I remember as a child, roughly about this time every year, one of the most popular books every published would be sent to our house. (Remember I’m speaking as a child). By this I mean the Sears and Roebuck Christmas catalog. As a child, I thought that there was nothing like the Sears catalog. I would set with the catalog and dream for hours, making out my Christmas list of what I wanted for Christmas. It is not uncommon for children to make out Christmas lists for what they want for Christmas. We all know that for New Year’s, people make out lists as well. I talking about their list of New Year’s resolutions, which if like most people, general last only to about the middle of December. However, there is one holiday that should have a list, but usually doesn’t, is Thanksgiving. I’m talking about a list of blessings for which we should be thankful. We all have much to be thankful for. I recently came across a list composed by several housewives of things for which they are thankful. Let me share part of the list with you.
§ For automatic dishwashers because they make it possible for us to get out of the kitchen before the family comes back in for their after-dinner snacks.
§ "For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house because they usually make them big enough to call in the professionals.
§ "For children who put away their things & clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.
§ "For teenagers because they give parents an opportunity to learn a second language.
§ "For Smoke alarms because they let you know when the turkey’s done.
I sure that most of us could make a list of blessings for which we ought to thank God for. I believe that such a list could prove valuable through out the remainder of the year for there will be times of adversity, troubles, problems and heartaches that we will face and it wouldn’t hurt to pull out our list from time to time and review all the things for which we are thankful for. One of the chief dangers to our spirituality is that of being ungrateful and unthankful. Why is it that the more we are blessed, the greater the danger of becoming unthankful? The more we get, the less thankful we become, the less mindful of God we become, and the more we want. That may be the greatest danger the American Church faces as we enter into the 21st Century. God has blessed us so much, that we may loose sight of all that He has done. This was what Israel faced as they entered into the land of promise. Therefore eight times the book of Deuteronomy warns the Israelites to not forget the Lord, once they became established in Canaan. Yet those of you who know your Bible history, know that is exactly what happened, they forgot all that God had done for them and begin to serve other gods. Some scholars believe that the 100 Psalm was written for that purpose, to deal with the attitude of ingratitude, to remind us that we should never allow what God has done for us to be eclipsed by our prosperity. Many believe that this particular psalm was sung when the thanksgiving sacrifice was offered in the Temple. There are two assertions that this psalm makes regarding thanksgiving that we should keep before us this holiday season.
I. THE REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING. (The Basis)
1. Why should we be thankful? What is the basis for thanksgiving? I read the story recently about a man in a restaurant, who having ordered and received his meal, sit down at a table and bowed his head to give thanks. A man who happened to be sitting nearby, spoke up and asked him if he had a headache. The first man replied no. He was then asked if he had something in his eyes, to which he replied no. So finally the man said, then why are you bowing your head and closing your eyes? The first man replied, “I bowed my head and gave God thanks for this food”. The second man laughed and said, “I never do that, I just sit down, pull up a chair and eat what is placed in front of me.” The first man replied, “Yes, I have a dog that does the same thing.” The second man failed to see the goodness of God.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
2. The readers of this psalm are told, actually commanded to enter in before the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving. Then verse 5 tells us why, it provides the reasons for giving God thanks and the first reason is this. God is good.
3. David the psalmist states very clearly, the Lord is good. There are a lot of things that I don’t know about God. I can’t tell you what God looks like, but I do know that God is good. The very nature of God’s character is good.
4. If you will note at the beginning of this psalm, you will see that it is addressed to not just the nation of Israel, but to all lands. All lands, and all people, need to be reminded of the Lord’s goodness. Every person here tonight has been touched by the goodness of almighty God.
5. You might say, “Well pastor, you just don’t know my circumstances.” That’s why its important to see what the author of this psalm is stating. He did not say that the Lord feels good, he did not say that the Lord is acting good, or behaving good. It said the Lord is good, stating that God’s nature is good. This is important, for life is filled with changes, our plans change, our circumstances change, but we know that God does not change in His nature. If He was good yesterday, He is good today, and if He is good today, He will be good tomorrow as well. God’s goodness is completely independent of my circumstances.
6. I recently read of one of God’s faithful missionaries, Allen Gardiner, who experienced many physical difficulties and hardships throughout his service to the Lord. Despite his troubles, he said, "While God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me." In 1851, at the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island at the southern tip of South America. When his body was found, his diary lay nearby. It bore the record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. The last entry in his little book showed the struggle of his shaking hand as he tried to write legibly. It read, "I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God." He understood this great truth, God is good. We should be thankful for the Lord is good, always good to us. (story of Ben’s job).
7. Next, the psalmist states that God is merciful. His mercy is everlasting.
I came across a definition of mercy several years ago that has stood with me for some time. Many people get grace and mercy confused. Grace is simply getting what we don’t deserve and mercy is not getting what we deserve. The story is told of a mother who once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death.
"But I don’t ask for justice," the mother explained. "I plead for mercy."
"But your son does not deserve mercy," Napoleon replied.
"Sir," the woman cried, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for. Mercy deserved is not really mercy at all.”
"Well, then," the emperor said, "I will have mercy." And he spared the woman’s son.
8. How many times have we failed God and yet God is still good to us? Does God get so angry the moment we fail Him so that the heavens shake and the ground opens up and shallows us? Why doesn’t that happen? Simply because the Lord is also merciful. A “being” of who just dispenses justice may well be feared and even worshipped, but he will also be dreaded and unloved. If we are to have security and happiness in the Lord, we must know Him as being more than a God of justice, we must also know Him as a God of mercy. His fountain of mercy never runs dry.
9. The Hebrew word used here is the word "checed" {kheh’-sed} mercy, lovingkindness. Many Bible scholars see in this word, not only God’s mercy, but the reason for His mercy, simply this fact, God loves you and me. That’s something to be thankful for.
10. Finally the psalm mentions one other enduring reason for giving God thanks and that is for His enduring, unchanging truth. His truth endures to all generations. Why is that important and why should we be thankful for that? Simply for this reason. His truth that was so real to the early Christians and helped them is the same truth that exists today and will help us in our walk with the Lord. His promises are dependable and trustworthy. He promises to give provision for us and so He will, He promises to keep us in His care and so He does, He promises to forgive me and so He does, and He promises to be with me and so He is.
11. Four times in this short psalm, the Lord is mentioned. Just scan the Psalm. In vs. 1 you’ll find the name of the Lord. In vs. 2 you’ll find the name of the Lord. In vs. 3 you’ll find the name of the Lord. And in vs. 5 you’ll find the name of the Lord. Alex Haley, the author of "Roots," had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post. When asked, "Why is that there?" Alex Haley answered, "Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words & think that they are wonderful, & begin to feel proud of myself, I look at the turtle on top of the fence post & remember that he didn’t get there on his own. He had help." So it is with us, we had help and that help came from the Lord.
II. THE REVELATIONS OF THANKSGIVING.
1. How should the goodness, the mercy and the truth of God affect us? How should we express our thanksgiving? I’m glad you asked because this psalm answered that question.
A. First, by our attitude.
2. Notice some of the action phrases mentioned in this psalm. “Make a joyful noise”, “serve with gladness”, “come with singing”, “enter with thanksgiving and praise”, “be thankful” and “bless His name”. All of this is written in the Hebrew in the imperative tense which makes these commands. This is what an attitude of gratitude should express before others.
3. Attitude is defined as a position as indicating action, feeling, or mood. Psychologist define attitude as a “set of beliefs that predispose us to act and feel in certain ways”. This is why attitude is important. Your mental position or attitude will indicate your actions, feelings, or mood. When you know that the Lord is good, when you know that the Lord is merciful, and when you know that the Lord’s truth is real to you, I firmly believe you will have a grateful heart. Your attitude will express this by being joyful and thankful. Some people get face lifts, and some need faith lifts.
4. What is your attitude reflecting this thanksgiving? Are you rejoicing? Are you serving the Lord with gladness?
B. Next, by our acknowledgement or testimony.
5. In Psalms 100:3, the Bible says to “Know ye that the Lord, He is God”. The Hebrew word used here for know means not only to know, but to acknowledge and show. We have that assurance that the Lord is God, therefore we make the acknowledge that the Lord, He is God.
6. I heard the story of a man who was a medical missionary for many years in India. He served in a region where there was progressive blindness. People were born with healthy vision, but there was something in that area that caused people to lose their sight as they matured." But this missionary had developed a process which would arrest progressive blindness. So people came to him & he performed his operation, & they would leave realizing that they would have become blind, but now they were going to be able to see for the rest of their lives. He said that they never said, "Thank you," because that phrase was not in their dialect. Instead, they spoke a word that meant, "I will tell your name." Wherever they went, they would tell the name of the missionary who had cured their blindness. They had received something so wonderful that they eagerly proclaimed it.
7. This morning at our church, I spoke on the 10 lepers who were healed. Only one returned to give Jesus thanks. The Bible says that this one begin to glorify God and fell at the feet of Jesus to thank Him. The Greek word for glorify means to “make glorious”. He began to make the Lord glorious. That’s what we should do, in our homes, on our jobs, and in our communities. Make the Lord glorious.
7. This Thanksgiving, tell the name of the Lord, acknowledge what He has done in your life, and be thankful. Remember that God is good, remember that He is merciful and remember that God’s truth endures. God bless you.
