Gratitude for Thanksgiving Season Sermon

Gratitude of Grace

For the last 2 1/2 almost three years we have living through period “I call a dying season”. Around the world in our country even in this state and in our churches we have experienced a time of losses from pandemics to mass shooting from increasing crime generated by assault weapons sold by people merely wanting to make a profit and keep their business going and senseless killing of children through school killing to wars in Ukraine and around the world the lawlessness that happen because the hear of man is desperately wicked and who can know it. We sell weapon of mass destruction only designed to be used on the battlefield. These are weapon that are designed for Viet Nam, Iraqi , Syrian and even the Ukraine war. These high velocity guns were not intended for the streets .

So when we look around the times we live in as my mom repeats regularly to me it is the end times and we are just facing the fact that the devil knows he is running out of time. So how can take out who are not saved. However in spite of that. This i still the time of the year we can express a gratitude of grace. Our text o scripture is found in Deuteronomy. I have located this scripture in the Old Testament were many people would not see a “gratitude of grace.” So these Ten covenant words are repeated from Exodus 20 and also in Deut. 5:1-6, 15. What God shares with us grace how we should live. unfortunately we see them as onerous not able to live by. God gives it so we can live by them

Great is Faithfulness #100

The context of the scripture lesson is Deuteronomy 5:1-6, verse 15.

Deuteronomy 5:15 (NLT)

Deuteronomy is Moses Last will and testament to his people before he depart and they go over into the promise land. By now they had they traverse the Desert for 40 years and they were about to go across the Jordan. They come to place were needing to make conscious decision to serve God or be destroyed when they enter Canaan land.

[Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, “Listen carefully, Israel. Hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today, so you may learn them and obey them!

 “The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today. 4 At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire. 5 I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:

6 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.]

Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Dt 5:1–6, 15

Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. Verse 15

Should you not remember your past, and what God did for you ?

God brings the people to a crucial time in the life of the congregation. You are to live a certain way if you are going to survive in the new land I am giving you. please note when you follow my directions you will do well and when you go contrary to my instruction things will go badly. He takes several opportunities to remind them.

Consider God appointment to you

So consider now you divine appointment. Were does God want to lead us after bringing through this desert of disappointment these las 2 1/2 years. You have experience much but he wants you to succeed and be prosperous. You have face life and death experiences you have come near to many disasters. You have many loved ones who have gone in this period, but now you need to go across with many love ones no longer with us, in you God has given new directives and virtually you must fulfill my task for you. Young men and women God is calling you to be grateful for how he has kept you. In Huntsville, we are seeing our many our seniors citizen have gone to sleep in Jesus. (last week I did the funeral to a former Head deacon of this church) and even youth have fallen in their forties. Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. Verse 15 This has be a time of dying with multiple death in a week. So when we have been given time to live let us be grateful. Remember, To think to reflect and appreciate God’s love for you and how He cared for you. Think how many trips you have taken in your cars and God has kept you. Think about how many planes you have been on God kept you. Think of the times you have gone to Wal-mart, Target, some to the club and theater and God kept you. Some of you have have been to your jobs and God kept you. So when you reflect on how God spared your life even in 2022 you have much to be gracious. What I like about this text in verse 15, God brings us to the Sabbath day and he says rest. So you know when you come to thanksgiving and the food is set before you and before you take a taste you are compelled to pray and give thanks. It is time to reflect on great and awesome God who has provided. Many of us may complain that don’t have enough money, food, clothing, adequate housing but it is clear God has provided. So on this Sabbath day let lift up this holy God.

Holly Holy Holy #73

What about His expectations now ? He blessed and kept you

Remember- This word “Zakar” This command occur 14 times in the Old Testament. “Remember you were slaves in Egypt” and how God brought through with an outstretched arm. He redeemed you out of that place of difficulty and many instances you may have been in sin and broken or as we have talk about the losses and death we suffered this year and the last two and half year the many death’s. He lift up people who found themselves with wife’s that died and in some instances husband that died and unexpectedly.

“The key to obeying the Lord today is remembering his deliverance in the past. How has he freed you from addiction? Replaced your dishonesty with truth? Melted your anger with His patience? Covered your depression with joy? Won victory over the enemy? Transformed your fear and insecurity with courage? Knit your hearts together when sin drove you apart? He saved you and is bring you home to be with Him at his second coming.”

Remember your “slavery”. And remember your mighty God who reached down to save you by his great love” As Ellen white would say, how is it with your soul?

“Remember his forgiveness and freedom from the sin that enslaved you. He given you His Word, His Spirit and hope for the future. Your deepest desire can fully satisfied in Him.”

How far did he bring you bring you out

When we think of this year year and we count the cost of what God has done despite the difficulty we are convinced that God brought us out with a mighty hand.

“Trust the Lord to continue working in your life. Believe He’ll give you the desires of your heart as you delight in him (Ps 37:4) Remember that he loves you now, is with you today, an is accomplishing his will for you in this moment. You don’t have to wait for tomorrow to discover his joy and peace. It is important that God’s people should be grateful for all God has done for us. So that you may experience his perfect satisfaction in you.

Deut 5:1-5, 15 “Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.”

Moses call all the people together and summon them and he addressed them all attempting to get all their attention. It is important to not that the whole congregation. Moses not only want them to hear but to act on it. He is informing them that God makes a covenant with them and he wants that it be accepted and acted upon. he is also reinforcing that at Sinai the covenant was accepted and established. Now God is not merely saying he made the covenant with your ancestors and you are exempt but rather Moses is reiterating that this covenant is more substantial because it is with you as well. Moses reiterate that at the mountain God spoke to you face to face. He came down and told you. You became afraid of power of the fire. Nevertheless the message or the covenant announcement was to you. From the heart of the fire he came face to face as he did with Moses. God want to give his peace and protection to His people. Being gracious to us God has given his grace and mercy. Though the world is falling apart it does not mean that we have to fall apart and be distraught.