5.13.52a 11.20.2022 1 Chronicles 16.8-13 Thanks
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1 Entice: It is polite to write “Thank You” notes in response to gifts or kindnesses. This past week was my birthday. I tried to respond individually to all my FaceBook well-wishers with an individual Thank you. When a group, team, church, or company excels at something the leader will often say something like “Thank You’s all around.” And this week our nation will hit the road, the gridiron, and table for our own unique twist on the ancient “festival of thanks.”
2 Engage: I think most of us would agree that
as
Thanksgiving has grown more commercialized
the thanking
has become less sincere.
Gratitude is an attitude.
It reflects our relationship with God and those around us. It should include certain feelings and convictions. Convictions about ourselves, about God and about our world. We can wish that it would be so in our world, and act to make it so in our church and our community.
1 Chronicles 16:8–13 (ESV)
8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13 O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
3 Expand: This is an “embedded” Psalm of David. We see it in its context of worship and celebration. We are accustomed to reading the Psalms in their gathered state in the book of Psalms. There are many other Psalms scattered throughout the OT.
This song of public praise and thanks, these words, help us to see that gratitude is inherent to our restored relationship with God. This song helps us to balance how
we act in the world,
with God’s work in the world.
4 Excite: Thankfulness should not be seasonal, or occasional but constant.
Explore:
Thankfulness is a part of our Communal relationship with God.
Thankfulness is a part of our Communal relationship with God.
Explain: I want to share three effects real gratitude has upon us and our churches. Gratitude
1 Commits us Emotionally.
1 Commits us Emotionally.
(Giving Thanks together Creates Community)
thankfulness commits us emotionally
1.1 Because it is a shared experience.
1.1 Because it is a shared experience.
Thankfulness commits us emotionally
1.2 Because it is a diverse experience.
1.2 Because it is a diverse experience.
Thankfulness commits us emotionally
1.3 Because it is a layered experience.
1.3 Because it is a layered experience.
By layered I mean that you and I have our diverse experiences all at the same time.
I spent much of Thanksgiving Day 2018 in Deaconess hospital downtown. My father had recently had a stroke. He would not really get too much better over the next two years. We watched football, he had a hospital thanksgiving dinner. I had a grilled cheese. My thanksgiving was surely not as bad as his. Mine wasn’t great. Circumstances of his hospitalization meant no one came for dinner. Mrs. Beckman and I decided early on, no Turkey. We had steaks instead.
Each of us learns to give thanks amid our own circumstances, and alongside others.
Some give thanks amid good times, others amid bad. Some have mixed experiences. This layering of good and bad, positive and negative experiences broadens our collective experiences. We learn to give comfort with the afflicted and celebrate with those filled with Joy. When thanksgiving is celebrated by God’s people this shared, diverse, and layered experience gives depth and shape to our thankfulness in Christ.
The next effect is that gratitude
2 Connects us Theologically.
2 Connects us Theologically.
(Makes us a focused community)
2.1 Helps us to understand the Nature and Deeds of God.
2.1 Helps us to understand the Nature and Deeds of God.
2.2 Helps us to understand the Nature and Need of Man
2.2 Helps us to understand the Nature and Need of Man
that is, it helps us to understand ourselves.
Finally gratitude
3 Centers us Spiritually.
3 Centers us Spiritually.
(Makes us a worshipping & Serving Community)
3.1 These words were sung publicly during a celebration of What God did and was doing in the midst of His people.
3.1 These words were sung publicly during a celebration of What God did and was doing in the midst of His people.
In the OT thanksgiving unified God’s people around HIS saving actions.
3.2 IN the NT the phrase “He gave/had giventhanks and...”
3.2 IN the NT the phrase “He gave/had giventhanks and...”
is recorded by the gospels when they describe Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper.
For example, in Matthew 26.27
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
Paul echoes those words in 1 Corinthians.
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
The worshipping Church has always centered its gatherings on a public acknowledgement of God’s saving work.
3.3 The church shows gratitude not only in acts of worship but also in faith and service.
3.3 The church shows gratitude not only in acts of worship but also in faith and service.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
Shut Down:
1 Say thank you. Be thankful. Touch others. People who have been saved from their sins should be overwhelmed with gratitude. We should want to share that attitude with others.
2 Christ invites you to share your good fortune with others. Invite them to worship. Invite them to meet our Jesus. Invite them to share our joy.