Barriers to Thanksgiving

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BARRIERS TO THANKSGIVING

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Hebrews 13:15

Introduction:

A young man shared an apartment with three other graduate  students who also had part-time jobs while in college. Each took turns preparing the meals, which usually consisted of canned vegetables, hamburger meat, baked potato, and was barely edible. No matter how poor the meal was, Joe always said, "THAT WAS A MIGHTY FINE DINNER." One evening the meal was worse than usual, and Joe made his regular comment. One said, "Why do you always say that when this was hardly fit for human consumption?" Joe answered, "I come from a family of 11 children. My mother would spend all afternoon in the kitchen preparing dinner. One night when she called us to the table, there was only a plate and straw on each plate. My father looked at it and asked, "What is this straw doing on my plate?" Mother said, "Oh! you noticed. This is the first time you have given any indication that you noticed what was on your plate." Joe then said, "I vowed that I would always express my appreciation to the person who had prepared my meal." (From "Dear Abby" 11/21/96)

We often take for granted things for which we should be grateful.

Let's consider some barriers to thanksgiving, with a view of breaking down those barriers.

I.          Barrier #1 - Thoughtlessness

A.        It's interesting that "think" and "thank" come from the same      Anglo-Saxon root word.

1.      Often we are not grateful because we just don't think.

2.      We don't think of what God has done for us.

3.      We don't think of God's love and care for us.

4.      Many are like hogs feeding at the trough, eating, and never         looking up to see where their food is coming from.

B.        Many of the Psalms are beautiful songs of thanksgiving. Psalm      30:1-12; 103:1-5; 105:1-3; 106:1-3

1.      Thus, the Psalmist enumerates the ways in which he had been blessed.

2.      In what ways are we blessed?

a)      We need to give thanks for Bibles, this building we meet in, our teachers, song leaders, and our fellow church members.

b)      We need to give thanks for forgiveness, redemption, knowledge of truth, and God's mercy and grace.

c)      We might give thanks for the big things, but often forget the small things.

There is a true story of a man whose job was to transport people who had been committed to a mental hospital. After delivering a patient one day, he was walking back to his car when he heard a voice call out, "Hey you!" It came from one of the upper floors. Looking up, the man called back, "Are you speaking to me?" "Yes, I am," came the reply, "I want to ask you a question. Have you ever thanked God that you have a healthy mind?" To say the least, the driver was stunned. He said, "I suddenly realized that I had been bringing people to this facility for some fifteen years; yet, I had never once thanked God for a good  mind!" Truly, let us learn to give thanks for the things we  so often take for granted.

II.       Barrier #2 - Faithlessness

A.        Giving thanks is the spontaneous expression of those who have a genuine faith in God.

B.        People who refuse to believe can never really be thankful.

Romans 1:20-21 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

C.        All gifts come from God.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1.      If you don't give thanks, do you really believe all things come from God?

2.      Poor response to God is due to poor faith in God.

3.      Ted Malone, whose radio show came on early in the morning, told of the Idaho shepherd who wrote: "Will you, on your broadcast, strike the note 'A'?  I'm a sheepherder way out here on a ranch, far away from a piano. The only comfort I have is my old violin. It's all out of tune. Would you strike 'A' so that I might get in tune?" Malone honored the request. Later he received a "thank you" note from the distant shepherd saying, "Now I'm in tune."

4.      One of the most tragic situations in life is when a Christian, through his unfaithfulness, becomes "out of tune"  with God.

a)      Through repentance and prayer we can be restored to our former relationship and be "in tune" once again.

III.    Barrier #3 - Discontentment

A.        Before we can genuinely be thankful, we must develop       contentment.

Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

1.      Too many suffer from the "thanks...but" syndrome.

a)      They are grateful, but are not satisfied.

b)      They say "thanks," but ask, "how can I receive more?"

c)      They say "thanks," but ask "why didn't I receive something else?"

B.        Consider how the early pilgrims were grateful.

1.      Of the 102 who started on the voyage of the Mayflower, 46 had died in the first year.

2.      Only 3 couples escaped death of one of their partners.

3.      They had only a few personal possessions, and lived in crude log huts.

4.      After those first hard years, they had a custom that at their Thanksgiving Day dinner there would be five kernels of corn on each plate. Before the meal each person would be  required to mention five things for which to be thankful.  The five kernels reminded them that at one time it was the daily allotment of corn - five kernels per person per day.

5.      Instead of complaining about our hardships and problems, let us enumerate the things for which we can be thankful.

IV.    Barrier #4 - Selfishness

A.        Those who have been blessed by God must learn to be a blessing.

B.        Mattthew 18:23-35

1.      The servant owed his master an enormous sum. Each talent equaled 91 pounds. There are 16 oz. in a pound. He owed 10,000 talents, and when multiplied, equaled about 16 million dollars. It took about 15 years of labor to earn one talent; thus, it would take 150,000 years of labor to pay is debt.

2.      His fellow servant owed him 100 denari, which was the common day's wages; thus, it would take about 100 days of labor to pay his debt.

3.      Not showing mercy to others indicates that we are not thankful for the mercy God has shown to us.

Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

C.        Selfishness says:

1.      "Why should I be thankful? I earned it myself."

2.      "I deserved more than I received."

3.      "Why help others, they haven't helped me."

D.        Those who receive the letters written to Santa Clause say that they receive thousands of letters from Children requesting things at Christmas, but, so far as they know, they have only received one letter from a child thanking Santa Clause for the gifts.

1.      I mention this only to show that selfishness, without thanksgiving, is in the hearts of many from an early age.

V.       Barrier #5 - Failure Through Neglect

A.        Luke 17:11-19

1.      No doubt, the other nine lepers were thankful for their healing, but they failed to show their appreciation.

2.      Most of us are thankful for God's blessings, but through  neglect we fail to express our appreciation.

CONCLUSION:

Let's resolve to be thankful people.

In Africa there is a fruit called the "taste berry." It is so called because it changes a person's taste so that everything eaten tastes sweet and pleasant. Sour fruit, even if eaten several hours after the taste berry, becomes sweet and delicious.

Thanksgiving is the "taste berry" of Christianity. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, nothing seems unpleasantor overbearing to us.

Sorrowing heart, sweeten your grief with gratitude. Burdened soul, lighten your burden by singing God's praises. Disappointed one, dispel your heartache by making others grateful. Sick one, grow strong in your soul, thanking God          that you are healthy and strong spiritually.

Have we shown our appreciation to God for what He has done for us?

We need to be thankful for the salvation God had provided.

We should show our appreciation by obeying Him.

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