Say It

Giving

Matthew 25:35–40 (NIV)

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

We give in this church b/c we are making a difference with the gifts. Jesus said if you help people…you are helping me.

If you’re our guest be our guest.

Announcements

Friendsgiving

Fusion Flag football

Christmas Eve

Kids Christmas Choir

Hook

New Series — I’m Thank for…

Where we are going to talk about this word right here..

Gratitude

Making dinner for the family — hamburgers — Zeke telling Leah “thanks, you’re the best mom.”

I felt unappreciated. Get used to that as a parent.

You’ve experienced that before right?

boss

wife

husband

kids

How do we express ourselves when that happens? I feel taken advantage of. They don’t appreciate me.

We feel that way b/c you and I are wired for gratitude. To give and receive it.

Science has shown this to be true, the chemical compounds of serotonin and dopamine are released when we experience appreciation from another person and when we give it to another person.

So when someone withholds or doesn’t express rightly deserved thanks we become…indignant don’t we?

Tension

Unspoken gratitude feels like ingratitude.

graitude that isn’t expressed feel

You might feel thankful, but unless you express it the people you live with, work with, do life with won’t know that you’re thankful. To them you’re ungrateful. Yikes.

See ingratitude isn’t the result of a specific action but rather an inaction. And that inaction can greatly damage the relationships that matter most to you.

Transition

There is a moment in the ministry of Jesus where is this is very evident. It’s found in Luke 17.

Truth

Luke 17:11 (NIV)

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

Show Map

Luke 17:12–13 (NIV)

12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

They were removed from the village bc of the Law. Leprosy is contagious, and before treatment the way they handle it was keeping people out of populations.

Leprosy could also cause deformities. They could lose their fingers, nose, ears or even their toes. So people with leprosy where often very scary looking.

That means no…

Temple

Feasts

Family

Taco Tuesdays

So they setup their own communities, again pointing to the reality that people need community.

Which is why I tell you all the time to get in a circle around here.

Serving Life groups

On a team and in a group.

Luke 17:14 (NIV)

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

What? Jesus we can’t go anywhere, we cannot visit the priest they will kick us out! They have a tendency to stone lepers who don’t stay where they belong… you want us to just go?

“We’ve heard about you…we know what you can do…and we’re going to have faith in you.”

Luke: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition (2. Watch Your Gratitude (17:11–19))

The ceremonial law of the Jews placed the responsibility with the priests for pronouncing lepers clean or unclean.

Luke 17:14 (NIV)

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

As…they went along.

Notice something, their healing came after their obedience. in fact look at somebody in the house and tell them…

Pastor loves ya…

What if your healing is waiting on your obedience?

physical

mental

emotional

spiritual

Not the sermon.

They are healed. I mean you need to out yourself in their shoes, they’ve been separated from society their whole life.

Luke 17:15 (NIV)

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

One of them thought I have to go back and thank him for what he’s done. I have to thank him for what he’s done for me. I will never be the same.

Luke 17:16 (NIV)

16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Yikes — one of the Samaritans. Luke knows what he’s doing when he writes that down. He’s drumming up hundreds of years of religious and racial tension.

Luke 17:17–18 (NIV)

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Meaning… you’re the only one? I didn’t make a mistake, I’m Jesus, I know those others where healed. Why aren’t they here also?They were? Well, where are they?

Only this samaritan shows back up? What is that?

It’s interesting b/c they where healed from a very serious skin condition, so it’s surprising they didn’t return sooner.

Luke 17:19 (NIV)

19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Gratitude that isn’t expressed feels like ingratitude.

The other 9 must have been very thankful, but they didn’t do anything with that thankfulness. Feeling it not enough, you need to say it also. You need to express it someway or else, it’s just ingratitude.

Personal story >>> Teaching the Marines — years later — Demetriades sending a text expressing gratitude.

Did something for me — and I am very willing to give more of my time to him.

Now, you’ve experienced that before haven’t you? Someone comes up and says thank you for whatever you did for them. Let me ask you this…

How did it affect trust?

Did it build it or tear it down?

Did that make them more likely to be in your inner circle or less?

Did you want to be around them more or else?

How did that response affect your relationship with them?

Here’s what I want to come away with…

Gratitude grows relationships.

Now, think back to a time when someone didn’t say thank you. Isn’t it true that it hurt those relationships?

Application

Be intentional with gratitude. Pick up the phone and call. Send that text. Say thank you. Why? B/c

Gratitude grows relationships.

Say thank you, even for the normal stuff, the expected stuff.

Husbands — wives — teenagers — kids — boss — coworker.

This will change you marriage >>> when you don’t say thank you, it seems like you are focused on you, not them at all.

Say thank you.

Who do you need to thank today? 1 minutes prayer — Take out your phone and send a thank you message.