Practicing Gratitude

Practicing Gratitude

My Bible, My Help, My Hope

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Introduction

Last week Bro. Justin

Our focus today is on a theme that is as timeless as it is transformative, as personal as it is profound. We are turning our hearts and minds towards gratitude. We will be examining what gratitude looks like in the light of the Gospel, the fruit that it bears in our lives, and how it shapes the culture of our church community.

It has been , "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” This profound truth resonates with our topic today. True gratitude is not about the abundance of our possessions, but the posture of our hearts. It's about the joy we find in every blessing, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.

Now, let us turn to our Scripture passage for today, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." What a profound and powerful command! This verse does not suggest, it does not recommend, it does not even advise. It commands. Give thanks in all circumstances. Not just in the good times, not just when things are going our way, but in all circumstances. This is God's will for us. This is the path He has laid out for us to follow.

So, what does it mean to give thanks in all circumstances? How do we cultivate a heart of gratitude even in the midst of trials and tribulations? How does this gratitude bear fruit in our lives? And how does it shape the culture of our church community? These are the questions we will be addressing today.

Let's bow our heads in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for Your love, and for Your word. As we delve into Your truth, open our hearts and minds to understand and appreciate the depth of Your wisdom. Help us to cultivate a heart of gratitude that is steadfast, sincere, and selfless. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing to You, our Rock and our Redeemer. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Let's embark on this voyage of discovery together, as we seek to understand and apply God's command to give thanks in all circumstances. May the Lord guide us and give us understanding.

Gratitude Groundwork in Gospel

In the light of the Gospel, gratitude is not merely an emotion or a response to favorable circumstances. It is a fundamental aspect of our faith, a cornerstone of our Christian walk. It is a conscious choice, a deliberate decision that we make, regardless of our circumstances. It is a recognition of God's goodness and faithfulness, a celebration of His love and mercy, a testament to His grace and generosity.

The Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, is the foundation of our gratitude. It is the wellspring from which our thankfulness flows. The Gospel reminds us of the greatest gift we have ever received, the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. It reminds us of the price that was paid for our redemption, the sacrifice that was made for our reconciliation. It reminds us of the love that was demonstrated on the cross, the love that is greater than any other.

Gratitude, in the light of the Gospel, is an acknowledgment of this gift, this sacrifice, this love. It is a humble acceptance of our unworthiness, a joyful celebration of our redemption, a heartfelt expression of our love for our Savior. It is a reflection of our understanding of the Gospel, our appreciation of its significance, our commitment to its message.

The Gospel also provides us with a model for our gratitude. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, lived a life of gratitude. He gave thanks to His Father in heaven in all circumstances, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of abundance and in times of need. He gave thanks for His daily bread, for His disciples, for His mission. He gave thanks even in His darkest hour, in the garden of Gethsemane, on the cross at Calvary.

Jesus' gratitude was not dependent on His circumstances, but on His relationship with His Father. It was not determined by His feelings, but by His faith. It was not influenced by His situation, but by His submission to His Father's will. His gratitude was a testament to His trust in His Father, His love for His Father, His obedience to His Father.

This is the model of gratitude that the Gospel presents to us. A gratitude that is rooted in our relationship with God, that is grounded in our faith, that is guided by our submission to His will. A gratitude that is not dependent on our circumstances, but on our understanding of God's goodness, God's faithfulness, God's love.

The Gospel also provides us with a motivation for our gratitude. The good news of Jesus Christ compels us to give thanks. It stirs our hearts, it moves our spirits, it inspires our souls. It fills us with a sense of awe and wonder, a sense of love and joy, a sense of peace and contentment. It fills us with a desire to express our gratitude, to share our thankfulness, to spread our joy.

The Gospel motivates us to give thanks in all circumstances, not just in the good times, but also in the bad times. It motivates us to give thanks not just for the blessings, but also for the trials. It motivates us to give thanks not just for the victories, but also for the struggles. It motivates us to give thanks not just for the joys, but also for the sorrows.

This is the motivation for gratitude that the Gospel provides. A motivation that is rooted in the good news of Jesus Christ, that is fueled by the love of God, that is driven by the power of the Holy Spirit. A motivation that compels us to give thanks in all circumstances, to express our gratitude in all situations, to celebrate God's goodness in all aspects of our lives.

In conclusion, the Gospel lays the groundwork for our gratitude. It provides us with a foundation, a model, and a motivation for our thankfulness. It reminds us of the greatest gift we have ever received, it presents us with the perfect example of gratitude, and it compels us to express our thankfulness in all circumstances. It is the wellspring from which our gratitude flows, the cornerstone on which our thankfulness is built, the driving force behind our expressions of gratitude.

So, let us give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. Let us give thanks for the Gospel, for the good news of Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks for the gift of salvation, for the love of God, for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks, not because we have to, but because we want to, not because we are commanded to, but because we are compelled to. Let us give thanks, not just with our lips, but with our lives, not just with our words, but with our actions. Let us give thanks, not just in the good times, but in all times, not just for the blessings, but in all circumstances. For this is the gratitude that the Gospel calls for, this is the gratitude that the Gospel cultivates, this is the gratitude that the Gospel commands.

Good Fruit from Gratitude

We find ourselves drawn to the heart of the matter, the fruit that gratitude bears in our lives. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, lists the fruits of the Spirit, and although gratitude is not explicitly mentioned, it is inherently woven into each of them. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - all these are nourished and nurtured by a heart of gratitude.

Consider love, the first fruit of the Spirit. Love is the very essence of God, and gratitude is the natural response to this divine love. When we truly grasp the depth of God's love for us, a love so profound that He gave His only Son to die for our sins, our hearts overflow with gratitude. This gratitude then fuels our love for God and for others. It compels us to love as we have been loved, to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to extend grace as we have received grace.

Next, we have joy, a fruit that is intimately linked with gratitude. Joy is not dependent on our circumstances; it is rooted in our relationship with God. It is a deep, abiding sense of contentment and peace that comes from knowing and trusting God. Gratitude is the key that unlocks this joy. When we give thanks in all circumstances, we shift our focus from our problems to God's promises, from our trials to His triumphs, and from what we lack to all that we have in Christ. This shift in perspective fills our hearts with joy, a joy that is not shaken by the storms of life.

Then there is peace, a fruit that is often elusive in our chaotic and troubled world. Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God. It is a sense of calm and tranquility that transcends understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Gratitude paves the way for this peace. When we give thanks in all circumstances, we acknowledge God's sovereignty and goodness. We trust in His plans and purposes, and we rest in His promises. This trust and rest give birth to peace, a peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away.

Now, let us turn our attention to the original language of our main Scripture passage. The Greek word for "give thanks" in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 literally means good grace.

So, to give thanks is to acknowledge the good grace of God. This word is used in several other passages in the New Testament. For instance, in Luke 17:16, the Samaritan leper "eucharisteo" - gave thanks to Jesus for healing him. In 1 Corinthians 11:24, Jesus "eucharisteo" - gave thanks before breaking the bread at the Last Supper. In each of these instances, "eucharisteo" is an expression of gratitude for God's grace and goodness.

Building on this understanding of gratitude, we see how it fosters patience, another fruit of the Spirit. Patience is the ability to endure hardship and delay without becoming angry or upset. It is a virtue that is sorely tested in our instant-gratification culture. Yet, gratitude helps us cultivate patience. When we give thanks in all circumstances, we learn to wait on the Lord. We learn to trust in His timing and to rest in His sovereignty. We learn to endure hardship with grace and to delay gratification with contentment. This patience is not passive resignation, but active reliance on God.

Finally, we have kindness and goodness, fruits that are closely related and often intertwined. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Goodness is the quality of being morally good or virtuous. Both these qualities are reflections of God's character and responses to His grace. Gratitude is the soil in which these fruits grow. When we give thanks in all circumstances, we become more aware of God's kindness and goodness towards us. This awareness then inspires us to be kind and good to others. We become channels of God's grace, extending kindness and goodness to those around us, just as we have received from Him.

In all these ways and more, gratitude bears good fruit in our lives. It deepens our love, heightens our joy, strengthens our peace, fosters our patience, and enhances our kindness and goodness. It transforms us from the inside out, making us more like Christ, and enabling us to live out the Gospel in our daily lives.

Gratitude Grows Church Culture

Gratitude, dear friends, is the golden thread that weaves together the tapestry of our church culture. It is the heartbeat that gives life to our collective body, the Church. It is the sweet aroma that fills our gatherings, the melody that harmonizes our worship, and the light that illuminates our fellowship.

As we cultivate gratitude in our hearts, it overflows into our lives and permeates our church culture. It shapes our attitudes, guides our actions, and influences our interactions. It fosters a spirit of unity, promotes a culture of generosity, and cultivates a climate of joy.

Our first area of focus is the unity that gratitude fosters. In a world that is increasingly divided and polarized, unity is a precious commodity. It is a beacon of hope in a sea of discord, a sanctuary of peace in a world of conflict. And gratitude, dear friends, is the glue that binds us together in unity.

When we are grateful, we focus on what we have in common rather than what sets us apart. We celebrate our shared blessings rather than compete over our individual achievements. We build bridges of understanding rather than walls of division. We extend hands of fellowship rather than fists of hostility.

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul urges us to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). Gratitude, dear friends, is that bond of peace. It is the cord that ties us together, the thread that weaves us into a unified tapestry, the glue that holds us together.

Our second area of focus is the culture of generosity that gratitude promotes. When we are grateful, we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God. We understand that we are stewards, not owners, of our resources. And this understanding fuels our generosity.

As the renowned Christian author, C.S. Lewis, once wrote, "I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." This spirit of generosity, fueled by gratitude, is a hallmark of our church culture.

When we are grateful, we give freely and joyfully. We give not out of obligation, but out of overflow. We give not because we have to, but because we get to. We give not out of scarcity, but out of abundance.

Our third area of focus is the climate of joy that gratitude cultivates. When we are grateful, we are joyful. We rejoice in the Lord always, as the Apostle Paul commands us in Philippians 4:4. And this joy is contagious. It spreads like wildfire, igniting hearts and transforming lives.

When we are grateful, we radiate joy. We shine like stars in the universe, as the Apostle Paul describes in Philippians 2:15. And this joy, dear friends, is the light that illuminates our church culture. It is the beacon that guides us, the lamp that lights our path, and the torch that leads the way.

So, dear friends, let us cultivate gratitude in our hearts. Let us let it overflow into our lives and permeate our church culture. Let us foster unity, promote generosity, and cultivate joy. And as we do, let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Let us take these words to heart and put them into action. Let us live out our gratitude in tangible ways, expressing it in our words and demonstrating it in our deeds. Let us be the change we want to see in our church culture, fostering unity, promoting generosity, and cultivating joy. And as we do, let us give thanks to God, from whom all blessings flow.

Conclusion

As we draw to a close, let's remember that gratitude is more than just saying thank you. It's a way of life, a mindset, a heart posture that recognizes the goodness of God in every circumstance. It's a recognition that every good and perfect gift comes from our Heavenly Father, and an acknowledgment of His unfailing love and faithfulness towards us.

Gratitude is not just for the mountaintop moments, but also for the valleys. It's not just for the times when everything is going right, but also for the times when everything seems to be going wrong. Because even in the midst of the storm, God is still good, and His love for us is unchanging.

So let's choose gratitude. Let's choose to see God's goodness in every situation. Let's choose to acknowledge His blessings, no matter how big or small. And let's choose to give thanks, not just with our lips, but with our lives.

And as we do, we'll find that gratitude changes us. It shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have. It turns our attention from our problems to our Provider. And it transforms our perspective from one of scarcity to one of abundance.

So let's be a people of gratitude. Let's be a church that gives thanks in all circumstances. And let's be a community that reflects the goodness and love of God to the world around us.

Let's pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your goodness and love. We thank You for the countless blessings You've poured out on us. Help us to cultivate a heart of gratitude, to give thanks in all circumstances, and to reflect Your love to those around us. As we go from here, may we carry Your light and love into the world, and may our lives be a testament to Your goodness and grace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

And now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forevermore. Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord with gladness, and give thanks in all circumstances. God bless you all.