Thanksgiving Day
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Simple goal:
We can be thankful the God’s goal in trials even if we are not thankful for the trials.
We can be thankful the God’s goal in trials even if we are not thankful for the trials.
Intro:
Intro:
This has been a tough year that no one expected. So it is tempting to say that thanksgiving doesn’t quite fit this year. What do we have to be thankful for sitting outside in the cold with a virus out there and government regulations from hypocritical leaders.
And yet the scriptures give us the hope redirect our attention from our temporary circumstances and towards God’s eternal plan
1. Trials take away our imperfections (James 1:2–4)
1. Trials take away our imperfections (James 1:2–4)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
a. Notice that James says consider it joy
b. Not joy in suffering, but joy in the result of steadfastness
c. God is using all things to make us like Jesus
d. As things happen this year, if we look at ourselves we can see the imperfections more
e. And God slowly removes them
2. Trials reveal the precious genuineness of our faith (1 Peter 1:4–7)
2. Trials reveal the precious genuineness of our faith (1 Peter 1:4–7)
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
a. The work to test if treasure is genuine takes hard work, testing by high temperatures to see if any imperfections arise
b. Trials often prove that our faith, or our trust is in the wrong things
i. We trust our comfortable situation
ii. Or we having people agree with us
iii. Or we trust that people would never do that
c. But Peter doesn’t assume our testing will result in failure
i. But it will result in more glory
ii. Even our imperfections of trust will show how much more we need Jesus
iii. We can be thankful that at his appearing he will show himself to be trustworthy when other things failed
3. Trials give fellowship with Jesus (Philippians 3:8–11)
3. Trials give fellowship with Jesus (Philippians 3:8–11)
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
a. It’s easy to want to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection… that power than conquers all enemies, death itself
b. But Paul wanted to know the fellowship of Christ’ suffering
c. Pastor Kevin Carson writes, “Paul accepted Christ’s goal for his life. He understood when he was saved that Christ had certain expectations. He recognized when he became a follower of Christ that Christ had an agenda. He was saved with specific purposes in mind. Therefore, he made it his ambition to be like Christ.”
d. Paul was thankful as a prisoner who was mocked even by others in the church, because he knew Christ made everything else look like trash.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
We can be thankful the God’s goal in trials even while we do not like the trials because they bring us to one we love most.
I know there are some people out there who love longs hours in the car… to you, I say you’re crazy! Give me a plane or train where I can get up, walk around. The seat belt is bad, the motion sickness is bad… & I have little kids in painful car setas who get carsick… I don’t like it.
But I know the long drive it talking me to someone or somewhere I love. Is it fun in the car, no, but do I regret going when I get there.. never!
Same with our trials that bring us to God’s destination… so let’s reflect on some of the destinations God has given us.
We can be thankful the God’s goal in trials even if we are not thankful for the trials.
We can be thankful the God’s goal in trials even if we are not thankful for the trials.