Illus: Did you hear about the doctor that was complaining to a car mechanic? He said, "Your fee is several times more per hour than we get paid for medical care."
The mechanic said, "Yeah, but you see, doc, you always have the same model, it hasn't changed since Adam; but we have to keep up to date with new models coming out every year."
Illus: Did you hear about the group of Americans that was touring Ireland? One of the women in the group was a real gripe, constantly complaining.
• The bus seats are uncomfortable
• The food is terrible
• It's too hot -- It's too cold
• The accommodations are awful
The group arrived at the site of the famous Blarney Stone. The guide said, "Good luck will be followin' ya all your days, but unfortunately, today it is being cleaned, so you will not be able to kiss the stone.”
However, the guide said, "It is said that if you kiss someone who has kissed the stone, you'll have the same good fortune."
The old gripe on the bus said, "And I suppose you've kissed the stone and you expect us to kiss you…huh?"
"No, ma'am," the frustrated guide said, "but I've kicked it once, and if you want to you can kiss my foot!"
We all hear a great deal of complaining and see very little gratitude being shown today.
Illus: There was a time:
• When the store clerk would thank you for your patronage
• When you could pull up to a service station and someone with a smile would come out and pump your gas. But today when you pull up to a gas station, the only thing we are greeted by is a sign telling you to pump your own gas.
There have always been ungrateful people around, but never as many as there are today.
Illus: For example, years ago, a newspaper reported of a ship that sank in Lake Michigan. One young man swam from the sinking ship to shore, bringing someone with him over 19 times. He actually saved 19 lives! He later reported that not one of these came to him later to even say, “Thank You!”
Illus: That makes us think of the ten lepers who came to the Lord. They were HOPELESS and HELPLESS, but the Lord healed them, and only one came back to express any gratitude. But the Lord asked, “Where are the nine!”
Where are the grateful people today?
• We live in an age which believes that it is more blessed to receive than give
• People are takers, and no one seems to want to be a giver
Christians ought to be THANKFUL. This portion of scripture encourages us to have an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.
First lets look at the ...
I. GIFTS FROM GOD
We all like gifts no matter how old we might be.
Humor: That reminds me, you folks only have around five weeks to decide what you are going to get me for Christmas.
But it does not matter what someone might give us, the best gifts we have comes from God.
Look at James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights…”
Notice, James refers to the gifts of God as PERFECT GIFTS. Again, I want to remind you that the best gifts we receive come from God.
Illus: When loved ones buy us gifts, the value can be measured in dollars and cents. But the gifts God gives us are priceless! For example:
• The gift of Salvation can not be bought. No matter how much money you have, you can not buy salvation.
• The gift of our families is priceless. Someone could come up to us and say, “I will give you all the money in the world for your grandchildren”, and every loving grandparent would say, “They are not for sale!”
• The gift of health is priceless. A very affluent Jewish man was talking to a preacher one day. He said, “My wife and I both are in bad health. And if I could, I would give every penny I have to regain our health again.” But rich people like poor people discover that at the appointed time, their money can not buy them another day on this earth.
While we enjoy the BLESSINGS OF LIFE, do not ever forget that the best gifts you will ever have will come FROM GOD.
James says that every good gift in your life has come down from the Father. But while we might recognize that, we need to ask ourselves, “WHY DOES GOD GIVE US THESE BLESSINGS THE WAY HE DOES?”
Many folks seem to think that the reason God blesses them is so that they can embrace these blessings like a spoiled child, and scream, “It’s all mine, don’t touch it!”
God blesses us with these gifts for two reasons:
• God blesses us because He LOVES US
• God blesses us because HE WANTS TO USE US
Look at verse 10, it speaks of the, “Seed to the sower”.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? It means that the Lord won’t give you cash out of thin air.
The paycheck you receive comes from many “seeds” from the Lord. For example:
• He gives you health
• He gives you strength
• He gives you opportunity to develop a skill
• He supplies your needs while you are learning
Finally, the “seeds” produce cash in the form of a paycheck.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH THE SEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED AND BROUGHT FORTH FRUIT?
A. IT IS BREAD FOR YOU
Look at verse 10 again, we read, “bread for your food”. It is a shame that many Christians do not pause to thank the Lord for the food they eat.
Illus: Some will say, “Why should I thank God, He did not help me to earn this money to buy this food!”
Really! How could you have earned that money without Him?
Our ATTITUDE should be GRATITUDE for the blessings He has blessed us with.
Illus: Sometimes someone will show kindness to a child by giving them a piece of candy. After the kindness is shown and the child is busy unwrapping the candy, the parents have to say, “Aren’t you going to thank the nice man for the candy?” And the child with this dumb look, looks up at the nice man and says, “Thank you, do you have anymore?”
The gift He gives is BREAD FOR US!
B. BREAD FOR OTHERS
God has never been pleased with people who would hoard the blessings of God and not share them with others. We see selfishness in many areas of our life.
Illus: During the 2000 presidential campaign, the national news reported what the candidates had given to charity. It was reported that candidate Al Gore, in 1999, had only given $200.00 to charity.
This did not sit well with many of the voters. Here was a man that:
• Talked like he cared for the needs of people
• Had been greatly blessed with an abundance of money
And was only willing to give $200.00 to help those in need.
God blesses us BECAUSE HE LOVES US, but we must not forget that God blesses us BECAUSE HE WANTS TO USE US.
Illus: The local United Way office realized that it had never received a donation from one of the town's richest citizens, a very successful lawyer. A local volunteer was sent to solicit his donation. The volunteer approached the lawyer, commenting, "Our research shows that even though your annual income is over a million dollars, you have never helped support our organization. Wouldn't it make you feel good to give back to your community through The United Way?"
The lawyer paused for a moment, then sternly stated, "Did your research show that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and has huge medical bills far beyond her ability to pay?"
Surprised, the United Way volunteer mumbled, "Uh, no."
"Well then, did your research show that my brother is a disabled veteran? That he is blind? That he is confined to a wheelchair and is unable to support his wife and six children?"
The United Way representative tried to express sympathy, but the lawyer cut him off.
"Did your research tell you that my sister's husband died in a dreadful traffic accident?" The lawyer's voice was loud and indignant. "Did it tell you that her husband's death left her penniless, with a mortgage and three small children who she can't afford to care for?"
The United Way representative felt embarrassed to have assumed that the man was selfish, and stammered apologetically, "I had no idea."
The lawyer sternly concluded, "And they are my family. My flesh and blood. If I don't give any money to any of them, why in the world should I give any to you?"
We have people today in our society that are just that selfish.
Look at verse 10 again, we read, “Multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”
We need to wisely use what the Lord has given us.
Illus: In a desert area, there was a well. Next to the well was a gallon bottle with a cover on it and it was full of water. There were instructions for getting water out of the well. To get water, you needed to pour the water down the pump to prime it, then you were to fill the bottle and cap it before you used any of the water. If a thirsty person came to this well and selfishly drank the water in the bottle, that would be the end of the water. If they followed the directions, the water supply would meet the needs of many thirsty people.
God blesses us, and if we just consume the blessing on ourselves, that will be the end of the blessing. If we use it wisely and pass some on to others, the blessing will be multiplied.
God blesses us with all these wonderful gifts because He loves us, but also because He wants to use us!
Since we recognize these gifts are from God, what should be our response? We ought to show ...
II. GRATITUDE TO GOD
Once we recognize the blessings of God in our life, and our ATTITUDE BECOMES GRATITUDE, the blessings of God on our life bring glory to God.
Look at verse 11, “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, WHICH CAUSETH THROUGH US THANKSGIVING TO GOD.”
Look at the word “causeth”.
If I recognize all the good blessings of God come from God, and I share those blessings with others, it “CAUSETH” others to say, “ISN’T GOD GOOD”.
Illus: A man had a flat tire on the side of the road, with no tools to change the tire. A Christian man came along and stopped. He had the proper tools and helped him change the tire. When they were through, the man said, “You really do not know how much I appreciate this, if you had not come along I would have been in deep trouble!” The Christian man said, “I know you are thankful, but do not thank me, thank the Lord. If the Lord had not saved me and given me a love for people, I would not have stopped. So all the thanks really should go to Him.”
The Bible tells us that we are co-laborers with the Lord.
1 Cor. 3:9a, “For we are labourers together with God:....”
One of the ways we labor with God is that we share with others those blessings that “CAUSETH” them also to be thankful unto God.
There are warnings about wanting to keep everything for yourself and not helping those in need.
Prov. 21:13 “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.”
There are many Christians praying for certain things in their life, and their prayer is not being heard because they would not hear the cry of others they could have helped.
As we help others, it not only supplies the needs of God's people, but it also overflows in many expressions of thanks to God.
We can show our faith by the way we share our blessings with the brethren.
Illus: Some people grumble because God placed thorns among the roses, while others are thankful God placed roses among the thorns.
Conclusion:
This is THANKSGIVING! We all have so much to be thankful for.
Illus: Perhaps you have heard this little story which helps us appreciate what we have:
• Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair. I envied her - she seemed so gay - and wished I were so fair. When suddenly she arose to leave, I saw the cruel braces on her legs as she hobbled down the aisle, a victim of polio was she. But as she passed with smile, I said, “Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I have two straight feet. The world is mine!”
• And then I stopped to buy some sweets. The lad who sold them had such charm. I talked with him. He said to me, “It’s nice to talk with folks like you. You see, he said, I’m blind.” Oh God, forgive me when I whine. I have two eyes. The world is mine!
• Then walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue. He stood and watched the others play. It seemed he knew not what to do. I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?” He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear. Of God, forgive me when I whine. I have two ears. The world is mine!
With feet to take me where I’d go, with eyes to see the sunset’s glow, with ears to hear what I would know—Oh God, forgive me when I whine. I’m blessed indeed, the world is mine!” (Author Unknown)
I. GIFTS FROM GOD
II. GRATITUDE TO GOD
