Some Unusual Things To Be Thankful For Psalm 100
Today we are going to eat lunch together- reminds me of a note I once got from Jenny
Visiting a church to preach- was going to eat afterward
Opened it before I got up, All it said was KISS -Pastor said that’s sweet
I quickly corrected him and told him it meant- Keep It Short Stupid
First lets turn our attention to Thanksgiving
In this game of life – sometimes we are distinguished from others by our virtue of thankfulness-
One Day
Two golfers stepped up to the first tee on the St. Andrews course at Ardsley, New York, one of America’s oldest courses. The elder one was a kindly man who played a thoughtful, deliberate game. The younger man was full of pride and impatience. On the first hole he sliced, lost his ball in the tall grass, shot another one, and had a score of eight instead of four or five. On the second tee he began to lecture the caddie: "Keep your eye peeled. I’m not here to do your job for you!" Thereafter, every bad shot was the caddie’s fault! At the end of the first nine holes, the young man was so enraged that he discharged the caddie and carried his own bag. "That caddie doesn’t like me," he said to his companion, " and I’m **** sure I don’t like him. He made me nervous. Thank God he’s gone!"
After several holes had been played without a word, the older player broke the silence: "Several years ago a little kid from Yonkers came up here and was taken on as a caddie. He was a wonderfully sweet-natured boy; quick-witted, willing, and had a nose for golf. Everybody liked him. His name was William; he had a club foot. But that didn’t affect his quality as a caddie. It was a pleasure to go out with him. A certain famous doctor, a member of the club, became interested in William and took him South on a long trip. When William returned, he went back to caddying. The doctor, however, had to give up golf shortly after that because of his health. He died a few months later. One morning I was playing a round with William carrying my bag. Spring was running riot all over Westchester County and the fields and hedges were alive with blossoms. William gathered flowers until he had quite a bouquet. ’Who’s the girl, William?’ I asked. ’I haven’t any girl, sir,’ he said sheepishly. ’They’re for my friend, the doctor--twice a week I take flowers to his grave.’ "You see," the man went on, "the doctor took him down South that winter and operated on his foot. He made the boy whole again. And William never forgot the doctor’s act of kindness." "Now that’s a caddie worth having," the younger man said. "What ever happened to this William?" "He carried your bag today for the first nine holes."
Are you thankful for the one who serves you?
The caddie was as was the one he served- Relationship
The young golfer could not have imagined the relationship that this servant had with his master!!- Such gratitude cannot be found often. Yet God has done no less for us –
Are we thankful??
This leads to 4 thinks that may seem a little unusual, But I think we should be thankful for them!!!
1. Blood-
Eph 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" NASB
The promise of eternal life
The answer to our sin-problem
A way to enter into His Kingdom
The essence of both our spiritual and our physical life.
2. Salt-
Romans 10:14 "How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" NASB
"preacher"- gr. Kerusso- proclaimer
We are all called to proclaim:
Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth..." NASB
We are to be:
healers
givers of meaning "taste"
heralders of the truth
I’m thankful for all those who were salt through the times of persecution, etc.
Because I heard the gospel 2000 yrs later!!
3. Clay
Is 64:8 "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and thou our potter; And all of us are the work of thy hand." NASB
From the ground was man made- The question is "does God still mold us?"
Isaiah answers with a resounding "YES"
We should be moldable
1. Saved- Blood
2. Obedient- Salty
I am thankful that He is in control of what I need to be!!
4. Light
John 8:12 "Jesus spoke to them saying- I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness; but have the light of life" NASB
This world is dark- sin, death, gloom, etc.
That is why the world seems to be so unthankful-
they cannot see the benefits of God
We have had our eyes opened to the greater things of life- the unseen things:
Love
Joy
Friendship
Salvation
Generosity
(Blood, Salt, Clay, and Light)- His Amazing Grace in action
Today We Should Lift up our voices in Thankfulness to Jesus in Praise
Sing Amazing Grace as Invitation
