We Give Thanks - Nov. 22nd, 2022

Colossians 1:1–14 KJV 1900

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: 7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Introduction

Among the numerous themes found in the book of Colossians, Paul’s thankfulness is one of the most obvious. Even though Paul had been imprisoned, he was still grateful in his heart. Many Christians today lose their gratitude and gain an attitude when misfortune comes their way. I have personally seen the most gracious and thankful of Christians become unthankful and bitter when hard times come their way.

Body

Not so with the Apostle Paul. There were a number of things Paul was thankful for.

1. He was thankful to God. - Colossians 1:3

Colossians 1:3 KJV 1900

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

- This is an interesting point to ponder. Paul was thankful for what God was doing in the lives of others.

- Paul was in prison; others were not. Paul was a faithful minister of the Gospel, and other Christians were not perhaps as faithful as he. “How come God let me go to prison and not those who are less faithful?” This was not Paul’s attitude.

- Most all Christians find it easy to be thankful to God for blessings in their own lives, but few there be who have learned to rejoice when God blesses others.

Ill - Some Strange “Thanks” The Christian Should Be Grateful For

Philippians 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Every Christian should be joyful in suffering, and should not at any time go around with a long face, moaning and groaning. God can give to every Christian joy in suffering so that the Christian can be joyful. rejoicing in all things and at all times.

A. THANKFUL IN BEATINGS (Acts 5:40-41)

Acts 5:40–41 KJV 1900

40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

B. THANKFUL IN BEING HATED, REPROACHED, & CAST OUT (Luke 6:22)

Luke 6:22 KJV 1900

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

C. THANKFUL IN CORRECTION (Job 5:17)

Job 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

E. THANKFUL IN LOSS (Heb. 10:34)

Hebrews 10:34 KJV 1900

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

F. THANKFUL IN POVERTY (2 Cor. 6:10)

2 Corinthians 6:10 KJV 1900

10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

G. THANKFUL IN SUFFERING (Col. 1:24)

Colossians 1:24 KJV 1900

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Not many Christians are joyful in times of suffering; this is so because they are not Spirit-filled, not Spirit-taught Christians. The joy of the Lord is our strength; if we are joyful in suffering, we then shall be strong as well as happy in suffering.

[Nolan Jackson, “27. Some Strange ‘Thanks’ The Christian Should Be Grateful For ,” in Special Outlines on Thanksgiving, Golden Nuggets (Newborn, GA: Galaxie Software, 2010).]

- Many Christians find it easier to rejoice when God punishes a Christian than when He blesses a Christian. This is very wrong.

2. He was thankful for the Gospel. - Colossians 1:4-6

Colossians 1:4–6 KJV 1900

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

- How thankful Paul was for the power of the Gospel! In these verses, Paul emphasizes the same three things he emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Ill - What Christ Means to Me

It is a privilege to speak to my friends in the name of Him who has called us His friends if we do the things which He commands us. Someone asked Charles Kingsley, “What is the secret of your beautiful life?” He answered, “I had a friend.” And I have often thought that if this life of mine ever approaches the beautiful and true it will be because

“I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

He loved me ere I knew Him;

He drew me with the cords of love,

And thus He bound me to Him.”

I have found in Christ a life that is beautifully simple and simply beautiful.

1. In Him I find, first of all, pardon. “God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

2. … He also means peace to me.

Through Him I have peace with God, and as I make my requests known to God with thanksgiving, the peace of God which passes all understanding—and, all misunderstanding too!—garrisons my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

3. Then Christ gives me a purpose. “To live is Christ.”

4. Christ also means power.

Christ gives the power to see the purpose through. “All power is given unto me,” He said, and Paul declares, “I can do all things through Christ.”

5. And then He means plenty, spiritual abundance.

“All things are yours,” says Paul to the Christian. Again He speaks of “having nothing, yet possessing all things.”

6. Finally, Christ gives me an eternal prospect. “Where I am, there ye may be also.”

These are some things Christ means to me. All I need is found in Him. He is Alpha and Omega and all the letters between. He is the same yesterday, the historic Christ; the same today, the indwelling Christ; the same tomorrow, the coming Christ.

Christ is my message. [Vance Havner once recalled a story from] Some years ago, two boats were passing each other on the Mississippi, when an old [gentleman] said to a … passenger as he pointed to the other boat, “Look, yonder’s the captain!” When asked for an explanation, he said, “Years ago, we were goin’ along like this and I fell overboard and the captain rescued me. And since then, I just loves to point him out!”

Some years ago, this writer was overboard, in water too deep for his wit and will to navigate. But the Captain of our salvation leaped overboard from glory to rescue him. And I just love to point Him out!

~Jesus Jesus Only (Fleming H. Revell Company, 1969), 20-23.

[Dennis J. Hester, ed., The Vance Havner Notebook: Sermon Excerpts and Illustrations (Baker Book House, 1989), 135–137.]

- The Gospel of Christ had given these people faith, hope, and love.

3. He was thankful for his helpers. - Colossians 1:7-8

Colossians 1:7–8 KJV 1900

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

- Faithful companions in the Gospel ministry are sometimes hard to find, yet Paul found a tremendous amount of security in his friend Epaphras.

- Epaphras brought the Gospel to the people of Colosse.

- A [youth pastor named Terry] brought the Gospel to me, and [mentors David Fosmore, Charles Arnette, and Leonard Chambers, and others helped me grow in my own personal] faith in Christ. How thankful I am for the faithful servants who minister the Gospel!

- Paul expressed his gratitude in these first few verses, and then he prays for the people in the church at Colosse.

* He prayed they would do God’s will; Colossians 1:10, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing...”

* He prayed they would be fruitful; Colossians 1:10, “...being fruitful in every good work...”

* He prayed they would be strengthened; Colossians 1:11, “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

* He prayed they would be thankful; Colossians 1:12-14; “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

- For what were they to be thankful? They were to be thankful for:

* Their inheritance in Christ, their deliverance from the power of darkness, their translation from Satan’s kingdom to God’s kingdom, their redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of their sins.

Conclusion

This message should give us a good example to follow concerning our actions and attitudes toward ourselves and other believers. First of all, we should show a great deal of gratitude. Secondly, we should pray for God’s best concerning those who labor in the Gospel with us.

[Source: Dan Parton, Timberline Baptist Church, Manitou Springs, CO, preached Nov. 18th, 2012.