"Thankful for the Cross": 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Give Thanks In All Circumstances & The Cross” Sunday, April 5, 2020 Introduction 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This is one of several Bible verses that instruct Christians to be thankful in all circumstances. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always find the attitude of my heart revealing a spirit of thankfulness in all circumstances. As much as I’ve tried to find reasons to be optimistic and positive in the midst of this pandemic and period of isolation, I often find myself complaining about the circumstances we’re in. Moreover, when I begin to list the many reasons that I have to be grateful to God, I often find my list to be much more superficial and “me-centered” than I expected. At Thanksgiving and other times throughout the year, our family will take a few minutes to do the cliché “go around the table and share something you are thankful for routine”. And I’m often disappointed at how the first things that come to mind are often material comforts: a roof over my head, food on the table, money to pay the bills, etc. I’m faced with this question: “If the circumstances of my life drastically changed, would I still be thankful?” Well, the circumstances of life have changed pretty drastically for almost all of us recently. A pandemic that sickens and kills thousands and shuts down our economy and has forced millions to the unemployment line. And this is one of those times when the “all circumstances” part of this verse gets real. How do we give thanks when life gets tough? Christians worship on the first day of the week, Sunday, to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. Every Sunday, in a sense, is resurrection Sunday. After, if Christ is not raised, then our faith is in vain. But this coming week is special, because it’s the one week on our calendar every year that corresponds with final days of our Savior, culminating with his death on Good Friday, and his resurrection Easter Sunday. And as I think about what it means to give thanks in all circumstances I think of Jesus, and how his attitude in the face of an unjust death models what it means to give thanks in everything. No one ever suffered a worse circumstance than our Savior endured at the cross, and yet no event in human history has spawned such reason for gratitude and Thanksgiving. It’s a reminder that during the circumstances that seemed most hopeless to us, God is often in the process of writing a story that is better than we can imagine. And today, I want us to consider the seven last words of Jesus from the cross as we consider 7 reasons to give thanks in all things. 1. We Can Be Thankful For God’s Mercy & Forgiveness (Luke 23:34) Luke 23:34: 34But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Like those who crucified Jesus, I often fail to grasp the depth and enormity of my sin. Even though my heart can be so deceitful that I fail to discern right from wrong, and good from evil, Jesus still offers mercy and forgiveness. I’d like to think that if I’d been there when Jesus was crucified, that I would have not been among those who drove the nails into his flesh, and hurled insults and curses at him. But the reality is I know who Jesus is, and yet I still choose my own way over His far more often than I should. And yet, for all my failings, Jesus looks at my cold, short-sighted, selfish heart and intercedes for me: “Father, forgive him.” And He offers the same forgiveness & mercy to us all. For that I am extremely and eternally grateful. 2. We Can Be Thankful For God’s Free Gift of Salvation and His Promise of An Eternal Home (Luke 23:43) Luke 23:43: 43And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." The thief on the cross clearly shows that salvation comes by God’s grace alone, through faith alone. Nothing else is necessary. The thief never went to church, was never baptized, never served the Lord. He simply called out in repentant faith, and heard Jesus words of promise, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” The Bible tells us, “it is by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Moreover, Jesus’ words of promise to the thief who cried out for mercy are a reminder that Heaven awaits all those who trust Christ by faith. Those who believe in Christ can rest assured that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8), and that Jesus is already preparing a place for you in the presence of God the Father. Jesus endured the pain of the cross, to offer us the promise of eternal Paradise with God. 3. We Can Be Thankful That God Always Cares For His Children (John 15:26-27) 26When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. You might ask, “What does the fact that Jesus took pains to ensure his mother was cared for have anything to do with His care for little ole’ me?” Well, I’ll tell you. If Jesus was willing to care for His own mother in her hour of need, how much more is He eager to care for the needs of those who follow Him? Now, that sounds backwards doesn’t it? Ordinarily, we’d think the opposite: as much as we love our friends, we usually love our own family more. But notice Jesus’ words in Luke 8:19-21: 19And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. 20And it was reported to Him, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You." 21But He answered & said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God & do it." This was not a depreciation of His family. It was an exaltation of obedience. When we live in a relationship of loving obedience to Jesus, we have more ready access to His fellowship and care than if we were His own flesh and blood. You can cast all your cares upon Him, knowing that He cares for you even more deeply than a loving parent cares for their own child. 4. We Can Be Thankful God Will Never Forsake Us (Matthew 27:45-46) 45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" God will never forsake those who trust Him by faith because His Son was already forsaken in our place. Because Jesus bore the wrath of God that we deserved, we are no longer forsaken, but are counted righteous and adopted as sons and daughters into God’s family and made heirs together with Christ. Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us… 2 Corinthians 5:21: He became our sin, that we might receive His righteousness This is what one writer called, “the great exchange”. Jesus was forsaken that your sin might be exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. He was separated from God, so that you could be draw near to God. He was cursed, so that you might be blessed. He was forsaken, so that you and I could claim God’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake as our own. Romans 8 is one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible, and toward the end of that chapter is says that Jesus died and rose again, so that nothing that can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 5. We Can Be Thankful That Jesus Can Quenches The Thirst of Our Soul (John 19:28) 28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." Jesus cry for drink to quench His thirst is an expression with multi-faceted theological depth. It was, as John indicates, an expression of prophetic fulfillment, fulfilling prophecies of the Messiah’s death found in Psalm 69 and Psalm 22. It was also an expression of physical agony, reflecting the intensity of our Lord’s suffering. As dehydration set in from the loss of blood at the hands of his tormentors, and the excruciating toil mounted as he struggled for every breath, Jesus cried out for physical nourishment. But more than that, it was an expression of spiritual suffering. The word “thirst” occurs more in the book of John than other in the New Testament. Besides this verse, every time Jesus uses the word it is in reference to spiritual thirst, that deep longing for fellowship with God that lies at the core of every human heart. Until His crucifixion, Jesus had never experienced spiritual thirst. He had always enjoyed complete satisfaction and fellowship in relationship with Father God. But now, having just expressed the pain of being forsaken by His Father, his cry of thirst revealed the spiritual effects of His suffering. He longed for the sweet taste of fellowship with His Father again. Finally, Jesus’ expression of thirst is a reminder that He came to satisfy our life’s deepest thirst. You see, in John 10:10, the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that He came to give us abundant life. Satan’s temptations are predicated on misdirecting our spiritual thirst, promising us pleasure and fulfillment in things that were never meant to provide the peace and satisfaction that comes from knowing Jesus. Only He can satisfy. As Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And we can be thankful that Jesus went without water, so that He might become for us the Living Water who can quench our parched souls. 6. We Can Be Thankful Jesus Paid It All (John 19:30) 30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Jesus’ penultimate expression from the cross was a single word: “Tetelestai.” It takes at least three English words to capture the meaning of this Greek verb. Some appropriate translations include: • “It is finished.” (most modern translations) • “It has come to an end/been completed/fulfilled.” (literal rendering) • “It has been paid in full.” (common usage, NT times) Cultural records from the NT era show that shopkeepers & creditors would write tetelestai across a receipt to show when nothing more was owed. The bill had been “paid in full.” On the cross, Jesus shouted this word to indicate that our sin debt had been totally satisfied, paid in full. There’s nothing left to be done but believe & receive His finished work on our behalf by faith. This word from the cross causes me to exceedingly thankful that there is nothing left to be done for my salvation to be complete. My eternal destiny doesn’t depend on my ability to strictly adhere to a certain set of rules or otherwise “complete” the process of my redemption. It has been completed, finished, done, paid in full 2,000 years at the cross by the Lord Jesus, who offered Himself on our behalf. I love how Hebrews 9:26 says it, when it says a lesser Savior “would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” I am so thankful that “It Is Finished!” 7. We Can Be Thankful That God’s Is In Control (Luke 23:44-46) 44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last. With his dying breath, Jesus expressed His confidence in God’s power by releasing Himself into the Father’s care. His words expressed the truth that our spirit lives on, even when the body fails, as well as His confidence that His Heavenly Father would see His spirit victoriously through death. Even at death, Jesus knew that here was no safer place than to be in the center of His Father’s will and held in the palm of His hand. Whether you are standing at death’s door, or just walking out the door to face a new day, you can rest confidently in the promise that even though you may not know what today or tomorrow holds, you can know the one who holds it all in His hands. And here’s the best part: you can know that He’s holding you in His hands, too! John 10:27-29, Jesus promised that when we follow Him, “No one can snatch us out of His hand,”, and “No one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand.” What comfort to know that even when the worst that Satan can unleash it unfolding around us, we can rest in knowing that our heavenly Father has His firm grip on our soul. “And if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Conclusion So, as you we stand at the beginning of Holy Week, I hope you’ll take time this week to read the gospel accounts of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Maybe you’re someone who is just considering the claims of Christianity for the first time. If that’s the case, I’d encourage you to read the biblical account of Jesus death and resurrection and ask yourself, “If this is true, then what does it mean for my life?” If you’re wrestling with what it means to follow Jesus, please reach out to me this week and I would love to talk with you about the questions you’re asking. If you’ve already placed your faith in Jesus, I hope you’ll take time this week to reread these accounts of Jesus death and resurrection. And as you read about the suffering he endured for our sin, as you hear the cries of his heart from the cross, I pray that it causes your heart to overflow with joy and gratitude at the deep love that God has for you and the unimaginable price that was paid for your salvation. And in these tumultuous times, when can still give thank in all circumstances. Because even when everything around our soul gives way, Jesus is still our hope and stay. And even long after everything else has proved to be sinking sand, there is a solid rock of God’s blessings that will never change. •His offer or mercy and forgiveness. •His unconditional love and promise of eternal life. •His constant care and provision for us. •He will never leave or forsake us. •He will always satisfy the deepest longings of our soul •No matter what tomorrow holds, It is finished. The price of our sin has been paid in full •And finally, we can rest in the Father’s sovereign control of all things. Jesus final cry from the cross, was Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit. Will you do the same today? Will you from the depths of your heart cry out, “Oh Father, I commit myself to you. I know that I have gone my own way, but I thank you that you offer forgiveness and the free gift of salvation and eternal life. Father, I ask you to satisfy now my soul’s deepest longing for peace and fulfillment, knowing that you promise to always be there for me. And I commit my hands into your Spirit. Amen.”