“GIVING THANKS”
“GIVING THANKS”
EPHESIANS 5:19-20; 1 THESSALONIANS 1:1-3
INTRO: If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to happiness and all
perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and
praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that
whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise
God for it, you turn it into a blessing. -- William Law, quoted in My
Heart Sings, compiled by Joan Winmill Brown. Christianity Today,
Vol. 34, no. 1. As we near this day which has been set aside to offer
thanks to God for all that He has blessed us with, I have to ask
myself, How thankful are we as a nation?
As I survey our country today, just a short year later after the tragedy
of September 11, 2001, I see that as a nation we are no closer to God
than we were before that tragedy. We are no more grateful or
thankful to God for His blessings, nor are we seeking Him any more
than we did before! Our Country reminds me of the situation that
Paul describes in Romans 1:21-22—“Because that, when they knew
God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Paul
said, “They neither thanked him for his benefits, nor glorified him for
his divine perfection” (John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes). That surely
describes the majority of the people in our nation today! “The
beginning of men’s rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a
thankful heart”—Francis Schaeffer (1).
Friends, Today I want us to consider the subject, “Giving Thanks”. I
would ask each one today to ask themselves as they listen to the
message, “How thankful am I?” “Thanksgiving is a sure index of
spiritual health”—Maurice Dametz (2). Note three things with me:
(1) THANKGIVING IS A DEFINITE ATTITUDE
1 THESSALONIANS 1:2—“We give thanks to God always for you
all, making mention of you in our prayers.”
A. AN EXAMPLE OF A THANKFUL ATTITUDE. In nearly every Epistle,
Paul’s first words are those of thanksgiving and praise to God. Paul
says, “We give thanks..”, the words “give thanks” are one word in the
Greek eucharistia meaning “to be grateful and to express gratitude.”
Paul used the Greek word thanksgiving often. The word is eucharistia,
eu, “well,” and Charis, “grace, thanks” (3). When We consider God’s
grace, it should compel us to offer thanksgiving to God!
ILLUS: The famous stress researcher Hans Seyle claims that two
attitudes more than any other influence the quality of every
day life, and on these two emotions “depend our peace of mind,
our feelings of security or insecurity, of fulfillment or
frustration, in short, the extent to which we can make a
success of life.” The most destructive emotion is revenge. But
in contrast, “among all the emotions, there is one which more
than any other, accounts for the absence or presence of stress
in human relations: that is the feeling of gratitude.”
Mike McAdams of Nashville, Tennessee, visited his wife,
Cheryl in the intensive care unit of the hospital. “How is she?”
an anxious friend asked as he exited her unit. “It’s touch and
go,” Mike replied. “She recognized me. We prayed together
and held hands. And then we quoted the passage about
thanksgiving in the book of James that says, ‘Consider it joy,
my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds…’” “You
know,” he added, “it’s impossible to be anxious and thankful at
the same time.” (4).
Thanksgiving is a definite attitude. It is a choice we make. We can
either be thankful and express gratitude for the rich blessings of God,
or else, We can gripe, murmur and complain about our circumstances.
The choice is ours! William Law said, “The greatest saint in the world
is not he who prays the most or fasts the most; it is not he who gives
alms, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice. It is he
who is most thankful to God, and who has a heart always ready to
praise Him” (5).
B. AN EXHORTATION TO A THANKFUL ATTITUDE. Paul encourages
us in Ephesians 5:20—“Giving thanks always for all things unto God
and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Oliver B. Greene
said in his commentary on Ephesians, “A Spirit-filled person is a
thankful person…always for all things. A Spirit-filled person will be
always thanking God for the Lord Jesus, and for the spiritual joy,
peace, blessings, assurance and security that we have through the
shed blood and the grace of God in the Lord Jesus” (6). Paul tells us in
1 Thessalonians 5:18—“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Paul’s thanksgiving was
independent of his circumstances. He continued to thank God despite
the many hardships he face (2 Corinthians 11:22-33). Note also that
Paul’s thanksgiving was evidenced in prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 1:2
we read, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of
you in our prayers.” To Paul this was a spontaneous outflow of his love
for Christ and the saints of God. We should echo Paul, as we recognize
our debt to God for the gift of eternal life and for His providence in
sustaining us day by day!
ILLUS: Someone writing in Christianity Today several years ago said,
"Shall I thank God at this Thanksgiving? Why was I born at
this particular time in the history of the world? Why was I born
in a spotless delivery room in an American hospital instead of
a steaming shelter in the dank jungle of the Amazon or a mud
hut in Africa? Why did I have the privilege of going to school
with capable instructors while millions around the world,
without a school book, sit or squat on a dirt floor listening to a
missionary?” "How does it happen that my children are tucked
into warm beds at night with clean white sheets while millions
of babies in the world will lie in cold rooms, many in their own
filth and vomit? Why can I sit down to a warm meal whenever I
want to and eat too much when millions will know all of their
lives the gnawing pangs of hunger? Do I deserve to share in
such wealth? Why me and not other millions? Why was I born
in a land I didn't build, in a prosperity that I didn't create and
enjoy a freedom that I didn't establish? Why an American
sitting comfortably in my own living room this Thanksgiving
rather than an Indian squatting in the dark corner of some
infested alley in Calcutta, shivering in the cold, or a
Cambodian in the rubble of what used to he my home, or a
terrified, running Nicaraguan in the jungle? Do I deserve it? By
what right do I have it?" -- Joel Gregory, "The Unlikely
Thanker," Preaching Today, Tape No. 110.
My Friend, All that we possess—wealth, health, possessions, etc—all come from the hand of a Loving God. We don’t deserve anything, but He freely bestows them on us by His grace! We have much to praise and thank God for! THANKSGIVING IS A DEFINITE ATTITUDE but also note…
(2) THANKGIVING IS A DUTY ASCRIBED
EPHESIANS 5:20—“Giving thanks always for all things unto God
and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
*The word Ascribed means “to consider or declare as belonging to” (Funk &
Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary, Volume 1, A-M, p. 37). Because of
wonderful mercy and grace of God we have a duty to be thankful. Notice:
A. GIVING THANKS IS A COMMAND. According to v20 of our text it is a
Biblical command to be thankful. It is not optional! God was the first
to declare a Thanksgiving Proclamation. In Exodus 23:14-16 we read,
“Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt
keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread
seven days, as I have commanded thee, in the time appointed of the
month of Abib; for in it that camest out from Egypt: and none shall
appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy
labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering,
which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours
out of the field.” Since that first command we find it repeated
throughout the Scriptures:
Deuteronomy 8:10—“When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou
shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given
thee.”
Psalms 100:4—“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his
courts with praise: be thankful to him, and bless his name.”
1 Chronicles 16:8—“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name,
make known his deed among the people.”
Colossians 3:15—“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the
which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful.”
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 1:2—“We give thanks to God always for
all of you…”. To Paul thanksgiving is simply something he does. In 2
Thessalonians 1:3 we read, “We are bound to thank God always for
you…” or we could read it this way: “It is our duty to thank God
always for you.” Paul further declares that thanksgiving is not an
option but mandatory in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 where we read, “But
we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of
the Lord, because God hath chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” Giving thanks is a
command and we should always be thankful!
ILLUS: BE THANKFUL
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you
grow.
Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you
opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your
strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable
lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means
you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich
fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the
setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can
become your blessings. --Author unknown.
B. GIVING THANKS IS A COMMITMENT. The person who is truly
thankful for the blessings of God will be a person who is committed to
praising and thanking God for all the Lord does for him at all times.
There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you are
interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances
permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses,
only results. - Art Turock, Getting Physical (Doubleday) Paul said in
Ephesians 5:20—“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That takes commitment!
The problem is that so many today are committed to griping and
complaining instead of praising and thanking God for the rich
blessings He bestows.
ILLUS: Charles Dickens said that we are somewhat mixed up here in
America. He told an audience that instead of having one
Thanksgiving Day each year we should have 364. "Use that
one day just for complaining and griping," he said. "Use the
other 364 days to thank God each day for the many blessings
He has showered upon you."
THANKSGIVING IS A DEFINITE ATTITUDE, THANKSGIVING IS A DUTY ASCRIBED and finally…
(3) THANKGIVING IS A DAILY ACTIVITY
EPHESIANS 5:20a—“Giving thanks always for all things…”
A. THE TIME OF GIVING THANKS. Notice v20 says, “Giving thanks
ALWAYS…” We are to live in a spirit of thanksgiving. When something
does go wrong we should praise the Lord because He does all for our
good and His glory (Romans 8:28). 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tell us, “In
everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you.” Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for
everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come
from God, so we should not thank him for evil. But when evil strikes,
we can still be thankful for who God is, and for the good he can bring
through the distress (7).
ILLUS: The devotional book Springs in the Valley tells of a man who
found a barn where Satan kept his seeds ready to be sown in
the human heart. He found that the seeds of discouragement
were more numerous than the others and he learned those
seeds could be made to grow almost anywhere. But when
Satan was questioned, he reluctantly admitted that there was
one place in which he could never get them to thrive. “And
where is that?” asked the man. Satan replied, “In the heart of
a grateful person.”
B. THE SCOPE OF GIVING THANKS. Ephesians 5:20 once again says,
“Giving thanks always FOR ALL THINGS…” "Gratitude is what always
spoils life when it is left out." A thankful spirit enables one to praise
God even when circumstances are difficult. Alexander Whyte, the
Scottish preacher, always began his prayers with an expression of
gratitude. One cold, miserable day his people wondered what he would
say. He prayed, "We thank Thee, O Lord, that it is not always like this."
1. The Assessment of our Blessings. How blessed are we? Whatever
we have, we have because God in his grace and generosity has given
it to us. When we realize this, there comes into our lives a joyful
gratitude for what we do have, and we are freed from resentment
and anxiety over what we don't have. -- Ben Patterson, Marriage
Partnership, Vol. 7, no. 3.
ILLUS: While on a short-term missions trip, Pastor Jack Hinton
was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of
Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the
pulpit turned around. "It was the most hideous face I had
ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman's nose and ears were
entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and
asked, 'Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?' "
Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was
followed by a team member who said, "I guess you'll never
be able to sing that song again." "Yes I will," he replied, "but
I'll never sing it the same way." -- The Pastor's Update
(5/96). Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching
(Baker), from the editors of Leadership.
OH How blessed WE are! And how ungrateful so many times we
are!
2. The Amazement of our blessings. We are to count our blessings,
and as the song goes, “Name them one by one.” When we begin to
count our blessings we are going to be truly amazed at just how
blessed we really are! The Psalmist said in Psalm 68:19—“Blessed
be the LORD, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our
salvation.” Daily we should take assessment of our blessings and
then we will truly be amazed how blessed of God we really are!
ILLUS: Someone has written:
"Count it all joy" (James 1:2).
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
We should see a silver lining in every dark cloud!
• When we are tempted to complain about the bed being uncomfortable, just thank God we got a bed of some kind.
• When we don’t like a particular food, thank God that we’ve got some food to eat at all.
• When our kids get on our nerves, thank God we have kids to get on our nerves.
• When trials and heartaches invade our lives we can thank God for HIS grace can strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).
• When we lose a loved one who is saved we can thank God for the hope and assurance we have of seeing them in Heaven.
CLOSING: Let each of us resolve today to from this day forward to apply the
principle of “Giving thanks always for all things…” William Ward
said, “God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you
used one to say, ‘thank You’ ”? I want to share this with you before
I close today: Forgive Me When I Whine
Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;
I envied her-she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet-the world is mine.
And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me
had such charm;
He seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and
warm;
I said, "It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find";
He turned and said, "Oh, thank you sir." And then I saw that he
was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is
mine.
Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of
blue;
He stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what
to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said, "Why don’t you join the others,
dear?"
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not
hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is
mine.
With feet to take me where I’d go; with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
With ears to hear what I would know. I am blessed indeed.
The world is mine; oh, God, forgive me when I whine. --Source
Unknown
Friends, May we all, at all times, “Give Thanks” for the wonderful
blessings we enjoy from God!
NOTES: 1. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations—Contemporary &
Classical. p. 201.
2. Wells. p. 200.
3. Spiro Zodhiates, ThD. Exegetical Preaching. Volume 1. p. 112.
4. Robert J. Morgan. Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations
& Quotes. p. 735.
5. Wells. p. 201.
6. Oliver B. Greene. The Epistle of Paul The Apostle to The
Ephesians. p. 181.
7. Living Letters From The Life Application Bible. p. 167.
8. Wells. p. 202.
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