Thanksgiving 2013

Introduction:

A Psalm 100:1-5 (NASB) 1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

1 We sang “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow” earlier in the service. (Pg. 253 in The Baptist Hymnal)

a Written nearly 450 years ago, often called “The Doxology.”

b To the tune “Old 100th”, the song is a paraphrase of the 100th Psalm.

2 This Psalm (at the end of a group Psalms called “The Royal” (Psalms/ 93, 95-100.)

a This group of Psalms emphasize the soveritnty of God, His rule, His goodness to His people & the responsibility of all nations to exalt/acknowledge Him.

b Also stresses the importance of especially God’s people to exalt & worship Him

Psalm 95:1-2 (NASB) 1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Psalm 95:6-7 (NASB) 6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice,

B In Eph. 5.18, we are told to be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 (NASB) 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

1 The evidence of being Spirit-filled is manifested by three traits:

a (5.19) We are joyful; (5.20) We are thankful; (5.21) We are Submissive (to each other.)

Ephesians 5:19-21 (NASB) 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

aa (v.22) Wives subject to husbands.

Ephesians 5:22 (NASB)22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

bb (v.25) Husbands love wives like Christ loves the church.

Ephesians 5:25 (NASB) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her

cc (v.24) Church subject to Christ.

Ephesians 5:24 (NASB) 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

dd (6.1) Children subject to their parents.

Ephesians 6:1 (NASB) 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

b Col. 3.16-25, we are told to be filled with the Word of God with these same three traits following the infilling of His Word that accompanied the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:16-25 (NASB) 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. 22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

aa v.16, Joyful

bb v.17, Thankful

cc v.20-25, Submissive.

2 These same three characteristics (Joy, thankfulness, Submissiveness) of a Believer filled by the Spirit/Word are presented in the Old 100th, Psalm 100.

a This week as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, I believe we are people/nation that have been truly blessed by God.

b And of all those who “v.4, give thanks to Him & praise His name” our name should be at the top of the list!