord
• Take delight in the Lord
• It is specifically in the Lord
Only the Christian can rejoice in the Lord. Only the Christian has that Privilege - Right - and Responsibility. Because rejoicing in the Lord means taking delight for what He has accomplished for us in his Life - Death - and Resurrection.
• Rejoicing in the Lord means to be glad, to be happy for our position in Christ
• It means to rejoice and give God thanks for sending His Son on our behalf
Do we thank God regularly for Christ’s incarnation, obedient life, and death on the cross? Is that part of the thankfulness we express to Him in our prayers?
• Do we thank Him for imputing to us Christ’s righteousness?
• Do we thank Him that we are in Christ?
• Do we thank Him for paying the price for our sins?
What greater peace is there in knowing we are at peace with the living God and He accepts us despite all our sin? What greater reason is there to give God thanks this Thanksgiving and all the days of our lives than this - God’s great rescue of us in his son?
• There is unspeakable joy in knowing that God has reconciled us to himself, that none of our sins can testify against us, and that God adopts us as his own children
• There is unspeakable joy in knowing that God never stops pursuing us and keeps us in the grip of His relentless grace
• God says to us today -- “Take delight in those things! Take delight in me!”
Second Point -- WE ARE THANKFUL TO HIM FOR HIS PROMISE THAT WE WILL BE WITH CHRIST ONE DAY! -- In VS. 5-6 Paul says - “THE LORD IS AT HAND; DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING.” His point is we will be with the Lord when this life is over, either by his calling us home or by his return. The Lord is at hand, His return is near. You will be with Him. When we consider this fact and give Him thanks for it, what is there to be anxious about, really?
When we thank God that we belong to Christ and will be with Him, when we remember that our citizenship is in Heaven, as Paul says in Chapter 3 -- “AND FROM IT WE AWAIT A SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODY TO BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY TO BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY,” how can we not be comforted by the peace of Christ?
This is why it is so important not only to hear this good news proclaimed to us by a messenger but also to thank God for this good news regularly in our prayer.
• Thank Him for the promise of eternal life!
• Thank Him for the promise of the resurrection!
• Thank Him that your name is in the book of life!
• Thank Him that you will be with Him one day, in His presence, witnessing His indescribable glory that will fill the new heavens and new earth!
My third and final point this morning -- THANKING HIM FOR SUPPLYING US WITH INNUMERABLE COMMON BLESSINGS -- In VS. 8 he tells his beloved Philippians six things they should think about --
• Whatever is True
• Honorable
• Just
• Pure
• Lovely
• Commendable
• Paul says, “think about these things
Throughout this short Epistle, the Apostle Paul says a lot about the mind and how we as Christians are to think. In Chapter 2, he tells the Philippians they are to be “OF THE SAME MIND, HAVING THE SAME LOVE, BEING IN FULL ACCORD AND OF ONE MIND.” He tells them to “HAVE THIS MIND AMONG YOURSELVES WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS,” that is, the mind of a humble servant.
Paul knew personally the importance of meditation and peace in the mind. When he wrote these words, he was incarcerated most likely in Rome and facing death. He knew personally the attacks of the enemy upon the mind, how he tries hard to get the Christian to doubt God’s Word. And Paul knew the weakness of his own flesh, how he battled sinful thoughts in his own mind, which are always a threat to enjoying the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
And so, he tells us to practice a certain kind of meditation.
• Not a meditation as is popular in the world
• Not a meditation of emptying the mind and deliberately turning inward in order to receive some sort of mental or physical benefit
As Paul was sitting in a Roman prison facing death, he wasn’t interested in emptying his mind or transcending thought in order to find his Innermost Self. And he wasn’t interested in the Philippians doing that either. Rather, he tells them, with the authority of Christ, to do just the opposite - not to empty our minds, but to fill our minds with certain things, not to obtain some artificial mental escape, but rather to –
• Meditate upon realities, upon the One who has made peace between us and God
• Mediate upon the one who gives us His peace that guards our hearts and minds in this life
Just think about all the things in your life, things that God has showered upon you, which are True - Honorable - Just - Pure - Lovely - And Commendable. Sometimes when we are feeling low or overwhelmed with grief, we begin to think that just about everything in our life is bad, when reality is that it is not. Think about all that God has given you beyond your Redemption - Family - Friends - Food - Clothing, etc.
• Even today, most of us are looking forward to a large meal that speaks of God’s kindness and goodness
• We look forward to having our bodies well-fed, perhaps over-fed
• And God is to be thanked today for his goodness and kindness to us in his Creation and Providence
As we approach Thanksgiving Day, let us respond to the great things God has done and let us commit ourselves to be people who show our gratitude to God more frequently.
• Let us give Him praise for His marvelous deeds which has rescued us from the pit of slavery and given us a future and a hope
• Let us look specifically at what the Lord has done for us
• Let us talk specifically about how great the Lord has been to us
• May we express our thanks in joyful singing, joyful service to our neighbor and our brothers and sisters, and joyful saying of thanks, blessing His Holy name with all that is within us
• And let’s pray “with Thanksgiving
Even when it seems that we lack in some area, even when there is some thorn in our side that we desperately want removed, even then He supplies every need of ours by sustaining us with His Grace which is sufficient for us. And in this way, the God of peace continues to give us His peace which surpasses all understanding. GOD HIMSELF IS THE GOD OF PEACE; PEACE IS THE ATMOSPHERE OF HEAVEN. You are in a world full of trouble and anxiety, far from the heavenly city of which you are a citizen. But God sends a garrison of peace to guard you while you are away from your homeland. Yes, both Joy and Peace are possible, even in a world like this. He supplies them to us.
--There is no problem in this world that can penetrate this Peace
--No Soldier
--No Punishment
--No Prison Cell
--No Sorrow
--No Anxiety
--No Worry
--No Loss
--No Grief
--No Sadness
--No Pandemic that can penetrate the peace which surpasses all understanding
--The peace that comes from knowing and believing that the Lord is always near to us
--I don’t know about you, but I am Thankful Today
--I thank God for all He has done and continues to do in my life
--Not because I am deserving, but I am Redeemed
