Thanksgiving Eve (2024)

1 Tim 2:1-4

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, what a blessed night to be gathered here together to give thanks to God for all that He has given us this past year. God teaches us in His word that we are encouraged to come before him and make supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for all people. So it is appropriate me this night that we reflect on the many blessings that God has given us that we might return thanks to Him.

What has God done for us, that we ought to thank Him? Those who have been through the Small Catechism know. God has given me body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses and takes care of them. As though that weren’t enough, He has also given me clothing, shoes, food, drink, house, home, wife children, land, animals and all I have. Daily God provides for me all I need to support this body and life.

Now when we consider that, that is quite remarkable for who else does that for us? Who else provides not only for you, but for your family, your friends, your loved ones. What have you or anyone done for God to deserve this?

This past year have you loved God with all your heart, soul, and mind? Have you kept the commandments and obeyed what God has spoken? Have you loved your neighbor as yourself, setting aside malice and hate, have you kept yourself free from sexual immorality, have you defended your neighbor, spoken well of them, and explained everything in the kindest way, or have you gossiped, slandered, and hurt their reputation?

Well what did we just confess at the start of our Service, that we are poor miserable sinners who deserve all temporal and eternal punishment. We have done nothing to deserve a place in God’s Kingdom.

When we lack gratitude it is because we believe that something is our due, that we deserve it or have earned it and that a person ought to do what is right. Therefore we see no need to thank the person for they are giving us what is our due, but when they don’t give us our due, we become angry at them. For how dare they withhold what belongs to me. So which is it? Is it that God is in your debt, and owes you everything you have, or is it that you are unworthy of God’s favor?

If God is in your debt, then He isn’t God you are. This is where many people become upset and angry with God, because didn’t give to them what they deserved, earned, and merited and so when God doesn’t do what they want, they believe that God failed them. This is pride, arrogance, or hubris that elevates oneself above their creator. We ought to be free from it.

Rather we ought to give thanks to God, for everything God has given to us, isn’t because of who we are, but rather because of who God is. He is our Creator, and He loves us even when we are unlovable, even when we sin against him, he does not desire our death, but that we might be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

If the Father had not sent His Son into the world, then each and everyone of us would have perished eternally, but out of love, God sent Christ into the World to redeem us, and to serve as the mediator between God and man for our salvation.

Now each of us has tragedies and sorrows that have happened in this past year. There is much that we could lament, much that hurts, and a great deal of sorrow, but there is also much for which we give thanks to God. For we didn’t deserve anything, but it was given to us as a gift. Be it the breath we draw today, or the promise of the resurrection that He made in Holy Baptism to those who have been laid to rest. The forgiveness of our sins especially when we have fallen greatly or repeatedly this past year.

We have our nation and we have been so far been spared from war though the world seems to be headed towards it with reckless abandon. So when we come before God this day, there is much that we can give thanks to God about, and every reason to rejoice in God’s bountiful goodness.

So let us heed what the Scriptures tell us here, that we come before the Lord in prayer for He has given us much more than we deserve. We can lift up our voices to give thanks to Him for all He has done not only for us, but for all people through His Son. In addition to what God has given us, like a loving Father he wants to hear from us about our concerns, our anxieties, and as we ask him to make intercession, and thanksgivings for all people.

We hear the word all, and we typically think of our family, and our friends, but did you notice who is mentioned? Kings and all who are in high positions for God has established government as well for our benefit. If you think that topic is controversial today, it was more so in Paul’s day. For which of our governing leaders is breaking into the homes of Christians to arrest them and use them for bloodsport in an arena? But it is also a gift from God.

We are blessed by the government in our Land. We are able to gather in safety and teach the faith to our children, we are able to speak with our neighbors about the forgiveness of sins, and the name of Christ our Lord without fear of retribution or being secreted off to a jail. This is not enjoyed by Christians around the globe, but it something that we have enjoyed under President Biden, and something we look forward to under President Trump.

For no matter who our President is, it is a right recognized by our Constitution, and not many nations recognize that, but ours does. For that we can give thanks to God, that we have received such a wonderful blessing through our birth. Our sincere hope is that this great gift continues on for future generations, and that all in our nation may know peace and lead godly lives.

So tonight my brothers and sisters, we poor miserable sinners, give thanks to God that we are able to gather around word and sacrament in safety, and receive the blessings of heaven. We will continue to pray for all people even those in authority, for we these blessings to be not only for ourselves but also our neighbors. For all of us are part of God’s creation, and God does not desire the death of any person, that is why He gave to us His Son, and tonight we receive the gift of Christ’s sacrifice. In Jesus name. Amen.