Hymns of Thanksgiving: Count Your Blessings
Hymns of Thanksgiving • Sermon • Submitted
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· 253 viewsChristians need to count their blessings.
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Text: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1, NIV)
Theme: Christians need to count their blessings.
Date: 11/24/2013 File Name: countyour.wpd Sermon ID: 28
Here in the month of November we are looking at Hymns of Thanksgiving as the theme for the morning messages. Last Sunday we looked at For All These Things by Greg Nelson. It's a newer addition to our hymnal. This morning we consider an old classic written in 1897 — Count Your Blessings. The words are by Johnson Oatman, and the music by Edwin Excel. It was such a popular hymn in its day that evangelist Gypsy Smith — the Billy Graham of his era — said of the song, "Men sing it, boys whistle it, and women rock their babies to sleep to it."
Johnson Oatman was what we would call a late bloomer when it comes to hymn composition. He grew up New Jersey. He was born into a devout Methodist family who were in church every time the doors were opened. Johnson recounts that he always sat next to his father in church, and when they sang the hymns he would stand on the pew so he could sing out of the same hymnal as his father. His father had a wonderful baritone voice and was in great demand as a gospel singer. Johnson wanted to make his mark on the world singing — but he did not have the voice that his father did. Instead he went to seminary and became a Methodist/Episcopal minister. Unfortunately his preaching was not much better than his singing, and he was never assigned a full-time congregation, but merely filled in for vacationing or sick fellow pastors. He made his living as an insurance agent.
As an adult Johnson retained his love of church music that his father had instilled in his children, and still desired to be involved in some kind of music ministry. At age 36 he discovered he had a hidden talent for hymn writing. For the rest of his life he penned an average of 200 hymns a year, and by the time of his death in 1922 had composed just over 5000 hymns. He believed this was his way of "preaching the gospel" to the entire world.
Count Your Blessings was published in 1897 and became an instant hit — especially in England. During the Great Welsh Revival in 1904 the hymn was sung nightly in the revival meetings across the nation.
The hymn does not call for us to be Pollyannas or even optimists in the face of "billows" and "tempests," but simply reminds us not to dismiss the good aspects of our lives that we so easily take for granted.
This morning's message is a focus on the chorus — count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you with the Lord has done.
I. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
I. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
ILLUS. An anonymous author has written: Count your garden by the flowers, Never by the leaves that fall. Count your days by golden hours, Don't remember clouds at all. Count your nights by stars, not shadows. Count your years with smiles, not tears. Count your blessings, not your troubles, Count your age by friends, not years.
1. it’s important that believers count their blessings regularly
a. Oatman encourages the Christian not to allow circumstances to cripple a thankful heart
1) when the billows blow and when the tempests toss we are to count our blessings
2) when we find ourselves burdened with a load of care; when our cross seems heavy we are to count our blessings
3) when we are tempted to envy the land and gold of others count your blessings
4) when we find ourselves facing conflict—great conflict or small conflict—turn your eyes to God who is over all and count your blessings
2. according to Matthew 5:45 “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”
a. how sad that so many do not see this, and that so many Christ-followers neglect to notices God’s subtle every-day-blessings
ILLUS. Sometimes our faith is severely tested. 2020 has certainly been one of those years. For many it has been an Annus horribilis. Remember that phrase? It’s Latin for “horrible year”. 1992 had not been a good year for the British Royal family. All kinds of scandal had rocked the personal lives of Queen Elizabeth’s children. A fire at Windsor Castle caused extensive damage in the millions of dollars to her official residence. In November of that year, during a speech marking the 40th anniversary of her accession to the British throne, she told her subjects, “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an annus horribilis.”
b. 2020 has been an Annus horribilis
1) but, for the Christian, it begs the question: Do we only count our blessings when it’s been an annus mirabilis ... a wonderful year?
3. why do we need to count our blessings regularly?
A. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS MAKES US A THANKFUL PEOPLE
A. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS MAKES US A THANKFUL PEOPLE
1. if anyone needs to be a thankful people, it ought to be God’s people
a. the Bible tells us that we are to be exceedingly grateful for the blessings that God has provided His chosen
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3, NIV)
b. the word blessed in this verse is a special word
1) it means to cause to benefit or prosper
2) the word is never used in classical Greek literature
ILLUS. What’s so significant about that? Well, the Greek god, Zeus is never recorded as ever having blessed anyone. Nor does ancient mythology record any other Greek god ever blessing men. However, the word is used over 400 times in the Old Testament alone, indicating that unlike the Greek gods who were usually unconcerned with the plight of men, the God of the Bible bestows benefits to His children in every age.
c. every spiritual blessing refers to every spiritual enrichment needed for the spiritual life and are the products of God’s grace given to us by His Holy Spirit
d. what are those spiritual blessings?
1) in 2 Cor. 1:3 God is a God who comforts us in all our troubles
2) in 1 Pet. 1:3 God has shown us great mercy and He has given us a new birth and given us with the hope of the resurrection
3) in Eph. 1:4 God has chosen us before the foundation of the earth to be holy in His sight
4) in Rom. 10:13 God declares that He will save whoever calls upon the name of the Lord
5) in Rom. 8:17 the Father has made us His heirs, and co-heirs with Christ
6) in Acts 13:38 we’re told that everyone who believes is made right with God in Christ
7) in Rom. 8:30 the Bible tells us those he [God] predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified
e. these are just some our spiritual blessing in Christ
2. these are blessings that you cannot see, but they are real all the same and we ought to be thankful for them
3. counting our blessings—including our spiritual blessings—makes us a thankful people
B. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS BRINGS JOY TO THE BELIEVER’S LIFE
B. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS BRINGS JOY TO THE BELIEVER’S LIFE
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” NIV
1. the world needs to see joyful believers
2. the lost folk of our society see too many mean-eyed, furrowed-brow, locked-jaw, crossed-arm, petty-minded, unsmiling Christians
a. I don’t mean any of you
3. the world needs to see joyful believers who can praise the Lord no matter what their circumstances may be
ILLUS. In the 16th chapter of the Book of Acts Paul and his missionary companion Silas have been thrown into prison. Their in prison for exorcizing a demon from a young girl. Now normally people would look at that and simply say Praise God. But this situation is different. This demon-possessed girl was a slave who made her master wealthy through predicting the future. Act 16:16 “ ... She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.” When Paul commanded, in the name of Jesus, for the demon to come out of her it did, and when the demon left so did her ability to prognosticate which made her owners angry, and they started a small riot. Paul and Silas are dragged before the pagan authorities, who order them stripped and beaten and then thrown into the Philippian prison. About midnight Paul and Silas begin singing, “Gloom, despair, and agony on me ... deep dark depression, excessive misery.” No? The Bible tells us that they begin praying and singing hymns to God.
a. the point?
b. outward circumstances can never rob the Christian of our inner joy when we count our blessings!
4. when we count our blessings it brings joy into our lives, and a witness to the world
a. Paul and Silas’ joy in the Lord led to the salvation of a jailer and his family
C. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS IS A WITNESS TO THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD
C. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS IS A WITNESS TO THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD
1. our God is a God who seeks to provide for His people
a. the sixty-fifth psalm is one of those great passages that speaks of God’s all-providing sufficiency for those who love and serve Him
Psalm 65:1-13
2. God does not only provide spiritual blessings, but He also gives us temporal blessings as well
a. in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus told the crowds
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26, ESV)
”Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31–33, ESV)
3. do you see the wonderful promise here?
a. if we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness then God promises to bless us with the temporal blessings of clothing, and food, and shelter
4. we need to be thankful for these things
a. when we are, it is a testimony to God’s provision of His people
“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.” (Psalm 37:25–26, ESV)
b. folks, let me clue you in on something
c. God doesn't bless us just to make us happy; He blesses us to make us a blessing
5. Counting Our Blessings Is a Witness to the Sufficiency of God in Our Lives
II. NAME THEM ONE-BY-ONE
II. NAME THEM ONE-BY-ONE
1. it’s important that believers verbalize the blessings they have received
2. it’s not enough to think or say “God has really blessed me.”
a. how has God has blessed you?
b. you need to be specific
ILLUS. In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers conducted a study to see if listing things for which one is thankful made any difference in a person’s outlook on life. Two groups were given a pre-test on their general sense of well-being to find a base point. Then one group was asked to write down five things for which they were thankful, every day for a week. At the end of the week they were given a post-test on their general sense of well-being. The group asked to list things for which they were thankful showed an increase in their positive emotional outlook. They even reported sleeping better. The believer should not be surprised by this.
3. you really do need to name them one-by-one
a. why?
A. NAMING YOUR BLESSINGS HELPS YOU SEE WHERE GOD IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE
A. NAMING YOUR BLESSINGS HELPS YOU SEE WHERE GOD IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE
1. have you succeeded in economics and the business world?
a. then maybe God has blessed you with industry and administration
2. have you succeeded in a particular field of education or intellectual endeavor?
a. then maybe God has blessed you with wisdom and knowledge
3. have you succeeded in marriage and other human relationships?
a. then maybe God has blessed you with forbearance, love, and patience
4. God is always at work in the lives of His people
a. He often blesses us with gifts and abilities that He might move our lives in a certain direction of service for His Kingdom
5. when you list your blessings you get a clear picture of what God is up to in your life
B. NOT ENUNCIATING OUR BLESSINGS CAUSES US TO BECOME FORGETFUL OF OUR BENEFITS FROM GOD
B. NOT ENUNCIATING OUR BLESSINGS CAUSES US TO BECOME FORGETFUL OF OUR BENEFITS FROM GOD
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,” (Psalm 103:2, ESV)
ILLUS. Helen Keller once told an audience: “It would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.”
1. the Bible tells us that ingratitude is actually a characteristic of pagan depravity
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21, NIV)
2. there are many ways to tell is a person is a true believer or not
a. one way is to listen to the way the person talks
1) do they count their blessings?
2) or do they list all their misfortunes?
ILLUS. The great English author, Charles Dickens, said, “Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.”
ILLUS. Batsell Barrett Baxter, a great preacher the middle of the 20th century, told in a sermon how he once tried to list his blessings. He began with the basics: life, food, shelter, and clothing. For each of these, he noted, there are many people involved--the farmer who grows the food, the builder who builds the house, and the textile worker who makes the cloth for the clothing. Next was his family and friends, all the people upon whom we rely for support, and without whom we would feel disoriented and lost. He looked next at the beauty of nature. Then he thought about things that made it possible for him to make a living, such as freedom and security protected by the governing authorities, and the opportunity to gain education and skills. Finally, looking to the greatest blessings last, he considered the love of our Father in heaven, the grace and forgiveness brought down by Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Holy Spirit through His Word, and the strength and support of our brothers and sisters in Christ's Church.
b. it's a good list, but like any such attempt, it seems to leave so much out!
1) it would do us all good to try it ourselves
4. how we verbally thank God and in what circumstances we offer that thanks will often indicate what we really believe about God’s power and sustaining grace
5. naming our blessings one-by-one helps us see where God is at work in our lives
III. IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHAT THE LORD HATH DONE
III. IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHAT THE LORD HATH DONE
1. it is absolutely amazing what the Lord has done in my life ...
the Lord has forgiven all of my sins and removed my guilt
the Lord has accepted me as a son even with all my flaws
the Lord has guided me into a better life than I could ever have mapped out on my own
the Lord gives me purpose in living every day
the Lord has revealed his steadfast love for me now and forever
the Lord is continually present; I am never alone
the Lord promises my a better life to come
the Lord has given me the Scriptures that are profitable unto salvation
the Lord has given me prayer by with I can come before the throne of God
the Lord has given me His church through which I flesh out my Christian life in the fellowship of other believers
“The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22, ESV)
2. earthly blessings often bring anxiety with them; but our spiritual riches can never be taken away and will never run out
a. you can revel in them day after day, to your heart's content; they will never do you any harm, in fact, the more you indulge in them, the better they are for you!
ILLUS. God may give you the house of your dreams or the car of your heart’s desire or the “dream job.” His blessing ... makes rich. But you will only enjoy them for a season. You can’t take ‘em with you when you come into Christ’s Kingdom. But the spiritual blessings Paul refers to in Ephesians 1:3 go with us into eternity.
3. for some of you, it may have been a long time since you actually sat down and counted you blessing — each and every one of them
4. if you will take the time to do that this week, you might just be surprised at what the Lord has truly done in your life
So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
The modern American seldom pauses to give thanks for the simple blessings of life. One reason is that we are used to having so much. We simply assume that we will have all the good things of life. Another reason is that it hurts our pride to be grateful. We do not want to admit that God is the Provider of all good things. We are simply His stewards. Being thankful requires humility and faith in God. When we have these, we can be grateful.