(This is not an original work, I have expanded points to fit our congregation and my style of delivery)
TITLE: THE SUPERFICIAL THANKSGIVING
SCRIPTURE: ST. LUKE 18:9-14
As we approach Thanksgiving, it’s fitting to reflect on the power and purpose of gratitude. PSALM 92:1 says, “IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD.” Let’s be honest - for many, next week, the week of thanks will be Superficial.
• For some, it’s a time of genuine praise - for others, just a pretext
• For some, it’s a spiritual time - for others, a superficial ritual
Saying ‘thanks’ is considered to be good manners. Expressing gratitude is a social custom or social grace that is part of the etiquette instilled in us by our parents and teachers.
• We practice it and teach our children to practice it
• We expect it from others and that is right and good
But may it never become for us a religious custom where we go through the formality of thanksgiving out of habit or duty without sincerity. Instead of being superficial and shallow our hearts should spontaneously overflow in love and gratitude.
• Thankfulness is a time of praise not a time of pretense
• It is to be spiritual not superficial!
In this text, on the surface, both men came to the right place - the temple. Both came to do the right thing - to pray. But only one came with the right heart.
• The PHARISEE was well respected in the community
• Known for his religious discipline, his moral uprightness, and his visible devotion to God
• In his own mind and in the minds of many, he was a godly man
• The TAX COLLECTOR, on the other hand, was reviled
• A collaborator with Rome
• A man who bought the right to extort his own people
• The mere mention of him would bring disgust
• But Jesus isn’t interested in surface appearances
• He is always peeling back the layers, looking to the heart
Today, let’s look at Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, and ask ourselves - is our thanksgiving genuine or superficial? It is the only parable that Jesus tells that takes place in a house of worship, in the temple. When you think about it, most of his parables take place in the fields, or in houses, or along the road. This one, and only this one, takes place in the temple. So, it teaches us about worship and prayer.
Jesus tells of two men who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood and prayed, “GOD, I THANK THEE, THAT I AM NOT AS OTHER MEN ARE…”
• He started with thanksgiving, but it was the wrong kind
• He is demeaning others so that he can elevate himself
• Even going so far to point out a particular person around him, the tax collector
• He thinks he’s better than them
H.A. IRONSIDE said, “This man was not thanking God for what grace had done for him; he was thanking God for what he himself had done, and that is the wrong attitude.”
• D.L. Moody called it “a very prayerless prayer. He said a prayer but he didn’t pray any”
The Pharisee focused on human effort — his dos and don’ts. His prayer was like a checklist.
• He fasted
• He tithed
• He compared himself to others
But he missed his greatest need - personal salvation through faith in Christ. EPHESIANS 2:8-9 reminds us, “FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.” Let’s examine our own hearts.
• Are we thankful for what God has done, or are we boasting in our own achievements?
• Are we thankful because of what we have?
• Are we thankful because of our many possessions
• True thanksgiving begins with humility and dependence on God’s Grace
The Pharisee prayed, “OR EVEN AS THIS PUBLICAN.” The difference between himself and the publican filled him with pride, not compassion.
• True thanksgiving produces thankful living
• Thankful for salvation? -- Tell others about Christ
• Thankful for provision? -- Share with those in need
• Thankful for kindness? -- Pass it on
• Thankful for Christian fellowship? -- Extend it to others
• Thankful for prayers? -- Pray for others
This is the spirit of the first thanksgiving. The Pilgrims shared with one another and were truly thankful. Their gratitude moved them to reach out, care for each other, and welcome those who were different into their circle. In the midst of hardship and uncertainty, their thankfulness blossomed into acts of Kindness – Unity - Selfless Giving.
Is our gratitude leading us to love and serve others? Or are we content to look down on those who are different from us, holding tightly to our blessings instead of sharing them? Let’s ensure our thanksgiving overflows in compassion and generosity, just as it did on that first Thanksgiving.
• So that our thankfulness is not just words, but is seen in actions that lift up our neighbors, heal divisions, and reflect the grace we ourselves have received
• May our gratitude inspire us to build bridges, offer a helping hand, and create a community where all are welcomed and valued
VS. 14 tells us the pharisee went home unchanged.
• He went to a good place — the Temple
• He went for a good purpose — to Pray
• But he left the same as he came
The pharisee’s problem was not that he thanked God for where he was in life. We all should do that. If we suffered the worst consequences of our sins, every one of us would be in awful shape, right? As the saying says, “there but for the grace of God go I.” Nor was the Pharisee’s problem that he tried to live an outwardly righteous life. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us would be more pious and zealous in seeking to do what is good and right. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us would give the full 10% tithe in our offerings.
• No, the Pharisee’s problem was that he trusted in those works of his as if they were the thing that would put Him right with God
• The problem was inward and in the heart
• He didn’t place His confidence in what God had done for him but in what he had done for God
• He really was worshiping Himself
Every week, millions of people attend church services but leave without any real change in their hearts or lives. This reality serves as a caution for us all. We must not allow ourselves to fall into this pattern of spiritual stagnation.
• True thanksgiving is not meant to be a passive feeling or a ritual we go through
• Instead, genuine gratitude should have a profound impact on us
• It is a catalyst for personal transformation
• Prompting us toward repentance, humility, and intentional action
I think, however, in the Universal Church we still have a comparison problem when it comes to other people. We can compare our deeds to the deeds of others and if our good deeds outweigh theirs, our pride swells. Or if we compare ourselves to sinners, our contempt for them grows. Now, if it were true that our deeds justified us in any way, then we could boast that we are accepted by God because we are good. We could look down on others with contempt if our righteous deeds are greater than theirs.
• II CORINTHIANS 10:17 “BUT, LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS BOAST IN THE LORD”
Scripture teaches us when we measure our deeds against others, we are using the wrong measuring rod. We are using the wrong plumb line. Scripture teaches us the plumb line we use to evaluate our deeds is Christ, the perfect righteousness and the perfect holiness of our Lord.
• Our most righteous deeds, our most glorious words, all that we think we do to earn God's favor, will always fall short when compared to the holiness of God
• When we realize this, then our grounds for boasting and for comparing ourselves to others is eliminated
• It is vital that we understand this about our nature
• Our tendency is to turn away from the doctrine of justification by faith alone and base our justification on works
As you reflect on your own experience, consider this question -- are you leaving God’s presence the same as you entered? If so, it may be time to let thanksgiving truly transform your heart and life. Embrace gratitude that leads to real change. One that draws you closer to God and inspires you to live out your faith with sincerity and purpose.
Now let’s look at the other man — The Publican. He stood afar off, wouldn’t lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and cried, “GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER!”
• There was nothing superficial about his response
• He faced his sins and sought forgiveness
Jesus said, “THIS MAN WENT DOWN TO HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED RATHER THAN THE OTHER.” His transformation was evident. Not just in words but in the posture of his heart and his renewed relationship with God. The publican’s humility and repentance opened the way for genuine gratitude, the kind that springs from experiencing God’s mercy firsthand. This was not a superficial thankfulness, but a deep-seated joy and relief that comes from knowing you have been restored and accepted. His story reminds us that true thanksgiving flows from a heart that has encountered grace, moving us beyond empty rituals into authentic, life-changing faith.
• He went home forgiven
• A new man
• Now he could be truly thankful
Jesus stuns His audience with this one!
• The righteous man isn’t the Pharisee
• The man who walked away right with God wasn’t the one with the long list of religious accomplishments
• It was the broken sinner
• The one who knew he had nothing to offer but his need
• He went home justified
• Declared righteous before God
• Not because of anything he had done
• But because of what God had done for him
Let me make sure we understand “Justified” OR “Justification.” To be justified means to be declared righteous.
• This happens because of our faith in Jesus
• It is made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus
• God is the one who justifies us and it cannot be done any other way than by faith in the resurrected Savior
• Justification = “Just” “as” “if” “I” “Had not Sinned”
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, let us take the opportunity to move beyond Superficial Thanksgiving. Instead of focusing only on the outward traditions and festivities, let us thank God sincerely for His grace, recognizing the profound gift we have received through Him. In doing so, let our gratitude become more than words and rituals, but a living expression of our faith. Let us allow the realization of God's mercy to shape our attitudes and actions, fostering humility within ourselves and compassion toward those around us. By embracing heartfelt thanksgiving, we open our hearts to deeper transformation, letting God's grace guide us to live with purpose and kindness in every circumstance.
Let us also strive to show compassion to others, extending kindness and understanding to those around us.
• Genuine gratitude is not just a feeling
• It has the power to transform our lives
• Shaping how we interact with others and respond to our circumstances
In the spirit of the Publican, let us humble ourselves before God, earnestly seeking His mercy. When we do this, we can go home justified — declared righteous, not because of our own works, but because of God's grace. In this way, we become truly thankful, experiencing the depth and richness of gratitude that comes from a transformed heart.
--When a man has a high view of himself and a low view of God, he cannot be justified
--His heart-thoughts exalt himself in a way which ends with a condemned humbling before the righteous judgment of a holy God
--But when a man has a low view of himself and a high view of God's righteousness and mercy, he is immediately justified and accepted before a holy God forever, declared righteous by faith alone in the redeeming blood and imputed righteousness of Christ alone
--This parable invites us to reflect on our own attitudes and prayers
--Are we, like the Pharisee, tempted to compare ourselves to others and rely on our own merits?
--Or do we approach God with the humility and honesty of the tax collector, recognizing our need for His mercy and grace?
--In a world that often values outward appearances and achievements, this parable challenges us to cultivate a heart that is genuine and humble before God
--It encourages us to let go of pride and self-reliance and to embrace the transformative power of God’s grace
--THE SUPERFICIAL THANKSGIVING
