Thanksgiving

INTRODUCTION:

1. As you are aware, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time-horned tradition of setting aside a day for which to be thankful. Of course, Thanksgiving means different things to different people.

a. For some it will be a time of feasting - all the great food: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. We ''gobble 'til we wobble.''

b. For some, Thanksgiving represents a 4-day vacation from work and the routine of daily grind.

c. Some people can't wait for Thanksgiving because it represents one of the biggest shopping opportunities of the year...sales everywhere.

d. Then, of course, there are the football games - non-stop football on the tube, one game after the other.

ILLUS: I'm sure it wouldn't surprise you to know that some people are pretty dedicated fans when it comes to football. It kind of reminds me of the following story.

A young man was very excited because he had just won a ticket to the Super Bowl. His excitement lessened as he realized his seat was in the back of the stadium. As he searched the rows ahead of him for a better seat, he found an empty one right next to the field. He approached the man sitting next to the empty seat and asked if it was taken. The man replied, ''No.'' Amazed, the young man asked, ''How could someone pass up a seat like this?''

The older gentleman responded, ''That's my wife's seat. We've been to every Super Bowl together since the day we were married, but she has passed away.''

''Oh, how sad,'' the young man said. ''I'm sorry to hear that, but couldn't you find a friend or relative to come with you?''

''No,'' the man said, ''They're all at the funeral.''

THANKSGIVING. Greek words derived from the root eucharist- are used in the NT almost exclusively in the sense of thanksgiving directed to God.

THANKSGIVING. Greek words derived from the root eucharist- are used in the NT almost exclusively in the sense of thanksgiving directed to God

1. We are called daily thanks given unto the God of the Universe- Part of being saved-

Colossians 3:12–17 NKJV

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 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.

Colossians 3:12-17