Two-Way Thankfulness (2)

Intro

If you remember last week we talked about thankfulness, and played a short game to get into the thanksgiving spirit

If you guys hadn’t noticed this week is Thanksgiving

NO SCHOOL THIS WEEK

How many of have Thanksgiving at your house?

Well as we continue to count down are days until Thanksgiving

I want to give us one more message about giving Thanks and having gratitude, but I want to shift the focus a little bit

If you remember the name of the sermon is “Two-Way Thankfulness”

And what the means is that not only should we live lives being thankful for what God has done

But we also need to know that God is actually thankful for us:

When we serve him

When we are obediant to him

When we spend time with him

When we tell others about him

There are all different thoughts behind this

But as I have shared previous weeks

there are many times When we look at our relationship with God. it turns into us doing a bunch of things for him

to stay on his good side

But the Bible shows us that the Lord actually delights in us

So today I want to give you guys 4 points about how God is thankful for us

1. God is thankful for us when we are obediant to him

John 14:21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.””

Cedar point story about riding the Mean streak without a seatbelt

I had this moment where even though I survived the ride

I saw why these rules were important

having more than just a lap bar is good

I share that becasue in our scripture

“Jesus is talking and he tells us that those who love him will follow his commands”

In many seasons life we look at obeying rules as a negative thing instead of a positive.

Now having a relationship with God is more than just following rules

however Jesus makes it clear to us that we ought to be following his ways

But there are all kinds of things right?

School uniforms

Subway yellow line

Speed limits

There are all kinds of rules that seem annoying to us but there is a reason that they exist.

And that best part for us is that we have a God who’s way are higher than our ways

So when God tells us to follow his ways, we can know that we are in good hands

Now all that to be said

God is thankful when we obey him, because ultimately it is best for us

God loves us and cares about us

And honestly when we walk in obedience we get to experience the most that he is has for us

Every follower of God in the Bible did so by living obediently to what God wanted for them

Because if you notice in this verse it isn’t:

“Just follow my commands becasue I said so”

“Its follow my commands and “my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

We get the best versions of ourselves when we obey God’s commands

2. God is thankful for us because we are made in his image

Genesis 1:27 “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

How many of you have been told before that you look like one of your parents?

Henry

And me with my dad

No matter what I do I was created in the image of parents

When I make decions my dad has told me that he is proud of me because I am his

I bring this up about being made in the image of your parents

Because it is the same exact thing with our heavenly father

You and I are literally made in the image and like of God

Have you ever thought about that

You and I have the ability to resemble our creator

And so here is the kicker

Even though we are made in God’s image we don’t always resemble him

You and I are made in the image God, when we are saved we are God’s children

Be don’t always look like God

Have you guys ever head the expression

“The Apple has fallen far from the tree”

Right it means that we aren’t the same as our parents are

or in other words. we aren’t acting the same way that person who created us would

But when we live in that resemblance of God

When we live like Jesus

When we respond to the way that he would

GOD IS THANKFUL FOR US

When we choose to bear his image God

3. God is thankful for us when we share him with others

Matthew 4:18–20 “One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.”

This is a very famous passage of scripture

Jesus is calling his first disciples or followers to him

And he gives this example that from now on they will be fishers of men

meaning that they are called to catch people and bring them to Jesus

When I hear this story I think of one specific person who lived this out for me

One of the church camps that I attended was called “The Well”

Cody Towel checked on me for years

It may seemed like it was something small for him

but it helped me out a ton and there were times that I had been really struggling

I share that story for 2 reasons

Things that may seem like they are so small can make a huge difference

Someone ever say something to you, and you remember it for the rest of your life?

that may have seemed super small in their mind, but it meant so much to you?

That is one of the greatest ways that God likes to work

He can take the smallest conversations, comments, small interactions

And it can lead people to his goodness

2.God is thankful when we share him with others because it is evidence of his love story

I don’t know if you guys have ever heard the Bible explained that way

But in many ways it is a love story

God’s love for us was so powerful that he sacrficed his only son for the sake of us

and so when we tell people about our relationship with him, and when we fish for men we are inviting people into that story of how Jesus loved us so much.

So not only are we called to share his love with others who don’t know him , but God is even thankful for us sharing him with Christians around us

4. God is thankful for us, even when others are not

Romans 8:31–32 “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”

How many of you guys have ever woken up super early before?

I remember one of the main reasons for always having to wake up early was when my family would go to Tennessee for vacation

When I was a kid I didn’t get it

hated. had a negative connotation

but After being old enough to drive it totally changed my perspective

I share all of this because in our scripture Paul is talking, and he says: “If God is for us, who can be against us”

HEAR THIS

When we share Jesus with others it is ultimately what good for them

however they won’t always see it that way

Just like getting up early for the vacation. it saved us so much time

But we didn’t see it that way

It was annoying, frustrating, It was uncomfortable for us

When we choose to follow God there will be people who won’t like it

But here is what I want you to hear

God see’s and cares for your efforts regardless of what it looks like around you

In this scripture, Paul tells us that God is for us not just as an encouragement

But as a truth for us to hold onto

And so God is thankful for us when we serve him

He is FOR us

Do you realize that God is actually for you?

I”ts not just yeah He will help you occacnionally”

Last week we wrapped up and I had you guys think of someone that you can show that you are thankful for

I Honestly want to reiterate it again

Did anyone actually do it?

Look at your neighbor and tell them “God is thankful for you”

Pray for the person next to you right now

To be reminded that God is thankful for them

Pray to have students do it who haven’t done it