Gratitude (Week 1)
Gratitude • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Orphan Sunday
Orphan Sunday
Thankful for…(week 2)
Thankful for…(week 2)
This morning, I want to continue to share thanks publicly for a few folks who help keep things running behind the scenes for us. There are a numerous folks who step up each week to serve our church and our community. HUGE thanks to each one of you. This morning, in the spirit of thanksgiving, I want to acknowledge someone who tirelessly keep us organized, the bills paid, literally the lights on, and makes everything we do here at Emmanuel so much better. She and her husband are founding members of this church being that it was started by her dad. I want you to help me show some appreciation to Mary & David Faulkner!
Thank you!
PRAY
This morning I will be PREACHING a message I believe the Lord has for us today. Some weeks, I teach, others I share, but today I will be PREACHING.
TRANSITION
This morning, I want to talk to us about an attribute that I believe above most has the potential to dramatically change our lives. You recognize when it is lacking in those you are around, in fact when someone doesn’t have this quality you tend to not want to be around them. They can tend to pull you down. They have a heaviness about them that is contagious. You could be having a good day and then all of a sudden it starts to take a turn for the worse.
But when you get around someone who displays this character we are going to talk about these next couple of weeks, it can actually cause you to want to be a better person. It has the ability to shift your perspective and outlook on what is going on in your own life. It has the affect of melting away negativity and the ‘why me’ attitudes and replaces them with appreciation.
What we are going to be talking this month of November is THANKFULNESS, specially GRATITUDE. I have titled this series, GROWING IN GRATITUDE.
How many of you realize that gratitude is something our culture and society could use an extra serving of in 2019? We are surrounded by a perspective to see what we don’t have rather than appreciate what we do. We have a value of want and consumerism (and this will eat us alive). And as we head towards this Thanksgiving season, I want us to gain a fresh outlook on thanksgiving and gratitude.
Thanksgiving has to be more than turkey and football games.
It has to be more than cooking and the Macy’s Day Parade.
It has to be more than pumpkin pie and a day of the year we see estranged family members.
It has to be more than crazy shopping where we buy things we don’t need to impress folks we don’t know.
Thanksgiving should be a hallmark of what we are, what we express through our lives, and gratitude should distinguish us as those who have received from God. Because when we have encountered the Living God and experience His grace and goodness in our lives, we can’t help but overflow with appreciation, with thanksgiving, with gratitude for what He has done and for who He is.
30 Seconds: I want us to take 30 seconds to express our thanksgiving to God this morning. Let’s thank Him for not only what He has done but for Him being who He is in our lives. GIVE THANKS
Your attitude of gratitude will determine your altitude.
When preparing this week, I think the spirit of Pastor James came upon me, and thus we ended up with this point here. ;) But the element of truth in this statement is what I don’t want us to miss. The attitude of gratitude will determine our altitude. The degree to which we are grateful will directly correlate to the degree that we grow, mature, develop and rise in our relationship with the Lord.
This morning, we will look at 3 principles to grow in gratitude:
Revelation
Rarity
Return & Response
Renewal & Release
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
It is possible to offer sacrifices to God that are not pleasing to Him. Even in praise, we can bring things to God that do not please Him. The Scripture would tell us that the folks were coming before God with the right words but the wrong heart, their hearts were far from Him. But when we come to God with genuine thanksgiving in our hearts bringing a sacrifice/offering of gratefulness we HONOR THE LORD. This verse tells us, that thanksgiving is what He desires but also opens up the doors for His work in our lives.
Do you need God to work in your life today? Are you believing for Him to get you through some situations? Bring to Him thanksgiving and watch Him reveal Himself on your behalf.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.
7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;
8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;
9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.
7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;
8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;
9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.
20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.
In this passage, the Lord is speaking through Moses to the people of Israel, reminding them to not forget the Lord as they move forward.
Talk through the verses.
vs. 10-11 This is where we find ourselves this morning, that after we have eaten and are satisfied that we would not forget the Lord who has provided all this, who has done all this for us.
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.
The New International Version Chapter 8
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
The very systems that God has designed us with, from hunger-satisfaction, sleep-rest, point to our inability to self-sustain and provide for ourselves outside of God’s enabling. He is teaching us and causing us to lean in to Him, fully dependent. Humble yourselves, depend upon the one who cares and can carry you through. Our pride says, “We can do it on our own.” It is in these very moments that we cannot receive grace. We dam up it’s flow in our lives, and expose ourselves to an enemy seeking to devour us. Being alert and of sober mind is walking in an attitude of dependance and thankfulness. Resisting the enemy is remaining steadfast in gratitude, recognizing that God is both the Giver and Sustainer of all things. The outcome (the payoff) will be be RESTORATION, STRENGTH, FIRM FOUNDATIONS. But there is no shortcut!
It is no different with my own kids.
STORY: With my kids. Why is it so important that I take so much time to teach my kids to not only say Thank You but to constantly think grateful thoughts, to live a life of gratitude. In there early years, we spend so much time teaching and training them how to respond with gratitude. This seems to be a lost art. But it doesn’t just come natural. It takes revealing the need, the provision, and the proper response.
Take time to reveal the NEED, the PROVISION, and the PROPER RESPONSE.
Ungratefulness robs us of our joy, our faith, our praise. But when we express thanks, we tap into deep satisfaction, rest, faith, and adoration.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,
2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,
7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked.
9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests
15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ”
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.
44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”
49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.
51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.
56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled.
58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
66 What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him
68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
One of the last things Jesus does with His with disciples on earth that has layers of implication was eat the Passover meal with them. And Matthew records here that while they were eating, Jesus took the bread and gave thanks.
εὐφροσύνη
Now the word used here for thanks is, εὐχαριστέω, the root from which we get our word eucharist used almost exclusively in the NT as a term of thanksgiving directed toward God.
εὐχαριστέω, the root from which we get our word eucharist used almost exclusively in the NT as a term of thanksgiving directed toward God.
Jesus is getting ready for the ultimate sacrifice of His life, and He reminds them to do this in remembrance of me. He reminds them to give thanks, to live a life of gratefulness. Literally, give grace or abound in gratitude, overflow in response to what is before you.
This became a part of the lifeblood of the church. It became a regular practice that whenever they would gather, not just during the Jewish festival of Passover. They would remember what the Lord had done for them and give thanks. Gratitude was a pillar and staple of the practice of their faith. Can the same be said true of us today?
At the end of that famous day when the promised Holy Spirit came upon His disicples, Peter preached a killer message, and a few remarks are given on what the collection of believers “devoted” themselves to:
the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread (referencing the Eucharist), and to prayer (). It was to be in the breaking of bread, continual thanksgiving that the church would fellowship, digest the word, and prayer-thus the church would grow.
The breaking of bread, . It was to be in the breaking of bread, the continual thanksgiving that the church would fellowship, digest the word, and thus the church would grow.
Paul writes that we are to shine in a world full of ingratitude as a people full of gratitude.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
2 timothy 3:1-
Paul is writing to Timothy to warn him of the signs that will depict the depravity of man and the ends of days. And in verse 2 where he enumerates on what their qualities will be he says...
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
They will be ungrateful. The word here is ἀχάριστος, literally a complete lack of thankfulness, unthankful, ungrateful. This is such a description of our society and our culture, even our political climate at the end of 2019.
And the question for each of us today is will we operate out of the same well? What spirit will we operate out of? What spirit do I communicate? What spirit do I share and duplicate in others?
ἀχάριστος
We can’t help but replicate, and we duplicate who we are. So, if we are contagious, let’s ask ourselves what am I spreading?
We even see how the devil himself comes to accuse and tear down what God seeks to build up. Let me explain what I mean here. When redeemed we have a renewed spirit that can see through a lens of gratitude. We can’t help but overflow with thanksgiving because we have seen God. Our perspective and thus the overflow of our live shifts and changes. But the enemy seeks to silence the gratitude that springs forth from God’s work in our life. So, what does he do.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
Just when salvation and power and the kingdom of God break in on the scene there is of course the defeated one trying his best to stop the noise of redemption. He does it by bringing accusations against God’s children, against you, against me.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
This is the good news, that Jesus has made a way for us to be in fellowship and sweet relationship with God, but also continues to keep that way open when the accuser attempts to change the tune.
spirit of the advocate
We have an advocate with the Father
Devil accuser of the breathren
We have an advocate with the Father
My prayers is, “Lord, fill me with a spirit that is not ungrateful but instead abounding in thanksgiving for what God has done for me.” Let nothing be able to silence the sounds of redemption among Your people Lord.
STORY: It happens every year at the holidays, even birthdays, my kids will be tearing off the paper, boxes being ripped, and excitement expressed. They immediately want to get it out and play with it (if it is a toy), but what is it that we have to train them to do.
“What do you say?!?”
“Thank you.”
We aren’t much different as we get older. We walk to the fridge full of food, pantries stocked, but we look at each other and say, “We have nothing to eat.”
We sit in front of our 70” LED TV with 100’s of channels from Comcast, but still look at each other and say, “There’s nothing to watch.”
We walk to the closet full of clothes hanging up and stacked with shoes everywhere, but we still say, “I have nothing to wear.”
TRANSITION
The revelation of gratitude is what will change our life. Gratitude multiplies our generosity. It is grateful people that are generous. Gratitude makes us more sensitive to the needs of others. Gratitude make us so much more attractive and enjoyable to be around. Gratitude is what establishes faithfulness and loyalty in our marriages. Gratitude makes us able to forgive others. When we are so grateful for what God has forgiven us for we can’t help but give it away to others.
faithfulness and loyalty in our marriages. Gratitude makes us able to forgive others. When we are so grateful
It is not happy people who are grateful; it is grateful people who are happy.
makes us more patient,
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:11
I mentioned the story last week where Jesus was met by 10 men who had leprosy. Let’s look at it again today in light of gratefulness.
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance
13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Samaritans: racially profiled, stereotype, prejudice,
Lepers: outcasts, not what it is like to have leprosy today, it was a death sentence.
But if a leper was cleansed of their leprosy they were to go to the priest and show themselves clean in order to be able to enter back into the rest of society. As they walked towards what Jesus had promised they were healed. That is the walk of faith.
We walk in thankfulness and gratitude, but we walk towards what God has promised. As we walk, as we serve, as we give, as we believe, as we stand, as we share, as we live by faith on the promises of God we find God’s promises released for us.
As they were walking, they were healed. We don’t know how far or how long they walked. But they were all healed, and only one returned to give thanks to God (and he was a Samaritan).
RETURN: return is so necessary in expression of our gratitude. It is so important for us to return to God and give Him thanks for what He has done for us.
Jesus says there has to be a response. He asks, “Where are the others? Were there not ten?” He is looking for the response of the others, and it is so common that the foreigners (those who are not familiar or aquatinted with the things of God) show more gratitude than those who have been around it all their lives. We get spoiled. We get demanding. Where is my promise, my blessing, my prosperity. There has to be a response of gratitude. Jesus is looking for a response of thankfulness.
Where are the nine? Are they ungrateful? I believe that if we could have found them they would have said they were thankful, but they didn’t express it. We have to express gratitude.
Unexpressed gratitude feels like ingratitude. It even communicates ingratitude and can feel like rejection.
The first step of gratitude is I thank you for . . .
This is entry level for returning gratitude. We begin to express our thanks for specific things in our lives.
Instead, today, Thanksgiving turns into a season of wanting more of what we don’t have. Catalogues, now stores and internet, get us focused on wanting and what we don’t have.
?-Restore gratitude and see God restore power in your life.
I will not let what I want rob me of what I have.
9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Gratitude transforms what we have into enough.
Ingratitude transforms what we have into never enough.
Paul tells Timothy to tell the rich that you …
STORY: We never have everything we want.
House. Room. Money in the bank. Our body shape.
But we have what we need. Thank God for the provision.
The second level we thank God for is His presence. We begin to build upon the thankful for XYZ mentality to recognize God’s nature and how He exhibits Himself in our lives. We begin to express our gratitude for who He is, His Divine nature, that He has been with us, that He is faithful.
PIANO MAN
The Psalmist writes:
psalms 23:4-
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The gratitude for the…is thanking Him for what I see.
The gratitude of even though… is thanking Him even when you can’t see it.
Ps 23
For the…what we see, doesn’t take faith to see provision that is in front of you.
BUT WE DON’T STOP HERE.
Even though…what we don’t see, even in the tough seasons, takes faith to believe and see, His presence, His perfect plans.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Is 55:8-9
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
But I know that God is still in control. His wisdom is greater than mine. His knowledge is greater than mine. I know His faithfulness is real in my life. He can turn things that look bleak on the surface around for my good and blessing.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
We are to be a people who are more than just I thank you for people we are to be a people that can say I thank you for I know…I know that the God I serve is greater than my understanding, greater than my circumstances, greater than even my own ability to work things out for myself.
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.
Isaiah
I know that God you are good and that you only do good. I don’t need to have all the answers.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
Paul was specific to add in every letter no matter what circumstances were going on in his life, he would also give a first mention of thanksgiving. In a society that is bent on wants and desires more of what we don’t have than being grateful for what we do. Let’s express it to one another. I thank you that…Let’s express it to the Lord. I thank you God that…we want to operate in a spirit of gratitude.
PRAY