Thanksgiving Eve 2023

Communion

A thankful heart. After the Psalmist soul recounts all those benefits and blessings in Psalm 103, his heart was filled with thankfulness. We read about it in...

Psalm 136:1–3 (ESV)

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

After reflecting upon on what God has given them, primarily God’s steadfast, commited love, the Israelites looked at their benefits and they gave thanks.

In our text today, we see that idea as well.

It is at the very end of our passage:

Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV)

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

“Abounding in Thanksgiving.” Or as the logo says, “flourishing.”

LOGO

We have received Jesus Christ, and having been rooted, built up and established in our faith, the natural outflow of that is a flourishing life. That is a life filled with gratitude; abounding in thanksgiving.

We want to talk about “thanksgiving” and the power that possessing and cultivating a thankful heart can have.

On the first day of school, I didn’t have great sleep and I woke up tired. When you wake up tired that is never a great thing. Not only did I wake up tired, but I woke up having to go to the bathroom, but I had also told the boys I would make, ‘Grota Pan Cokas” and they take a bit of time so I wanted to get started right away. Just power through, and I felt like I was doing something noble. I was nor really grumpy, but I was probably coming across that way and I finally got to a point where I could quickly go to the bathroom while a set of Grota Pan Cokas were cooking, and as I was heading to the bathroom, I heard Asher say.

“Thank you for making pancakes dad.”

CRAZY - this is exactly what I want in my offspring. Unsolicited gratitude and a willingness to say it out loud. It wasn’t said because of any parental pressure. You know the way. What should you say???? and then a plastic kind of half hearted, semi fake, glancing to right and left kid says, “thank you.” That wasn’t it.

This was a real thank you. I heard it, but I didn’t acknowledge it because I was so consumed with myself in that moment.

I went to the bathroom after not responding to him. And while I was in the bathroom, I was convicted! He said “thank you, and you basically ignored it.” I sensed that I needed to go tell him, “Thank you” for saying thank you. That was a big deal! That was a work of the Spirit of God in His life.

I didn’t want to embarrass him or make a huge deal out of what should be normal in a Christians life, but I did want to at least return my thanks to him for saying thank you to me.

And so I finished my business with the Lord and my business in the bathroom and I walked up to him, got on his level and just quickly said, “Thanks for telling me thanks for making pancakes.”

And you know what happened. A slow smile started to appear. I think his chest puffed out and his shoulders went back a bit. He felt good! His good behavior was affirmed and it brought a lightheartedness in the kitchen and to the morning.

I felt better and less focused on me. Asher had already been feeling good, but now he felt even better was and Elijah was ready to eat the pancakes that had been prepared.

It was so good and refreshing and light hearted and it all started with someone, a 7 year old being thankful.

Do you think that “abounding in thankfulness” can have in impact on those around you or in your family. I can testify that it can and does!

Quick point of application: I think we all need to say thank you a lot more in our families.

Colossians 2:7 (ESV)

7 abounding in thanksgiving.

Let’s talk about “thankfulness” and then we will take time to personally reflect on the spiritual benefits and the physical blessings that God has allowed to come into your life because of His great love.

Let’s Pray

First of all notice was Paul says: “abounding.”

This isn’t just a trickle of water over a few rocks at Fishtrap creek at the end of a dry and drought filled summer type of word. This is Nooksack falls at the beginning of the spring thaw type of word.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 57.24 περισσεύω

to have such an abundance as to be more than sufficient—‘to have (much) more than enough, to have an overabundance

Volunteer - but they have to like sugar in their coffee.

Do you do sugar first then coffee and allow the coffee to do the hard work of stirring for you?

Or do you like to put coffee in and then labor at stirring in your sugar? It’s like you can justify the sugar because you are willing to expend the calories stirring it.

Let’s start with empty cup and you will see why. I am going to add sugar and you tell me when you think you have the “normal amount of sugar.”

Okay - Now tell me when you think there is “an abundance” that is “more than sufficient.”

…now tell me when you there is “(much) more than enough, an over abundance.”

DUMP.

Paul says…you and I, if we have received Christ, having been rooted, built up, and established in our faith in Him…an over abundance of thanksgiving is the natural outflow of that.

I love this “statement of the obvious” from the Psalmist in Psalm 140.

Psalm 140:13 (ESV)

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Isaiah 43:21 ESV

21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Numbers 28:3 ESV

3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.