Two Facts to Remember About Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:1–5 NLT

1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

INTRODUCTION:

VIDEO CLIP “What are you thankful for?”

Thanksgiving is a time for you and I to focus on what we are thankful for.

I- THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO EXPRESS JOY (PSALM 100: 1, 2, 4)

A- Express joy through praise – filled song. (Psalm 100:1)

Psalm 100:1 NLT

1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

1- The call to express joy through song is emphasized in this Psalm.

a. illustration: “Is your flag flying?”

quote: “Joy is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the king is in residence there.”

b. Music is meant to be joyful.

(1) Music has lost its purpose when it rote. It is meant to come from a joy – filled heart

c. Music is meant to be from the heart!

(1) From God’s perspective, the condition of the heart is more important than tonal accuracy.

Barney Roaten - sign from his heart. Could not read a note of music, often sign slightly off key. But his songs were beautiful because they were from his heart.

B- Express joy through positive service. (Psalm 100:2)

Psalm 100:2 NLT

2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

1- Serving is the goal of Christianity.

a. Jesus told us that we are to serve, rather than to be served.

(Mark 10:43 – 44)

Mark 10:43–44 NLT

43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.

2- Serving Christ in all things is to be our focus.

(Colossians 3:17)

Colossians 3:17 NLT

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

3- Serving with joy is the positive service he desires.

(2 Corinthians 9:7)

2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

C- Express joy through proclaiming his goodness. (Psalm 100:4).

Psalm 100:4 NLT

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

1- Worship with thanksgiving.

a. Thankfulness for what he does for us.

2- Worship was praise and adoration.

a. Express joy for who he is.

(1) He is able to do more than we can ask or think.

(Ephesians 3:20)

Ephesians 3:20 NLT

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

*songwriter wrote:

“‘tis the grandest theme through the ages rung;

‘tis the grandest thing for mortal tongue;

‘tis the grandest theme that the world ere song:

our God is able to deliver thee.”

3- Worship by telling others.

a. Bless his name to others – tell them of his wonderful works!

(1) The disciples told others about the wonderful works of God on the day of Pentecost.

(Acts 2)

II- THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS (PSALM 100:3, 5)

illustration:

There was once a man who wished dispose of his home. He went to see a friend who was in the real estate business to enlist his help in writing an advertisement to put in the local newspaper. His friend did as he was requested and then read what he had written to the home owner.

“Read it again,” said the man who wanted to sell. His friend obliged, to hear this astonishing remark: “the house is not for sale. All my life I have wanted a place just like the one you have described. But I never knew I headed until I heard what you had written about it.”

We all need to stop and count our blessings.

A- God has made us his own. (Psalm 100:3)

Psalm 100:3 NLT

3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

1- He created us to fellowship with himself.

2- He has chosen and redeemed us for His own.

(Ephesians 1:4)

Ephesians 1:4 NLT

4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

(Revelation 3:20)

Revelation 3:20 NLT

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

B- His mercy never ends. (Psalm 100:5a)

Psalm 100:5a NLT

5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

1- The psalmist was keenly aware of God’s unending mercy.

(Psalm 136 ) 26 time in 26 verses!

2- His mercy never fails even though we do.

(Psalm 103:11-14)

Psalm 103:11–14 NLT

11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

(2 Corinthians 9:15)

2 Corinthians 9:15 NLT

15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

C- God’s Word never fails! (Psalm 100:5b)

Psalm 100:5b NLT

5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

1- Not one part of God’s Word will fail. (Matthew 5:18)

Matthew 5:18 NLT

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

2- His word never fails to accomplish nits purpose. (Isaiah 55:11)

Isaiah 55:11 NLT

11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

CONCLUSION:

A Christian general and judge in India were on the military expedition. When they came to an Islamic area they were met by several ladies of the Christian mission. Indian judge was impressed with these cultures women missionaries, and said, “I cannot understand why these ladies give up their time and risk infection working in this filthy part of town.” “It is rather amazing,” replied the general, unless you understand their motive.” “That is just my difficulty.” “Their motive is gratitude.” “Gratitude! What have our poor people ever done for them that these ladies would feel gratitude? I wish you would explain it for me.” “To explain would involve the essential differences between our religions.” “I will listen to you,” said the judge the general gave him a story of a friend and greatest difficulties over money matters in his debt was paid by a kind stranger. Then he explained “though our debts have been paid and we are free, we owe the deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ our Savior, who paid them for us, and that explains these missionary ladies. They have only one motive: to prove their gratitude to him who paid their debts.”