Thanksgiving 2025

Sermon: A Journey of Gratitude

Introduction

Church, today we gather not only to celebrate Thanksgiving, but to remember the story behind it. It is more than turkey and pumpkin pie. It is a testimony of faith, sacrifice, and gratitude.

Psalm 100:3–5 “3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”

The Story of the Separatists

Let me take you back to England in the early 1600s.

FREEDOM TO WORSHIP - There was a group of believers called the Separatists. They loved Jesus, but they could not worship Him freely. The Church of England demanded conformity. The king demanded loyalty. And anyone who resisted was branded a traitor. Many were fined. Many were imprisoned. Some even gave their lives.

TRUE BELIEVERES - Yet these men and women believed in something radical: that the church should be made up of true believers, gathered together by the Spirit of God, not assigned by the state. They believed worship belonged to God alone, not to kings or bishops.

SOUGHT A PLACE TO BE FREE - So what did they do? They fled. In 1608, they crossed the channel to Holland, seeking refuge. There they found tolerance, but also hardship. Their children were growing up in a secular culture, and they feared losing their faith. They longed for a place where they could worship freely, raise their families in the fear of the Lord, and live according to Scripture.

SOUGHT THE NEW LAND - And so, they returned to England to negotiate. They sought permission from the Virginia Company to settle in the New World. They even received royal consent—so long as they lived peaceably. A merchant financed their voyage. And in August of 1620, they boarded a small ship called the Mayflower.

THE PLITE OF SEA - Think of it: 102 passengers, 30 crew members, 66 days crossing the Atlantic in stormy seas. They risked everything—home, safety, even life itself—for the right to worship God freely.

Among them were leaders of faith:

William Brewster, elder and shepherd of the flock.

John Robinson, who guided them with vision, though he never made it to America.

William Bradford, who became governor and led with courage and gratitude.

These were men who believed worship was worth the risk.

FIRST AMENDMENT - Church, their struggle gave birth to something we now take for granted: the First Amendment. The freedom of religion. The freedom to worship God as we see fit. That freedom was purchased with the tears, the prayers, and the sacrifices of the Pilgrims.

God’s Provision in the New Land

When they arrived, half of them died in the first winter. But God provided. He sent Squanto, a Native American who taught them to plant corn, fish, and survive. He gave them allies in Massasoit and the Wampanoag, who shared food and peace. And in November 1621, they celebrated their first harvest with a feast of thanksgiving.

It was not just a meal—it was worship. It was gratitude. It was survival turned into celebration.

Biblical Parallels

Israel was commanded to bring the first fruits as thanksgiving for entering the promised land.

Deuteronomy 26:1–4 “1 “And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, 2 that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. 3 And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ 4 “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.”

Gratitude brings peace that guards our hearts.

Philippians 4:6–7 “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Thanksgiving is not seasonal; it is the posture of the believer’s life.

Colossians 3:15–17 “15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17–19 “17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.”

Application: Our Immigrant Journey

Church, we too are pilgrims. Just as the Separatists risked everything to cross the Atlantic, many of us have risked much to come to this land. We came seeking freedom, safety, and opportunity—above all, the freedom to worship God without fear.

Gratitude transforms hardship into testimony.

Instead of complaining, we confess: “God has provided.”

Instead of fear, we declare: “God is faithful.”

Practical Expressions of Gratitude

In Worship – Lift our voices to God in thanksgiving, not only on Thanksgiving Day but daily.

In Family – Express gratitude to spouses, children, and parents for their sacrifices.

In Community – Recognize the contributions of everyone, immigrants, just as the Pilgrims recognized the help of the Wampanoag.

In Giving – Offer our first fruits, tithes, and offerings with thanksgiving, not obligation.

A Call to Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not just history—it is our story. The Pilgrims’ courage, the Native Americans’ cooperation, and God’s provision remind us that gratitude is the bridge between a dificult journey and celebration.

Psalm 103:2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

So I ask you today:

What risk did you take to be here?

What provision has God given you?

What gratitude will you offer Him today?

Let us be a people of thanksgiving—because gratitude is not just a holiday, it is the lifestyle of the redeemed.

Final Exhortation: Pilgrims on Earth

Church, as we remember the Pilgrims who crossed the Atlantic, let us not forget that we too are pilgrims.

They left England for Holland, Holland for America, and America for freedom.

But our journey is even greater. We are pilgrims on this earth, strangers and sojourners, walking by faith toward a heavenly country.

Hebrews 11:12–16 “12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude is not only for what God has done in the past, but for what He has promised in the future.

We have embarked on a spiritual journey. A journey that also ends with a feast. It ends with eternity in the presence of God.

Lets live as pilgrims—with gratitude in our hearts, forward in faith, and with hope in our eyes—knowing that one day we will sit at the table of the Lord, in His kingdom, forever.