“THANKS BE TO GOD”
1 CORINTHIANS 15:50-57
2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-14
2 CORINTHIANS 9:10-15
INTRODUCTION... George Washington, 1779
Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; Whereas, both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness!” Now therefore, I do recommend next, to be devoted by the people of the states to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be, that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country.
In looking at passages that deal with the attitude of thanksgiving and other issues with giving thanks, I noticed that a phrase was repeated in a few passages in 1 and 2 Corinthians that I felt was very interesting. On three occasions, the Apostle Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God!” I would like us to look at what the Apostle Paul was thankful to God for in that we might reflect that same thankfulness in our own lives this Thanksgiving.
I. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50-57
A. Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about death and life and the resurrection that
Christians are promised when Jesus returns.
1) The flesh and the sinful things of this world do not inherit the holy spiritual
Kingdom of God. It is imperishable.
2) There will need to be some kind of change in us at the last day for us to inherit
the eternal holy spiritual Kingdom of God.
B. Paul tells them a mystery: the mystery is the process
1) Everyone will change to put on the imperishable. What does that mean?
a) We will be spiritual in nature (verse 50)
b) We will be immortal (verse 53)
c) We will be totally free from sin and death (verse 55-56)
2) We know that all this will happen, but we just do not know how or what it will
actually be like. Christians are promised wondrous things in Scripture. We know
they will happen, but we just don’t know how. It is a mystery.
C. “Thanks be to God” (verse 57)
1) Thanks to God for ’giving’ this to us because we know that we could not have
earned it
2) Thanks to God for ’victory’ over sin and death and we do not have to be afraid
3) Thanks to God for ’our Lord Jesus Christ’ who provided the way for us to come
back to God. Without the sacrificial blood of Jesus, we would still be lost and
sinful and fearful about death.
II. 2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-14
A. Paul is sharing with the Corinthians about some of the opportunities he has had to
minister and share the Gospel. He mentions several important things about his ministry
that are important for us to note.
1) He is led by the Lord and goes where He opens the doors (verse 12)
2) Paul is not a lone ranger in ministry, but depends on his companions (verse 13)
3) Paul is constantly on the move reaching as many new people in as many new
places as he possibly can (verse 13)
B. “Thanks be to God” (verse 14)
1) Thanks to God for the leading that we receive in our lives
2) Thanks to God for using us to reach those that do not know Him
3) Thanks to God for giving us knowledge about Himself and Jesus so that we can
know the kind of God that we serve. And it is a sweet knowledge.
III. 2 CORINTHIANS 9:10-15
A. This passage falls in a section of 2 Corinthians where Paul is speaking about giving
and is using a farming analogy to make his points clear.
1) For a farmer, the amount of crop that is yielded is many times in proportion to the amount of seed that they have sown.
2) Thus the phrase: a man reaps what he sows
B. Paul lets the Corinthians know that the same God that aids the farmer in their work is
the same God that is looking after them. He is not the God of the farmers only. This
would have been a common belief among many of the Gentiles. For many of them, all
the trees had a specific God and all the water had a specific god and the ground would
have had a specific god. Yet, our God is the God of All.
1) “The same God who supplies the farmers will supply you” he says (verse 10)
2) Paul also makes it clear that God will bless them for a certain purpose: that they
might bless others and give thanks to God (verse 11)
C. I want to stop just for a moment and look at the choice of words that Paul is using
when talking about the God the we serve. What kind of words does He use in connection
with God? You will see that we serve a God that blesses us abundantly more than we
could ever imagine.
1) ’cheerful’ (verse 7)
2) ’grace abounds’ (verse 8) — ’you will abound in every good work’ (verse 8)
3) He gives to the poor (verse 9)
4) ’increase’ and ’enlarge’ (verse 10)
D. Paul commends the Corinthians (a rare thing for them to be sure) for their generosity and
to use the farm analogy, for sowing generously.
1) They are supplying for the needs of the poor in Jerusalem for whom Paul is taking
up a collection.
2) They have supplied money for the needs and so as a result, people will praise God
and learn about Him and they will receive prayers on their behalf.
E. “Thanks be to God” (verse 15): This phrase actually comes at the end of the passage
and refers back to the preceding verses. Paul is thankful for an ’indescribable gift.’ What
is he speaking of?
1) The thing that Paul is speaking of is right in the previous phrase and is so
difficult to explain or understand.
2) Thanks to God for His surpassing grace.
ILLUSTRATION... Forgive Me When I Whine, source unknown
Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;
I envied her—she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet—the world is mine.
And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm;
He seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find”;
He turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine.
Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue; He stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I’d go; with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
With ears to hear what I would know. I am blessed indeed.
The world is mine; oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
CONCLUSION
* Thanks to God for ’giving’ to us because we know that we could not have earned it
* Thanks to God for ’victory’ over sin and death and we do not have to be afraid
* Thanks to God for ’our Lord Jesus Christ’ who provided the way for us to come back to Him
* Thanks to God for the leading that we receive in our lives
* Thanks to God for using us to reach those that do not know Him
* Thanks to God for giving us knowledge about Himself so that we can know the kind of God that we serve.
* Thanks to God for His surpassing grace.
