Thanksgiving 2017
Psalm 8
Ephesians 2:1-10
Message:
It is Thanksgiving 2017 and we celebrate the goodness of our God and His endless blessings toward us. We see that goodness and blessing in so many areas of our lives that we can’t but help be thankful.
In a world that is impacted by natural disasters and senseless violence our God continues to shelter and protect us while at the same time empowering us. If you are a Christian you are empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit living in you. You are empowered by the grace of God as Ephesians 2:1-10 tells us.
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
In this world of disorder we can take solace in the fact that our Heavenly Father has established His divine order as seen in Psalm 8 and He is using us to maintain that order while we live on planet earth. Our God has ordained that we should have dominion over the works of His hands everything is to be under our feet. Our God has empowered us with the authority and responsibility of stewardship.
That authority and responsibility is constantly being challenged by the enemy but there is a way to still the enemy to stop him dead in his tracks.
“2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2 NIV
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Psalm 8:2
Saints we are in a war for this planet and its dominion. I for one am not ready to surrender to the enemy the things that our God has given us dominion over. I am thankful that I live in a country that still allows me the freedom of speech and the right to preach the religion of my conscience.
For with that freedom I can share the most powerful words we possess.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Those words are still life changing words and bear an Eternal truth that no enemy can overcome. In these times of disaster, violence and social unrest we can still be the voice of God’s love, forgiveness and truth in a world were words of division, violence and hate seek to engulf us.
Our own children are a source of power and authority over such words when they praise the name of our God. Such praise stills or silences the words of the enemy.
Sunday school teachers and Moms and Dads are in fact on the frontlines of the battlefield against such an enemy in our culture. We can win the day still. Teach your children the power of Gods words. Equip them for the battle they will face outside of the shelter of your home.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
Saints it is the Love of God that must take dominion over this world of ours. We can be thankful that we are called to model that love and extend that love to a broken world. For by the love of God evil will be vanquished and the order of all things will be put right for all time.
Until that day, I encourage you to demonstrate your thanks to God for the opportunity to demonstrate His love for all people just as He has demonstrated that love to you through Jesus Christ.
Let us be thankful that our Heavenly Father calls us to be a channel of His peace and instruments of His love for by them love conquers all things.
Amen.
