Thankfulness: Family & Friends

Intro: W/ Thanksgiving next week the question “what are you thankful for” will inevitably come your way. I’d ask you to slow down and consider your answer. Because as the saying goes, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. So you may end up saying you’re thankful for something that you actions prove otherwise. The 2 most common answers to the thankfulness is question is always “MY FAMILY & MY FRIENDS” - that is the claim that I’d like you to consider tonight. Are you actually thankful for your family & friends? Will your life prove that claim.

Thankfulness to others is best displayed by obedience to God. Bc God’s way is best for everyone

But everyone here would already claim they are thankful for their friends and family, so tonight I’d like to put that claim to the test, I’d like to put you on trial as it were and bring charges and evidence to see if your claim of thankfulness holds up. Your actions will prove your claim.

Like the trial recently between Jack Sparrow & Amber Heard - who knows what all actually went down in that mess - but one things was sure - Amber Heard made allegations that she was ONLY the victim and never a perpetrator of violence and abuse - but then Johnny Depps lawyers brought charges and evidence - they sued her and brought evidence, like a recording of her admitting she hit him, photos of Johnny Depps bruised face, & a bizare story of Amber Heard leaving him a “surprise” in his bed.

Do we know what really happened? Probably not but one thing is for sure - amber heards claim was disproven and the jury decided the matter.

Tonight I bring charges and evidence - against you who claim you’re thankful for your family & friends - lets the Word of God be the judge and by the end you will either be proven innocent in need of no change or guilty in need of repentance.

WARNING OF MORALISM

1. Juvenile Incorrigibility -

child repeatedly or habitually disobeys the direction of the child's lawful parents, guardians

If you’re guilty of this than it is clear - you’re not thankful for you parents.

Evidence A - Disobedience

Eph 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Col 3:20 “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

This is your God given role as a child under your parents roof - to obey them

The word for obey means to listen to them, to do what they say

Illus: Mom, I’m so thankful for you. Oh thank you, will you take out the trash when you get a chance? NO!

Thankfulness to parents is marked by obedience to them

And maybe you’d say well so far so good, I do what my parents tell me to do. But how do you do it?

Do you do what they say but hate doing it? Is your motivation for obedience the fact that life is easier if you obey, bc they might take something away if you don’t obey, or bc you expect a reward if you do obey?

Or is your motivation to obey bc that is what is WELL PLEASING TO THE LORD? If your obedience is for selfish gain it might as well be disobedience.

Thankfulness = obedience

Evidence B - Dishonor

Eph 6.2 “Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),”

Ex 20.12 ““Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

Honor is different than obedience and in one sense, when you are older, moved out, independent, married - you don’t have to necessarily obey your parents - if they tell you to give them your phone when you are 45 you can say no. Why because you’re no a child anymore

But what never fades is the need to honor them.

The word for honor means ascribe worth too. To consider weighty & important

Illus: If you got the chance to have lunch with Elon Musk or Lebron James or Taylor Swift or John Macarthur or Andrew Tate (jk) but someone who you consider important - imagine how you’d act, not just the starstruckness but the way you’d treat them. You’d let them pick the restaurant, them order first, you’d ask them questions, let them speak, and listen to everything they said, you would be on your A game! Why? Because you consider them of importance, weighty and honor.

This is how we are to treat our parents, with honor.

Not just obedience to them like a master but adoration for them out of honor.

How would it look to honor your parents when they get home from work? Stay in your room and play video games, to facetime friends or to go out and talk with them

How would it look to honor your parents when they are not around?

How would it look to honor your parents w/ the things they give you like a phone, car, their trust?

If you’re thankful for them than you will honor them bc this is what God calls you too

2. Fratricide

sibling Killing sibling

You’re a brother/ sister in Christ?

Okay maybe you haven’t killed your sibling but if you’re thankful for your family you will be Bsibling scripture calls you to be but maybe the evidence proves otherwise

Evidence A - Anger

Matt 5.22 ““But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”

Anger towards your sibling is sin - the same heart attitude as one who commits murder

You may say you’re thankful for your siblings but would you’re anger towards them prove otherwise?

When was the last time you were angry with your sibling?

Chewing sounds/noises. ...

Repetitive tapping. ...

Interrupting during a conversation. ...

Texting during a meal. ...

Taking phone calls in public. ...

FaceTiming without headphones. ...

Throat-clearing/coughing noises. ...

Leaving drawers and cabinets open.

talk during movies

Slow walkers.

Weird selfies

We get angry over the smallest things dont we? But what if you’re sibling one a lottery or competition or got famous and gave you $1,000,000 and then they did a small thing that usually bothers you and makes you angry? You’d get over it, not mention it because of how thanful you were for them! In fact, they could do a lot worse and you would still not say anything bc of how thankful you are for them

Siblings are God given - and anger towards them is fruit that not only are you not thankful for them but you’re discontent w/ God who placed them there.

Evidence B - Speech

Eph 4.29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Matt 12:36 ““But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”

Would the things you say about your siblings say you are thankful for them

Evidence C - Modesty

1 Tim 2:9-10 “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.”

Example to sister

Example to brothers

Some of the things “christian women” wear today would have been shocking to unbelievers 50-60 years ago

You cannot let culture determine what is appropriate. You cannot say “everyone dresses this way its normal” - the World hates God - it will always be opposed to Him until He returns and reigns

Some maybe oblivious, never taught what is appropriate and you need a good dose of humility and talk to a older godly woman about how you dress

Some though, know better but are disobedient & that speaks volumes of your heart

Your not thankful for siblings by setting a bad example

Your not thankful for friends by being a stumbling block

God’s way is what is best for them and God’s way is a modest way

3. Artificial Friendship

Evidence A - Corruption

1 Cor 15.33 “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.””

Evidence B - Grudges

1 Pet 4:8-10 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Evidence C - Selfishness

John 15:12-13 ““This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Ultimately thankfulness is rooted in selflessness - if you find that these charges are valid, that you are guilty and that your thankfulness is merely empty words ot backed by your life it could be because YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS FOR YOURSELF

You will never be thankful if your highest priority and greatest concern is your own agenda, well being and desires. You need to see & belive in the ultimate example of a friend, Jesus Christ - who did lay down His life

He sacrificed so much - he left his comfort in Heaven & perfction to become man, live a perfect life morally but a difficult one physically, he ministered for 3 years but was persecuted, mocked, ridiculed,