THE RESPONSE OF A THANKFUL HEART

THE RESPONSE OF THE THANKFUL HEART

INTRODUCTION:

THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR AS A PASTOR:

- A CHURCH THAT EMBRACES CHANGE.

o WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND I THANK YOU BEING WILLING TO DO SO.

o BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS, WE WILL ALWAYS BE GOING THROUGH CHANGE.

§ ORGANIZATIONS THAT REFUSE TO CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS ARE DOOMED TO MEDIOCRITY AT BEST, AND DEATH AT WORST.

§ LOOK UP THE STORY OF BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO.

- I’M THANKFUL FOR A CHURCH THAT LOVES PEOPLE AND EMBRACES MISSIONS.

o AND WE EXPRESS THAT LOVE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS…FROM BACKPACKS TO BETHEL KIDS, FROM GUATEMALA SCHOLARSHIPS, TO OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD, AND FROM THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TO BETHEL GROUPS.

- I’M THANKFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE GOSPEL THAN ABOUT THEIR OWN PREFERENCES.

o EVEN THOUGH WE DON’T ALWAYS AGREE ABOUT EVERYTHING, WE PULL OUR BOOTS ON EVERY DAY TO DO THE WORK GOD HAS CALLED US TO.

I LIKEN THIS TO A STORY I READ ABOUT A LITTLE BOY WHO WAS ASKED TO PRAY FOR DINNER.

BEFORE HE BOWED HIS HEAD TO PRAY, HE LOOKED AT THE DISH.

THEN, CLOSING HIS EYES HE PRAYED, “LORD, I DON’T LIKE THE LOOKS OF IT, BUT I’LL THANK YOU AND EAT IT ANYWAY.”

THAT’S THE RESPONSE OF A THANKFUL HEART.

AS WE ENTER THANKSGIVING WEEK, I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME THIS MORNING TO REMIND US OF THE RESPONSES OF THE THANKFUL HEART…

BECAUSE UNEXPRESSED THANKFULNESS IS NO THANKFULNESS AT ALL.

AND FOR THE CHRIST-FOLLOWER, THANKFULNESS, LIKE MANY OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, IS NOT TO ONLY BE EXPERIENCED, IT IS TO BE EXPRESSED.

SO HOW DO WE DO THIS?

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THE GOODNESS OF GOD; TO HIS CARE FOR US, IN A WAY THAT EXPRESSES THANKFULNESS?

1. A THANKFUL PERSON SERVES THE LORD.

a. VERSE 2 SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS!

b. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF A MAN NAMED PROTHER LAWRENCE.

c. BROTHER LAWRENCE WAS A FRENCH LAY BROTHER IN PARISIAN MONASTERY.

d. BROTHER LAWRENCE PROMOTED WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS “THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD,” AND THERE IS A BOOK WITH THAT TITLE THAT CAPTURES SOME OF HIS TEACHINGS.

e. HIS PHILOSOPHY WAS THAT WHATEVER SERVICE A BELIEVER RENDERS, IT SHOULD BE RENDERED WITH EXCELLENCE AND WITHOUT COMPLAINT, BECAUSE IT IS RENDERED TO THE LORD.

f. FOR 55 YEARS, BROTHER LAWRENCE SERVED THE LORD AND THE MONASTERY BY WORKING IN THE KITCHEN, THEN IN HIS LATER YEARS, BY REPAIRING SANDALS.

i. BROTHER LAWRENCE WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE A MONK, SO FOR 55 YEARS, THIS WAS HIS SERVICE.

ii. SO THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCY WAS BROTHER LAWRENCE, THAT HE COMMITTED HIMSELF TO A LIFE OF MENIAL SERVICE.

iii. FOR BROTHER LAWRENCE, THE ISSUE WAS NOT THE SACREDNESS OR WORLDLY STATUS OF THE TASK BUT THE MOTIVATION BEHIND IT.

iv. BROTHER LAWRENCE QUOTE, “WE OUGHT NOT TO GROW TIRED OF DOING LITTLE THINGS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHO REGARDS NOT THE GREATNESS OF THE WORK, BUT THE LOVE WITH WHICH IT IS PERFORMED.”

g. THE THANKFUL PERSON SERVES THE LORD WITH GLADNESS, BECAUSE OF THE MULTIPLIED GRACE AND MERCY OF THE LORD.

2. A THANKFUL PERSON ALSO WORSHIPS THE LORD.

a. VERSE 2 – COME INTO HIS PRESENCE WITH SINGING!

b. HWILE THERE ARE CERTAINLY VARIOUS FORMS OF WORSHIP, THE PSALMIST WRITES HERE OF A VERY SPECIFIC TYPE OF WORSHIP.

i. WHAT HE CALLS THE LISTENER OF THIS PSALM TO IS A VOCAL EXPRESSION OF THANKSGIVING TO THE LORD.

ii. IT IS ASSUMED BY THE TONE OF THE PSALM THAT HE IS SPEAKING OF VOCAL EXPRESSION OF THANKSGIVING IN THE SETTING OF A WORSHIP GATHERING.

iii. THEREFORE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT, SINCE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE IN SCRIPTURE THAT CALLS THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE FAMILY OF GOD TO WORSHIP VOCALLY, THAT THE PSALMIST IS ENCOURAGING HIS READERS TO PARTICIPATE IN WORSHIP BY PRAISING THE LORD FOR THE THINGS HE HAS DONE.

3. A THANKFUL PERSON RECOGNIZES THE RULE OF GOD.

a. VERSE 3 – KNOW THAT THE LORD, HE IS GOD! IT IS HE WHO MADE US…

i. THERE IS SO MUCH IN THIS VERSE.

1. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD…THE CREATIVE POWER OF GOD…THE AUTHORITY OF GOD…

2. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD…

a. HE IS GOD…

3. THE CREATIVE POWER OF GOD…

a. IT IS HE WHO MADE US…

b. SOME VERSIONS OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES FOLLOW THIS PHRASE WITH THE PHRASE “AND NOT WE OURSELVES.”

c. A RECOGNITION OF THE CREATIVE POWER OF GOD, BUT ALSO OF OUR COMPLETE DEPENDENCE UPON HIM.

d. WE’LL PICK THIS UP HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES…

e. BUT FOR NOW YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS…AND IT SOUNDS VERY SIMPLISTIC…BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT…

f. GOD MADE YOU…YOU DID NOT MAKE YOURSELF…

g. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SELF-MADE MAN OR WOMAN, NO MATTER WHAT SOMEONE MAY CLAIM…

h. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU COULD NOT EVEN DRAW THE BREATH YOU JUST TOOK WERE IT NOT FOR GOD ALLOWING IT.

i. THAT IS A HUMBLING THOUGHT…

j. SO GOD IS CREATOR, HE MADE US…

4. AND BECAUSE HE MADE US, HE HAS AUTHORITY OVER US…

a. ALL SIN IS REBELLION AGAINST THE AUTHORITY OF GOD.

i. SIN IS SAYING TO GOD THAT YOU ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH HIS COMMANDS.

ii. IT IS THE ULTIMATE PROMOTION OF SELF.

iii. SIN SAYS “MY FELT NEEDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE MANDATES OF GOD.”

b. THE THANKFUL PERSON RECOGNIZES, AND SUBMITS HIMSELF, TO THE RULE OF GOD.

4. A THANKFUL PERSON RECOGNIZES HIS NEED FOR GOD.

a. VERSE 3 - IT IS HE WHO MADE US, AND WE ARE HIS; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE.

i. HE MADE US…

ii. WE ARE HIS…

iii. WE ARE HIS PEOPLE…

iv. AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE…

v. HERE’S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF ABOUT SHEEP.

1. SHEEP ARE NOT THE BRIGHTEST ANIMALS IN THE WORLD.

2. THEY TEND TO PUT THEMSELVES IN PRECARIOUS POSITIONS, WHICH OFTEN REQUIRE THE SHEPHERD TO RISK HIS OWN LIFE TO RESCUE THE SHEEP…

3. SOUND FAMILIAR?

b. ADRIAN ROGERS ONCE REFERRED TO SHEEP AS DUMB, DEPENDENT, AND DEFENSELESS, AND HE WAS RIGHT…

c. IT IS NO COMPLIMENT TO BE REFERRED TO AS SHEEP.

i. SHEEP ARE IN CONSTANT NEED OF THE SHEPHERDS WATCH AND CARE.

ii. BUT HERE’S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS MORNING…

1. WE HAVE A SHEPHERD WHO IS CONSTANTLY WATCHING OVER HIS SHEEP, AND IS ALWAYS READY TO PROVIDE THE CARE HIS SHEEP NEED…

d. THE THANKFUL PERSON RECOGNIZES HIS OR HER NEED FOR GOD…

e. THIS PSALM KINDA COMES AT THIS ISSUE OF THANKFULNESS IN A BIT OF A REVERSE ORDER, SO LET’S LOOK AT THE LAST VERSE OF TO FIND OUT WHY WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL…

5. WHY BE THANKFUL?

a. LOOK AT VERSE 5…

b. 5 FOR THE LORD IS GOOD; HIS STEADFAST LOVE ENDURES FOREVER, AND HIS FAITHFULNESS TO ALL GENERATIONS.

c. VERSE 5 GIVES US 3 REASONS TO BE THANKFUL, NOT JUST DURING THIS SEASON, BUT ALL THE TIME.

d. WE CAN BE THANKFUL BECAUSE GOD IS GOOD.

i. HE IS NOT A MALEVOLENT GOD WHO WAITS FOR HIS CREATURES TO MAKE A MISTAKE SO HE CAN PUNISH THEM.

ii. HE IS A GOD WHO SHOWS HIS LOVE FOR HIS CREATION AND ENCOURAGES HIS CREATION THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY MAKE MISTAKES, THEY ARE STILL WORTHY OF HIS LOVE…

iii. HE IS RIGHTEOUS, AND TRUE, AND VIRTUOUS, AND HOLY…

iv. AND IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT HE EXTENDS GRACE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.

v. PEOPLE LIKE ME, AND YOU…

vi. SO WE CAN BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S GOODNESS…

e. WE CAN ALSO BE THANKFUL BECAUSE HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.

i. HE IS NO FAIR-WEATHERED GOD.

ii. HE DOESN’T LOVE US ONLY WHEN WE PERFORM.

iii. HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY, EVEN WHEN WE ARE REBELLIOUS, AND STIFF-NECKED…

iv. EVEN WHEN WE FAIL TO LIVE UP TO HIS STANDARD.

v. WHEN WE ARE BROKEN, AND DIRTY, AND UNLOVEABLE, HE LOVES US.

vi. AND BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE, WE CAN BE THANKFUL…

f. AND WE CAN BE THANKFUL BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL.

i. HIS FAITHFULNESS IS TO ALL GENERATIONS.

ii. EVEN WHEN WE ARE NOT FAITHFUL TO HIM, HE IS FAITHFUL TO US.

iii. EVEN THOUGH WE IGNORE HIM, HE DOES NOT IGNORE US.

CONCLUSION:

SO HERE’S THE APPLICATION FOR EACH OF US THIS MORNING.

AM I A BELIEVER WHO EXPRESSES THANKFULNESS THROUGH:

- MY SERVICE TO THE LORD?

- MY WORSHIP OF THE LORD?

- MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THE LORD IS?

- AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF MY OWN NEED FOR GOD?

HOW DO I GET THERE IF I AM NOT DOING THIS?

IF YOU ARE A CHRIST-FOLLOWER, MAYBE IT’S TIME FOR SOME SELF ASSESSMENT.

- MAYBE YOU ARE NOT AS CLOSE AS YOU ONCE WERE, AND YOU KNOW IT’S TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE LORD.

- YOU CAN COME TODAY AND RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR FAITH, AND GOD WELCOMES YOU…

IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRIST FOLLOWER, MAYBE IT’S TIME THAT YOU SUBMIT YOURSELF TO THE RULE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE…

- BY RECEIVING CHRIST BY FAITH, UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD, THROUGH CHRIST, DID EVERYTHING NECESSARY FOR YOU TO BE RECONCILED TO HIM.

- AND HE GREATLY DESIRES FOR YOU TO BE REDEEMED FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN, WHICH IS ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM HIM.

- AND MAYBE TODAY, YOU ARE READY TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST.