Thanksgiving - A Transformed Hearts Response to God:

Introduction: Story of Gratitude

Invitation to Joyful Worship:

The heart that is transformed by the grace of God is called to walk in joyful worship of the King. It is not simply something that we do, rather it is now part of the heart of the Christian, it is in our DNA. That is why we gather for joyful worship through singing, because it is the right response for what God has done in our lives.

The author of this Psalm says, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”

The way the author writes these verses indicate that he is calling the people to make loud exclamations of joy to the LORD. How many of feel comfortable shouting in song to the LORD? Our over formal way of worship can stifle our expressiveness and joyful shouts the LORD.

Through the Psalm, God invites us into his presence to worship Him, by “Making a joyful noise to the Lord!” We are to come into His presence with singing. The world does not need Christians who are cold and formal, the world needs to see the joy that is found in the transformed life of the Christian.

They need to see that our joy is real, and the result of knowing God. 1 John 1:1 says, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—”

Recognizing God’s Authority and Care:

Therefore, what we make a joyful noise about, what we sing of, is the very things that we have heard, seen, behold, and touch concerning Jesus Christ. Which is God’s self revelation of His authority and care over creation.

Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

The Psalmist calls to to worship joyfully because of three truths.

He is God: This means that the being of God holds all that is good and righteous, and it is He who has sovereign authority over all things. He is the only true and living God. He is self-existent and infinite in his being and perfection. He works all things according to the counsel of His own unchangeable and completely righteous will for His own glory.

1 Corinthians 8:4 “Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.””

Jeremiah 10:10 “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.”

Isaiah 46:10 God “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’”

2. He Made Us: In the beginning God was pleased to create humanity. He created us male and female according to His will and plan for life. He made us in the His image, endowing us with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Genesis 2:7 “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

Not only is He our physical creator, but He is now also our spiritual creator. Since sin has entered the world spreading death to all humanity. We have in our sinfulness been in open rebellion against the King, creating an eternal separation between us.

Though God created man to dwell in His presence, we chose another path, one that drove us away from the face of God. Thus, our joyful worship of the King, is not only that He is our physical creator, but that he is our spiritual creator, resurrecting the dead to new life through Jesus Christ.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”

God is His mercy has provided for us in the covenant of grace the possibility of being renewed through repentance to salvation.

Titus 3:3–5“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Therefore, by the mercy of God the Father, he has brought to man new life by faith in Jesus Christ, where we now discern good from evil, and seek to faithfully live before the face of God.

3. We are His people: God through his grace has granted that all those who are justified, have received adoption into the family of God for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”

Galatians 4:4–5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Thus, by the work of Jesus Christ we are counted as the children of God and now enjoy the freedom and privileges of that relationship.

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

We are now because of the new life given to us through Jesus Christ, receive the compassion, protection, provision, discipline of God the Father, securing us in the faith.

Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”

Gratitude as an Act of Worship:

Therefore, in light of all the works of God the Father in sending God the Son to be our propitiation and then sending God the Spirit to indwell us for our sanctification, we worship Him.

Because He has transferred us from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of the Son.

Psalm 100:4–5 call us to, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Now all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for life, and are seeking to be obedient to Him, are invited to enter into the presence of God the Father for the first time.

Because sin is dealt with, death has lost its sting, because the Son has brought redemption. Through the work of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus Christ, God the Father has subdued our rebellious hearts, evoking from us pure worship.

Therefore, God should be feared, loved, praised, called on, trusted in and served with all the heart and soul and all strength!

Psalm 100:1–2 Therefore, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”

Cultivating Thankfulness:

If you do not have the thankfulness or gratitude that you should have what do you do?

First, make sure that you are actually a Christian! Are you trusting the Lord Jesus Christ for life. If not repent of your sinfulness and place your trust in Christ.

Well what if I have already done that, but yet I am still struggling with having a heart of thankfulness?

Figure out where your focus is. Romans 8:5 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

There is a good chance that if you are struggling with thankfulness that you focus is on the flesh, which means you are more focused on what you do not have instead of what you do have. And your longing for those things is sapping your joy. So you task then is take your thoughts captive in Christ, so that you can train yourself to focus on the things of God.

So, what are the practical things you can do to make thankfulness a reality in your life?

Prayer: In prayer we come into the presence of God for focused times of fellowship with God the Father, through Jesus Christ. In prayer we do not seek to change God, but we seek to be conformed to God’s will of and for us. Moving our focus from the flesh to the spiritual.

Sitting under the regular teaching the Word of God: The Bible say of the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Fellowshipping with other Believers: Bad company corrupts good morals, therefore, as believers we need regular fellowship with other believers, where we can worship God together, pray for each other, and encourage each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Conclusion:

the invitation to joyful worship is not merely a ritual but a transformation of the heart, a response ingrained in the DNA of every believer touched by the grace of God. As we raise our voices in exuberant praise, we echo the psalmist's call to make a joyful noise to the Lord, recognizing that our worship is not confined to formality but is an expression of genuine joy.

The foundation of our joy rests on the truths proclaimed in Psalm 100:3 – that the Lord is God, our Creator; that He made us, both physically and spiritually; and that we are His people, embraced in the warmth of His divine care. These truths compel us to respond with gratitude, offering our worship not in cold formality but in the warmth of a transformed life.

Gratitude becomes our act of worship, an acknowledgment of God's authority and care over creation. It is a response to the triune work of God – the Father's mercy, the Son's redemption, and the Spirit's sanctification. We enter God's presence with thanksgiving, recognizing His goodness, enduring love, and faithfulness through all generations.

Cultivating thankfulness requires a deliberate shift in focus from the flesh to the Spirit. Through prayer, immersion in the living and active Word of God, and fellowship with other believers, we intentionally redirect our thoughts, training ourselves to see and appreciate the spiritual blessings bestowed upon us.

As we strive for a heart of thankfulness, let us heed the psalmist's call to "make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth," serving Him with gladness, and entering His presence with singing. In doing so, our worship becomes a vibrant testimony to the joy found in a life transformed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.