Thanksgiving

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Sermon: Thanksgiving Versus Thanksliving

Text: I Thessalonians 5:18

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Introduction: I believe Scripture substantiates the fact that God expects us to thank Him for His blessings in our lives.

This is evidenced in the words of Jesus to the one lone ex-leper who returned to thank Him

Luke 17:15-17:

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on hisface at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

God not only deserves our thanks, but I believe He also desires it.

He wants us to be grateful for His goodness rather than just take it all for granted.

How many of you took time out this past week just to re-count your blessings and thank God for everything He’s done for you?

As we prepare to have Thanksgiving this week, let us understand that God doesn’t want our thanksgiving to be limited to one Thursday in November. God wants us to continue to thank Him.

He wants us to live a life of thankfulness.

Let's Look back at what Paul has to say about it all in our text this evening

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

In Ephesians 5:19-20, he say's

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

In Philippians 4:4, he writes:

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice

Paul made it clear that our giving of thanks is to be continual not dependent on our situations

it is to be ongoing in spite of our circumstances, not just when everything is going good.

Even though Paul faced some very devastating circumstances,

Paul was able to maintain an attitude of gratitude because he held onto a proper perspective of both God and His circumstances.

He knew that God was good all the time and consequently, he knew that a good God would only allow circumstances that would ultimately result in something good.

Paul's attitude toward his circumstances and situations mirrored that of Joseph in

Genesis 50:19-20 where Joseph said:

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

You will remember that Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him into slavery.

But this situation was just a part of God’s bigger plan of protecting His people and Joseph recognized that rather than wallow in self-pity over the tough times he had to just endure and trust and be thankful to God

Joseph's attitude basically says: "Since God is good, then this bad circumstance must be meant to bring about some further good in or through my life or else God would not have allowed it."

What an accurate picture of the pain and suffering, and all the negative stuff, that we all have to face in this life.

It all originates from satan, who intends to harm us, but when God allows it to happen, it can only mean He has something good in store.

Knowing that God expects us to live a life of thanksgiving rather than offering limited thanks, and knowing that we must never lose sight of God’s goodness and God’s hand at work in everything we face –

I want to share you with you three reasons why our thanksgiving must be continual no matter what are circumstances may be

I. BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WATCHING AND LISTENING