Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: A Thanks Offering

Theme: What Do Christians have to be Thankful for?

“O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.” (1 Chronicles 29:16)

Our opening text today is something that every born-again Christian should take to heart.

(Thru the Bible) Everything Christians have is given to them from God, it is freely given and therefore they should be bound in their hearts to use it for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Patrick said it well; “we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things, referring every good thought, good purpose, and good work to His grace, from who we receive it.”

(Matthew Henry Commentary)

1 Chronicles 29:16, “O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.”

I would propose to you that Christians are the temple that God cares about today, for 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 17 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

The Lord has given Christians their Spiritual gifts, talents and all the resources they need to be a temple of worship that expresses to all who see their lives that they are children of God sold out to the cause of Christ and enjoying the abundant life promised by Him.

In this country the entire nation celebrates Thanksgiving in November.

Some celebrate by busily preparing food, watching football and gathering with family.

These are great Thanksgiving celebrations.

However, Christians have a greater blessing in the opportunity to give thanks to God.

Whether people in this world want to recognize it or not, everything they own is given to them by the Lord and there is going to be a day when all will give an accounting.

Just what do Christians have to be thankful for?

For His Saving Grace

There are four things that the Holy Spirit of God wants to give Christians not only revelation of but illumination that causes them to say yes this is true, this is why I am what I am.

This is the reason for living today.

The first is thing that Christians have to be thankful for is God’s saving grace.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

This is one of the great evangelistic summaries in the Word of God.

F.F. Bruce so wonderfully points out, “This is the watchword for the reformation theology: ‘By grace alone, through faith alone, to God be the glory.’”

The Bible teaches that everything Christians have comes by grace.

“Grace” (charis) here affects man’s sinfulness.

It not only brings forgiveness to repentant sinners, but also joy from the Holy Spirit and heartfelt thankfulness to the Lord Jesus.

This grace changes repentant sinners into new creations without destroying their individuality.

(The Complete Word Study Dictionary)

Man cannot earn God’s approval.

This grace comes as a free gift through the sacrificial price Jesus paid on the Cross of Calvary.

If this salvation could be earned by living out the law of God, by giving one’s time and money and life to the work of God, it would no longer be grace.

Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”

This grace is a gift to a people who did not deserve the giving.

The Lord gives this grace only because it is His character, it is who He is.

Trying to fully explain this grace is like trying to pick up a horse and hold him in your lap.

However, the Word of God is filled with Biblical accounts that give a picture of the Lord’s grace.

One beautiful picture is found in 2 Samuel.

It is the story of King David extending loving kindness to the crippled son of Jonathan, allowing him to eat at his table just like one of his sons, and making sure his needs are provided for.

(2 Samuel 9:9-11)

As we look at this truth I want us take time to look at it in spiritual allegory perspective as well.

In Galatians 4:24 the Apostle Paul saw an allegory between Hagar and Sarah representing two covenants.

Much of Jesus’ teachings were done in allegories, parallels between the temporal and spiritual, the earthly and the heavenly.

One may exhibit features which serve to illustrate the other.

However, one must try to take caution in spiritual analogies and not let one’s imagination take away from spiritual truths.

In this light we may regard King David’s conduct toward Jonathan’s crippled son as an illustration of the King of Zion toward those who have been crippled by sin’s debilitating power.

(Swindoll; The Pulpit Commentary; Thru the Bible)

This beautiful picture of God’s grace being lived out in the life of King David is found in 2 Samuel 9. Years before the event in 2 Samuel, David made a pledge to Saul’s son.

Jonathan asked this of David.

“‘…show me unfailing kindness like that of the LORD as long as I live… and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.’

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.’”

(1 Samuel 20:14-17)

(Swindoll; The Pulpit Commentary; Thru the Bible)

Somewhat like David making a pledge to Jonathan, an oath made out of love, God “so loved the world” (John 3:16) the redemptive work of Triune God was decided long before we were born.

The Bible says that Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world to come and redeem us.

(1 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 3:11: Acts 2:23) The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ were not the result of a change of purpose to meet unforeseen circumstances; they were foreseen and Christ was foreordained in the eternal counsels of the God-head.

God had determined that those who would accept Jesus as personal Savior and Lord would be forgiven before the foundations of the world were laid.

(The Expositors Bible Commentary; Matthew Henry Commentary; Barnes Notes; The Pulpit Commentary) Ephesians 1:4-8 says, “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.

In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Just as David wanted to fulfill his pledge toward Jonathan, out of love, God has spread grace upon Christians because of the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

They are chosen in Christ because of His connection with His redeeming shed blood and the offices He holds, Savior and Mediator.

(The Pulpit Commentary)

This Biblical account of David and Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth} is found in 2 Samuel 9:1-12.

It begins with David asking this question, “…Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

There is a spiritual allegory in this portion of Scripture in which David is a type of Christ showing grace to a family line that turned from God’s perfect will for them, thus bringing the results of sin upon a family and nation.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia; Matthew Henry) The Philistines had gotten victory over King Saul and Jonathan just as sin gets victory over the unrepentant, bringing danger not only to those who commit the sin but to all who are in the path of its destruction.

Calamity came to the house of Saul because of sin.

Saul could recognize and speak truth but Saul could not wear the belt of truth, just as there are many in and outside the church today who can recognize and speak truth but not wear it.

In this true Biblical account, there is a five year old child, Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth}, who is dropped by his nurse who fears for the child’s life because the Philistine might be in hot pursuit of Saul’s family line.

She fled from possible danger, but fled in haste not in God’s speed.

When the result of sin begins its work, it causes the sinner to flee in haste and make hasty choices thus crippling the effective of their lives.

The Bible says Mephibosheth’s {me-fib’o-sheth’s}, nurse, “…picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled.”

(2 Samuel 4:4) Sin has it crippling effect on the soul of mankind, thus making the heart unable to perform to its full potential.

It was once said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

There is nothing more life destroying than sin and it will bring shame into your and your families’ lives.

The meaning of the name Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth}, is sometimes debated.

Regardless of the debate it births forth the element “bosheth” meaning shame or in its original use “baal.”

In 1 Chronicles 8:34 and 9:40, Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth} is called Merib-Baal.

It is worthy to note that in the Septuagint, in 1 Kings 18:19, 25 reads “prophets of shame” for what is a familiar term, “prophets of Baal.”

On this reckoning the name Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth} would yield something like, “from the mouth of shame.”

(Who’s Who in the Bible; The Expositors Bible Commentary; The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Mephibosheth {me-fib’o-sheth} was an heir to the throne of Saul, yet he considered himself as a servant to David.

(2 Samuel 9:6) The tragedy of the sins committed by Saul had its negative effect on Mephibosheth just as the sin of Adam has its negative effect on all of mankind.

All who wish to enjoy the grace of salvation must first recognize that they are crippled by sin.

Our feet are swift to lead us quickly into sin and astray from God’s Word.

Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

The way of the soul and the way of the feet are often closely connected in Scripture.

Psalm 56:13 says, “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

Psalms 73:2 and 116:8 tell of God’s grace to those who are in Christ Jesus, “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.”

(Psalm 73:2) “For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling…” (Psalm 116:8)

Those who live on this earth were marked by sin that came down to them as a curse from the time of Adam.

It was decided and agreed upon by God the Father, Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit that Jesus would come to earth and redeem sinful mankind from willful sin.

Christians have been saved by grace and they are sustained only by the grace of God.

The precious children of God feast from the manna of God’s Word daily, just as Mephibosheth did at King David’s table.

And there will be that day when all who have Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord will be eating at that Greatest Thanksgiving feast, the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb of God.”

What a day that will be!

For My Home Being Prepared in Heaven