Thank You

Introduction

Opener

Announcement...

I wont lie to you, what helped inspire the sermon for this week was the release of Wicked.

As many of you know I am a huge musical fan and Wicked’s new movie came out and a song on there has been one of my favorites for years.

It’s called For Good, the lyrics go like this:

I've heard it said That people come into our lives For a reason Bringing something we must learn And we are led To those who help us most to grow If we let them And we help them in return Well, I don't know if I believe that's true But I know I'm who I am today Because I knew you

Main Point of the Text (MPT)

But also, someone who inspired me to write this, Saul, other wise known as Paul, whom’s conversion we read of last week.

Last week we got to read of the incredible conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-9), where before his conversion he was someone who:

Aided in the murder of Christians, members of the church such as Stephen (Acts 7:58), of whom, he consented to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him (Acts 22:20).

Wrecked havoc of the church (Acts 8:3).

Entered homes, dragging off men and women, committing them to prison (Acts 8:3).

Breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1).

This was more than likely only a small picture of what Saul had done to the church and last week I asked why would God save a man like this?

The answer, as we will find out next week in Acts was to bring the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).

After his conversion, Saul, who would also be known as Paul (Acts 13:9), symbolizing his new identity in Christ (how I will refer to him the rest of our time today), would write letters to the churches or individuals he had met during his missionary journeys and imprisonments, imprisoned for his faith in Christ and rebellion against the Jews (Acts 24-28).

13 of his letters are included in God’s Word for us to read and in 9 of those letters he takes time to give thanks for those of whom recieved them.

Upon reading the thanks he gave in those 9 letters, I quickly realized that I am thankful for the same reasons concerning you, congregation of MCC, today my words to you as we approach this Thanksgiving holiday are thank you.

I wish to share why he gave thanks with you today as that you may also know why it is I give thanks for you as well.

Prayer

But before I do, may we, together, stand and go to the Lord in Prayer…reciting the Lord’s Prayer together (Matthew 6:9-13):

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen.

Body

Point 1: Thankful for Your Faith in Christ

Scripture:

Romans 1:8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Ephesians 1:15a–16 “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus...do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers...”

Colossians 1:3–4a “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus...”

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3a “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith...”

2 Thessalonians 1:3a “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly...”

Explanation:

Bringing people to faith in Christ is a Christian’s purpose.

I believe I spoke out this two weeks ago when I spoke about my last year and a half here, seeing people come to Christ is what helps us continue to push forward in the mission Christ gave us, the Great Commission.

When we see others come to Christ, it strengthens our faith and church, you have strengthened my faith.

Through the work God has done here we have added so many brothers and sisters to Christ.

It has been amazing to see you work, spreading the gospel, being unashamed of the message it brings and the God who delivered it to us, Jesus Christ.

In order for the church to survive, this must remain at the foremost of the churches efforts.

That is why I believe that Paul mentioned it as much as he did, because Paul knew that above all else, above all other doctrine, about all our similarities and differences, the spread of the gospel is the most important, one church, united in one mission, delivering the gospel to Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth, going therefore, making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19-20).

This is our mission, our mission define us, Christ defines us, and with Christ being love, His love define us, the second thing I have thankful for...

Application:

Point 2: Thankful for Your Love of One Another

Scripture:

Ephesians 1:15b–16 “...after I heard of...your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers...”

Colossians 1:3–4b “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of...your love for all the saints;”

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3b “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your...labor of love...”

2 Thessalonians 1:3b “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because...the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other...”

Explanation:

Christ said this, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Church, through your worship, through your prayer, through your spread of the gospel, through your teaching of the Word, through your service to others, and through all the many other ways you choose to service Christ, you have and will continue to uphold these commandments.

Loving ourselves, loving others, is not always the easiest thing to do, but you make it look that way:

In our adult ministries, I have seen people come in that need money, food, a place to lay their head you’ve helped provide it for them.

In our children ministries, I have seen our adults, our youth, and our children, each of us regardless of age, show love towards the many children that walk in out of this door who have not recieved the love they need at home.

Each and every ministry MCC has, that we labor in, each and every ministry that you, church, dedicate your time to has helped spread the love of Christ.

We labor, we sacrifice our energy, we sacrifice our time, our minds, our bodies to share the love of Christ with everyone, because it was when we first met Him, that was when we first met love and since then we can’t help but remain in His love we feel as Paul felt, as debtors (Romans 1:14-15), as some whom Christ has entrusted with His love, that we must share His love.

His love has been given at a price, recieved freely through His grace, and it is through us that it will continue to be shared through His love in us.

Whats that song go like?

Your love never fails It never gives up It never runs out on me

That takes me to the next thing I am thankful for...

Point 3: Thankful for Your Steadfastness in Trails

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your...patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father...”

2 Thessalonians 1:4–5 “...we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer...”

Explanation:

Church, you have been through a lot, every church has, as more and more generations move away from God and towards their own selfish desires, the number of those who will enter that narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14) continue to get less and less.

Not to mention that, but just 4 years ago the church suffered greatly at the hands of COVID and even though we don’t like bringing that horrible word up, as many of us lost love ones, we know that it was a challenging time for many Christians as fear persisted, and trust in God was questioned.

But MCC, that hasn’t slowed you down, fear had no place here, your efforts weren’t halted, if anything, I see a challenge that you took head on and conquered with your unbroken and unfaltering trust in God.

Remaining in hope during our greatest trails is so important and you have shown others how to do that.

1 Corinthians 13:13 remind us to abide in faith, hope, and love, and church, I have already mentioned you checking the two of these boxes, it only makes sense that you check the third box as well, and you have, trails don’t slow you down, they challenge you, they push you, you endure, you overcome, and it is through the use of the gifts that God has given you that you inspire others to do the same.

The fourth reason I am thankful...

Point 4: Thankful for Your Spiritual Gifts

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 1:4–9 “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Explanation:

According to 1 Corinthians 12, here is a list of all the spiritual gifts:

Administration; Being an apostle; Discernment; Evangelism; Exhortation; Faith; Giving; Healing; Helps; Hospitality; Knowledge; Leadership; Mercy; Prophecy; Serving; Speaking in tongues; Teaching; Wisdom.

To sit here and go over all of the spiritual gift each of you possess and how amazing it has been to watch you all lean on the Holy Spirit to use them would take many hours, but what I will say is just like Paul mentioned to the Corinthians, it is apparent that this church has been enriched with these spiritual gifts.

I love the words Paul uses here because it fits MCC perfectly, “the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you”.

What an amazing way to put it, through you, you using your spiritual gifts, the evidence of Christ has been confirmed.

People see the leaning on of the Holy Spirit here, meaning that when people walk in this church they notice that you lean on the Spirit of Christ to serve Him the way you do, that you not lean on your own efforts, but on Christ and Christ alone!

1 Peter 4:10 tells us, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Here at MCC, the words of Peter, the words God gave him to write, are manifested without hesitation.

Through the use of your spiritual gifts, you have been, each one of you, a walking, talking testimony for all to see, a living ministry that puts all of the best attributes of Christ on display, His love, His grace, His mercy have been manifested through all of you.

For that, the fifth thing I am thankful for...

Point 5: Thankful for Your Fellowship in the Gospel

Scripture:

Philippians 1:3–6 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ...”

Explanation:

These is a set of verses on fellowship that I always think about when someone mentions fellowship.

They are found in Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:23–25 says this, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

If there is one thing this church holds fast to without wavering, it is the gospel.

One of the changes that came with coming to MCC was taking communion each week.

This has been one of the biggest blessings of my life.

I had always knew how important communion was before, but since being here and hearing the Elders speak before communion and seeing each of you coming up to take communion, some even withholding themselves from communion due to the significance of it’s meaning has been amazing to see.

One of my favorite sermons I ever got to write since I first came to MCC was my sermon on communion and it was you all who inspired me to look more into it what it means, taking it more seriously than I have ever taken it.

Each week we have gotten the chance to fellowship with each other through the taking of communion and it has been an experience that will forever live with me.

In fact, the last thing on my list of things I am thankful for…although there are many more, is our...

Point 6: Thankful for Our History

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:3–5 “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also...”

Explanation:

A history I will remember forever...

Altar Call