Thanksgiving
The third letter in our acronym ACTS stands for Thanks or Thanksgiving. The reason for many Christians being so ungrateful may relate back to the first two letters. If we are not confessing and adoring God we are not going to be thankful for what we have received and will not receive the fullness of God’s blessings thus missing more things about which to give thanks to God
In preparing this study, it was interesting to note that one of the Hebrew words for thanks towdah means an extension of the hand and if you go back through the derivatives to the root word it means the cupped open hollow palm of the hand indicating power, means, and direction. The main root can also mean to bow down. In that one word we can see worship.
The word worship means to prostrate yourself or literally kiss the ground so the Hebrews would bow and then would lift up their hands in the manner described. The symbolism is rich when you see that by lifting up the open palm they not only surrender their power, means and direction unto the Lord but also expect to receive those things from Him. This also helps us understand the New Testament injunction to lift up holy or sanctified hands that have surrendered these things to Him that we might receive His power, means and direction in our life. (1 Tim 2:8)
Therefore, true thanksgiving includes worship, surrender, humility, expectation, holiness and gratitude. True gratitude for the blessings of God expresses itself in the other actions not just in words of gratitude. We show our gratitude like we show our faith with actions not just words. (James 2:18)
The Greek word in the New Testament for thanks is eucharistia. This is where the Catholics get their word for the Lord’s Supper that they call the Eucharist. However, there is a great difference between their practice of the Mass and the biblical Lord’s Supper, but that is not our topic here. Eucharista means gratitude and come from the words eu or good and charizomai that means to grant as a favor. That favor may mean doing a kindness, but also can mean giving a pardon or delivering/saving someone. At the Lord’s Supper, we do actively remember what He has done for us and give thanks for that.
Looking at what all the Hebrew word entails we may have some insight on what eating and drinking unworthily really means at the Lord’s Supper. Note that the warning against this came to a Gentile Church (Corinth), which would not have all the history and understanding that a Jewish Church would have in this area. They appeared to consider the Lord’s Supper as a party or celebration and practiced it like they did any other party in that culture and got drunk. They also were uncharitable in distribution of food and some that had no pot were out of luck. Some may have also practiced gluttony in that they would stuff themselves and then regurgitate so that they could go and eat at another party or a Lord’s Supper at another home. They missed the boat entirely and needed the warning and education that Paul gave in I Corinthians 11. We are to celebrate our anticipation of His return and give thanks for what He has done, but in a holy way.
Let us look at some verses that show what thanksgiving includes.
2 Sam 22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. (KJV)
Look at the action involved as well as the location. Thanksgiving is to be given among the heathen. How often do the unsaved hear us give thanks among them? More often then not, we are cranky moaners and groaners that are depressing to be around. That kind of lure will not catch many fish. Many of my Black friends answer, "How are you?" with "Blessed!" That is good, but most folks have no clue as to what blessed means anymore. You can buy blessed air fresheners for your car and blessed candles and the like. We need to share more with the unsaved the things that God does for us spiritually as well as materially. If we emphasize only the material, they may see God as the cosmic slot machine that just gives us money and prizes rather than the God who loves us and molds us into His image.
Again we see adoration or worship here as we are to sing praises unto His name!! The phrase, sing praises, in Hebrew gives the idea of striking strings to include instruments with the singing, but not all of us can pick guitar. I play radio well, but that is it. However, we do have vocal chords and we speak of heart strings so when we have hearts full of praise and thanksgiving, the fingers of our soul do play both those sets of strings when we sing of all that He has done for us.
1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. (KJV)
We are to give thanks for what He has done for us and continue call upon His name for all that we need. We need daily bread. Again, we are to make known His deeds among the people. We share so many things with folks, but we hesitate at times to share what God has done for us in a spirit of humility and thankfulness. You do not know what person, saved or lost, needs to hear what God has done for you as an encouragement to seek Him for their own needs. Make known means to ascertain by seeing. People need to see what the Lord is doing now in your life, not just to hear of what He has done. If we are silent, they may think that He does not do great things for His people anymore. It may take calling upon Him for the power to do this, but we need to do it.
1 Chronicles 16:34-36
34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel forever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD. (KJV)
Our God is good. What if He were not? Many of the pagans worshipped Gods that were whimsical and hard to please. Some were even considered evil and the people worshipped them out of fear alone. To tell them that God loves them would bring a laugh and expressions indicating our insanity. Our God is good in essence. He is a God that wants to do us good and has good thoughts toward us that the end of our abundant life may be good.
His mercy endureth forever. This theme is throughout the Old Testament and is repeated 26 times in Psalms 136. This is something we must be very thankful about. We need His kindness and it is good for us that His mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22,23) We define mercy as not getting what we deserved. We deserve Hell and a miserable life and yet He does everything possible to keep us from both. Our lives are only miserable and end in Hell because we do not seek His mercy and what His mercy has provided for us.
He is the God of our salvation or deliverance. He saves us from Hell, our enemies and our greatest enemy, ourselves. When we walk in His will, He will deliver us from our enemies, but when we are in rebellion and sin He can also deliver us into the hands of our enemies. When we refuse to forgive others He can hand us over to tormenters that we might learn to have mercy as we have received it. (Matthew 18:34) We can sin a sin unto death. (I John 5:16) Nationally, our enemies no matter how strong we are militarily can overtake us. (II Chronicles 36:5,6) Americans need to remember that and seek the mercy of God. Christians especially need to remember this as we are the salt of this country and responsible for its healing. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
We need to remember that we worship and thank a holy God and we are commanded to be holy as He is holy. The word holy can also be translated as dedicated and sanctified or set apart. It also carries the idea of separation and we are to be separate from the world and totally set apart for God.
A name once meant character as well as just something we call each other. We once told our children to live up to their name or to not shame the family name. God gave us many names for Himself that told us of His character. He is the Lord our righteousness, the Lord our helper, the Lord our peace and so on. So we give thanks to His holy character when we give thanks to His holy name. We are called by His name and we are to live up to that name and seek to not shame it by giving the heathen a reason to blaspheme it. That is true thankfulness. We bless Him when we give Him thanks and adoration. We are able to shout or glory in His praise when we have a heart of thankfulness. We have another reference to singing for the word praise speaks again to a hymn. A heart of thankfulness praises Him in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (Colossians 3:16)
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (KJV)
We are not only to give thanks to God for what He does for us, but in what He does for others as well. Elijah thought he was all alone in serving God and at times so do we. We should give thanks to God for the Brethren. It is good to know that there are others in the family. It is good that God is working in these other folks and they are there to encourage us, as we are there to encourage them. Praying for others is a part of our thankfulness to God.
Heb 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. (KJV)
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (KJV)
We no longer offer up sacrifices for sins anymore since Christ is the only sacrifice needed for sins. However, we can offer up a sacrifice of praise. That is a sweet smelling savour to God! The fruit of our lips should be thanksgiving again for His name or character! Note, that our lips take on a different mission when we are walking in His will and giving thanks. We no longer tell obscene stories or dirty jokes or act like fools because they are not proper or convenient. Instead we use our mouths to praise God and this not only pleases Him and edifies us, but also those around us.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (KJV)
Our sincere thankfulness to God will reflect itself in all areas of our life. We will do all things in His name, which also gives the world a reason to seek Him and be thankful as they see fruit in our lives.
1Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (KJV)
We usually are able to give thanks in the good times when everything is going our way and God just seems to be unloading the whole truck of blessings onto us. James says to count in all joy when we fall into various temptations or trials. (James 1:2) Are these not a part of all things or everything? Then we are to be thankful when it looks like God has cut off all blessings and even seems to have deserted us. I used looks like and seems because God has promised to never leave or forsake us so we must realize that what appears to be desertion by God is only an appearance and we are not to judge by appearances but to judge righteous judgment. Righteous judgment is believing and acting upon the Word of God regardless of our circumstances or feelings.
Ps 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (KJV)
David is speaking of entering the temple or in our case the church building. Do you come to church with an attitude of thankfulness? Some are not very thankful as they seldom, if at all, enter into the church and I mean believers. Do we come with thanks or to enjoy the music or just to get something else from God? If we are not thankful for that which we have already received why do we think anything else He gives will make us thankful or happy? We need to come blessing His name and be thankful as we exhort one another and then we can receive great blessings and joy. Coming to church now and then or not at all is disobedience and a sign of ingratitude. (Hebrews 10:25)
So have you been turning your power, means, and direction over to God thankful that His ways are better than yours? Are worship, surrender, humility, expectation, and holiness parts of your gratitude towards God or are you lacking in these areas?
Lost friend, you have much to be thankful to God for even though you may not believe in Him. He gives you many blessings that we call common graces. He gives you the same sunshine, health and ability to love and be loved as He does saved people. Your life may have been spared many times and you surely have received from Him much more than you deserve. Why not turn to Him now in gratitude for those things and accept the forgiveness of your sins in Christ? When you are born again you will come to know many more things for which you can thank God. Do it now. He loves you beyond your comprehension.
Brethren, have you gotten slack in your thankfulness? Do you take God’s many blessings for granted? Do you worry about so many needless things when he has already supplied so much for you over the years? If so, it is time that you turn back to Him
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Col 3:15 (KJV)
Maranatha!
