Give Thanks

Introduction

By God’s grace we are coming upon the Thanksgiving holiday next week and we’ll start our Advent series next Sunday.. What a great time of year.

Growing up, one of the things my parents always sought to teach us was to be thankful.

When we recieved something from someone, we were instructed to say “thank you”.

When we were offered something we didn’t want, we were taught to say, “no, thank you.”

In Boy Scouts we were taught that when you hand someone a knife, the giver takes the knife by the blade and extends the hilt to the recipient. The recipient says, “thank you” as way to express that they have a firm grip on the knife and the giver can let go. Last thing you want amongst boys and young men is for them to drop sharp knives on their feet!

The Bible has over 160 scripture references to giving thanks.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Thanksgiving)

THANKSGIVING (תּוֹדָה, todah; εὐχαριστία, eucharistia). The act of offering thanks or being thankful, usually to God. Often connected to provision, deliverance, or God’s character. Commonly associated in Scripture with meals and worship.

Within the Greek word itself is the word Grace!

From early on in scripture there is a pattern of giving thanks. By giving thanks there is an acknowledgement of Grace. There is a thanksgiving offering that is instituted by the time we see the Levitical law being put into place (Lev 7:11-15). Thanksgiving bears a prominent place in the Psalms, both on an individual (e.g., Psa 116) and communal (e.g., Psa 100) level.

McKnight, C. (2016). Thanksgiving. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

Harvard Medical School published an article in 2021 that states gratitude can actually make you happier. We don’t need Harvard to tell us what the Bible already encourages us to do is real, but it’s always fun when academia publishes what God has already told us.

They say, “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

They give 5 practices that help in cultivating an attitude of thanksgiving:

Write a thank-you note: builds and nurtures relationships. Sending it in the mail (everyone likes getting mail in this digital world), or even better yet, write it, deliver it and then read it to the person.

Write a gratitude journal: Ann Voskamp (10,000 gifts) has a great book on this.

Count your blessings: pick a time each week and reflect, pick a number, and write down a few things you are grateful for.

Pray: People who cultivate their faith are statistically more happy

Meditate: While the world/culture thinks that “Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment.”; Scripture/Biblical meditation is filling ourselves, thoughts, mind with scripture and thinking about the Lord.

That’s what we are going to to do this morning.

When I think of thanksgiving and giving thanks in the Bible I think of the text that read almost every Sunday. For our time at the Lord’s table we normally read 1 Cor 11:23-26. This is what we are going to focus on this morning. I think there are some beautiful gems buried here within our text that I’d like to see if the Lord won’t allow us to unearth.

Since this is our passage this morning, I’m taking the liberty to have us partake communion together at the end of the service as we think on this text.

If you are able and are willing, would you stand with me as I read our text this morning.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Please be seated.

“On the night that he was betrayed”

What a night that was. Paul the apostle in writing this to the church in Corinth, and to us, is reminding us what kind of night it was.

It was the night he was betrayed. You remember that one, right?

We remember those wrongs, don’t we. In fact, sometimes the holidays are the worst because we have been hurt because of those closest to us. Maybe its those we no longer spend time with, those who have hurt us, those we have had to have distance from because they are to toxic. Or maybe we made a mistake and we hurt someone one. Often times when we are left, when there is relational hurt, betrayal is a good description to help clarify what happened.

Jesus knew betrayal. You remember…

Betrayed by Judas. Deserted by his closest friends. Left in his hour of need. The people that should have known him and embraced him… rejected, beaten, killed.

I’m sure you’ve probably felt it too.

As a pastor whose primary focus is people, betrayal is not unique to my vocation. Firefighters, nurses, corporations, education, do I even need to bring up politics? My parents lived in Washington DC for a time and I think many are betrayal for a morning snack.

While I’ve experienced betrayal in my role as a pastor, I’ll never forget Brett Keiger. Brett was my best friend in middle school. There I was one winter day in New Mexico outside eating lunch. Brett had been a little distant but I didn’t think much of it. But sure enough, that fateful winter day from across the table the slimiest, greasy-ist, cheesy-ist, pepperoni-ist piece of pizza came flying at me and landed right on my brand new winter coat that I had worn for the first day at school. I looked up and saw that it was Brett who threw it. Brett and group of “friends” were laughing at me. Congratulating each other on their success of my humiliation. I couldn’t believe it… Brett… I thought we were friends… my new coat… I was so upset. I confronted him and as he laughed in my face I punched him. To add insult to injury, he proceeded to tell me that his sister hit harder than I did. I was humiliated, I was broken, I walked off destroyed.

Wherever you are now, Brett… I love you, I forgive you. Hope you are well. :)

Now, I’m not comparing my Jr High trauma to what Jesus experienced, but if you have been betrayed by loved ones, safe ones, close ones, its not hard to imagine.

Paul wants us, and the church in Corinth to remember the situation, what was happening. What was about to go down. Almost as if we are brought into Jesus’ mind. The setup that Jesus knew was going to take place. Oh yes, Jesus knew what was going to happen that night. He told them… remember?

Matthew 26:31-35 “Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.”

Let that sink in… Jesus knew what was going to happen. What did Paul say happened next…

“When he had given thanks”

This is the word εὐχαριστία

Jesus knew what was going to happen that night… and yet he gave thanks.

When we are hurt, betrayed, wounded by another… our natural reaction is not to give thanks.

Now I don’t think Jesus was giving thanks for the situation that was about to happen. But here is what I want us to see.

In giving thanks, he is recognizing the good gift giver. Would he be wounded in a little while, yes. Would it eventually result in his capture, torture, and eventual death, yes. He trusted God in the process. He emptied himself of his own desires and took upon himself the desires and will of God and trusted the goodness and sovereignty of God for his life.

This is the sanctifying work. This is the work that he puts before us. Can we, in the midst of hurt, betrayal, discomfort look beyond the moment to see him and look for His plan in the midst of the difficulty. I do believe that is why God gives us this account of what Jesus went through. He also surrounds us with people (community) that help sustain us when we are weak. People that speak life when were in the throws of what is going down.

He grabbed the bread, he gave thanks to God… a standard prayer being, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

The then...

“Took bread and broke it”

He shares a meal with those that will betray him. He brings his “enemy(ies)” to the table.

What do we do when we are hurt? We put up walls. We seek to protect our hearts. It’s natural.

Walls are different than boundaries.

Walls are impersonal, prohibit intimacy, and are usually put up upon anger/conflict. Walls cause us to weaponize hurt. We’ve felt betrayed and any time we feel threatened again we use this as ammunition to manipulate and control a situation for our perceived safety. When in fact we continue to do more relational, emotional, and spiritual damage. Happens in all types of relationships (marriages, friendships, work relationships, etc.) This is significant.

Boundaries communicate what we want in our relationships, are flexible (when appropriate), and are created in the context of dialogue. These maintain healthy relationships, allow for honest disclosure of feelings, and respect the emotions of all. Boundaries promote thriving for all people involved when done well.

Jesus sets a table knowing that those whom he loves will be a source of wounding.

This wounding would be profound and would ultimately lead to his death… he would pray three times for God to remove this from him… however, PRAISE THE LORD, he said, “Not my will but yours be done”.

The bread is his body. He gives himself.

His righteousness was imputed to us. He gave it to us. His life was lived in complete yielding and submission to the Father. He was righteous. This righteousness is given to us.

Romans 5:18-20 “So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more”

As our allegiance is to Jesus, he clothes us in his righteousness. He puts his position before God on us.

The symbolism was not only to pass out the bread for everyone to partake, but it speaks to the fact that his body would be abused. His body would be hit, ridiculed, whipped, spat upon, and eventually crucified.

After he had given thanks, he took the bread and broke it.

“In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood”

Leviticus 17:11 tells us that the life of the animal is in its blood.

The blood that was spilt in Exodus to save the children of Israel from the 10th plague, the angel of Death, was a foreshadow of the covering and of the propitiation (or satisfaction) of God’s wrath against sin in the shedding of Jesus blood Upon the cross.

This act of going to the cross would cause him to bear the wounds that we see post his resurrection as he shows himself to Thomas and the others. John still sees him as a lamb who has been slain in the book of Revelation.

After he had given thanks… he gave them the cup.

It’s not as if they hadn’t been through some things. You may remember that at one point Jesus was talking about this very moment and the crowds couldn’t handle it. It was difficult. Many turned their back on him.

John 6:53 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves.”

John 6:60-61 “Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?” Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you?”

John 6:66-67 “From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?””

It is my prayer for you… it is my prayer for me that we would respond just as Peter did in John 6:68-69 “Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.””

But it would be a few hours later they would all desert him.

Why is this helpful to remember.

The holidays sometimes bring out our woundedness… We’re reminded of the way sometimes things haven’t gone the way we want.

Jesus’ heart, love, and compassion for those that would hurt him.

I hope to show as well, which shouldn’t take much convincing… the cup, the bread, why we do it each week, is because we need this reminder… you see our sin betrays Jesus. Sin flies in the face of the confession that we hold that Jesus is Lord. But what this proclaims that we are being renewed. That our sin has been separated from us as far as the East is from the West… that God does not account this to us any longer for Jesus took the wrath of God upon himself for the sin of the world.

In all of this he gave thanks.

Apart from our own healing, why is this important…

Because we exhorted to have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:1-11 “If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

Anselm of Canterbury (Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109), Benedictine Monk, abbot, philosopher, and theologian recorded this prayer:

“Almighty and tender Lord Jesus Christ, just as I have asked you to love my friends so I ask the same for my enemies. You alone, Lord, are mighty. You alone are merciful. Whatever you make me desire for my enemies, give it to them. And give the same back to me. If I ever ask for them anything which is outside your perfect rule of love, whether through weakness, ignorance or malice, good Lord, do not give it to them and do not give it back to me.

You who are the true light, lighten their darkness. You who are the whole truth, correct their errors. you who are the incarnate word give life to their souls. Tender Lord jesus , let me not be a stumbling block to them nor a rock of offense. My sin is sufficient to me, without harming others. I, a slave to sin beg your mercy on my fellow slaves. Let them be reconciled with you, and through you reconciled to me.”

Conclusion

As we follow Jesus, there will be those that we love dearly that will walk away from relationship (for one reason or another) and if we are honest, it will feel like a betrayal.

It is here that we have an opportunity to close off our hearts and put walls up. Or, like Jesus, continue to set a table welcoming all who would come and dine.

What this means is that we are what Henri Nouwen (Dutch Catholic priest who recently went to be with the Lord in 1996) calls a wounded healer. These scars we bear testify to the falleness of man/humanity, how we fall short, how we are in need of a rescuer… but they also TESTIFY to the goodness of God. As we are wounded, He bears the same wounds. He is greater than our wounds. He sustains us, gives us grace, gives us strength, is kind, and continues to remain faithful though some in our lives walk away from relationship. He has overcome the woundedness, and in Him, we too will overcome.

See we’ll still feel sad when it happens. It is difficult to deal with those feelings. But we are counted worthy to suffer as our Lord.

But church we can be thankful. We can rest in the fact we know we are His. This is the power of the gospel. That while we are wronged, we continue to bless and welcome to our table those in whom God loves and want relationship.

It is a comfort to know that we are not alone. It is a comfort to know that there are others who are dealing with what we are dealing with.

As we take communion this morning… may we remember that Jesus gave thanks. He is grateful for you. He willingly went through what He did because we at this time, in this place, can know Him and be with Him. In Him there is wholeness. In Him there is peace. In Him we get through this together. In Him there is hope.

He gave us His body which is His righteousness, He gave us His blood which is the new covenant meaning our sins our no longer put to our account, but that we are forgiven, we are new in him. That he is making all things new. That he invites us into this new way of being. Knowing and experiencing the fullness of Him.

Amen.