This Is the Day

INTRO

WEEK 4 of FAMILY MATTERS

THANKSGIVING WEEK

Range of emotions

Busy

Travel

Overwhelming: Too Much or Lonely

In the midst of our circumstances we hear this verse:

READ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 [ESV]

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

THANKFULNESS IS A HOLY PERSPECTIVE

WE CAN’T ALWAYS CHOOSE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CHOOSE OUR PERSPECTIVE

BUT IS GOD ASKING US TO BE THANKFUL FOR TRAGEDY?

THE REALITY IS, SOME OF US THIS WEEK ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE TURKEY, WE’RE THINKING ABOUT THE DIVORCE PAPERS, THE EMPTY SEAT, THE DISTANCE, THE [fill in the blank]

SLIDE: GOD HOW COULD I POSSIBLY BE THANKFUL FOR THIS?

TRANSITION: THE BIBLE TELLS US THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR THANKFULNESS, WE JUST NEED EYES TO SEE IT.

TURN TO PSALM 118 AS WE LOOK FOR A PERSPECTIVE WE DESPERATELY NEED IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE

IDIOMS

WHEN IT COMES TO PERSPECTIVE, OUR WORDS ARE VITAL

EXAMPLE:

WE KNOW WHEN SOMEONE KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT

THERE’S A QUOTE THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, THE PRINCESS BRIDE

INIGO MONTOYA

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

WE DO THIS QUITE OFTEN WITH OUR EXPRESSIONS OR IDIOMS

DID YOU KNOW THAT MANY OF THE EXPRESSIONS WE USE COMMONLY TODAY ARE ACTUALLY ADAPTED FROM NAUTICAL TERMS?

TAKEN ABACK

TOE THE LINE

PIPE DOWN

FEELING BLUE

LONG SHOT

WORDS AND PHRASES TEND TO LOSE THEIR ORIGINAL INTENT AND GET LOST IN TRANSLATION OVER TIME

I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE AT TIMES WITH THE BIBLE AS WELL

PSALM 118:24 IS A VERSE I SEE EVERYWHERE

READ PSALM 118:24 [ESV]

THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE

I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH CHOOSING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT LIFE, BUT WHAT IF YOUR DAY IS NOT A DAY FOR REJOICING?

ARE WE EXPECTED TO ACCEPT ALL OF LIFE AS A REASON TO REJOICE?

LET’S LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE IN CONTEXT AND SEE THIS VERSE WITH NEW EYES:

READ PSALM 118:17-24 [ESV]

WHO IS THIS PASSAGE ABOUT? WHO IS THE “I” AND THE “ME”?

THIS PASSAGE IS ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH AND GOD RAISED THEM UP

MAYBE THIS IS ABOUT DAVID? HE WROTE MOST OF THE PSALMS, BUT THIS PSALM SAYS “I SHALL NOT DIE, BUT LIVE” AND KING DAVID DIED.

WHAT ABOUT THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT’S TEMPLE LANGUAGE. BUT DAVID NEVER WENT INTO THE TEMPLE BECAUSE IT HADN’T BEEN BUILT YET.

IF YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR NEW TESTAMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE WORDS OF JESUS, THERE IN VERSE 22 WE FIND AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT FOR UNDERSTANDING THIS PASSAGE.

THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED

Matthew 21:42 ESV

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Acts 4:11 ESV

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

THIS PASSAGE IS ABOUT JESUS

THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE IS ABOUT HIS CRUCIFIXION.

THE DAY THAT THE LORD MADE WAS A DAY OF GREAT SUFFERING THAT LED TO GREAT JOY.

KEYS OUT

SLIDE: SUFFERING DIDN’T STOP JESUS THEREFORE SUFFERING DOESN’T STOP OUR HOPE.

READ 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 [ESV]

1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

IT IS OK TO GRIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE LOST THIS THANKSGIVING, BUT THE PROMISE IS THAT WE DO NOT GRIEVE AS SOMEONE WHO HAS NO HOPE.

1 Peter 1:3–7 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

BAND OUT: GRATITUDE

WE HAVE THIS HOPE EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF “THAT DAY”

YOU CAN WORSHIP IN GRIEF

YOU CAN HAVE JOY IN PAIN

YOU CAN HAVE PEACE IN CHAOS

GOD HAS GIVEN US SOMETHING BETTER THAN A SLOGAN WE PUT ON A COFFEE MUG, HE HAS GIVEN US HIS SON THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT HAVE LIFE.

IN JESUS, MEANING HIS VICTORY OVER DEATH AND HIS AUTHORITY OVER ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH, WE HAVE HOPE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THANKFULNESS THIS WEEK? FIX YOUR LIFE ON THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS.

PRAY