The Most Important Thing Saved People Do

The enumeration of the things we are grateful for such as the listing of people and possessions many give when sitting around the Turkey and taters on the holiday

You heard the Response

True thanksgiving is simply a genuine expression of gratitude.

Is Thanksgiving a day of celebration or an outward expression of an inner attitude?

One person defines it as simply the enumeration of the things we are grateful for such as the listing of people and possessions many give when sitting around the Turkey and taters on the holiday

Another defines it as the genuine expression of gratitude.

Yahoo Finance posted an article listing 13 things that successful people do in the first 10 minutes of the workday. The article is aptly called “13 Things Successful People Do In The First 10 Minutes Of The Workday.”

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t strike me as something a Christian should be known for doing.

Here they are, in order:

1. They reflect.

2. They take a moment to pause and be present.

3. They get comfortable.

4. They review their to-do list, make any necessary adjustments, and mentally map out their day.

5. They prioritize.

6. They stretch, stand, and walk.

7. They take time to greet their team.

8. They take a temperature reading of their staff/coworkers.

9. They organize their workspace area.

10. They strategically check emails.

11. They anticipate and avoid distractions.

12. They smile and laugh.

13. They take a moment to be grateful.

You heard the Response

Type the word Thanksgiving into most any search engine on your computer or smart phone, and the result is usually what you just heard, a holiday we celebrate on the 3rd Thursday of November.

Now I am not sure if the article meant #13 to be the most important thing successful people do, but the Bible tells us:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

A the holiday that we eat turkey and taters then watch football or go shopping

1 Thess

So, it may not be for successful people, but being grateful is the most important thing saved people (Christians) do.

The enumeration of the things we are grateful for such as the listing of people and possessions many give when sitting around the Turkey and taters on the holiday

being grateful is the most important thing saved people do.

The genuine expression of gratitude.

Now I am not sure if the article meant #1 or #13 to be the most important thing successful people do, but being grateful is the most important thing saved people should do.

cue sermon title slide

The Most Important Thing Saved People Do

In the text I want to read today, , is a purposeful and intentional response to chapter 11, Isaiah’s prophecy of the promised Messiah, coming as the Savior of the world, but especially for those who believe. Coming to be the sacrifice for sin and a gift of personal salvation, something Isaiah was incredibly familiar with from his encounter with God in Isaiah 6:1-13.

In Isaiah the prophet describes the reign of the Davidic King

In the prophet describes the reign of the Davidic King promised from the beginning of the Nation - the Messiah.

In the text I want to read today, , the prophet gives a purposeful and intentional response of praise to what he had just foretold in chapter 11 would happen “on/in that day.” of the promised Messiah, coming the Savior of the world, and especially those who believe. A sacrifice for sin and a a gift of personal salvation, something Isaiah was incredibly familiar with from his encounter with God in

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY TURN THERE WITH ME AND STAND WITH ME TO HONOR OUR HOLY GOD WITH THE AWE AND REVERENCE EXPRESSED BY ISAIAH.

Isaiah 12:1–6 CSB

1 On that day you will say: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, although you were angry with me. Your anger has turned away, and you have comforted me. 2 Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.” 3 You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation, 4 and on that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name! Make his works known among the peoples. Declare that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things. Let this be known throughout the earth. 6 Cry out and sing, citizen of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is among you in his greatness.”

Isaiah 12:1-

Another preacher commented on the predicament of preaching a Thanksgiving sermon that it always seem as if present it so negatively. “Christians need to be more thankful.” or “If you love God then you will be thankful” He says though, “Thanksgiving cannot be commanded.” Another preacher said that, “guilt is a terrible motivation for giving thanks. We should view what scripture says about giving thanks not as some command but as an invitation.”

Isaiah, here in the text, bursts forth in praise giving thanks, knowing the weightiness of God’s redeeming work for him and everyone else in God’s True Family. Furthermore, Isaiah invites the community of God’s people to do the same.

True thanksgiving is simply a genuine expression of gratitude for something you have been given

Any of you ever use one of those whistling tea kettles? If you are not familiar, the whistling tea kettle is filled with water, placed on the stove. The heat source underneath is applied and eventually the pressure of the water on the inside can no longer be contained and it begins to whistle very loudly to alert you of its readiness to be poured over tea leaves.

God invites His children to be His whistling tea pots of gratitude everyday.

Transitional Sentence/Keyword: Let me offer you the following 3 insights about grateful Christians and how you can be one if you are not already.

When somebody is aware of the love that the Father has for Jesus, that person is spontaneously grateful. Cries of thankfulness become the dominant characteristic of the interior life, and the byproduct of gratitude is joy. We’re not joyful and then become grateful—we’re grateful, and that makes us joyful.

—Brennan Manning, in “The Dick Staub Interview: Brennan Manning on Ruthless Trust,” ChristianityToday.com (December 1, 2002)[1]

[1] Larson, C. B., & Ten Elshof, P. (2008). 1001 illustrations that connect (p. 31). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Transitional Sentence/Keyword: Let me offer you the following 3 insights about grateful Christians and how you can be one if you are not already.

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your Basis for True Thanksgiving.

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your Benefits or Blessings of True Thanksgiving.

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your call to be a Badge of True Thanksgiving.

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your Basis for True Thanksgiving.

We see the word “although” in v.1 which gives us a clue as to the greatest reason a child of God has for giving thanks.

If you were to flip back to and this is what you would read.

Exodus 15:2 CSB

2 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

This is exactly the same words we find the prophet saying here in .

which begins by saying how Moses and the 2 million plus Israelites broke forth in a song of praise and thanksgiving.

He is reminding them of something they were very familiar with, or at you expect them to be familiar with which begins by saying how Moses and the 2 million plus Israelites broke forth in a song of praise and thanksgiving.

Why is that?

Let me ask you: If you were just freed from slavery and making your way out of the land of slavery you would be quite happy right? But if you looked behind you to see a massive army of men and chariots and then were confronted with a massive body of water but no boats, would you freak out a bit?

They knew it and we know the body of water as the Red Sea and the army as Pharaoh's best of Egypt. The Israelites were doomed and facing certain death.

Isaiah speaks of even greater doom and even greater death - the Anger and Wrath of God.

Turn back to

Isaiah 10:3–4 CSB

3 What will you do on the day of punishment when devastation comes from far away? Who will you run to for help? Where will you leave your wealth? 4 There will be nothing to do except crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. In all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still raised to strike.

Hebrews 10:31 CSB

31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews

God’s anger was fully known to them because they were fully aware of their sin and rebellion against Him.

God’s anger was fully known because their sin and rebellion was fully known.

and

The wrath of God is a matter of seriousness that many scoff at and run from, but the prophet says that on that day we will thank God because anger and wrath will be replaced with a far greater salvation than seen at the Red Sea. - Described in - Listen to the writer of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:31 NASB95

31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The wrath of God is a matter of seriousness that many scoff at and run from, but the prophet says that on that day we will thank God because His wrath had been turned away.

Hebrews 9:28 CSB

28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Christian - YOU CAN BE GRATEFUL BECAUSE OF JESUS. HE IS ONE FOR YOU TO BE ENAMORED, INFATUATED, SMITTEN, CAPTIVATED WITH IN WORSHIP.

In v.2 - Jesus, God the Son, the Messiah, is Isaiah’s salvation. He is my salvation. Is he your salvation?

Jesus leads those who trust him across the sea of sin to be free.

Christian - YOU CAN BE GRATEFUL BECAUSE OF JESUS. HE IS ONE FOR YOU TO BE ENAMORED, INFATUATED, SMITTEN, CAPTIVATED WITH IN WORSHIP.

People in our churches are not enamored with Jesus because they have forgotten what they have been saved from - the penalty of sin. - Joe Valenti

God’s wrath has been appeased by the covering of your sin with the blood of Jesus Christ and the revelation of God’s love

Not only that God’s love has been revealed ever since

In the end we find that the safest place is to fall into the hands of the living God, when we fall by faith. We find now the results of His love and comfort.

We are invited to give True Thanksgiving because of Jesus, and we are also invited to:

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your Benefits or Blessings of True Thanksgiving.

In v. 2 - we find the first occurence of the word Salvation in the book of Isaiah, which here the word is same as his name: Isaiah - “God is my Salvation.”

God is his well being. Isaiah can trust Him.

God is his well being. Isaiah can trust Him. The Israelites could trust Him after the crossing of the Red Sea to guard them and protect them and defend them.

According to the Quartermaster General in the Army it would have taken 1500 tons of food a day to feed 2 or 3 million people.

4000 tons of firewood a day

11 million gallons of water a day

A campground 2/3rds the size of Rhode Island - 750 Sq. Miles

On top of that other cities and nations were all around them who could have wiped out the fledgling nation at any time.

40 years later God takes down the walls of Jericho all by himself

Moses trusted God. Joshua trusted God.

There is a removal of fear for the one God saves and the giving of peace

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

I can trust God. You can trust God!

I can trust God. You can trust God?

“Trust” is that sense of eternal security to which we enter in upon our salvation.

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

The infusion of strength

2 Timothy

Our salvation in Christ is a deliverance from the destructive effects of sin

Adultery and fornication weakens marriage

The bad habits done to the body weakens it - disease

Relational sins weaken the bonds of family at home and in church

Faith to be exercised

God leads the grateful Christian to be: optimistic, hopeful and victorious, but most importantly

in v.3 - to bring forth joy from the well of their salvation

Water is most often scarce in a desert, so when a thirsty traveler finds an oasis with a deep well, they rejoice and drink up as much as they can. Jacob’s well was one such place where we find an encounter of salvation with Jesus and the Woman at the well.

Faith exercised

John 4:10 CSB

10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”

John 4:13–14 CSB

13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”

John 4

2 Timothy 1:7 NASB95

7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

John 7:37 CSB

37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

Drink up Jesus. If you are saved, use a 7-11 cup - the Big gulp cup. Get as much joy as possible by taking time and spending it with Him. Bible intake is one of the means by which we take in Jesus. Sitting in silent solitude with Jesus is a way he pours himself into us through the Holy Spirit in us. - v.6. - “in your midst.”

Drink up Jesus. Use a Big gulp cup. Get as much joy as possible by taking time and spending it with Him. Bible intake is one of the means by which we take in Jesus. Sitting in silent solitude with Jesus is a way he pours himself into us through the Holy Spirit in us. - v.6.

Isaiah while in the presence of Holy God - says in , “Here Am I, Send Me.” - He knew he was not cleansed from sin to simply enjoy the condition of being cleansed - but to declare to others how they too can be cleansed from sin.

So in v.4, Isaiah just assumes that a group of saved people will respond in the same fashion for the same reason.

Give thanks everyday because you are aware of your call to be a Badge of True Thanksgiving.

In the last 3 verses, v.4-6, we see the people calling upon one another to, “Give thanks, proclaim His name, Declare His deeds.” The entire kingdom is admonished to respond to God’s salvation, seen in Ch. 11, with worship and testimony by their expressions of gratitude.

In the last 3 verses, v.4-6, we see the people calling upon one another to, “Give thanks, proclaim His name, Declare His deeds.” The entire kingdom is admonished to respond to God’s saving of the remnant, seen in Ch. 11, with worship and testimony by their expressions of gratitude.

Isaiah is saying this is such good news it cannot be kept a secret, but must be proclaimed far and wide. - “Go Tell it on the Mountain”

Those who know God’s salvation have good news, the Gospel, to tell others.

This call begins with me but extends to all of you. v.1-2 is in the First Person Singular, while v.3-6 is in the Second Person plural.

“Entering salvation is personal. Enjoying Salvation is communal”

Your true joy and thanksgiving will overflow to the world around you in telling the Good news.”

Evangelism is not some program to be loathed. Evangelism is the overflow of our praise and thanks giving for our salvation in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion: Thanksgiving and the time around the table with family reminds me of an even greater table together with an even bigger family, one that is only vaguely symbolized a few times each year in most churches. The Lord’s Table - we are invited to come.

Jesus gave us a specific command that every time the bread is broken and the cup is drank from it be a remembrance of His deeds to secure our salvation. Christian, when we come to the Lord’s table, and everyday you live, give much thanks lest we forget:

As sinners, we had nothing to offer God. No righteousness, no goodness in any of us. We were condemned to die eternally in hell. We were estranged from God, his alienated enemies, but now, By the shedding of His blood - we hear “Forgiven and Free.”

We can say, with the great Andrew Murray: “He has given His Son for sinners. My sinfulness is my claim upon Him. Jesus, your love, your righteousness, your blood, your holiness, your life, you and all of you are mine.”

The power of Christ’s atonement is ours.

Say it with Murray, “…my soul will go from Your Table, joyful and strengthened, to thank you and to serve you.”

Time of Decision and Call to Prayer

God’s word, the Bible gives us not some much a command but a call to come to the table and give thanks.

God’s word the Bible is a call not a command to give thanks.

Hear the invitation

Heed the invitation

Honor the invitation

Give thanks everyday. Happy Thanksgiving.

People in our churches are not enamored with Jesus because they have forgotten what they have been saved from - the penalty of sin.

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