What Thanksgiving Requires

As I prepared for today I contemplated several methods of introducing myself. I’ve boiled it down to two important facts. 1 - I tend to talk fast. I try to slow down, but if I get excited all bets are off. 2 - (S) I’m into fitness.

Seriously though, it is a privilege to be with you today and it is always a privilege to bring the Word of God to His people.

PRAY

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Over this past summer my family and I were blessed by our church family with a renovated parsonage. Yesterday we held an open house to thank them all and to let them see what had been done. I believe that we have an enemy and our enemy does not want us to be thankful. This week leading up to our open house was rough. Almost everyone got sick at one time or another. To top things off I slept horribly Friday night and woke up feeling like I had caught the bug. One of the ways we know thanksgiving is important is how hard Satan fights against us showing it.

Thanksgiving is something that I would consider a significant theme of Scripture.

At least 18 times in the NT we have exhortations concerning the thankfulness of the believer.

Perhaps the most famous of these is found in where Paul declares that giving thanks in everything is the will of God (S).

declares that giving thanks in everything is the will of God.

SCHOOL STORY? PROB NOT

I don’t know the future, but I serve the God who holds tomorrow.

My ability to be thankful is not dependent on me getting what I want or think I deserve.

My ability to be thankful depends on my understanding of who God is and how He provides.

Perhaps the most famous of these is found in where Paul declares that giving thanks in everything is the will of God (S).

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

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

Thanksgiving is God’s will.

This fact alone should be enough to challenge us to be thankful.

If you find yourself in a situation where thanksgiving seems impossible. Maybe a change of perspective is required.

POSS MOVE TO END?

Yet fully knowing the depravity of our fallen nature, God provides other incentives for thankfulness.

In Romans 1 Paul describes the ungodliness and unrighteousness against which God’s wrath is revealed. In the midst of this epic indictment are 3 words, “nor were thankful.”

When we understand that thanksgiving is God’s will and that failure to be thankful is a characteristic of the ungodly, we arrive at an uncomfortable conclusion.

Failure to be thankful invites the wrath of God.

I may have just committed one of the biggest guest speaker no no’s. Here I am a few minutes in and we are already talking about the wrath of God. There is a reason for that.

My examination of Scripture has driven me to conclude that God takes thanksgiving very, very seriously. Therefore, it is only fitting that His children take it seriously as well.

We live in a culture that no longer prioritizes thanksgiving.

One of the most obvious evidences of this is observing the shopping trends. Starting in mid September, Halloween decorations come out. On November 1st, we switch straight into Christmas.

This has not gone unnoticed by the meme culture (S).

We don’t want to be guilty of overlooking thanksgiving.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have much for which to be thankful.

With that reality in mind…

Our goal this morning is to understand how to become thankful people.

To cultivate a thankful heart we must understand two requirements.

When we are thankful, we fulfill the will of God.

Requirement #1…

1. Thanksgiving Requires Maturity vv. 9-12

Paul describes for us here the character of a thankful person.

If we boil this list down, we recognize that Paul’s request, his prayer, is for the maturity of the Colossian saints.

Paul places thanksgiving on the same level as things like knowing God’s will, pleasing Him, and bearing fruit.

Paul gives us a recipe for maturity here. This recipe has two ingredients.

Ingredient #1…

a. A mature Christian knows God’s will v. 9

“This reason” refers back to v. 5 and the hope laid up for us in heaven.

“Heard it” refers back to v. 4 where Paul discusses their faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s point is that those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior could be called home to Him at any moment.

Because that is true, Paul has a very specific prayer for them.

Paul prays that the Colossian believers would have knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

He desires that they have a knowledge of God’s will.

Wisdom is the ability to take that knowledge and apply it to daily life. Doing that is often called sanctification. It is the process of growth and maturity in the Christian life.

Maturity begins with a knowledge of God’s will.

But how can we know God’s will?

If only we had a book in which God revealed His will for our lives. :)

As we gain the knowledge of God’s will revealed in His Word we then apply it to our lives. That is what we call wisdom. It is applied knowledge.

The third thing Paul mentions in this verse is spiritual understanding.

“Spiritual” is an important qualification.

Education does not mandate spiritual maturity.

Paul doesn’t just say he wants them to have understanding. He wants them to have spiritual understanding.

Why?

We’ll get to that in a minute.

For now we need to understand that this is our starting place.

If we want to be mature believers, we must start by seeking to know God’s will.

Where do we learn God’s will, get wisdom, and spiritual understanding? The Word of God!

This is the bottom line. If the Word of God is not a part of our daily routine we will not make progress in the Christian life.

If you want to know God’s will, go to where He reveals it!

His will is revealed in His Word.

If we are going to be thankful people, we need maturity. Maturity comes as we know God’s will.

Thanksgiving begins with a knowledge of God.

Sometimes this is where we stop. We know God’s will and assume that is all God requires!

Sometimes this is where we stop. We know God’s will and assume that is all God requires! But knowing God’s will is only Paul’s first request for the Colossian Church.

But knowing God’s will is only Paul’s first request for the Colossian Church.

Sometimes this is where we stop. We know God’s will and assume that is all God requires! But knowing God’s will is only Paul’s first request for the Colossian Church.

Paul has a second request. In our recipe for maturity we come to…

Ingredient #2…

b. A mature Christian lives God’s will vv. 10-12

Why do believers need knowledge, wisdom, and understanding? So we can live God’s will.

Revealed in these verses are three parts to living out God’s will.

Three parts.

First…

i. God’s will is a worthy walk v. 10

We need to walk worthy of the Lord, how do we do that?

By pleasing Him, being fruitful, and increasing in knowledge.

Walk = live or behave. We need to live or behave in a manner worthy of the Lord.

Lord = master. Live in a way worthy of our master.

What does it mean to walk worthy of the Lord?

Notice the description here. Fully pleasing Him.

The idea is to be pleasing to the Lord in every way.

How?

By being fruitful and increasing in knowledge.

Fruitfulness involves service.

To walk worthy of the Lord means that we serve Him and grow in our understanding of who He is.

How do we grow in our understanding of God? By being in His Word.

This is God’s will for our lives! That we would walk worthy of Him, pleasing Him as we serve Him and learn of Him through His Word.

Once again we find that maturity is connected to our knowledge of God.

We cannot grow in our relationship with the Lord if we are not learning of Him. We learn of God in His Word. Bulletin? Website = groups.

That’s part 1. We want to walk worthy.

Second…

ii. God’s will is endurance v. 11

As our knowledge increases, we are strengthened to be patient and longsuffering.

It is the glorious power of God that gives us strength!

We cannot endure in our own strength. Our strength is insufficient. Paul learned this through his thorn in the side. After asking for its removal three times, Paul got a direct answer from God. (S).

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God’s strength is sufficient in our weakness! Infirmity is a blessing because it puts the power of Christ on display!

In Colossians we learn that God gives us strength so that we can endure.

There are two important words that I want us to look at briefly.

The first is Patience – ὑπομονή (hypomonē) steadfastness. steadfast endurance n. — the power to withstand hardship or stress; especially the inward fortitude necessary.

Patience = steadfast endurance

Patience – ὑπομονή (hypomonē) steadfastness. steadfast endurance n. — the power to withstand hardship or stress; especially the inward fortitude necessary. Noun (prepositional object), accusative, singular, feminine.

Patience – ὑπομονή (hypomonē)

Patience = steadfast endurance

The second word is Longsuffering – μακροθυμία (makrothymia) patience; forbearance. The patient endurance of pain or unhappiness.

Longsuffering – μακροθυμία (makrothymia) patience; forbearance. patience n. — patient endurance of pain or unhappiness. Noun (prepositional object), accusative, singular, feminine.

Longsuffering – μακροθυμία (makrothymia)

Longsuffering = Patient forbearance

Steadfast endurance and patient forbearance. These words are almost identical.

These words are almost identical.

We believe that every single Word of Scripture is inspired by God. So why the repetition?

Because God really wants us to get this!

Our ability to endure trials and hardships does not come from ourselves!

We endure only as we are strengthened by the glorious power and might of God!

I want to call our attention to the last two words of the verse. “With joy.”

God gives us the ability to endure trials and hardships, and to endure them with joy.

Joy is not dependent on circumstances.

Joy is the result of a life so filled with Christ that nothing can shake our faith in Him!

We know He is in control and we trust Him to work things for His glory and our good.

Patience = steadfast endurance

Longsuffering = Patient forbearance

Longsuffering – μακροθυμία (makrothymia) patience; forbearance. patience n. — patient endurance of pain or unhappiness. Noun (prepositional object), accusative, singular, feminine.

These words are almost identical.

We believe that every single Word of Scripture is inspired by God. So why the repetition.

Because God really wants us to get this!

Our ability to endure trials and hardships does not come from ourselves!

We endure only as we are strengthened by the glorious power and might of God!

If you are facing a trial and attempting to endure on your own, you will fail.

But child of God, if you depend on Him, you can and will endure.

And you can endure with joy.

Part 1 - walk worthy. Part 2 - endure.

Third…

iii. God’s will is thanksgiving v. 12

Let me summarize what we’ve looked at so far. Paul is praying that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, have wisdom and spiritual understanding, walk worthy of the Lord by pleasing Him, being fruitful, increasing in knowledge, and being strengthened to endure with patience and joy, and finally that they would be thankful.

This communicates to us that Thanksgiving is a vital part of maturity.

We need to notice that there is no reference to being thankful because life is easy.

He has just talked about the need for endurance and patience in trials!

In the very next breath we are commanded to give thanks.

There is no exception clause to thanksgiving.

This command to give thanks is

Give thanks unless. Give thanks until. Give thanks but.

Why not?

Because not matter what we are going through, there is always something to be thankful for. Paul will make that clear in a moment.

We learn here that Thanksgiving is as important as pleasing the Lord! Why? Because Thanksgiving is God’s will.

Paul is going to give us three reasons to be thankful, the first is in the end of this verse.

We give thanks because we have an inheritance.

As believers in Jesus Christ, this is something we can always be thankful for.

Through the blood of Jesus we are made able to partake of an inheritance!

To be thankful in this way demands a change in our perspective.

We cannot only be thankful when things are going well because there is no guarantee that they will. Our thanksgiving must be rooted in who God is and what He has done!

When everything in your life and my life seems to be falling apart there is always at least one thing to be thankful for. You belong to Jesus! You are a blood bought child of the King! And that is where Paul is headed next.

As we wrap up this section we must understand that…

Thankfulness flows out of a life centered on Jesus Christ.

Only as Christ is the center will we grow and mature. Only as we mature in our faith will we be thankful.

Having described the character of a thankful person, Paul turns to a description of our Savior.

Why? Because a proper understanding of our savior is what will fuel our thanksgiving!

To have a thankful heart we must be mature. That’s requirement #1.

Requirement #2…

2. Thanksgiving Requires Mastery vv. 13-18

We will not have time to go into much depth with these verses. But I noticed that Pastor Verne has just begun teaching in Colossians, so I am just going to whet your appetites.

Our point in going through these verses is that…

If we are going to be thankful people we must recognize the preeminence of Christ!

The source from which my thankfulness flows is the sovereignty of God! He is in control. I am not. And because He is in control, I thank Him in all things.

Why is Christ our master? Why do we submit to Him?

Paul reveals three reasons why Christ is master.

Reason #1…

a. Christ is master because of His redemption vv. 13-14

Verse 13 gives us the second and third reasons we give thanks to the Father.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

Before Christ we are the slaves of sin! Christ breaks those chains!

He also brought us into the kingdom of Christ.

This is a complete transformation! We were dominated by darkness and held captive by Satan. Jesus Christ sets us free!

How?

Verse 14 tells us, through His blood.

tells us that we were separated from God. We were hopeless, helpless, and lost. That’s the bad news. We are all sinners and the penalty for sin is death!

tells us that we were separated from God. We were hopeless, helpless, and lost. But then God sent Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for our sin!

But then God sent Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for our sin!

He paid the penalty! Because His blood was shed, we can be forgiven.

Through faith in Jesus Christ we have eternal life! Our identity is changed, our destination is changed, and our lives are given purpose.

Thanksgiving is fueled by the knowledge that someone has done something for me that I could not do for myself!

We had no way to break the chains that bound us! The only solution is Christ!

Once Paul starts talking about Jesus. He can’t stop. The rest of what we will examine this morning is Paul’s magnificent exaltation of Jesus Christ.

This is key. If we want to be thankful people, and we should be, we must get our eyes off of ourselves! The more we focus on Jesus, the more thankful we become.

The more we submit to His mastery, His Lordship of our lives, the more thankful we become.

This is key. If we want to be thankful people, and we should be, we must get our eyes off of ourselves! The more we focus on Jesus, the more thankful we become.

As those purchased by the blood of Christ, we thank Him.

So, that’s reason #1. Christ is master because of His redemption.

Reason #2…

b. Christ is master because of His creation vv. 15-16

READ V. 15

When it speaks of Christ being the image of God, the idea is that Jesus is God in human flesh.

Image = God in human flesh. Christ, the second person of the trinity, is the physical manifestation of God. He is God made visible.

Christ, the second person of the trinity, is the physical manifestation of God. He is God made visible.

Firstborn is not “first-created” it is preeminent. That will be more fully explained in v. 18.

This one who redeems us through His blood is God in human flesh! He is preeminent over all creation!

Why?

READ v. 16

This word “for” could be translated “because.” This is the explanation. Why is Christ preeminent over all creation?

Because He is the one who created it all!

This list leaves nothing out including you and me.

Christ is our master because He created us and we were created for Him.

Everything that exists was brought into being by the creative act of Jesus Christ.

All things were created by Him and for Him.

You were made for Christ. I was made for Christ.

The creator of something gets to determine how it is used. Christ determines how we are used.

When we see Christ as creator our only move is submission to Him.

Contemplation of the creative power of God should awaken our thanksgiving.

As those created for His glory, we thank God.

Reasons 1 & 2. Christ is master because of His redemption and because of His creation.

Christ is master because of His redemption and because of His creation.

Reasons 1 & 2. Christ is master because of His redemption and because of His creation.

Reason #3…

c. Christ is master because of His position vv. 17-18

READ v. 17

“Before” is a temporal preposition. The idea is in front of. This again highlights what v. 15 mentioned. Christ is preeminent! He is #1!

He is so far above all things that He is the One who holds everything together!

He is not before most things, he is before all things. He does not hold most things together, He holds all things together!

READ v. 18

Christ is the head of the church! It is His body.

He is the beginning, the first to be raised from the dead once sin had been paid for. He is preeminent!

“Beginning” means first cause. Christ is the origin of all things. He is the origin of the Church.

He rose from the dead. He has first place.

That is His position. This is something that cannot be argued with or explained away.

Jesus Christ is above all others!

He is the head of the church which means that we move as He commands. We work at His direction. We are His.

These verses touch on the sovereignty of God.

He is in control. He is #1.

The reality of Christ’s Lordship over all things inspires thanksgiving.

How?

Christ, the one who died for sinners, is in control of all things.

Our infinitely holy, just, righteous, loving, merciful, and gracious God is in control!

He has promised to work all things out for good. He has promised that nothing can separate us from His love. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

He is worthy of our faith! Worthy of our love and devotion!

We thank Him and we praise Him because He is in control and with Him in control, all is as it should be.

Christ is the redeemer! Christ is the creator! Christ is preeminent over all!

And for that, we give Him thanks.

We give thanks because our lives are in sovereign hands.

Conclusion

God takes our thanksgiving or lack of it very seriously. Do we?

When I was in Bible school, I got to travel to Italy. When I was flying home my last flight got delayed. Now. Hearing just that information, how many would say that was a real bummer? (raise hands) I mean flights getting delayed is no fun.

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?" The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the room with you." The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week." A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy." The rabbi then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week." A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat -- only the nine of us."

What changed? Perspective.

Thanksgiving is about perspective.

What do I mean? When I was in Bible school, I got to travel to Italy. When I was flying home my last flight got delayed. Now. Hearing just that information, how many would say that was a real bummer? I mean flights getting delayed is no fun.

However, let me give you some more information. Before I discovered that my flight got delayed, I was stuck in customs and didn’t get out until after my flight was scheduled to leave.

That little of information, changes the whole story!

Because my flight was delayed, I didn’t miss it! And because my flight was delayed I was able to help another student arrange a new flight because she missed hers!

Here is a lesson about being thankful in every situation and circumstance.

We don’t have all the information.

We serve an almighty, loving, and gracious heavenly Father. He sees the end from the beginning!

As the Alpha and Omega, as the beginning and the ending, as the first and the last, His perspective is better than ours!

When He looks at our trials, hardships and difficulties, He understands the growth, strength, and transformation those will bring!

He has a finished product that He is working toward in my life and yours!

How can we be thankful in everything? It is God’s will in Christ Jesus.

God takes our thanksgiving or lack of it very seriously. Do we?

To be the thankful people God has called us to be we must meet two requirements.

Be Mature.

This means we know and live out the will of God.

SCHOOL STORY? PROB NOT

I don’t know the future, but I serve the God who holds tomorrow.

Be in the Word, discover God’s will, put it into practice.

Be Mastered.

My ability to be thankful is not dependent on me getting what I want or think I deserve.

My ability to be thankful depends on my understanding of who God is and how He provides.

Christ bought you with His precious blood.

Christ created you for His purpose and glory.

Christ is sovereign over all.

These realities mean we can trust Him with our lives.

I want to leave you with three questions.

Am I doing all I can to mature in Christ?

There is a very simple song I learned as a child. “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.” I would only add, practice what you learn.

Do I surrender to Christ in all things?

We often try to have a closet full of stuff to which we deny God entry. Surrender. That is where peace is found.

Will I be thankful?

To be thankful in every situation and circumstance requires that we trust God. The more we learn of Him the more we trust Him and the more thankful we will become.