The Foundation of Unshakeable Gratitude
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Introduction
Introduction
As we have entered the season recognized as Thanksgiving, it is important that we learn how to develop gratitude from the most solid, reliable and certain reality. The deepest, most lasting sense of gratitude flows from God and a relationship with him.
If we attach our gratitude to any other reality, we can and will be disappointed. Why? All of things for which people are thankful change. The new car gets old, the best friend gets mad at us, we lose our well paying job, our health declines, someone we admire does something wrong, and the list goes on and on.
Listen to a few verses from Hebrews 12.
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
In light of being thankful receiving the unshakeable kingdom, I want to focus on a few verses from Hebrews 4 to stir us up to indestructible gratitude.
PRAY
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus represents us perfectly before God: Be thankful!
Jesus represents us perfectly before God: Be thankful!
Since then we have a great high priest - In the history of the world, a priest in one who represents men to a god. Under the old covenant, the high priest would make sacrifices and offers prayers to God for men in Israel.
Who is the high priest of God’s people? Jesus, the son of God - Jesus whose name means Savior or God saves, who is the son of God. He is the unique one of God.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Jesus as the great high priest is the mediator between God and man, specifically his people. His representation of God was perfect because he was God in the flesh. His representation of man was perfect because he was truly human.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Who has passed through the heavens - This communicates to us that Jesus made his offering before God himself and even more that he resides in the present of God in the heavens.
24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
What should the people of God do? Let us hold fast to our confession. We should hold fast to what we have already claimed by our profession of faith. Jesus is enough. Own it publicly. Make it the refrain of your soul
Jesus realizes our struggle as humans: Be thankful!
Jesus realizes our struggle as humans: Be thankful!
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses - The one who represents us before God is not remote, distant, ignorant or foolish concerning what we experience as followers of God. We do not have one who is UNABLE to sympathize, which means that he is sympathetic to our weaknesses. He feels it, he understands it, he has compassion on us as we struggle with lack of strength, feebleness, inability and human limitations.
R. Kent Hughes, “Jesus, our high priest, has an unequalled capacity for sympathy. It goes far beyond the intellectual, because it is truly experiential. Jesus does not just imagine how we feel—he feels it! The word for “sympathize” here means “to share the experience of another” —to sympathize through common experience. The most sensitive man who ever lived feels with us.”
Why?
But one in every respect has been tempted as we are - Jesus was tempted in every essential way like us.
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
However, Jesus was different. Yet without sin - In every way that he was tempted, he never moved into sinfulness. When we are tempted we often give up and yield to the temptation. However, when Jesus was tempted, it was temptation that gave up.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Jesus rules with compassion and power: Be thankful!
Jesus rules with compassion and power: Be thankful!
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace - The writer of Hebrews calls his audience to approach Jesus with full assurance, which means with no fear of rejection.
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Why? Jesus sits on a throne of grace.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
That we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need - From Jesus’ throne flows are continual, generous stream of mercy and grace. You could say compassion and power/favor.
For what? To help in time of need. The mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ meet us to give aid and lift us up in the right way at the right time. There is specific mercy and grace that Jesus gives to his people as the great high priest to help them with the specific needs at a specific moment.
Practical Application
Practical Application
The gratitude of the unshakable kingdom is only for the true people of God.
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Dear child of God, enjoy God, communicate with God and embrace gratitude in all situations.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Dear child of God, learn to derive your deepest sense of gratitude from God and what he has done for you in Christ. Do not be happy in the kiddie pool of thanksgiving. Swim to the deep end.
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 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.
