AWESOME APPRECIATION
(ALL my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and ALL scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted)
This morning we will sit and have a wonderful Harvest Dinner together, we will eat to our heart’s content and we will be blessed by food and fellowship. But, this is the time of the year, that we have reserved, to give thanks for all we have. I think, personally, we should give thanks everyday for what we have. BUT, I know that what we have to be thankful is all a matter of having the right perspective.
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."
Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don’t have.
This morning I want to talk about having An Awesome Appreciation for ALL that God has done for us. I want to look at the scripture and see what we should be doing to show how thankful we are for God and what He has done for us. Let’s face it, not everyone shows God the appreciation that God deserves. As a matter of fact many times in the Bible we see people who were less than appreciative. If you have your Bible with you this morning, please turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 17: 11-19, I will be reading from the Living Version.
Luke 17:11-19 As they continued onward toward Jerusalem, they reached the border between Galilee and Samaria, 12 and as they entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, "Jesus, sir, have mercy on us!" 14 He looked at them and said, "Go to the Jewish priest and show him that you are healed!" And as they were going, their leprosy disappeared. 15 One of them came back to Jesus, shouting, "Glory to God, I'm healed!" 16 He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a despised Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the nine? 18 Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?" 19 And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well." (The Living Version)
PRAYER
Do we show our Appreciation for a loving, gracious and merciful God as we should? As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we need to truly reflect on how we can become a people of Awesome Appreciation. I think that everyone of us here this morning has been blessed by our God, I believe that ALL of us are where we are today, in the greatest country in the world, freely assembling, in worship of the only true God, and we need to show our appreciation of this. So this morning let us look at ways we can show our thanks to God.
I. AWESOME APPRECIATION IS WANTING TO KNOW GOD AS WELL AS HE KNOWS US.
The scripture tells us that God is so completely interested in us, he knows us before we are even formed in the womb, he knows the hairs are on our head, (not too many to count for some of us) He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. God knows us. In the Gospel of John, as Jesus was calling the 12 to himself, we read: John 1:44-51 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Jesus knew the 12 before he even met them, he saw Nathenael under the tree when he wasn’t even near him, but look at all the names and descriptions the followers have for Jesus. John the Baptist called him the “Lamb of God” for he would be the great sacrifice. Andrew called Him, “Rabbi” which means teacher, for it is Jesus that teaches the truth, and when Andrew goes to get Peter he tells him he has found the Messiah, the Christ, for Jesus is our Savior. Philip said he was the one that was written about by Moses and the prophets, and when he went and got Nathenael, it was Nathenael that said you are the “Son of God, the King of Israel.” Jesus called himself the Son of man. How well do you know the one that we show Awesome Appreciation to?
A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God. Here are some of the results:
GOD is like a FORD ... He’s got a better idea.
GOD is like COKE ... He’s the real thing.
GOD is like HALLMARK CARDS ... He cares enough to send His very best.
GOD is like TIDE ... He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
GOD is like GENERAL ELECTRIC ... He brings good things to life.
GOD is like SEARS ... He has everything.
GOD is like ALKA-SELTZER ... Try Him, you’ll like him.
GOD is like SCOTCH TAPE ... You can’t see him, but you know He’s there.
GOD is like DELTA .... He’s ready when you are.
GOD is like ALLSTATE ... You’re in good hands with Him.
GOD is like VO-5 HAIR SPRAY ... He holds through all kinds of weather.
GOD is like DIAL SOAP ... Aren’t you glad you have Him.
Don’t you wish everybody did?
The second way we can show AWESOME APPRECIATION is:
II. TO RECOGNIZE OUR REAL NEED FOR JESUS
So many times I think that we forget HOW MUCH we really need Jesus in our lives. Do we continually show Jesus love because He alone has forgiven our sins? You remember the story of the woman that kiss and anointed the feet of Jesus? Luke 7:44-47 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look! See this woman kneeling here! When I entered your home, you didn't bother to offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You refused me the customary kiss of greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. 46 You neglected the usual courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has covered my feet with rare perfume. 47 Therefore her sins-and they are many-are forgiven, for she loved me much; but one who is forgiven little, shows little love."
(The Living Version)
FOR SHE LOVED ME MUCH.
I wonder what would happen if we applied the same standards of loyalty to our Christian activities that we expect from other areas of our lives?
If your car starts once every three tries, is it reliable? If the postman skipped delivery every Monday and Thursday, is he trustworthy? If you don’t go to work once or twice a month, are you a reliable employee? If your fridge stops working for a day or two every now and then, do you say, “Oh well, it work most of the time.”? If your water heater provides an icy cold shower every now and then, is it dependable? If you skipped a couple of electricity bill payments do you think Western Power would mind? If you fail to worship God one or two Sundays a month, would you expect to be called a faithful Christian? We expect loyalty and reliability from things and other people - isn’t it reasonable then that God just might expect the same from us.
Do we show Jesus that we NEED Him? Or are we a people that take the miracles, the peace, the joy, the love of God for granted? How can we be a people that show Christ that we have awesome appreciation? I think that:
III. THERE ARE FOUR SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF AWESOME APPRECIATION
A. First, remembering what God has done for us. So many times we are a people that only remember what we chose to remember. We dwell on the here and now and never take time to reflect on the MANY, MANY things that God has done in the past. The Israelites were delivered from bondage only to reflect that they were in a place they didn’t want to be in.
Do you remember God as you come on Sunday morning to WORSHIP Him? We need to let go of our intellectual idea of worship and realize there is more to worship than a sermon; we have to let go of our evangelistic notion of worship and reckon with the fact that worship is not primarily directed toward the sinners who need to be converted; we must let go of our entertainment expectations and remind ourselves that we are not in church to watch a Christian variety show. We have gathered together in worship to be met by God the Almighty. God, the Creator of the Universe, the One who sustains our lives, our Redeemer and King, is present through proclamation and remembrance. He wants to communicate to us, to penetrate our inner self, to take up residence within us. And, as we go through the experience of meeting with him in this mystical moment of public worship, we are to respond. But response is not just singing a hymn, not just saying a creed, not just saying a prayer. Response, from the very beginning of worship to the end, must be a powerful inner experience of actually being in the presence of God. When we sing a hymn or say a confession or prayer, we are not singing or saying words, but expressing a feeling, bringing our souls, truly responding and communicating to the living and active presence of a loving and merciful God.
The second significant aspect of Awesome Appreciation is to tell others what God has done. There is No better way to show how thankful you are then to tell others what someone has done for you. This applies to our lives, it applies to the soldiers who defend our freedom. I got goose bumps once in the Omaha Airport, waiting for a preacher friend of mine who was flying in to do a revival for me, as I was waiting the entire airport erupted in applause as four soldiers came off a plane. Everyone in the airport stopped and clapped for these four soldiers, people were shaking their hands and telling them how wonderful and important their sacrifice was for our lives.
I wonder why we don’t do the same for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Why can’t we publically share with the world the wonderful and important sacrifice that Jesus made? The reason is simply FEAR. We fear what others might think of us, we fear being rejected, we fear failure.
When I am conscious of the fear of failure holding me back, I go through a kind of personal checklist:
1. Does this fear come basically from pride, a fear that I will not live up to my own expectations or to those of others?
2. Do I remember that God has called me first to faithfulness, then to efficiency?
3. Do I trust that the Holy Spirit is working before me, with me, and through me?
4. Do I remember that I am called to be neither more nor less successful than Jesus Christ was?
5. Do I remember that God does his greatest work when I seem to be weakest? Isn’t that, after all, the mystery of the cross?
If you want to show Awesome Appreciation then simply plant seeds! It is not our job to water, feed or harvest, but to plant, the rest will happen with time and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The third way to show Awesome Appreciation is simply by showing the glory of God to others. So many claim the title of Christian, they tell others that they belong to such and such church, BUT does their life reflect this? How is your witness?
Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium."
Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for others is to introduce them to Jesus Christ."
Elton Trueblood, the Quaker scholar, once compared evangelism to fire. Evangelism occurs, he said, when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires. It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as fire that does not burn is a contradiction.
Evangelism is not what we tell people, unless what we tell is totally consistent with who we are. It is who we are that is going to make the difference. If we do not truly enjoy our faith, nobody is going to catch the fire of enjoyment from us. If our lives are not totally centered on Christ, we will not be Christ-bearers for others, no matter how pious our words. Show the Glory of God in and through your life.
Finally, the best way to show God how Appreciative we are for what He has done is to DO BACK.
A steward is like a manager of a local McDonald’s Restaurant who carries out the aims of the owners, maximizes profits, while handling all the problems. Dr. Towns teaches a stewardship lesson in the Pastor’s Bible Class at Thomas Road Baptist Church which is the most requested lesson of all he has taught. "Who Owns Your French Fries". It is the story of a man who buys his little boy some french fries. Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one french fry to taste it. The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries." The father thinks that his son is selfish. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him. The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries; I just want one french fry." God has given us money, when He asks for a tithe, people figuratively slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off my money." God owns everything we have. He wants us: 1. To manage what we have for His glory. God expects us to manage our time, talent, temple, testimony and treasures. 2. To give back a portion of what he has given us.
This morning as we close our sermon on being thankful, let me borrow a description that one great preacher, who has gone to be with the Lord, used in one of his sermon:
MY JESUS, I AM THANKFUL FOR HIM BECAUSE:
“He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. He’s God’s Son. He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest idea in philosophy. He’s the fundamental truth in theology. He’s the miracle of the age. He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick, He cleans the lepers. He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, He beautifies the meek. Do you know Him?
Well, my king is the king of knowledge, He’s the well-spring of wisdom, He’s the doorway of deliverance, He’s the pathway of peace, He’s the roadway of righteousness, He’s the highway of holiness He’s the gateway of glory, He’s the master of the mighty, He’s the captain of the conquerors, He’s the head of the heroes, He’s the leader of the legislators, He’s the overseer of the overcomers, He’s the governor of governors, He’s the prince of princes, He’s the king of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Well. I wish I could describe Him to you. But He’s indescribable. Yes. He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible, He’s irresistible. I’m trying to tell you, the Heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Well. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my king!
He always has been, and He always will be. I’m talking about He [who] had no predecessor and He [who] has no successor. There was nobody before Him and there will be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him, and He’s not going to resign. We try to get prestige and honor and glory to ourselves, but the glory is all His. Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and when you get through with all of the forevers, then 'Amen'."
INVITATION
