Thanking God for Each Other

Thanksgiving 2017  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Thanking God for each other

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Preach for a Year #1 Thank God for You

Thank God for You

Philippians 1:3

I. Introduction

A. Paul’s Tender Relationship with the Christians at Philippi

1. He thanked God every time he thought of them

2. We could use that kind of love today

B. Wrong Relationships Flourish in Many Churches Today

1. People who cannot forgive

2. Little groups gather and grumble

3. The church becomes powerless because of lack of love

C. Lessons from Paul’s Statement of Thanksgiving

II. Body

A. There is a value in Remembering (v. 3)

1. God has made us with the ability to remember

2. Instructions to remember in the Bible

a. “Remember now thy Creator” (Eccl. 12:1)

b. “Remember Lot’s Wife” (Luke 17:32)

c. “This do in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11)

d. “Remember from whence thou art fallen” (Rev. 2:5)

3. Paul remembers Philippi

a. A little group by a river and Lydia’s conversion

b. The Philippian jailor

4. Remember high points in your Christian life

a. The day of your conversion

b. The time you fully surrendered to the Lord

c. Was there ever a better day?

B. There is a value in Remembering Positive Things about others

1. “Every remembrance of you”

2. Was the church at Philippi perfect?

a. No perfect churches

b. No perfect pastors

3. Paul refused to dwell on the negatives about these people

a. Were there gossips there? PROBABLY!

b. Were there troublemakers there? PROBABLY!

c. But Paul did not focus on these negative characteristics

4. Paul thought about those who were faithful

a. Some cared and shared

b. Some gave sacrificially

c. Some witnessed fervently

d. Paul remembered these

5. What do you think about when you think of this church?

6. Are you thankful for some?

C. The Value of Expressing Appreciation to those we Love

1. Paul wasn’t just thankful, he told them so

2. What good is appreciation if it is never expressed?

3. Like love, appreciation must be spoken … expressed!

4. Letters to be written, calls to be made, people to see

III. Conclusion

A. Remembering together

B. For whom are you thankful?

C. Thank God for you!

I. Introduction
A. Remembering the First Thanksgiving
1. The Pilgrims and their new land
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6595 Dead Letter Office’s Statistic

A postal employee opened and read the mail which came to the Dead Letter Office in Washington addressed to Santa Claus. In the three months before Christmas, there were thousands of letters asking for something. In the months after Christmas, there was only one card addressed to Santa Claus thanking him. How quick we are to ask and receive. How slow we are to speak the magic word—thanks!

—Chicago Daily News

2. The good harvest … and many since
3. But we must also remember the many hardships
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6595 Dead Letter Office’s Statistic

A postal employee opened and read the mail which came to the Dead Letter Office in Washington addressed to Santa Claus. In the three months before Christmas, there were thousands of letters asking for something. In the months after Christmas, there was only one card addressed to Santa Claus thanking him. How quick we are to ask and receive. How slow we are to speak the magic word—thanks!

—Chicago Daily News

4. In spite of losing half their number they gave thanks
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6595 Dead Letter Office’s Statistic

A postal employee opened and read the mail which came to the Dead Letter Office in Washington addressed to Santa Claus. In the three months before Christmas, there were thousands of letters asking for something. In the months after Christmas, there was only one card addressed to Santa Claus thanking him. How quick we are to ask and receive. How slow we are to speak the magic word—thanks!

—Chicago Daily News

B. Habbakkuk: A Prophet Who Vowed to Be Thankful in Hard times
1. One who loved God enough to thank Him in distress
Philippians 1:3 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you.
Do you have a lot of hard work to do now that the Spirit has adopted you into God’s family? Certainly. But not to become a son or a daughter of the heavenly Father. No, you make those changes because you are a son or daughter. And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.” —M. Craig Barnes
2. How can one be thankful when things are difficult?
Philippians 1:3 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you.
II. Body
—M. Craig Barnes
A. When the Provision of God Changes Be Thankful He Is Unchanged (v.17)
Paul had a tender relationship with the church at Philippi
1. Habbakkuk envisions losing things vital to their economy
a. The fig tree will not blossom
b. No fruit on the vines
c. Olive trees do not produce
Paul had a tender relationship with the church at Philippi
d. Fields yield no harvests
e. Cattle and sheep are lost
Paul had a tender relationship with the church at Philippi
2. This prophet says he will be thankful anyhow
3. Economic conditions change
3. Economic conditions change
a. They changed in Egypt (seven poor years)
b. They changed for Job (he lost his wealth)
c. Changed during the Great Depression
d. May change due to loss of health or even bad investments
4. God does not change (; ) … so be thankful
4. God does not change (; ) … so be thankful
B. When Suffering Be Thankful for His Salvation (v.18)
1. We are never far from problems in this life
1. We are never far from problems in this life

Paul had a tender relationship with the church at Philippi

a. Everything about us is fragile
b. Life itself is uncertain
2. Salvation provides eternal life
2. Salvation provides eternal life
a. Eternal life promised (, ; )
b. We are not limited to these few years of tears
3. Heaven is ahead ()
4. The best is yet to come ()
C. When Passing Through Trials We Can Triumph in Christ (v. 19)
1. The Lord is my strength (; ; )
2. He will make my feet like hinds’ feet (swift and graceful)
3. He will make me to walk on high places … HIGHER GROUND
4. He is always up to the occasion ()
III. Conclusion
III. Conclusion
He thanked God every time he thought of them.
A. The Pulpit Commentary on This Text: “This passage contains the most beautiful exhibition of the power of true religion found in the Bible. The language is that of a mind weaned from earthly enjoyments, and habituated to find the highest fruition of its desires in God”
A. The Pulpit Commentary on This Text: “This passage contains the most beautiful exhibition of the power of true religion found in the Bible. The language is that of a mind weaned from earthly enjoyments, and habituated to find the highest fruition of its desires in God”
B. In Everything Give Thanks ()
B. In Everything Give Thanks ()
B. In Everything Give Thanks ()
B. In Everything Give Thanks ()
Philippians 1:3 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you.

Thank God for You

Philippians 1:3 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you.
He prayed for them and they brought him joy.
I. Introduction
Philippians 1:4 NIV
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
Philippians 1:4 NIV
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
A. Paul’s Tender Relationship with the Christians at Philippi
They brought him joy
We could use that kind of love today.
He thanked God every time he thought of them.
We could use that kind of love today.
We could use that kind of love today.
B. Wrong Relationships Flourish in Many Churches Today

Sadly, wrong relationships flourish in many churches today.

People who cannot forgive
Little groups gather and grumble.
The church becomes powerless because of lack of love.
C. Lessons from Paul’s Statement of Thanksgiving

Lessons from Paul’s Statement of Thanksgiving

II. Body

There is a value in Remembering (v. 3)

A. There is a value in Remembering (v. 3)

God has made us with the ability to remember

God has made us with the ability to remember.

God has made us with the ability to remember

Instructions to remember in the Bible

We are told to remember God
Ecclesiastes 12:1 NIV
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—
Ecclesiastes 12:1 NIV
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—
Ecclesiastes 12:1 NIV
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—
Ecclesiastes 12:2 NIV
before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
Ecclesiastes 2:12 NIV
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done?
e
“Remember now thy Creator” ()
)
“Remember Lot’s Wife” ()
ecc 12 2
Ecclesiastes 12:2 NIV
before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
We are told to remember God is just.
“Remember Lot’s Wife”
Luke 17:32 NIV
Remember Lot’s wife!
)
“This do in remembrance of me” ()
We are told to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us.
1 Corinthians 11:24–25 NIV
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
“Remember from whence thou art fallen” ()
We are told to remember to repent when necessary.
Revelation 2:5 NIV
Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
)

Paul remembers Philippi.

3. Paul remembers Philippi

Paul remembers Philippi

A little group by a river and Lydia’s conversion
The Philippian jailor
4. Remember high points in your Christian life

Can you recall some high points in your Christian life?

The day of your conversion
The time you fully surrendered to the Lord
Was there ever a better day?
B. There is a value in Remembering Positive Things about others

There is a value in Remembering Positive Things about others”

“Every remembrance of you”

“Every remembrance of you”

Was the church at Philippi perfect?

“Every time I remember you...”

Was the church at Philippi perfect?

No perfect churches
No perfect pastors

Paul refused to dwell on the negatives about these people

Paul refused to dwell on the negatives about these people

Is our church perfect?

No, I am not.
No, we are not.

Paul refused to dwell on the negatives about these people.

Were there gossips there? PROBABLY!
Were there troublemakers there? PROBABLY!
But Paul did not focus on these negative characteristics
4. Paul thought about those who were faithful

Paul thought about those who were faithful.

Some cared and shared
Some gave sacrificially
Some witnessed fervently
Paul remembered these
5. What do you think about when you think of this church?

What do you think about when you think of our church?

Can our church become a place where we're known by our biblical love for one another?
Can our church become a place where we're known by our biblical love for one another?
Biblical love = forgiveness, overlooking faults, abiding with one another even through disagreements.
Biblical love= forgiveness, overlooking faults, abiding with one another even through disagreements.

Toward the close of the Civil War, the Confederate cavalry mounted a desperate charge against Washington. President Lincoln rode out to observe the skirmish, near what is now Walter Reed Army Hospital. At six-feet-four-inches, the Chief Executive was a sizable target. Whereupon a Union Army lieutenant shouted, “Get down, you fool.” The next day Lincoln wrote to thank the officer, future Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.

When we remember and are thankful for the good things about another-we are less judgmental and we are more likely to forgive their hurts and overlook their faults
When we remember and are thankful for the good things about another-we are less judgmental and we are more likely to forgive their hurts and overlook their faults

What about Flushing Alliance are you thankful for?

We asked ourselves last week at the Elders’ meeting.
People/ individuals
Missions emphasis
Healing emphasis
What can you thank God for in or about our church?
C. The Value of Expressing Appreciation to those we Love

The Value of Expressing Appreciation to those we Love.

Paul wasn’t just thankful, he told them so.
Romans 1:8 NIV
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
1 Corinthians 1:4 NIV
I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:15–16 NIV
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
1 Thessalonians 1:2 NIV
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
1 Thessalonians 3:9 NIV
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
2 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
2 Timothy 1:3 NIV
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
Philemon 4 NIV
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,
phi
What good is appreciation if it is never expressed?
What good is appreciation if it is never expressed?
Like love, appreciation must be spoken … expressed!
Letters to be written, calls to be made, people to see
III. Conclusion

Take this with you...

Take this with you...

Why do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Out of duty? Fear of rejection by God if you aren’t thankful enough?
We don’t do these things in order to become a son or daughter of the Heavenly Father, we do them because we are a son or daughter of the Heavenly Father. -Pastor M. Craig Barnes
And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.” —M. Craig Barnes
—M. Craig Barnes
And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.” —M. Craig Barnes
How do we act in the family at Flushing Alliance?
Remembering together
emembering together
Remembering together
For whom are you thankful?
Remembering together.
For whom are you thankful?
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6606 Epigram on Unthankfulness

• The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.

—Reflection

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. -Anonymous
Take a moment today to express to someone how thankful you are for them!
I’m not promoting insincerity here, but there is some truth in that statement
Take a moment today to express to someone how thankful you are for them!
Thank God for you!
Thank God for you!
Thank God for you!

Thank God for you!

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