Unthankfulness

TITLE: UNTHANKFULNESS 3/17/02

TEXT: LUKE 17:11 - 19

INTRO:

ONCE A YEAR WE AMERICANS COME TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE WHAT IS KNOWN AS THANKSGIVING DAY. IT IS A TIME OF YEAR THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS EVEN ALL ABOUT. MODERN DAY AMERICANS THINK IT IS A TIME TO –

· WATCH THE DALLAS COWBOYS & DETROIT LIONS

· EAT TURKEY, MASHED TATERS, GRAVY AND ALL THE TRIMINGS

· PUMPKIN, APPLE & CHERRY PIE

· AND SIT AROUND AND ENJOY THE FELLOWSHIP

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THANKSGIVING IS ALL ABOUT. THANKSGIVING IS ABOUT YOU AND I BRINGING INTO REMEMBRANCE AND BEING THANKFUL FOR THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO CAME ACROSS THOSE FRIGID WATERS IN A LITTLE SHIP CALLED THE MAYFLOWER TO ESCAPE THE TYRANNY OF A KING AND TO START A NEW LIFE OF FREEDOM IN THIS NEW WORLD WHAT NOW HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THANKSGIVING DAY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR AND THE OLDER I GET – THE MORE THANKFUL I AM FOR THE COUNTRY IN WHICH I LIVE AND THE FREEDOMS THAT I HAVE.

NOW TONIGHT I WANT TO FOCUS ON THANKSGIVING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. YOU SEE WE OUGHT NOT HAVE A TIME OF THANKSGIVING ONCE A YEAR – THANKSGIVING IS SOMETHING THAT YOU AND I OUGHT TO CELEBRATE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF OUR LIFE.

ONE OF THE GREATEST SINS IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE SIN OF INGRATITUDE AND UNTHANKFULNESS. MANY TIMES WE ARE UNGRATEFUL FOR –

A. SERVICE & SERMON

DAVID: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD

LISTEN, I AM GLAD FOR WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE TONIGHT! YOU AND I COME TO THIS CHURCH EVERY SINGLE SERVICE AND THERE IS ONE THING WE ALL KNOW AND THAT IS WE WILL HEAR FROM THE WORD OF GOD!

ILL. I GET TAPES FROM OTHER PREACHERS ALL THE TIME – AND AFTER LISTENING TO THEM – I’M SO GLAD FOR THE PREACHING WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT! BUT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THE SERVICE WE ARE HAVING TONIGHT?

B. SALVATION

I HOPE I NEVER COME TO THE POINT THAT I TAKE MY SALVATION FOR GRANTED!

SONG: I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN….

PRAYER: DON’T EVER LET ME GET OVER BEING UNDER THE BLOOD!

C. SECURITY

ONE THING THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR TONIGHT – AND THAT IS THE FACT I DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DYING AND GOING TO HELL. WHEN I GOT SAVED MY ETERNITY WAS FIXED FOREVER – AMEN! MANY TIMES WE CHRISTIANS ARE UNTHANKFUL FOR HIS -

D. SUPPLY

ILL. I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND OF MINE THE OTHER DAY WHO WAS A LITTLE BOTHERED BY THE FACT THAT HE HAD JUST TURNED 40 AND HE DIDN’T HAVE BUT A FEW CENTS TO HIS NAME – I SAID YES, BUT ALL YOUR NEEDS HAVE BEEN MET AND GOD WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS.

LISTEN, MOST OF US WILL NEVER HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS – BUT IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOD WHO HAS THE POWER TO MEET OUR EVERY NEED. SOMETIMES WE ARE UNTHANKFUL FOR -

D. SOULS

MAY WE NEVER COME TO THAT POINT! WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 5 – 7 PEOPLE SAVED EACH AND EVERY WEEK! (GLORY TO GOD) I HAVE BEEN IN CHURCHES THAT AINT SEEN THAT MANY SAVED ALL YEAR! SOMETIMES WE ARE UNGRATEFUL FOR THE -

E. SPIRIT

SO MANY SAINTS NEVER GIVE HIM THE TIME OF DAY AND MOST OF US DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO HE IS! LISTEN, WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT THERE WOULD BE NO –

· CONVICTION

· CONVERSION – AND ALL OF US WOULD DIE AND GO TO HELL.

I BELIEVE WE ALL OUGHT TO BE MORE THANKFUL FOR OUR -

F. SAVIOR

HE DID NOT HAVE TO GO HELL ON THE CROSS – BUT HE CHOSE TO SO YOU AND I COULD BE SAVED. AND THEN WE NEED TO BE MORE THANKFUL FOR THE -

G. SAINTS

THANK GOD FOR THE TITHERS, WORKERS & FAITHFUL PEOPLE GOD HAS GIVEN TO THIS CHURCH.

NOW AS WE GET INTO THE MESSAGE I WANT US TO NOTICE THESE 10 LEPERS. FIRST OF ALL NOTICE THEIR –

1. CONDITION

ACCORDING TO V.12 THEY WERE “LEPERS!” MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT LEPROSY WAS A VERY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, THE LEPERS HAD TO –

· WEAR A CLOTH AROUND THEIR HEAD TO COVER THEIR MOUTH

· THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED IN PUBLIC

· EVERYWHERE THEY WENT THEY HAD TO PROCLAIM “UNCLEAN”

· THEIR CONDITION WAS A CERTAIN CONDITION OF DEATH!

· JUST A MATER OF TIME AND THEY WOULD DIE

SO NOT ONLY THEIR CONDITION, NOTICE THEIR –

2. CRY V.13

And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.