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Sermon: Thanksgiving Versus Thanksliving
Text: I Thessalonians 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Introduction: I believe Scripture substantiates the fact that God expects us to thank Him for His blessings in our lives.
This is evidenced in the words of Jesus to the one lone ex-leper who returned to thank Him
Luke 17:15-17:
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on hisface at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
God not only deserves our thanks, but I believe He also desires it.
He wants us to be grateful for His goodness rather than just take it all for granted.
How many of you took time out this past week just to re-count your blessings and thank God for everything He’s done for you?
As we prepare to have Thanksgiving this week, let us understand that God doesn’t want our thanksgiving to be limited to one Thursday in November. God wants us to continue to thank Him.
He wants us to live a life of thankfulness.
Let's Look back at what Paul has to say about it all in our text this evening
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
In Ephesians 5:19-20, he say's
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
In Philippians 4:4, he writes:
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice
Paul made it clear that our giving of thanks is to be continual not dependent on our situations
it is to be ongoing in spite of our circumstances, not just when everything is going good.
Even though Paul faced some very devastating circumstances,
Paul was able to maintain an attitude of gratitude because he held onto a proper perspective of both God and His circumstances.
He knew that God was good all the time and consequently, he knew that a good God would only allow circumstances that would ultimately result in something good.
Paul's attitude toward his circumstances and situations mirrored that of Joseph in
Genesis 50:19-20 where Joseph said:
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
You will remember that Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him into slavery.
But this situation was just a part of God’s bigger plan of protecting His people and Joseph recognized that rather than wallow in self-pity over the tough times he had to just endure and trust and be thankful to God
Joseph's attitude basically says: "Since God is good, then this bad circumstance must be meant to bring about some further good in or through my life or else God would not have allowed it."
What an accurate picture of the pain and suffering, and all the negative stuff, that we all have to face in this life.
It all originates from satan, who intends to harm us, but when God allows it to happen, it can only mean He has something good in store.
Knowing that God expects us to live a life of thanksgiving rather than offering limited thanks, and knowing that we must never lose sight of God’s goodness and God’s hand at work in everything we face –
I want to share you with you three reasons why our thanksgiving must be continual no matter what are circumstances may be
I. BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WATCHING AND LISTENING
A. The world seems to ignore the good news we try to share with them, but they become all ears when negative circumstances befall us.
1. Consider the situation Paul and Silas found themselves in
in Acts 16:22-25:
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them
2. When our circumstances turn from good to bad, when the flow of God’s blessings seem to be temporarily turned off in our lives, what we tend to forget is that it is at these moments that the world is most likely watching our lives.
They wan't to see how we will react.
B. Times of suffering and hardship often provides you and I the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Christianity.
1. If we are only grateful and joyful when things are going good then how are we any different from the rest of the world?
What do we have that they would want?
2. Peter said in I Pe 2:12:
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Simply put Live such good lives that even though people accuse you of doing wrong or things go wrong people may see your good deeds and glorify God
3. Jesus speaking in Mt 5:14-16 said:
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Application: If you want to be used of God to bring your unsaved friends family and co-workers to Christ, then you must learn to continually praise God, even when things aren’t going good for you – because it’s then, when you’ve got their attention.
We must offer continual thanks:
II. BECAUSE SATAN IS WATCHING AND LISTENING
A. Peter says: 1 Peter 5:8-10
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Think about this question
1. What kind of animals do lions most often devour?
The weak, the injured and the sick.
2. What tips Satan off that we might be at a point of vulnerability, that our suffering has weakened us?
When he hears our praise turn sour and our thanksgiving disappear.
3. Peter warns us to be careful,
to be on our guard,
to watch out for Satan’s attempts to devour us.
Resist Satan by standing firm in the faith.
There is no better way to do this than to thank God, even when it looks like there’s nothing left to thank Him for.
B. When Satan sees our thanksgiving disappear during times of suffering, I believe he turns up the heat even more.
1. Like a lion listening for the sound of a wounded animal, Satan listens for us to gripe and complain.
2. He listens for the sounds of us accusing God of being unfair or unfaithful because of our circumstances.
3.When we allow our circumstances and situations to overcome us, our thanksgiving is often overcome also and this opens up the opportunity for Satan to step in and fuel the fire.
Application: We need to learn to continually offer thanks to God regardless of our current situation not only because the world is listening and our witness depends on it, but also because Satan is listening and our Christian walk depends on it.
We must offer continual thanks:
III. BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING AND LISTENING
A. Asa, King of Judah, had been confronted by a mighty army. Rather than rely on God, he made an alliance with the King of Aram.
God said to him: II chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- What God was saying is – I’m looking for people that I can demonstrate my power and strength through.
I’m looking for people whose hearts are fully committed to me and trust me through the good, the bad and the ugly.
B. A few chapters later, King Jehoshphat came along and he did just that.
1. When God saw the commitment of his heart, He released His mighty power to deliver Jehoshpat from his impossible circumstances.
2. Look what God said to him: II Chronicles 20:17-24
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
C. Thanksgiving opens the door to God’s power which opens the door to victory.
1. God is looking for people in whom He can show Himself strong, but those people have got to be people whose hearts are fully committed to God.
People who are willing to thank Him even when face to face with difficult circumstances.
2. Acts 16:25-26:
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed
3. In Paul’s situation, thanksgiving brought them freedom - suddenly their chains came loose as God shook the foundation of the prison.
Application: Thanksgiving doesn’t always bring an immediate end to our adverse circumstances.
However, it will bring an inner freedom in the midst of them.
God is listening.
God is watching.
He sees much more than we see.
He views the whole picture.
Thus we must understand that as we thank Him and praise Him our adverse situations will begin to fade behind the truth of the greatness of our God.
Conclusion: The circumstances won’t end until God has finished the work that He has begun. But, if we will learn to give thanks and praise in the midst of it all, we will learn that God will grant us His inner peace and assurance.
Phillipians 4:4-7 encourages us by saying:
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord isat hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I wish I could say that I’ve done well when it comes to thanks-living, but I have to be honest, as I reflect on my Christian walk, more often than not my thankfulness has not always been continual.
But the deeper I go into God's Word, the more evident it becomes that I must truly possess an attitude of gratitude.
God help me and you to not just be hearers of His Word, but to be true doers of His Word.
Let's pray!
