Sunday Sermon: Thanking Thinking
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;/Introduction:
Attention:
Thankful to Bob for opportunity to preach
Thanksgiving
Briefly talk about our Thanksgiving this year
A time to be thankful
Biblical concept
Today’s sermon
Need:
Losing touch with what it means
Life is hard
But concept is important
We need to be reminded of everything that we have to be thankful for
Also, opportunities to express
Dive in
The Big Idea: Thanksgiving is a Biblical concept that is tangible and expressible.
A. Thanksgiving is a Biblical concept
What are the three Biblical characteristics of Thanksgiving?
Reflective
Explanation:
1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Simple, but a lot to unpack
Reflecting on who God is and what He has done
OT
Hebrew verb: closely tied with “to bless”
God’s blessings
Specific blessings of God in this verse: 1) He is good and 2) His love endures forever
Examples from the Bible
Noah
Abraham
Moses/the Israelites
Personal examples:
All that God has blessed us with personally
Illustration:
Been wearing glasses since i was a kid
Actually being able to see
Putting on the “thanksgiving glasses”
Application:
What makes it difficult to see?
What is keeping you from putting glasses on?
Overwhelmed with negatives; lose sight of the positive
Embrace reflection
What are the three Biblical characteristics of Thanksgiving?
Reflective
Repeatable
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Thanksgiving all year long!
In good and bad
Never have nothing to be thankful for
NT: “grace”
Through Christ
Christ’s grace = non-circumstantial; always present, always available
Good news is always good news\
While we were bad, Jesus came as the perfectly good God man and sacrificed Himself for us, and rose again three days later
Illustration:
Things that we repeat:
Blinking: 19,200 times a day
Breaths: 20,000
Average person picks their nose four times a day
We do this stuff without even thinking about it
But Biblical thankfulness requires effort
Creating rhythms of thankfulness in your life
Going around the table: “What are you thankful for?”
Consistent, intentional prayer
What are the three Biblical characteristics of Thanksgiving?
Reflective
Repeatable
Representative
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Jesus is the means to thankfulness
He is the highway that gets us to the location of thanksgiving
Becoming thankful = Imitating him > representative
Showing others what Jesus is like through being thankful
“Through Him”
Universal unthankful heart: We need His help
Strong connection between being thankful and being like Jesus = Thanklessness is a rejection of Christ
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Thanklessness = the root of sin
Big deal
Being like Jesus = turning the page
Illustration:
Representing Liberty as a custodian
Plunging toilets
Cleaning up vomit
Secretly disinfecting COVID filled surfaces
Representative of Jesus
Show who He is by being thankful
The challenge: Whatever you are like is what other people are going to associate with Jesus
A. Thanksgiving is a Biblical concept
B. Thanksgiving is tangible
What should we be thankful for?
The Gospel
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Good news > the bad news
The bad news = sin
Sin not only exists, but it has power
Everyone has it because of our failure to meet God’s standards
Sting = death, aka, the result
Eternal death
.... “But thank God!”
Why?
Victory through Christ
The power of sin overcome through death and resurrection
Beautiful truth of the Gospel that we should be thankful for
The older you get: the more you see the sting of sin
And you see that that same darkness lives inside of you
But Christ overcame this darkness
If you trust in Him, there will be rest.
Nothing to be more thankful for than the Gospel!
Illustration:
Overcoming something
Upward Basketball
Didn’t make a single shot for years
But then, I did!
But can never overcome sin; only Christ
And he has done it!
Experiencing Christ’s victory in your life
What should we be thankful for?
The Gospel
People
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
Paul talking to Timothy
“First of all” = the first part of something longer that Paul is going to say
Paul’s first command to Timothy in this letter
Pray.... for whom?
“All people”
Why should we thank God for all people?
People are messy
People hurt us
People do the worst things
But people are made in God’s image
Easy to look down on people (especially when they aren’t Christians)
The context back then: the governing authorities (Rome)
Paul: “Be thankful for them, too!”
For us, this means being thankful for...
Our family
Our friends
Our enemies
Seems impossible
Back to the Gospel:
The same power that overcame the sting of sin is the same power that lives inside of you and empowers you with the supernatural ability to be thankful for the thankless.
What should we be thankful for?
The Gospel
People
For met needs
35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
The feeding of the 4,000
The miracle of multiplication
God meet our needs, both physical and spiritual
Jesus gives thanks
Common practice with food back then
God meeting our spiritual needs is a reminder that he meets our spiritual needs
How does the Lord meet our needs?
Food (we are baptists after all)
Giving us good times
Giving us bad times
Meeting the need of growth
Sometimes, God provides bread right away
Sometimes, you have to wait for it
Other times, sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 15)
“No pain, no gain”
Regardless of the need met, we should be thankful
Illustration:
Gun pain
Wisdom teeth
Application:
Look to your met needs
A. Thanksgiving is a Biblical concept
B. Thanksgiving is tangible
C. Thanksgiving is expressible
How can I express thankfulness?
Prayer
Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians series
Fruit of thanklessness = anxiety
Main way that we are called to fight anxiety = prayer
Telling God what you need “with thanksgiving
Anytime we pray for something, we should first express thankfulness to God
Anxiety = “it’s time to pray”
“Lord, please help...” right alongside “Jesus, thank you for....
How can I express thankfulness?
Prayer
Singing
30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Commonly expressed through singing in Scripture
Psalms = a book of songs
lots of thanksgiving psalms
This one: SPECIFICALLY mentions singing
Every time we worship = a thanksgiving opportunity
Illustration:
Wawa rewards app in Chester
Free coffee on Tuesdays
Didn’t want to miss out
Let the reward of thankfulness expire without redeeming it
See worship as an opportunity?
How can I express thankfulness?
Prayer
Singing
Giving
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
Giving = major theme in 1 Corinthians 8-9.
“Enriched” monetarily for the purpose of generosity
Giving = act of thankfulness to God for providing our needs
Not just the givers who are thankful; the recipients, too! (“produce thanksgiving”)
Giving = a shared experience of thankfulness
Illustration:
Mom reminding me to thank people for gifts
Similar sense of urgency for us to give back to God
The point: thankfulness is something for us to practice
