HOW CAN I EVER THANK YOU LORD?
Colossians 2:6-7
Introduction: Andrae Crouch in his song My Tribute wrote, "How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me. Things so undeserved, yet You give to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee." When I consider all that God has done for each of us, the same question comes to my mind. How can I, How can we ever say thanks to the Lord. Paul in writing to the Colossians provides us with three ways that you and I can express our gratitude to the Lord in a manner which will please him.
I. You and I can say thank you by walking FAITHFULLY with Christ
A. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
1. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2. When you came to Christ for salvation, you came on the basis that you could do nothing in and of yourself to merit eternal life. You had to rely completely on the finished work of Christ alone by faith.
3. As you seek to walk the Christian road of life, you need to realize the same truth that you cannot in and of yourself walk the walk. Victory is only found in walking with Christ by faith.
4. II Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:
5. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
B. As you walk by faith walk with Christ as Lord.
1. In coming to Christ for salvation, one is to surrender their life completely over to Him.
2. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
3. To walk with Christ is to surrender to His lordship on a daily basis.
4. I Corinthians 15:31b ... I die daily.
5. We die by living to ourselves--we live by dying to ourselves.
6. M. H. Miller (1904-) CONSECRATION IS HANDING GOD A BLANK SHEET TO FILL IN WITH YOUR NAME SIGNED AT THE BOTTOM.
7. I LOVE JESUS, BUT WANT TO HOLD ON TO MY OWN FRIENDS EVEN WHEN THEY DO NOT LEAD ME CLOSER TO JESUS. I LOVE JESUS, BUT WANT TO HOLD ON TO MY OWN INDEPENDENCE EVEN WHEN IT BRINGS ME NO REAL FREEDOM. I LOVE JESUS, BUT DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE RESPECT OF MY PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES EVEN THOUGH THEIR RESPECT DOES NOT MAKE ME GROW SPIRITUALLY. I LOVE JESUS, BUT DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP MY WRITING, TRAVEL, AND SPEAKING PLANS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OFTEN MORE TO MY GLORY THAN GOD’S.
8. Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
II. You and I can say thank you by walking STEADFASTLY in Christ
A. Walk as mature believers
1. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him,
2. The believer is to be mature having deeply established roots in the ground of faith.
3. Ephesians 4:14 "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
4. II Peter 3:18 "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
5. TRUE SPIRITUALITY MANIFESTS ITSELF IN:
a. THE DESIRE TO BE HOLY RATHER THAN HAPPY.
b. THE DESIRE TO SEE THE HONOR OF GOD ADVANCED THROUGH HIS LIFE.
c. THE DESIRE TO CARRY HIS CROSS.
d. THE DESIRE TO SEE EVERYTHING FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT.
e. THE DESIRE TO DIE RIGHT RATHER THAN LIVE WRONG.
f. THE DESIRE TO SEE OTHERS ADVANCE AT HIS EXPENSE.
g. THE DESIRE TO MAKE ETERNITY-JUDGMENTS INSTEAD OF TIME-JUDGMENTS.
B. Walk with stability and perseverance
1. ...and established in the faith, as ye have been taught
2. Ephesians 3:17 "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love"
3. A. B. MELDRUM SAID, "BEAR IN MIND, IF YOU ARE GOING TO AMOUNT TO ANYTHING, THAT YOUR SUCCESS DOES NOT DEPEND UPON THE BRILLIANCY AND THE IMPETUOSITY WITH WHICH YOU TAKE HOLD, BUT UPON THE EVERLASTING AND SANCTIFIED BULL-DOGGEDNESS WITH WHICH YOU HANG ON AFTER YOU HAVE TAKEN HOLD."
4. Joshua 23:8 "But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day."
5. We’ve come this far by faith, Leaning on the Lord. Trusting in His holy Word, He’s never failed us yet. Oh we can’t turn back, We’ve come this far by faith.
6. Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
7. TWILA PARIS, QUOTED IN TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN SAID, "A BIG PART OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY IS LEARNING TO LET GOD KEEP YOU STEADY AND TO BE RULED LESS AND LESS BY YOUR EMOTIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES."
III. You and I can say thank you by walking THANKFULLY before Christ
A. Abounding with thanksgiving
B. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."
C. We need to realize whatever we have, we have because God in his grace and generosity has given it to us.
D. A true Christian is one who never for a second forgets what God has done for him in Christ, and whose behavior and activity are rooted in a heart of gratitude.
E. A W Tozer - Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.
F. Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
G. Do you want to know who is the greatest saint in the world? It isn’t the person prays most or fasts most. It isn’t he or she who gives the most money or lives according to the strictest code. It is the individual who is always thankful to God no matter what happens in his life, who wants God’s will, is always ready to praise God for everything.
H. I Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
I. The famous English Bible scholar Matthew Henry was once attacked by thieves and robbed of his purse. He wrote these words in his diary: "Let me be thankful. First, I was never robbed before. Second, although they took my purse, they didn’t take my life. Third, although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed and not I who did the robbing.
J. If you are ever tempted to question what you have to be thankful for consider the story of Pastor Jack Hinton. While on a short-term missions trip, Pastor Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around. "It was the most hideous face I had ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, ’Can we sing "Count Your Many Blessings?" Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, "I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again." "Yes I will," he replied, "but I’ll never sing it the same way."
You and I can say thank you Lord by walking FAITHFULLY with Christ, ... by walking STEADFASTLY in Christ, ... by walking THANKFULLY before Christ. Colossians 2:6-7 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." Are you saying thank you?
Quotes and illustration references:
Crouch, Andrae, My Tribute (© 1971 Bud John Songs, Inc. (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 754427)
Henri J.M. Nouwen, from his diary; in New Oxford Review (April 1987). Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 15
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) Edythe Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entries 10718-10719.
Goodson, Albert A. We’ve Come This Far By Faith © 1963 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135) CCLI License No. 754427
Twila Paris, Today’s Christian Woman (Nov/Dec 1994) Marriage Partnership, Vol. 12, no. 2
A. W. Tozer in Signposts. Christianity Today, Vol. 39, no. 13.
John Yates, "An Attitude of Gratitude," Preaching Today, Tape No. 110.
The Pastor’s Update (5/96). Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership
