The Three Thieves Of Thanksgiving- #1- Comparison Series

3 Thieves of Thanksgiving

Comparison

CCCAG November 19th, 2017

Brief explanation of series- three conditions that steal our ability to be a thankful person.

Scripture- John 21:18-23

The day before Thanksgiving an elderly man in Phoenix called his son in New York and said to him, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough. We’re sick of each other, and so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son called his older sister, who exploded on the phone. "They are not getting divorced," she shouted. "I’ll take care of this."

She called Phoenix immediately, and said to her father. "You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t you do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

The man hung up his phone and turned to his wife. "Okay, honey- you got your wish. The kids are coming for Thanksgiving and paying for their own flights."

The Thanksgiving holiday brings to mind family. Some of my most cherished memories are being in my grandparents home during this time of the year- the time in the woods with my grandfather and uncle followed by coming home to a huge supper my grandmother had made for us.

The idea of thanksgiving is not just wrapped around a holiday that happens to coincide with Wisconsin’s Deer Hunting season.

Thanksgiving- is defined as the ability to give thanks to God. It is an essential spiritual attribute that is missing from most people today.

We are going to spend the next three Sunday’s looking at the 3 Thieves of Thanksgiving in our lives, and today we will begin by looking at the first thief- Comparison

Turn in your bibles to John 21:18

Set up- Before we go there, we need to see the context of what are about to read.

Peter rejecting Jesus x3, then the death, burial, and resurrection where Jesus is seen by hundreds of people.

However, this is the first intimate time Jesus had with His disciples.

Jesus uses this time to restore Peter by asking him three times if he loved HIM- three times to cancel out in Peter’s mind the three denials that Peter did.

Jesus also tells Peter his future. This is where we pick up the story in John 21

Scripture Text- (Restoration of Peter)

Joh 21:18 (Jesus said) Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

Joh 21:19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Joh 21:20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?”

Joh 21:21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

Joh 21:22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

Prayer

Big idea- I want to talk to you this morning, and over the next three weeks about the three Thieves of Thanksgiving. We are not talking about someone breaking into your house and stealing your turkey, but some of the devices that satan uses to bring your focus down… off of God and onto the things of this world and the problems of this life.

This morning we are going to focus on the first of the three thieves of thanksgiving - comparison.

When I say comparison, I’m speaking of looking to what you don’t have in something, someone, or some situation. It’s focusing on the lack of something instead of being thankful of what is there for you.

To put it another way- It’s longing for another’s blessing while ignoring what God has for you.

I. Causes of comparison

Back to the biblical account we just read- let’s look at Peter

A. First cause of comparison is Inferiority- Peter was in essence a bully

I use that term not so much as describing the guy (or girl) in school that would push you around, but the big guy we all know that is loud, brash, and wants everyone to know that he is the man.

Peter is that kind of man. I was researching Peter this week and found several definitions for his given name Simon depending on the language used. Most of us know the name Peter comes from the Greek word Petros which means Rock. One of the Greek meanings of Simon is “snub-nosed” meaning stubborn, or in Aramaic Simon, or Cephas in that language could mean cackling hyena- or one who speaks rashly and without knowledge.