Sermon Text: Col 1:3-8 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. NKJV
Rom 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV
Intro: It seems that in the last few years that life has thrown us a curve. It has not been easy to face the difficulties in living so we may ask the question why I should be thankful this Thanksgiving. I am sure that there were some of the early day pilgrims felt the same way. After coming through a hard winter, loss of many families and friends, lack of provisions they had to have been down on giving thanks.
The Book of Ezra records the defeat of the Babylonians by the Persian King Cyrus who allowed the Jewish exiles to return home after a century of captivity. They found that their homeland in distress and the temple in Jerusalem destroyed. However, in 520 B.C.E. the governor of Judah helped to rebuild the Temple after their exile. The rebuilding of the Temple was completed in 515 B.C.E.
Ezra 3:10-11 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel." Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. NKJV
Today I want us to not dwell on what has happened in the past to discourage us from giving thanks but to rejoice on what we have in Christ Jesus today. Satan will do anything to discourage us from thanking God for all our spiritual blessing.
Illustration: William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement, arrived in India in 1793 with a burden to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had never heard the name. For seven years he proclaimed the gospel message faithfully week after week, month after month, with not a single native of India converted to Christ. Through years of struggle and doubt, Carey was often discouraged but never defeated. To his sisters back home in England he wrote:
"I feel as a farmer does about his crop: sometimes I think the seed is springing, and thus I hope; a little blast all, and my hopes are gone like a cloud. They were only weeds which appeared; or if a little corn sprung up, it quickly dies, being either chocked with weeds, or parched up by the sun of persecution. Yet I still hope in God, and will go forth in his strength, and make mention of his righteousness, even of his only." (From a sermon by David Moore, The Parable of the Soils, 6/9/2010)
In this life our only hope is not in the things of this world but in the spiritual life we have in Christ. Today I want you to consider these three things when it comes to giving thanks. 1st “Give Thanks for Our Faith” 2nd “Give Thanks for Our Christian Love,” and 3rd “Give Thanks for Our Eternal Security.”
1st Give Thanks for Our Faith- Col 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints.
Hebrews 11 records the name of those “heroes of the faith.” The names of recorded face the same troubles and heartache we have faced in today’s living and kept on trusting God for their eternal security. With all King David faced, his ups and downs he kept the faith, Job suffered more than most, but he refused to reject praising God, Paul wrote in
2Co 11:23-28 Are they ministers of Christ? —I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
But he never stop thanking God for all the blessing in his life. His faith never wavered because he knew that his savior lived and that someday, he would see him face to face.
Illustration: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 NKJV
What a beautiful verse! Jesus declares His desire to be your Savior and friend. This verse comes at the end of Christ’s rebuke of the Church of the Laodiceans. This church had great material wealth; all their physical needs were satisfied.
But, by placing their faith in material comforts, they had grown lukewarm in their spiritual pursuits. They thought they had need of nothing, but Jesus said they were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”
I fear that the state of the church of the Laodiceans has become the standard for most churches in America. We are so blessed with material things that we become slaves to our own comfort and convenience; thus, we become lukewarm to the things of God.
My prayer for our church is that we never become complacent about the things of God, that we always have a hunger for His Word, and that our greatest personal comfort comes from being in the presence of the Holy Spirit. (Brother Greg)
1 Thessalonians 1:3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, NKJV
Philem 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, NKJV
2nd Give Thanks for Our Christian Love- Col 1:7-8 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. NKJV
Illustration: A survey was taken in a suburban area of Houston to find out what had motivated people to choose the church where they were members. Some surprising answers were given 12 percent chose their church because of prior denominational affiliation, 8 percent because of the architectural beauty of the structure, 3 percent because of the person in the pulpit, 18 percent because of convenience of location, 21 percent because of people in the congregation whom they respected. But a whopping 37 percent were influenced by the fact that friends and neighbors took an interest in them and invited them. It is Christian love that can make all the difference in the world and for eternity. (From a sermon by Freddy Fritz, Paul’s Missionary Heart -- Part 2, 10/15/2009)
1 Cor 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. NKJV
In 1968 while living in Tombstone Arizona and stationed at Ft. Huachuca I receive notice that my mom had a heart attack and was in the hospital. Kathy and I decided to return to Dallas to check on her. Being in the military our personal finance was not great, but we were going to come home. Members of the First Baptist Church of Tombstone where attend came to our rescue and supplemented our funds to allow us to make the trip. One member gave us his credit card and told us to use it for whatever we needed, now that is Christian love.
We can be thankful for Christian love. The Christian love of the past, present and the future. The mark of Godly church is the love it shows for the fellowship of Christ.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." NKJV
Eph 3:17-19 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. NKJV
Let me illustrate what I mean. I’ve got two hammers with me. One is a 16-ounce Stanley, the other is a plastic Fisher Price. Which one do you think will leave the bigger mark on the things it hits? No brainer—the real hammer will do more to leave its mark than the toy. Now how many of you know with enough effort the toy hammer may eventually leave behind the same mark the real hammer left behind with just one swing?
If our Christian Love is like a plastic Fisher Price hammer it will leave little or no mark on the lives of others, however if our Christian love is the real thing like a Stanley 16oz hammer when it us used for God it will make world of difference.
1Jn 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
3rd Give Thanks for Our Eternal Security- Rom 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV
We can be thankful for our eternal security, Paul states in vs. 38-39 that there is noting that separate us from God. We have been reteamed by the blood of Christ. Absolutely nothing can separate us from the eternal life we have in Jesus.
John 10:28-30 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 I and My Father are one." NKJV
Colossians 3:3-4 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. NKJV
What a glorious promise from Son of God, the creator of this world that we are secure in eternity. This world is not our home we are just sojourners and pilgrims traveling through this life on the way to our eternal home.
1 Peter 1:4-5 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. NKJV
When I think about being a “pilgrim” I think about the Book “Pilgrim’s Progress” besides a great literary writing but a very accurate depiction of the Christian journey. The story depicts a man by the name Christian as he travels from his home, the City of Destruction, to the Celestial City. Christian seeks to rid himself of a terrible burden, the weight of his sins. (Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan)
It is Jesus who redeems us from the heavy burden of sin and sets our feet on the path of eternal life. We are like Christian we are traveling through this world of sin but if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will soon arrive at the Gates of the Heavenly City to be welcome home by the Author and Finisher of our Faith Jesus Christ. For That we can be thankful.
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son (Songwriters: Eustace Henry Jr Smith)
