Jesus Christ Our Thanksgiving

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

He thanked the Father for hearing Him, then in the next verse mentions that the Father always heard Him.

If Jesus thanks the Father, we should as well.

Finally, it is important to give thanks…

3 - Because it is an admission of dependence

A great example of this is Daniel’s prayer after God reveals the kings dream to him. (S).

Daniel 2:23 NKJV

23 “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

Notice how everything Daniel says is something that God did and something only God can do. God gives wisdom and might, God makes known dreams.

Giving thanks is important.

Scripture also reveals that God takes our thanksgiving very seriously.

Turn to (p. 1293). The passage goes on to explain how these people become fools who worship the creature instead of the creator. It explains how God allows the to experience the full consequences of their behavior. Look at vv. 28-32.

(p. 1293)

Romans 1:18–21 NKJV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:28–32 NKJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

This is a very detailed and explicit list of the causes and consequences of sin. But there is something there in v. 21 that could be easily overlooked.

This is a harsh and brutal description. But there is something there in v. 21 that could be easily overlooked.

In the midst of listing all these horrible things we find three words, “nor were thankful”. From these verses we can only conclude that The wrath of God is reserved for people who are not thankful.

This is a very powerful realization.

We have established that it is important to give thanks and why it is important.

What the passage we will consider this morning reveals is what we should give thanks for.

We give thanks because of what Christ has done for us. He is the reason we give thanks! He is our thanksgiving.

Our passage will reveal that…

Jesus Christ is our thanksgiving for three reasons.

Examining these reasons will encourage us to be thankful and it will focus our thanksgiving on Jesus.

Reason #1…

1. Jesus Christ Gives Us Peace v. 15

This verse begins with the word “and” letting us know that we are looking at something in a series. Paul is making an addition to a list already begun.

This peace that is to rule our hearts is dependent on the believer putting on everything listed in vv. 12-14 (READ).

This begins with being elect.

How can you be sure you are one of the elect? Accept Jesus as your savior!

The elect are the saved, the called, the chosen. Therefore, if you have trusted Jesus Christ, you are one of the elect!

Because you are elect, there are some things you are to put on. Mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, endurance, forgiveness, and love.

When these things are evident in our lives, we can have peace.

Where do these things come from? They almost sound like a list we’ve read before, don’t they?

They are the fruit of the Spirit.

As the fruit of the Spirit is produced in our lives, we can have peace.

We cannot have the peace of God until we have first experienced peace with God.

How do we experience peace with God? GOSPEL - believe in Jesus Christ. Bad new VS good news.

Peace is supposed to rule in our hearts!

That is what is supposed to guide us and lead us. We are not supposed to be ruled by fear, but by peace.

Does peace rule in my heart? Does it rule in yours?

What is important here is that Peace doesn’t rule our hearts simply because we are believers. There are actions we need to take.

How do we let peace rule? Look with me at (S).

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This is how we have peace!

Peace is available for every child of God. However, to experience peace we must give our request to the Lord with thanksgiving.

Back in our Colossians passage we learn that peace is something to which we have been called as members of the body of Christ.

We have been called to peace! Are we living in the peace that God has provided?

The final lesson in this verse specifically applies to Jesus Christ being our thanksgiving.

When the Holy Spirit is producing fruit in our lives, when we are experiencing the peace of God, thanksgiving should be our natural response.

Thanksgiving is fueled by what God is doing in our lives!

To be thankful, we must be aware of what He is doing.

Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, gives us peace.

The peace that He gives is not like what the world gives (). The world offers a peace that is conditional. The world offers peace that requires compromise.

The peace we are given in Christ is independent of outward circumstances!

The peace of Christ is given as we lay our burdens on Jesus.

If you are here this morning and you are weighed down by a burden, give it to Jesus.

Spend time in prayer casting your cares on Him and He will give you peace!

Peace comes only through surrender.

Give up. Give up your burdens. Give up your cares. Give up that pain you are clinging to and find peace.

Sing with me…

#490 “I Am His, And He Is Mine” (vv. 1, 4)

Jesus Christ is our thanksgiving because He gives us peace.

Reason #2…

2. Jesus Christ Gives Us Praise v. 16

“Word” here is logos meaning “message”. The message of Christ is to live in us.

This is an imperative command.

The Word is to live in us with abundance, and in wisdom.

The idea is that God’s Word lives within us and brings about abundant wisdom in our lives. The outflow of that abundant wisdom is described in the rest of the verse.

When the Word of Christ is living within us, this is what it looks like.

Teaching involves instruction of good behavior.

Admonishing involves warning against bad behavior.

These are both things we would expect from someone who is allowing the Word to live within them.

However, the medium through which this teaching and admonishing comes is surprising.

Music is the medium.

Three classes, or genres, of music are mentioned.

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs.

Psalms - OT praises, usually quotations of Scripture. Always sung with instrumentation.

Hymns - Songs written in praise of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Songs - Praises about the Christian life and blessing in general. Tom Constable calls them “expressions of Christian experience set to music.” I like that.

Let me comment briefly on what is missing. A list of acceptable instruments.

Why is that missing? With the outsized important given to instrumentation by so many, Why does Scripture never list approved and unapproved instruments?

Because God is more interested in the lyrical content of our music.

In this whole passage Paul’s point is your heart.

You have been chosen by God, the HS is producing fruit in your life, you are forgiving, and loving, and experiencing peace and thanksgiving.

Because all these things are true, your heart bursts forth in praise!

It doesn’t matter if you choose to sing praises to God with a drum set an organ or no instruments at all! What matters is the heart! And if your heart is not right than how dare you pretend to sing praises to God!

Another important lesson is that our songs need to teach and admonish. If they fail to do that, we shouldn’t sing them. Also, there needs to be balance. Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs all need to be sung.

The age of the song and the instrumentation is not as important as what the song teaches.

V. 15 stated that we are to be thankful.

The songs we sing should be an expression of our thanksgiving!

Songs should express thanksgiving!

I am so very thankful for music. I am so thankful that there will be music in heaven! That music will be perfect in every way.

However, the music we sing here on earth still matters.

There will be music in heaven!

We are commanded to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.

Warren Wiersbe explains what this means (3),

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: All Dressed up and Someplace to Go (Colossians 3:12–17)

Our singing must be with grace. This does not mean “singing in a gracious way,” but singing because we have God’s grace in our hearts. It takes grace to sing when we are in pain, or when circumstances seem to be against us. It certainly took grace for Paul and Silas to sing in that Philippian prison (Acts 16:22–25). Our singing must not be a display of fleshly talent; it must be a demonstration of the grace of God in our hearts.

This is what happens when God’s Word dwells in our hearts!

The question we need to ask is “how do we get God’s Word into us?”

Reading, memorizing, and church attendance (if the messages are expository).

For the Word of God to produce this result in our lives, it must be hidden in our hearts.

Praise comes from a life filled with Scripture.

What is my life filled with? What is your life filled with?

Imagine that you have a cup filled with orange juice. While carrying it to your table someone bumps you and you spill orange juice all over the floor. Why did you spill orange juice? Now, you’d think the answer is because you got bumped. But it’s not. You spilled orange juice because that is what was in the cup! If you had Pepsi it would have spilled Pepsi!

The point is that life bumps us, it shakes us up and rattles us. When we are hit by life, what we are filled with is what comes out.

Fill you life with the Word of God!

When you do you are able to praise God with songs that teach and admonish.

Beloved, it is not as though we don’t have much for which to praise our Jesus!

If we find ourselves lacking praise, it is because we lack knowledge of what our God has done for us.

Sing with me,

“How Deep The Father’s Love For Us”

Jesus Christ is our thanksgiving because He gives us peace, He gives us praise, and finally.

Reason #3…

3. Jesus Christ Gives Us Purpose v. 17

“Whatever” is the Greek word pas usually translated “all.”

What’s the idea being presented? In all we do, in anything and everything we do, it is to be in the name of Jesus and with thanksgiving to God.

Let’s break this down.

Paul specifically mentions word or deed. I believe these two areas come with an implied third. Our thoughts. Look at (S).

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

What we think in our heart determines what we are. It also determines what we say and do. Look at (S).

Proverbs 30:32 NKJV

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.

Exalting yourself and devising evil happen in the mind. The KJV translates this verse with the word “thought.” If you have “thought” evil, cover your mouth. Why? Because What we think comes out through our mouths and through our actions.

If our every word and deed are going to be in the name of Christ, we must first fix our minds on Him.

This requires that we put into practice (S).

2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Only as we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ will our words and deeds be pleasing to the Lord.

In word and deed, we do everything in the name of Christ.

“Name” represents the totality of everything that Christ is and does.

When we do all things in His name, it means everything is done with an awareness of how it will reflect on Him.

In Paul states that it is his goal to be pleasing to the Lord.

This is how we do that. Every thought, every word, and every action is evaluated to see if it would please Jesus Christ.

As we do everything in the name of Christ, we give thanks.

It is hard to live in a continual awareness of all Christ has done without being thankful.

This is a command.

We are to do everything as if we were doing it for Christ Himself and we are to be thankful.

Why are we repeatedly commanded to be thankful?

Because it is not natural.

It is not natural to voluntarily recognize that someone has done something for us. Doing so seems like weakness to our fleshly nature.

Sin makes us independent. Yet in the body of Christ we are to support and care for one another.

This is our purpose. To live in a way that represents Christ and to be thankful.

Why is Jesus Christ our thanksgiving? Because we give thanks to God the Father through Him.

Jesus Christ gives us purpose, and for that we can be thankful.

We find purpose when Christ is our focus.

Our purpose is to live for Christ. It is to ask ourselves in every situation how we can best represent Him.

How are we doing at that?

As we represent Christ, we give thanks.

Why? Because It is impossible to focus on Christ without being thankful for all He is and all He has done.

Sing with me,

#370 “I’ll Live For Him” (vv. 1, 3)

Turn with me to . This is a time for believers to remember the price that was paid. To be reminded of the penalty of sin. Taking part of communion does not save you. This is simply a way for us to be reminded of what Christ has done. If you know the Lord as savior this morning, please join us in bread and juice as we remember Jesus Christ. These are only symbols, they represent the body and blood of our Savior. Examination – verses 26-32

OBSERVANCE OF COMMUNION

The Bread (His Body) vv. 23-24 #372 “Living For Jesus” (chorus)

O Jesus Lord and Savior I give myself to Thee For Thou in Thy atonement Didst give Thyself for me I own no other master My heart shall be Thy throne My life I give henceforth to live O Christ for Thee alone

The Cup (His Blood) v. 25 #373 “Where He Leads Me” (chorus)

Where He leads me I will follow Where He leads me I will follow Where He leads me I will follow I'll go with Him with Him all the way

Conclusion

Do we have peace?

Through His death on the Cross, Jesus Christ has granted the ability to have peace with God.

When we have peace with God, we are able to experience the peace of God.

But that peace is not automatic.

If you are burdened this morning, cast that burden on Jesus.

Peter says he cares for us. Paul says that when we take every burden to the Lord in prayer, He gives us peace.

Are we overflowing with praise?

We are continually being given psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

We are to teach and admonish in song through the abundant grace of God.

Praise can lighten the heaviest of hearts.

Whatever you are going through. I believe there is a song out there that God will use to strengthen, encourage, and challenge you. Go find it!

Are we living with purpose?

We are commanded to do everything considering how it will impact the reputation of Christ.

Our purpose is to represent Him well.

We are also commanded to give thanks.

Our purpose is to be thankful in every situation and circumstance.

We are never commanded to do something we are not also enabled to do through the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, it is possible to be thankful and represent Christ well.

Have peace. Lay your burdens on Jesus.

Give praise. Let God’s Word and His grace flow.

Live with purpose. Look to Christ and be thankful.

“Thank You Lord” (chorus)

Thank you Lord for saving my soul

Thank you Lord for making me whole

Thank you Lord for giving to me

Thy great salvation so rich and free

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.

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