THANKFULNESS IN THESSALONIANS

We are picking up our study of thankfulness we began the month with, using two Sunday mornings to examine Paul’s teachings, at least in part, on thankfulness, and then our third Sunday with John’s writings on thankfulness.

By way of introduction, I always find it comical when you ask kids, “What are you thankful for?” You will get a variety of answers.

“I love my bear” “I love my shoes” “I love my blanky!”

As kids grow older, their objects for thankfulness change. “I love my Xbox or play station.” “I love my phone” or “my friends.”

Then, as children grow into adults, things change again. “I love my spouse” “I love my career” or “I love my hobby (hunting, fishing, etc.).

And as adults continue to age, inching ever closer to death, they objects for their thankfulness change, too. “I am thankful for one more day.” “I am thankful for watching that sunset with my spouse one more time.” “I am thankful I can still walk.”

Examples of all of these and more could be provided. But you get a sense that as we grow and learn and mature, the objects for which we are thankful change.

And it is not just that the objects take on more importance, for example, parents are grateful for a child more than they were for a blanky in their childhood. The child is far more valuable than the blanky.

It is more than that, though, and it is because the individual is changing.

A greater change occurs in the life of a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, a recipient of the grace of God in salvation. To be sure, they are grateful for all of the above mentioned and unmentioned things, people, and opportunities.

But the objects for thankfulness expand to a greater, and I believe more biblical degree, that is, issues involving our relationship with God.

We saw that in Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians. They were thankful for God’s work of salvation and sanctification. Of course they were thankful for other blessings God provided, but their focus was on all things in relation to God. That is theology, by the way.

Theology: the study of God and all things in relation to God- Ronnie Kurtz

Thankfulness is inherently theological. And what better source to draw help from than the sacred Scriptures?

This morning we are going to examine 1 & 2 Thessalonians, tremendous letters Paul wrote to an incredible church filled with love, breaming with gratefulness, and displaying biblical ministry for countless generations of believers.

Just as we did with Romans, we will group the Scripture around similar themes. I think we will benefit much from this consideration this morning, and hopefully bolster our own expressions of thankfulness.

I. THANKFULNESS FOR GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION- 1 Thess. 1:2-4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14

Paul readily acknowledged that salvation was always and only a result from the work of God. Paul in Acts chapter 17 goes and spreads the Gospel to the Jews who were living there (both ethnic and proselytes). They were not searching for Christ, Christ was searching for them through Paul.

God granted salvation to these people and, though not without challenges (pursecution), and Paul established a church there. It grew, and they faced persecution as well (see 1 Thess. 2:13-16).

But at the heart of Paul’s thankfulness was God’s grace of salvation.

We need to be thankful for our own salvation for sure, but can we not also offer thanks for God’s work in others lives?

What phrases does Paul use to remind them (and us) of God’s grace?

1 Thess. 1:4 “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you”

1 Thess. 2:13 “when you received the Word of God…which also performs its work in you who believe”

2 Thess. 2:13 “God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation…”

2 Thess. 2:14 “He called you through our gospel”

Romans 10:17 “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

When is the last time you genuinely thanked God for saving you? Your spouse? Your children? Your fellow believers here? Brothers and sisters all over the world?

“The Gift of Gifts”

O Source of All Good,

What shall I render thee for the gift of gifts, thine own dear Son, begotten, not created, my Redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute, his self-emptying incomprehensible, his infinity of love beyond the heart’s grasp. Herein is wonder of wonders: he came below to raise me above, was born like me that I might become like him. Herein is love; when I cannot rise to him he draws near on wings of grace, to raise me to himself. Herein is power; when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart he united them in indissoluble unity, the uncreated and the created. Herein is wisdom; when I was undone, with no will to return to him, and no intellect to devise recovery, he came, God-incarnate, to save me to the uttermost, as man to die my death, to shed satisfying blood on my behalf, to work out a perfect righteousness for me. O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds, and enlarge my mind; let me hear good tidings of great joy, and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore, my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose, my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father; place me with ox, ass, camel, goat, to look with them upon my Redeemer’s face, and in him account myself delivered from sin; let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart, embrace him with undying faith, exulting that he is mind and I am his. In him thou hast given me so much that heaven can give no more.

When we realize what God has done for us, we cannot not be people with grateful hearts for ours and others’ salvation.

“Better than I deserve”

But Paul also expresses thankfulness for God’s Work of Sanctification.

II. THANKFULNESS FOR GOD’S WORK OF SANCTIFICATION- 1 Thess. 1:2-3; 2:13; 3:9-10; 5:18; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2:13-15

1 Thess. 1:2-4- The Thessalonian believers were “working in faith” and had “labor of love” that Paul was thankful for

Sharing the Gospel with unbelievers

Encouraging believers with Scripture

Living a consistent Christian life

Serving where needed

1 Thess. 2:13- The Thessalonian believers were hungry for the Word of God. They received it (a word that can be used positively and negatively), eagerly. They were excited about growing in their knowledge of God and making that God known.

It’s encouraging to believers (genuine) when God is at work in your life. *Steve Lamb*

1 Thess. 3:9 (6-8)- The Thessalonians faith, both doctrinal and practical, brought great joy to Paul for which he expressed praise to God

1 Thess. 5:18- Thankful in all things

“Let me be thankful. First, I was never robbed before. Second, although they took my purse, they didn't take my life. Third, although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed and not I who did the robbing.” Matthew Henry, Journal Entry

2 Thess. 1:3- Growing faith and demonstrable life

Their actions, despite the differences they held, proved Christ’s love working through them

2 Thess. 2:13-15- Paul speaks more of than just salvation, that salvation is wrought through sanctification, and yields what we would call the beatific vision, “that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

III. PRACTICAL STEPS TO TAKE

Make it a daily practice to thank God for your salvation

OT saints did this as they participated in the various feasts, we practice this as we participate in baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Build it into your routines or develop the habit of being conscientious of your salvation

Reflect on your state of heart before Christ

Meditate on God’s holiness

Not only should you pray and actually engage in the spiritual disciplines, but thank God for His work in your life

Look back on your life in decades, not in days

If you are not growing, you are the problem, not God

Be thankful for God’s work in others’ lives

This requires living life with people

This involves more than just “did you see the game last night” talk

Of all the people on the planet, Christians should be the most thankful, and Paul gives us two main reasons that trickle down into so many other reasons to express thankfulness, not just for the month of November, but for every day.

Grace that is Greater than all our sin