Thanksgiving for the Church

In this series we are considering the subject of thanksgiving from what the Bible teaches.

Leveraging this time when we reflect on all the things we are grateful for.

Thanksgiving in Sacrifice

Thanksgiving for Answered Prayer

Today: Thanksgiving for the church

Let us read together Chair Bible pg. 786 Philippians 1:1-11

Philippians 1:1–11 NASB 2020

1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus. 7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

Are you ready for the message God has for us?

Cool, let’s dig in!

I wonder if there are times Christians get so lost in problems with the church that they forget to be thankful to God for the church?

We read this passage and no matter the circumstance Paul is thankful for the Philippian Church.

There are always going to be problems, but does that mean we should not be thankful for the Church?

In a world that struggles with hatred and division here in the church is be a place where Love and fellowship are central and Jesus Himself is the chief cornerstone.

We see this in Paul’s letter as he teaches us thanksgiving for the church!

The Source of His Thanksgiving

Paul begins at verse 3 with “I thank God”

The word “thank” is Paul saying that the continuous reality for him is thanksgiving for Philippi.

This word means to express gratitude or show appreciation.

Two other words are connected to “thank”

The first is “offering” in verse 4 the action of offering prayer with joy is simultaneous with the action of thanks.

So tied to Paul’s thanksgiving is the joy he feels for the church in Philippi.

We are going to see today Paul’s thanksgiving and joy are in fact simultaneous and intertwined.

The second word is “confident” in verse 6 the action of this word is actually before the action of “thank.”

So what is Paul saying with confidence.

Philippians 1:6 NASB 2020

6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.

Confidence of Paul has already before he comes in to prayer and it serves as part of his motivation to pray for them.

He is confident because God is working in and through them

Also he is confident that God will complete this good work among them.

The source for Paul’s thanksgiving for this church is all throughout this letter.

In chapter 1:1-11 Paul lists the reasons for why he is thankful:

They are in his heart

Wether he was a prisoner or defending the gospel they shared with Paul

He deeply longs for them

Indeed Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving comes from a heart of joy.

Paul’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

The whole letter to the Philippians is a prayer of thanksgiving and joy for the church.

Perhaps that is one reason for the past couple of months we come back often to this letter.

In our passage is a prayer Paul offers in thanksgiving and joy.

Included is:

Request that their love overflow still more

More in real knowledge and discernment

They will discover the things that are excellent

Be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ

Be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Christ.

What a wonderful Prayer of thanksgiving for the church.

In Christian life the most obvious evidence of God’s grace is thanksgiving and joy.

Thanksgiving and joy are tied together and serve as the motivation behind Paul’s prayer for the Philippian church.

In fact they are the motivation for Paul’s letter

There are certain matters that take up most of the letter:

Genuine thanksgiving for the Philippians partnering with him in the gospel over many years

New about his present condition

An appeal to steadfastness and unity

These matters are clear in Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer.

Gordon Fee: “Thanksgiving and prayer, filled with joy, on behalf of all God’s people in Philippi.”

Paul also said it of the Ephesians 1:15-16

Ephesians 1:15–16 NASB 2020

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

What we learn in this passage is that for Paul prayer and thanksgiving combine.

Thanksgiving for them takes place in the context of Paul’s habit of praying for them.

The Application for Us

A source of Paul’s thanksgiving and Joy was remembering the church of Philipp in his prayers.

There are churches that I think about when I pray, the members who knew me as a child and affectionally call me Tommy - Develop

When I pray for them and for You Amazing Grace there is thanksgiving and joy in my heart.

Here is a chance for us to reflect as a church

When we pray for each other does it come from thanksgiving and joy?

Or is it because of a sense of duty or compulsion?

We learn in Paul’s letter he had the habit or practice of praying and this habit in regard to Philippi was a source of his thanksgiving and joy.

Is this true for us?

Paul recognized their koinonia, verse 5 “participation”

Remember, this word can also be translated fellowship.

It means joint participation, communion, privileges of an intimate association or group.

Here again is this word that is more than just fellowship or joint participation.

It includes our intimate relationship with one another.

How about us do we recognize that about us?

That we have koinonia in the work of the Kingdom.

For Paul a source of thanksgiving and joy.

For you? Is remember Amazing Grace Church in your payers a source of thanksgiving and joy?

Do you recognize that our labors for the gospel in the work of the kingdom is an intimate partnership requiring joint participation?

Conclusion

There is another important lesson from Paul’s example in this passage and that is his practice of habit of prayer.

Do we have practice of prayer? Is there is time everyday where we are in prayer with God?

Just think, looking at Paul’s practice there is the potential of it being the source of thanksgiving and joy in our life. Something we all should reflect upon.

Especially with all that is happening in society, where reality and truth are either considered relative or just simply ignored.

Where it is getting more difficult for Christians who appose society, we need to pray and be praying for each other and the church.

In our prayers is there sense of thanksgiving and joy for one another?

If we truly recognize our koinonia in the kingdom as a church, then thanksgiving and joy exist.

So reflect: Do I have thanksgiving and joy in my heart for the church when I pray.