1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,040
Hopefully we'll be back this evening for our service.

2
00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:09,440
Gary Lee is going to be speaking to us, a missionary that has a relationship to our

3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,300
church family through Lee Guftason.

4
00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:16,320
By the way, be praying for her too because she will be leaving for the Philippines in

5
00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,640
a few days to undertake several months of short-term missions assignment.

6
00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,640
We pray God's blessing on her as she goes.

7
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:32,560
Now would you open your Bible please to Psalm 136.

8
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,400
Thanksgiving shouldn't just be an occasion.

9
00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,440
It should be an attitude of the heart.

10
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:49,640
Psalm 136 begins, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness is

11
00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,320
everlasting.

12
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:58,080
The people of Israel needed a reminder to give thanks to the Lord.

13
00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,260
So do we all.

14
00:01:00,260 --> 00:01:04,580
Too easily do we take things for granted in life.

15
00:01:04,580 --> 00:01:11,920
Here we see the people of Israel giving thanks to God for his blessings in creation as well

16
00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,120
as redemption.

17
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:25,200
The refrain of the hymn is, for his loving kindness is forever or is everlasting.

18
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:30,400
The loving kindness of God is a key thought in the Old Testament.

19
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:37,680
In fact, that word loving kindness is roughly the equivalent to our New Testament word for

20
00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:39,000
grace.

21
00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,320
The grace of God is everlasting.

22
00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:45,960
The loving kindness of God is forever.

23
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:51,400
God has demonstrated his loving kindness to us in very many ways.

24
00:01:51,400 --> 00:02:00,080
Therefore we are to cultivate grateful hearts remembering the loving kindness of the Lord.

25
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,640
What are some of the things that God has done for us in his loving kindness?

26
00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,240
To answer that question we're going to look into the New Testament this morning at a phrase

27
00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,520
which the Apostle Paul used five times.

28
00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:20,280
It's a very simple phrase that says, thanks be to God.

29
00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,200
Thanks be to God.

30
00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:30,680
The first occasion is found in Romans chapter 6 verses 17 and 18.

31
00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:36,960
Paul looked beyond the physical blessings of God to see the spiritual endowments that

32
00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,080
God gives to us who believe in Christ.

33
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,360
Here in these two verses he tells us that we can give thanks to the Lord because he

34
00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,600
gives freedom from sins, slavery.

35
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,240
Romans 6 verses 17 and 18.

36
00:02:54,240 --> 00:03:00,800
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the

37
00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:07,560
heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from

38
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:13,200
sin you became slaves of righteousness.

39
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:18,680
Before salvation we had a relationship with sin.

40
00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,200
Sin was our master.

41
00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,480
We were sin's slaves.

42
00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,960
We lived under sin's domination.

43
00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:37,840
Not that everything that we did was bad, but everything we did was in relation to sin because

44
00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,120
sin owned us.

45
00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,840
Sin was our master.

46
00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,200
We belonged to sin.

47
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,880
And when sin called us to act, we did so.

48
00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:56,160
We freely committed our members to carrying out the appetites of sin.

49
00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:04,400
As Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2, we all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,

50
00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:12,040
indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath.

51
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,320
We had a relationship with sin.

52
00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,880
We were enslaved to it.

53
00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,000
But God intervened.

54
00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:27,640
We heard the truth of Jesus Christ, and we responded with hearts of obedience to believe

55
00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:36,240
on Christ, resulting in our being freed from the cruel taskmaster of sin.

56
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,600
And now we have become the slaves of righteousness.

57
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:50,080
You and I who are in Jesus Christ are no longer obligated to sin, to obey its demands.

58
00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,440
Yes, sin is still present in us.

59
00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:59,360
It dwells in our bodies as a power principle.

60
00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:00,400
It allures us.

61
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:01,400
It tempts us.

62
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:07,400
It is active every day against us, just as the apostle Paul describes in the last part

63
00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,120
of Romans chapter 7.

64
00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:18,860
We struggle with sin, but the main difference is that before we struggled as slaves to sin,

65
00:05:18,860 --> 00:05:26,120
now we struggle as being freed from sin so that we don't have to obey it anymore.

66
00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:36,200
Now we can say no to sin and yes to Jesus Christ and obedience to his Lordship.

67
00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,340
That's because we died to sin.

68
00:05:39,340 --> 00:05:43,280
That's what ended that relationship with it.

69
00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:45,740
It's like a marriage.

70
00:05:45,740 --> 00:05:50,320
Death ends the relationship of marriage.

71
00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,960
So with sin, we died to sin.

72
00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,880
Sin didn't die, it's still alive.

73
00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,060
But we died to it.

74
00:06:01,060 --> 00:06:04,800
That relationship is over.

75
00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,920
And we have been resurrected as new people.

76
00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,840
Now related not to sin, but to the Savior.

77
00:06:12,840 --> 00:06:19,680
We are alive in him so that now we can say yes to him and though sin is still present,

78
00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:29,200
as I said before, and we face temptation and we can say yes to sin, sadly, and do say yes

79
00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,760
to sin, sadly.

80
00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:38,240
Nonetheless, we are freed from its yoke of slavery.

81
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,880
We don't have to say yes to sin.

82
00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,880
We can say no and say yes to Jesus Christ.

83
00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:52,800
When was the last time that you thought to say no to sin and then immediately thanked

84
00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,120
God that you could say no?

85
00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:04,460
When was the last time the temptation came upon you and you felt the urge to do what

86
00:07:04,460 --> 00:07:08,120
you knew was wrong?

87
00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:14,600
And within you the Spirit of God gave strength and you said no to temptation.

88
00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,600
You did not obey sin.

89
00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,420
But you obeyed Jesus Christ.

90
00:07:21,420 --> 00:07:25,120
When was the last time you did that and then immediately said, Lord, thank you that I can

91
00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,760
do that?

92
00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:35,080
Because you see people in the world, people outside of Jesus Christ cannot do that.

93
00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:41,200
They don't have to give in to every little sinful temptation that comes to them.

94
00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:48,160
People in the world can lose bad habits and break them, but they cannot say no to sin

95
00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,120
as one who's freed from it.

96
00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:57,600
They cannot say yes to Jesus Christ as one who belongs to Him.

97
00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:04,040
You and I begin today by giving thanks to God that He gives us freedom from the slavery

98
00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,120
to sin.

99
00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:16,200
The Apostle Paul carries this theme to another subject in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

100
00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:21,760
Here we learn that the Lord gives release from death sting.

101
00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:30,580
1 Corinthians 15 verse 54, but when this perishable will have put on the imperishable and this

102
00:08:30,580 --> 00:08:36,660
mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written,

103
00:08:36,660 --> 00:08:40,040
death is swallowed up in victory.

104
00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:47,080
Now verse 57, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

105
00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:52,760
The Lord gives release from death sting.

106
00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:57,660
Death is the divine judgment of God upon sin.

107
00:08:57,660 --> 00:09:01,960
Death is the inevitable result of our sinning.

108
00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:09,080
The Bible says that death spread to all men because all sinned.

109
00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,660
It says the wages of sin is death.

110
00:09:13,660 --> 00:09:24,360
And that death is first spiritual, that is being separated from God, and then it is physical.

111
00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:31,640
It causes the death of these physical bodies and the separation of our invisible, soulish

112
00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:36,280
part from the physical body.

113
00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:37,440
That is death.

114
00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,440
It is the result of sin.

115
00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:49,960
You and I would be hopelessly lost in sin, separated from God, and headed toward eternal

116
00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:57,400
death were it not for the fact that God intervened.

117
00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:05,640
God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, that He might go to the cross and there

118
00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:14,540
die for us, and three days later be raised from the dead.

119
00:10:14,540 --> 00:10:19,520
In doing that He paid for our sin.

120
00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:26,520
He made it possible for us to have a relationship with God instead of being separated from God.

121
00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:36,440
And He assured the fact that all people one day will be raised from the grave, even unbelievers.

122
00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:42,280
All people will be raised from the grave.

123
00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:47,040
Death has a nasty sting.

124
00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:51,800
All of us have suffered from its venom.

125
00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,240
But Jesus Christ has conquered death.

126
00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:02,900
And for those who place their faith in Him, He releases us from death's sting.

127
00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:08,920
So that one day these bodies, which may one day be buried in the ground should we die

128
00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:15,120
before the Lord comes, these bodies will be raised from the grave, glorious, like Christ's

129
00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,520
body.

130
00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:21,840
This mortal will put on immortality.

131
00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:30,240
This thing of earthly clay will be given heavenly glory in the resurrection.

132
00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:37,200
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory over death's sting through our Lord Jesus

133
00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,440
Christ.

134
00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:48,240
Cruel death may yet take our bodies, but it cannot keep our bodies because the Lord Jesus

135
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:56,320
Christ has in His hand the keys to death and to Hades.

136
00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,800
There is no more significant event in the history of the world than the resurrection

137
00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,920
of Jesus Christ.

138
00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:07,080
And nothing is more certain than that one day all of us will be raised from the grave

139
00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,800
to stand before God.

140
00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:18,320
Those of us who are saved to enter into His kingdom, into His glorious, eternal reign

141
00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,680
and life forever.

142
00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:27,760
And those who are outside of Christ will be raised from the grave to stand before God

143
00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:37,080
for their final judgment, only then to experience the second death.

144
00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:43,160
Thanks be to God that when we are in Jesus Christ we have been delivered from death.

145
00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:50,560
Job called death the king of terrors, but this despot has been overthrown by Jesus Christ,

146
00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:52,320
the King of Kings.

147
00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,840
And he stands today as our victor.

148
00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:04,920
We give thanks to God for our Lord Jesus Christ and our victory over death through Him.

149
00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:11,560
And again the Apostle Paul uses this phrase, thanks be to God, in 2 Corinthians 2, verse

150
00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:15,000
14.

151
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:21,680
Here we thank God that the Lord gives victory in life's circumstances.

152
00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:30,800
But thanks be to God, writes Paul, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ and manifests

153
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:37,600
through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

154
00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:45,200
I want you to notice that the Apostle writes of the triumph in the midst of pretty desperate

155
00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:46,200
circumstances.

156
00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:55,480
In fact, in chapters 1 and 2 he writes about his own affliction, chapter 1, verse 4.

157
00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:01,280
He writes about having an excessive burden, chapter 1, verse 8.

158
00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:07,520
He tells of facing the peril of death, chapter 1, verse 10.

159
00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:15,360
He records that he felt much affliction and anguish of heart, chapter 2, verse 4.

160
00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:22,240
And in chapter 2, verse 13, he confesses, I had no rest in my spirit.

161
00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,000
Do you see that?

162
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:31,560
Do you see what Paul's circumstances were as he was writing this letter and says to

163
00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:40,360
them, thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph?

164
00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:45,100
Life was tough for Paul.

165
00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:48,060
And life may be tough for you this morning.

166
00:14:48,060 --> 00:14:49,060
Life may be happy.

167
00:14:49,060 --> 00:14:51,560
It may be filled with blessing.

168
00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:56,160
How easy to have thanksgiving when it's that way.

169
00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:06,760
But maybe you more closely identify with Paul being in anguish and despair, no rest in your

170
00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:13,840
spirit, feeling like you're facing death.

171
00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,320
If that's how you feel today, I want you to know something.

172
00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:22,520
The apostle Paul says that we can give thanks to God even in the midst of that.

173
00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:29,920
Because the Lord gives us victory in all of life's circumstances, even the tough times.

174
00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,960
He speaks here about the triumph.

175
00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:38,480
The linguistic key to the Greek New Testament says the picture is the triumphal entry of

176
00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:43,080
a military hero into the city of Rome.

177
00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:49,200
The victorious Roman general marched into the city in a long procession, preceded by

178
00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,000
the city magistrates.

179
00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,880
They were followed by the trumpeters.

180
00:15:54,880 --> 00:16:02,400
Then the spoils taken from the enemy, followed by white oxen intended for sacrifice.

181
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:07,000
Then the captives headed by the king of the conquered country.

182
00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:12,240
Then the officials of the victorious army and musicians dancing and playing.

183
00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:19,200
And at last the general himself, in whose honor the whole wonderful pageant was taking

184
00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:20,200
place.

185
00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:26,720
Paul represents himself as one of the victorious general's soldiers, sharing in the glory

186
00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,320
of his triumph.

187
00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:33,680
It was customary for the triumphal processions to be accompanied by the release of sweet

188
00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:38,960
odors from the burning spices in the streets.

189
00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:44,400
With that historical background you understand what Paul means when he says that we are being

190
00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:52,040
led in a triumph march and there is this aroma of Christ around us.

191
00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:57,480
In the midst of your circumstances by faith give thanks to God.

192
00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,440
The victory is yours in Christ.

193
00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:05,960
It's easy for a soldier who is out in the battlefield in the trenches being shelled

194
00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,080
and shot at.

195
00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:16,400
To face all of that, if he knows in the end he is going to be in the victory side.

196
00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:22,560
You may be shot at, there may be shells dropping around you so many you can't count them.

197
00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:29,040
But I want you to know something, if you are in Jesus Christ you are on the victory side.

198
00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,240
There is this procession that is moving into heaven.

199
00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,900
It is all of the Lord's own.

200
00:17:36,900 --> 00:17:43,000
It is his triumph and we are a part of that.

201
00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:49,320
The Lord gives victory in life's circumstances.

202
00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:57,880
An elderly man was about to repair his roof and was seen climbing a ladder with nails

203
00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,360
stuffed into his mouth and with a hammer into his hand.

204
00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:09,440
A little bit later a neighbor lady who had seen him heard him shouting and praising the

205
00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:10,440
Lord.

206
00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:15,320
Curiously she said, what are you shouting about?

207
00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,320
He said, I swallowed a nail and dropped my hammer.

208
00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,700
She said, well that's an odd thing.

209
00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:26,360
What are you so happy for about that?

210
00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:35,680
Well he said, I am happy, I am thankful that I didn't drop the nail and swallow the hammer.

211
00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,480
You can always find something to be thankful for.

212
00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:47,680
Mr. Bradford who gave his life for Christ as a martyr said of Queen Mary, if the Queen

213
00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:52,240
be pleased to release me, I will thank her.

214
00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:58,360
If she imprison me, I will thank her.

215
00:18:58,360 --> 00:19:04,320
If she will burn me, I will thank her.

216
00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:11,120
There's not much you can do with a person like that.

217
00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:18,000
A pastor by the name of Dr. John Watson called on a man who had suffered severe financial

218
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:24,240
reverses and found him to be utterly crushed by his losses.

219
00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:30,000
Everything is gone, he said to his pastor.

220
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,940
To which the pastor replied, what?

221
00:19:33,940 --> 00:19:36,440
I'm sorry to hear your wife is dead.

222
00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,160
The man said, my wife?

223
00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:44,840
Yes, he said, and I'm doubly grieved to hear that you've lost your character.

224
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:51,600
Then he began to name a number of other things, assets, valuable assets.

225
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:57,880
To the last the man could stand no longer and protested that all of those things still

226
00:19:57,880 --> 00:19:58,880
remained.

227
00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:06,480
And the pastor said, but wait a minute, I thought you said you had lost everything.

228
00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,560
He said, brother, come to your senses.

229
00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:14,800
You've lost none of those things that are worthwhile.

230
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,920
Only the man realized that the true riches are those things that make us rich toward

231
00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,040
God.

232
00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:29,400
Let us learn that in life's circumstances, whatever they are, in Jesus Christ we have

233
00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:30,780
the victory.

234
00:20:30,780 --> 00:20:35,600
We are in his triumph march.

235
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,760
Thanks be to God.

236
00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:42,240
There is a fourth way the apostle uses this phrase.

237
00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:48,800
It's in 2 Corinthians 8 this time and verse 16.

238
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:54,680
But thanks be to God, he says, who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart

239
00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,600
of Titus.

240
00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:02,760
For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of

241
00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:04,120
his own accord.

242
00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:09,200
And we have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has

243
00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:15,080
spread through all the churches, that brother is not named.

244
00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:20,920
Here we see that the Lord gives friends for needed strength.

245
00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:26,200
You see the Corinthians were under the gun.

246
00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,120
They were being persecuted.

247
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,880
They didn't have much.

248
00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:38,440
But nonetheless, they had promised that they would take an offering for the even more greatly

249
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:43,140
impoverished saints in Jerusalem.

250
00:21:43,140 --> 00:21:46,960
Up to this point they had not done so.

251
00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:52,600
So the apostle Paul is gathering a little committee together headed by Titus.

252
00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:57,400
They are to go see the saints in Corinth and they are to encourage them in the midst of

253
00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:05,080
their suffering and to help them get on with what they had promised to do.

254
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:13,240
You see the Lord gives us friends when we need strength.

255
00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:19,160
Who is the Titus that God has sent to your life?

256
00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,720
Who is that person or that group of people that has provided support for you in your

257
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,520
time of need?

258
00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:31,600
That's part of what a local church is all about.

259
00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:38,680
We are a support system for one another through the bonds of the gospel.

260
00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:45,020
We need to avail ourselves of relationships within the church so that we have those kinds

261
00:22:45,020 --> 00:22:48,260
of supports built in.

262
00:22:48,260 --> 00:22:55,260
God did not create us to live by ourselves, individualistically, apart from others.

263
00:22:55,260 --> 00:23:00,480
He created us to be a part of a group, part of a body.

264
00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:06,680
Here we have a man named Titus who loved those Corinthian people just as much as Paul himself

265
00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:07,680
did.

266
00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:12,160
And Paul is not ashamed to say, I'm sending him as my representative and these others

267
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:18,720
are coming too and they are going to encourage you to finish what you have begun.

268
00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,000
Are you letting other people love you?

269
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:28,800
Are you letting other people come around you and support you?

270
00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:34,760
Sometimes we ask the question, well who is my friend?

271
00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:41,880
Perhaps the better question first ought to be, to whom am I friendly?

272
00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,680
Because you see, when we take the initiative to be friendly, then we find that friends

273
00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,960
come to us.

274
00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:54,720
But if we stand back with our arms crossed saying, who's going to take care of my needs?

275
00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,920
You know one will approach.

276
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:06,760
The Lord gives us friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, to help us in our times of need.

277
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:15,280
When did you last think through the list of friends that you have in your life?

278
00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,640
Maybe that list is small, I don't know.

279
00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:25,080
When you talk about true friends, it's usually not very long.

280
00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:30,320
We have friends, you know, and then we have friends.

281
00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:34,920
When was the last time you thought through your list and after you thought through the

282
00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:40,400
faces and said the names in your heart, you said, Lord, thank you.

283
00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:41,400
Thank you.

284
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:48,160
Thanks be to God for those friends that you have brought in my life to help me in this

285
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:49,160
time.

286
00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:58,480
You see, our greatest wealth is not measured in terms of riches, but relationships.

287
00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,920
And relationships take time.

288
00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:02,400
Relationships take something from us.

289
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:11,640
But listen, whatever we invest in others, we get back double fold.

290
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,080
So make the investment.

291
00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,880
And as you make it in others, others will make it in you, and there will be that support

292
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:24,800
that God wants all of us to have, especially in our times of need.

293
00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:32,680
Finally, the apostle uses this in the next chapter, chapter 9, verse 15, where he says,

294
00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:38,520
thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

295
00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:45,280
That word indescribable is, well, it's indescribable.

296
00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:49,920
It means there aren't any words for this.

297
00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:53,600
But that's rather remarkable for Paul to say.

298
00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,320
Paul was a genius.

299
00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:01,880
Not only did he have a wide vocabulary, he created words.

300
00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:09,160
And when it comes to this gift he's talking about, he says, I just don't have words for

301
00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:10,320
this.

302
00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,080
It's indescribable.

303
00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:21,400
The Lord gives Christ Jesus for indescribable salvation.

304
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:30,800
He, Jesus Christ, is the gift of the Father so that you and I could escape what we deserve,

305
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:38,080
punishment for our sin, and might receive and inherit what we don't deserve, which

306
00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,680
is life and heaven forevermore.

307
00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:46,040
Paul points here to a gift freely given by God.

308
00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:50,140
Its value is beyond description and price.

309
00:26:50,140 --> 00:26:54,680
He uses it as the highest example of giving.

310
00:26:54,680 --> 00:27:00,720
He says, here is what God has given for you.

311
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:07,800
In the context of these two chapters he says, now what will you give in response to God's

312
00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:12,520
indescribable gift?

313
00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:17,640
I think it's important to ask the question whether you've received this gift that God

314
00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,120
has given you.

315
00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:28,420
Have you opened your own heart and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life?

316
00:27:28,420 --> 00:27:35,440
The Bible says, as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children

317
00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,960
of God.

318
00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:44,520
Surely above everything else in the world that is the gift worth receiving.

319
00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,960
And surely above everything else we give thanks to God for that gift.

320
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:53,240
Isaiah said, unto us a child is born.

321
00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,920
Unto us a son is given.

322
00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:00,680
The gift of God, Jesus Christ.

323
00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:08,680
Paul says in Romans 8, he did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all.

324
00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:14,600
Surely thanks be to God for forgiveness of sins and peace with God.

325
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:25,100
For as was sung earlier, thanks be to God for pardon from sin and peace that endureth.

326
00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:28,640
Is it too much then to cultivate hearts of gratitude?

327
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,160
I don't think so.

328
00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:38,200
When we remember all the spiritual endowments that God has given to us out of His loving

329
00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,560
kindness, give thanks to the Lord.

330
00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,040
He is good.

331
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:48,640
His loving kindness is everlasting.

332
00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:54,320
Because God is such a generous giver, it is appropriate that we cultivate hearts that

333
00:28:54,320 --> 00:29:01,920
reflect thanksgiving to Him.

334
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:08,880
Alexander White was a famous preacher in Scotland in another generation.

335
00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:14,360
Those who heard him said that he invariably began his Sunday public prayers with an expression

336
00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,600
of gratitude for something.

337
00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:25,080
One cold and rainy day, his people wondered how he was going to be grateful that morning.

338
00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:34,920
And so he began his prayer by saying, we thank thee, O Lord, that it is not always like this.

339
00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,960
A grateful heart.

340
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:44,880
In the early days of the settlement of the West, as you know, travelers encountered a

341
00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,200
lot of difficulty.

342
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,960
One party of pioneers on the Oregon Trail had suffered greatly from a scarcity of water

343
00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,880
and grass for their animals.

344
00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:03,280
Some of their wagons had broken down, causing delays in the stifling heat.

345
00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:08,400
Along with all of these adverse circumstances, history tells us that there was a feeling

346
00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:13,200
of fretfulness and depression upon them.

347
00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:18,520
Some of the cheer which had earlier been a part of them was gone.

348
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:25,640
One night a meeting was called so that they could air all of their complaints.

349
00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:30,600
They gathered around the campfire in the middle of the wagons, and one of them arose and said,

350
00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:38,040
before we do anything else, I think we should first thank God that we have come this far

351
00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:44,840
with no loss of life, with no serious troubles from the Indians, and that we have enough

352
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:49,240
strength left to finish our journey.

353
00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:54,600
And so there was a prayer of thanksgiving to God for those things.

354
00:30:54,600 --> 00:31:00,080
When the prayer was done, there was silence.

355
00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:07,640
You see, no one had any grievances which they felt were important enough to voice.

356
00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:14,240
Gratitude often transforms a grumbling spirit into one of contentment, because we see the

357
00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:19,720
many mercies of God that we would ordinarily overlook.

358
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:27,000
Just as you can draw a magnet through the sand and pick up iron filings from it, so

359
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:36,760
a thankful spirit is able to draw the magnet of gratitude through life and pick up causes

360
00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:38,080
for rejoicing.

361
00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:41,440
Oh, give thanks to the Lord.

362
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,680
He is good.

363
00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,040
His loving kindness is everlasting.

364
00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:52,200
What do you want to give thanks to God for this morning?

365
00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:57,200
Let's pray.

366
00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:04,460
There where you're seated would you voice thanksgiving to God even if life is painful

367
00:32:04,460 --> 00:32:07,520
and tough right now?

368
00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:13,560
Would you see the spiritual endowments that God has given you if you're a Christian?

369
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:24,200
And even if your heart doesn't feel like it, will you by faith say, Lord, I thank you.

370
00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:27,640
Thanks be to God.

371
00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:35,480
And then name those things for which you are grateful.

372
00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:41,600
Allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate in you a heart of gratitude to the Lord.

373
00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,960
Give thanks to him.

374
00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:53,440
Oh, Father, I pray that we as a people will learn to be grateful.

375
00:32:53,440 --> 00:33:01,480
We have so much, and yet we confess we so easily complain.

376
00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,760
Forgive us.

377
00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:05,720
Forgive us of our small vision.

378
00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:11,740
Forgive us of our grumbling spirits.

379
00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:17,520
We lift our hearts to you with gratitude for the blessings that we have in Christ Jesus,

380
00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:23,080
for all of the spiritual endowments that are ours in him.

381
00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:28,920
See we are so blessed by the gifts of your hand.

382
00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:34,320
Father, thank you.

383
00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,400
In Jesus' name, amen.

384
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:39,680
Would you take your hymnal please?

385
00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:44,160
We're going to sing again the chorus that we began with this morning.

386
00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:49,280
It's 564 in your hymnal.

387
00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,400
Let us sing it with hearts of gratitude.

388
00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:58,200
Maybe as we came in this morning we simply sung it because it was there before us.

389
00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,760
The words are up here on the wall too if you want to use those.

390
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:05,800
Maybe you sang it just out of routine.

391
00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:10,200
But maybe in this service God has touched our hearts in such a way that we can sing

392
00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:17,120
this hymn from the depths of our beings and reflect gratitude to him for his blessings.

393
00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:18,600
Let's stand and sing together.

394
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:26,600
564.

395
00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:35,920
We are so blessed by the gifts of your hand.

396
00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:44,720
I just can't understand why you've loved us so much.

397
00:34:44,720 --> 00:34:49,400
We are so blessed.

398
00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:58,360
We just can't find a way for the words that can say,

399
00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:02,640
Thank you Lord for your touch.

400
00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:12,120
When we're empty, you fill us till we overfall.

401
00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:22,880
When we're hungry, you feed us and cause us to know.

402
00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:28,280
We are so blessed.

403
00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:32,960
Take what we have to bring.

404
00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:37,680
Take love every day.

405
00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:46,000
Lord we love you so much.

406
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,120
With all the Lord's people said, Amen.

407
00:35:49,120 --> 00:36:08,160
God bless you.