“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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