Paul’s Model of Thanks

It has sometimes been said of me that I use too much scripture in my sermons. So I have heard, so others have reported to me. That’s ok. What I say is not what is important. It’s God’s word you need, not my opinion, not my poetry, if I had any, not my worked up passion of speaking. God’s word is what you need.

And this morning, we are focusing on thankfulness. Now, I could do that thing:

Going around the table, saying what you are thankful for.

And I’m sure we all would be able to come up with something. But let’s be real: The things we are thankful for are often too small. It isn’t that we shouldn’t have gratitude for our needs being met, or for all blessings, whether small or large, but we need to look beyond today, and beyond our immediate wants and desires. Beyond physical or financial blessings. And look to the things a Christian really ought to be the most thankful for.

So today you are going to get a lot of scripture. Why? Because I believe this with all of my heart. If you are a believer, hearing God’s Word this morning will encourage your soul and stir a new or renewed attitude of gratitude within you. If you came in discouraged, wondering what in the world you have to be thankful for this year on Thanksgiving, then I want you to leave with a fresh perspective. A new outlook, a renewed faith not in what God will do for you in regards to physical needs, but marveling at how he has graciously met your greatest needs.

What happens when I look at the things Paul prayed for and was thankful for:

It makes me realize I’m too much focused on the here and now and not on the eternal.

It challenges me to think bigger. Bigger than comfort, bigger than the challenges I see right in front of me.

It reminds me of God’s gifts.

The New Testament contains 13 letters from Paul to various churches and individuals. In every letter, Paul mentioned things he was thankful for. In most of them, he actually used the phrase “I thank God” or a similar phrase. In others, his gratitude is more implicit than explicit, but we get the idea that he was always reflecting on the mercy and grace of God in regards not only to his own salvation, but God’s plan of salvation for all who believe.

Now, to put some perspective on these expressions of gratitude from Paul, remember what his life was all about and what he went through. Constant persecution, physical assaults because of his proclamation of the gospel, imprisonment, shipwrecked, jailed, and on and on.

Can we say that we have a hard time this day being thankful because we have high gas prices? Because the of sin in the world? Because life as we envisioned it is not where we hoped to be? Is there nothing greater than our current circumstances that warrants our praise and thanks to God?

If Paul were here, hearing the complaints we may each have about our world today, what would his response be?

So let’s take a tour together of somewhere in each of Paul’s letters in the NT, and see what sort of things Paul was thankful for:

Romans 1:8 ESV

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.

Paul is thankful for evangelists and missionaries, all those who proclaim the gospel.

Is this something we can share in gratitude with Paul? If Paul were glad to see the gospel proclaimed in his world, how much more should we be thankful to see that the gospel is preached even more, that scripture has been translated and distributed to so many more! That around the world, missionaries and evangelists have used modern technology and innovations to bring the gospel to so many places.

1 Corinthians 1:4–9 ESV

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless 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.

Here he is thankful that they were enriched in all speech and knowledge. That is, they are are engaged in learning the teachings, and as this works in their hearts, it is manifested in their actual behavior, the way the talk and the way they live is reflecting the change that has been wrought in their heart because of their faith.

In this way, the testimony about Christ is confirmed among them. They are not lacking any gift. They are an engaged church. Now, as you read through these letters of Paul, let’s not forget that he had issues with almost every church. The Corinthian church had issues. And Paul addressed those issues. But even in his warnings and chastisements, he still remembers the goodness of God and makes sure to point out this goodness, that God has actually been bringing change into the hearts and lives of the redeemed.

And so it should be with us. Yes, we must address areas where the Christian is lacking. But we must not lose sight that even the Christian in most need of correction has been radically changed through faith. And with Paul in his thanks, may we thank God that our momentary behavioral failures are not what our salvation is based upon, but that the Lord Jesus Christ will sustain us in the end. God is faithful.

2 Corinthians 8:16–17 ESV

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.

Here Paul mentions a specific individual, Titus. He is thankful, not that he influenced Titus, but that God put into Titus the heart of earnest care that Paul had. Notice that Paul always gives the credit to God. Now, did Paul play a part in Titus’ faith? Of course, and Paul knows this. But ultimately, Paul knows that his role in the gospel is simply God’s grace. For anyone in ministry, which in one sense is all Christians, if we have any part at all in someone coming to faith, or having their faith encouraged, that is God’s mercy and grace. He has given this privilege to all of us, that we get to have a part in what he is doing.

But we must never begin to think that we are accomplishing anything ourselves. God reaches people and uses us, but It is His work, and He deserves not only the thanks of each one saved, but the thanks of each one who is given the gracious opportunity to have a part in someone else hearing and receiving the gospel.

Galatians 6:14–15 ESV

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation

Here he doesn’t use the word thanks, but the word boast. What is it that Paul is boasting about? That he has a new boat, or got a promotion at work, or his team won the big game? No, Paul boasts in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is interesting, that Paul says the world has been crucified to him by the cross. So anything in this world does not hold a candle for Paul to his eternal faith.

This next section from Ephesians will be the longest, and I debated reading the whole thing. But I think it is one of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament. You know, people often ask others what their favorite Bible verse is. And that is tough for me to answer, there are so many. And really, if I practice what I preach, I will say let’s make sure that verse is in context. So I have trouble saying what my favorite verse is, but I think I can say with some certainty that my favorite section, or passage is Ephesians 1-2..

This passage says it all, and I will read it, and unlike the other passages we are looking at this morning, I am not going to offer much further commentary, because Paul says it so well. However, I do want to point out that the thanks doesn’t come until verse 16, so I believe everything written from verse 3 until there is building up to make this case of what Paul is thankful for. In the original greek, this is the longest sentence in the Bible. Our translations have broken it into many sentences, but most of this was all one sentence for Paul, and I imagine him pouring out this wonderful section of scripture from his very heart:

Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

And now, after Paul has listed so many of the blessings of being in the faith, now he offers this thanksgiving:

Ephesians 1:15–23 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

And now he further reminds them of the saving work of Jesus, and that it is given by faith, and even that is a gift:

Ephesians 2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

So Paul has written a summary of the gospel, and coupled that with his thanks. Thanks for what? You. Those who he was writing to. The believers in Ephesus. He was thankful for them. He recognizes God’s grace and sovereignty in the redemptive history and culmination found in the cross, and is thankful for really anyone else that God brought into the church.

Philippians 1:3–6 ESV

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

So similarly to Ephesians, Paul’s gratitude here is for the people who believe, because of your partnership in the gospel. He is thankful to be part of it with the other believers. Notice how little Paul talks about faith in this personal sense. You hear sometimes from people who say faith is personal, keep it to yourself and you will be liked better. But Paul never saw faith as merely personal, but as something lived out in community. Now, each person does need to believe on their own, but the living out of the faith is in community.

Paul is thankful for every person who is part of that community.

Colossians 1:3–5 ESV

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Again, Paul is thankful for their faith. He is also thankful for the love they have for other believers. This love is linked to the hope they have laid up in heaven.

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.

Your Work of faith: they imitated Paul and the apostles

Your Labor of love: they became an example to all the believers in Macedonia

Your Steadfastness of hope: They wait for his Son from heaven, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Have you noticed things Paul has not said he is thankful for? He doesn’t mention he is thankful the church could afford air conditioning. He doesn’t mention that he is thankful that the church had great musicians. He doesn’t mention that he is thankful that they were able to set up a little coffee shop in the foyer. He doesn’t mention that he is thankful that the world wasn’t offended by the church. No, Paul has his mind on much bigger things, and that is our challenge this morning, to see what we are being thankful for.

Not that Paul would have been ungrateful for the little things in life, but in his limited space in these letter to the churches, he focuses on things of highest priority that he is thankful for.

Your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.

Has Paul ever linked these three together? Faith, love, and hope? Or perhaps in a different order, you may recognize them: Faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is

2 Thessalonians 1:3 ESV

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love for one another is increasing. This is not a church where people are starting to question where God is in world affairs. This isn’t a church where the people have constant strife.

It is interesting how fluidly Paul’s practical theology flows through all of his letters. He is concerned about how the word is impacting people in their actions, but not with a temporal view, that is, a view focused on the here and now, but on a much bigger view.

It seems as he agin has linked faith and love. I wonder if he does that anywhere else.

1 Timothy 1:12–14 ESV

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here he is thankful for strength. Not produced on his own, but given by Christ. He was judged faithful. If we are faithful, we shouldn’t expect God to thank us, but we should thank him for our faithfulness.

Paul again realizes that the ministry he has is all of grace. The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love (see those two linked again?) that are in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:3–5 ESV

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

He is thankful for Timothy and his sincere faith. He longs to see him. He is reminded of another way people come to faith, and that is through their family ties and the faith of their family.

Titus 2:11–14 ESV

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

He is thankful for salvation and redemption that trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions

Philemon 4–6 ESV

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

He is thankful for Philemon, and his love and faith. Love and faith.

We have much to be thankful for. We should have gratitude at all times, and in our prayers, we must remember not to simply spend all of our prayer time asking for God to do things for us if we haven’t already thanked him for what he has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one.

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