Thanksgiving Eve Service (2023)

Luke 17:11-19

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have a national holiday that was instituted for us to return thanks for all the blessings that we have received. It began with the pilgrims long ago, but was picked up by our presidents and observed by our nation for many years. It does focus upon an aspect of the Christian faith that we ought to be full of thanksgiving even in the most grim of circumstances. The world hears this, and they think that we are mad, but what do we sing in A Mighty Fortress? Though take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife though these all be gone, the victory has been won. So let us consider our Gospel lesson this night and witness what a great work Christ accomplishes for these Lepers and how he restores them to health.

Now we talked about Lepers in our Bible Study, and it was a horrible ailment that cut a person off from their family, their community and even from the worship life. They were unclean and their fate was to perish slowly in the wilderness unless by the grace of God they were restored to life and brought back into the fold. They had to be examined by a priest in order to make sure that they were actually clean.

They cry out to Jesus and he shows them mercy. Put yourself in their shoes and think of the wonderful blessing that this is. That Jesus by His Word has not only freed them from painful and certain death, but has also restored them to health, to their family, to their home, and they can go before the temple and offer sacrifices to God once again. What a tremendous gift that Jesus has bestowed upon them.

Now most of us understand these physical blessings and the great treasure that is found in them. How many of us when we are sick or ill, or find ourselves suffering in the flesh do not ask God for help? How many have we lifted up in our prayers before God asking him to show them mercy when they wait anxiously for surgery, or are waiting to hear back if it is cancer or some disease that will radically change their life. For God bring them through it and to the other side there is immense relief and joy, and thankfulness.

What we find in our lesson today is a typical occurence, and that is one of ingratitude. Even though all these great blessings wer given to the lepers, 9 forget about it, and only 1 comes to give thanks to Christ. Now this is not how it should be at all. We know that when we do something for someone and they either don’t appreciate it, or treat it as though they deserved it how it turns our hearts cold towards future acts of kindness. We ought to give thanks to those who have helped or assisted us. That is why it is good for us to pause and reflect on a holiday for what God has given to us. For indeed we have received many gifts.

Now if they are gifts, then they are not things that we have deserved or earned but have been given to us graciously, that is without any merit or worth in us. Our Father in heaven shows to us great compassion, love and mercy as he bestows upon us many different blessings. Quite often we undervalue the greatest blessings that God gives, because we look only to the material world and our flesh.

The greatest gift that we have received is Jesus Christ our Lord. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16) We often assume that and just go on our merry way without much consideration. But what if God had not sent Christ into the world as a gift for you?

That means you would have to face the wrath of God on your own with only your sins to protect you. It means that you would be like those lepers that are cut off, not just from your earthly home, but you would spend eternity apart from your heavenly father and be resigned to an existence of agony. For that is what we deserve for our sins, and yet God sent Jesus into the world. Why are our hearts so cold to the gift we have been given in Christ?

Satan loves to focus us only the things we don’t have, and to grumble and complain about them as though life doesn’t matter if we don’t have the things that our flesh longs for, and so we forget all the good that God has given to us. What do you have that God has not given you? Imagine it was your birthday or christmas, and you received a gift and then complained about the gift in the hearing of the giver? If we did this as a child, our parents would slap us up side the head. Who are you grumbling against except God?

This is not how we ought to be, for do we so soon forget all the blessings that God has given us, because of one discomfort, one bit of misfortune and throw up our hands and say, because I do not have my health there is nothing good in this life! Because I do not have money, God must not care about me! Because I do not have, family, friends, wife or child, God must be incompetent or worthless! Or as one soccer player said after she tore, her achilles tendon a few minutes into a championship game, that God must not exist.

It is easy to fall into this trap when we forget to pause and give thanks for all that God has given. For what God has given us in Christ is far more precious. For your health will fail, but Christ has won for you eternal life. You may not have riches in this world, but what is the point of riches? Ease, comfort, food in our belly? Christ has promised to take us to His kingdom where we will have no need of them. What about friends, family, and all relations? Through Christ Jesus our Lord, God has adopted you as His child, and made you a member of his family. Indeed Satan can teach us to covet, and to say that it is not enough, but these are the folks that we will be with for eternity. Instead of ignoring them, we should get to know them and cherish them.

There is much to be thankful for, for God has blessed us richly through Jesus Christ our Lord and bestowed upon every spiritual blessing. For what Christ did on Calvary was secure for us an everlasting redemption and place in God’s Kingdom which far outshines this life, not because of any greatness in you, but because of the love that is in him. How can we not rejoice and be thankful always?

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, may our hearts not be weighed down by the tragedies of this life, but tomorrow may our hearts be enlivened as we remember everything that God has given us. For there is much to be grateful for, even if we do not have an abundance of earthly treasures, we know that Christ has secured for us a place before God’s throne by his blood. He will also raise us and all believers in Christ to be with him eternally. If that does not bring joy to your heart, if you are still find yourself complaining, repent, o you of little faith. For you are being a fool and setting your mind on earthly treasures that moth and rust will destroy. Lift up your eyes and see Jesus there upon the Cross and his great love for you. In Jesus name. Amen.