Thankful in All Things
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
We have a lot to be thankful for. A song that came to my mind while preparing this message was the old hymn, “Count your many blessings.” We become some apathetic in our relationship with the Lord and begin to take many things for granted that we forget just how good the Lord is to us daily. When is the last time that you just went to the Lord and said, “thank you!” You bowed before God and did not ask for one thing; not for you, not for anyone. You simply thanked the Lord for grace and how he has bountifully poured it upon you. If you have not, may this service be a new beginning for you. A time in which you learn to just say thank you.
Focus Passage:
15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Outline:
Be thankful for the peace of God (v.15)
15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ we are promised a calm assurance no matter our circumstances. This calm assurance is promised to surpass all understanding. This calm assurance is promised to sustain us and remind us that we are not alone. The Spirit of God is with us always as children of God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
Genuine peace is found in a relationship with Christ – ‘...the peace of Christ...’
Genuine peace is a unifying peace – ‘…you were indeed called in one body...’
Genuine peace is a guide and guardian of the soul – ‘…rule in your hearts...’
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Genuine peace is revealed through thankfulness no matter the season – ‘…and be thankful...’
Let us be thankful for the Word of Christ (v.16)
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We must learn to be thankful for the Word of the Lord. For without the gracious gospel message, we would all be lost and without hope. It is truly the power of God unto salvation. It truly is the good news for all mankind.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
We are to allow the Word of Christ to inhabit our full being – ‘…dwell within you...’
We are to allow this indwelling word to abundantly flow throughout our lives – ‘…richly dwell...’
We are to allow this indwelling word to give us insight and guide our thoughts and perception – ‘…with all wisdom...’
This why the Lord calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
23 and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
We are to instruct and warn one another through the Word of Christ – ‘...teaching and admonishing...’
We do this through songs of peace – ‘...psalms...’
We do this through songs of praise – ‘...hymns...’
We do this through songs lead by the Spirit – ‘...Spiritual songs...’
We are to sing with thankfulness and gratefulness for the Word of Christ – ‘…sining with thankfulness in your hearts to God...’
In all that we do, let it be with thanksgiving (v.17)
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Let us show thanksgiving through our words – ‘...in word...’
Let us show thanksgiving through our actions – ‘...or deed...’
Let us show thanksgiving to the One that is owed – ‘...giving thanks through Him to God the Father...’
Let us remember our source of eternal thanksgiving – ‘...do do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus...’
Conclusion:
How thankful are you really? How do you show this thanksgiving? Are you being thankful in word, action, and praise? If not, remember what the Lord has done. If not, remember the victory that you have in the Lord. If not, remember the salvation you have in the Lord. If not, now is the time to repent of the bitterness and pride that has built up in your life. Now is the time to get things right and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.