Call To Worship
Call to worship: Psalm 100 KJV
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all you lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of his pasture.
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 endures to all generations.
Scripture Reading
Psalm 98:1-9 NRSV
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2 The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
9 at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
DON’T FORGET TO SAY THANK YOU!
You’ve got to love this country:
Only in America…..
Can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
Do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions.
Do people order double cheese burgers, a large fry, and a diet coke.
Do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and leave useless junk in the garage.
Do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.
Do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Do they have drive-up ATM machines with instructions in Braille.
This is a great country and after visiting many other countries in the world, I am convinced that the United States is still the greatest country in the world and I for one am very thankful to live here.
This week we celebrate Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a special time to be with friends and family, to fellowship with those who are dear, and a time to reach out and fellowship with those who are less fortunate.
History of Thanksgiving: The first Thanksgiving in New England was celebrated in Plymouth less than a year after the Plymouth colonists had settled in America. The first dreadful winter in Massachusetts had killed about half the members of the colony. But new hope arose in the summer of 1621. The settlers expected a good corn harvest, despite poor crops of peas, wheat and barley. Thus, in early autumn, governor William Bradford arranged a harvest festival to give thanks to God for the progress the colony had made.
The festival lasted three days. The men of Plymouth shot ducks, geese, and turkeys. The menu also included clams, eel, lobster and other fish, wild plums and leeks, corn bread, and watercress. The women of the settlement supervised the cooking over outdoor fires. About 90 Indians also attended the festival. They brought five deer to add to the feast. Everyone ate outdoors at large tables and enjoyed games and fellowship. Similar harvest Thanksgivings were held in Plymouth during the next several years, but no traditional date was set.
The custom of Thanksgiving Day spread from Plymouth to other New England colonies. During the Revolutionary War, eight special days of thanks were observed for victories and for being saved from dangers. In 1789 President George Washington issued a general proclamation naming November 26 a day of national Thanksgiving. This was only a one-time event and for many years we had no regular national Thanksgiving Day.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863, as "a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father." Each year afterward, for 75 years, our Presidents would proclaim that Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In 1939 FDR set it one week earlier. Then in 1941, Congress passed legislation naming the 4th Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day - a legal federal holiday.
I’m sure many of you have special memories of Thanksgivings past, so I just want take a few moments to pause and let you think back on those special times.
******* PAUSE**********
GROUP PARTICIPATION: Thanksgiving is precisely that, THANKSGIVING! To help jog our thinking let’s name some things we are thankful for: (Have the congregation call out things for which they are thankful.)
Judging from our responses, we have much for which to be thankful:
Let us not become complacent in our thanksgiving. There is a danger in having plenty; when all our needs are met, food, shelter, clothing, we tend to settle back and enjoy the extra things God has blessed us with. If we forget the source of our wealth, or even worse, we pat ourselves on the back and take the credit for our wealth, then we have forgotten and ignored God, the source of all provision. We have committed the sin of idolatry.
Let us not forget to say thank you to God for all he has provided us.
It is a human tendency to forget to say thank you. Do you remember the ten lepers in Luke’s Gospel? "They stood at a distance and cried out, ’Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ Jesus said, ’Go, show yourselves to the priests’." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he discovered he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus feet and thanked him. What is missing from this picture?
The other nine completely neglected to say thank you.
Let us not forget to say thank you to God for our health and the many times he heals us.
Do you remember the parable of the prodigal son? The son, wanted to leave home, see the world and make a name for himself. He asked for his share of his Father’s inheritance and left on an adventure. It wasn’t long before he squandered all his money and was penniless. He found himself tending pigs as a hired hand and there it occurred to him that home wasn’t such a bad place after all. He had a change of heart and decided to go home and beg his father to hire him on as a servant.
The Bible tells us that, "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ’Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ’Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found.’ So they began to celebrate."
This parable illustrates God’s willingness to forgive us and grant us salvation, even though we don’t deserve it. If you have not experienced salvation, God stands ready to give it to you. Like the prodigal son, you must come to your senses and have a fundamental attitude shift. Ask God to forgive you of your sins, believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and was raised on the third day, and give him first place in your heart and life. This is the beginning of salvation.
Salvation is essential to Thanksgiving, for without salvation Thanksgiving is hollow and empty. Let us not forget to say thank you to God for our salvation.
In Col 3:15-17 the Apostle Paul admonishes us, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in work or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Take time this week to give Thanksgiving to God for the multitude of blessings He has given you. Take time every day to be thankful. For a Christian, Thanksgiving is not just a day, but a way of life.
Let us Pray: Father God, maker of the heavens and the earth, giver and sustainer of life, to you we offer praise and adoration. With hearts full of Thanksgiving we honor you. Lord, let us not take the life you’ve given us for granted. We thank you for the blessing of family and friends and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side. We are truly thankful that you have given us your Son Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins that we might have eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our King, we continually offer a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of our lips giving thanks. Amen.
Thanksgiving Prayer
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, we bow before you today with adoration and hearts full of thanksgiving. We are thankful for: Help during times of trouble, Grace during times of need,
Healing during times of sickness, Guidance during times of confusion. Throughout the year You have guarded and guided us even when we were unaware of Your presence. Thank You! We lift up before You those who are sick, homeless and destitute. We remember before You families who have lost loved ones. Be mindful of our family and friends who are away from us today. Bring them blessings, comfort, and cheerful hearts in this season of Thanksgiving. This year help us become better neighbors, more responsible members of our communities, and active participants in this our church home. Amen.
Beneditction
O merciful God, go with us as we leave here today. In all our ways let us be confident of Your presence. When we are discouraged, give us hope. When we are tired, help us to find new strength. When we are afraid, restore our confidence in Your power and Your purpose for our lives. So may we serve You, O God, by being your people, in service to all who need us, and in joy for your love. Though Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.
