WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.399 We don't often break into our worship services 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:07.900 to observe national holidays, which really Thanksgiving 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:13.240 Day is. But because of the importance of the 00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:15.900 theme for all of us who are children of God, 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.719 I think it's appropriate that we should think 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:21.960 about Thanksgiving on this Sunday before Thanksgiving. 00:00:23.160 --> 00:00:25.000 It's always been one of my favorite holidays 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.059 and one of my favorite stories is about a little 00:00:27.059 --> 00:00:29.539 boy who was asked in his Sunday school class 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:33.820 for what he was thankful. And he said, I'm thankful 00:00:33.820 --> 00:00:37.939 for my glasses. He wore glasses. And the teacher 00:00:37.939 --> 00:00:40.179 said, well, why are you thankful for your glasses? 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:43.240 He said, it keeps the girls from kissing me and 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:47.899 the boys from hitting me. We can always find 00:00:47.899 --> 00:00:51.579 something for which to give thanks. Of course, 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:53.679 learning to say thank you is an important part 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.799 of childhood training, isn't it? It doesn't come 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:00.280 naturally. as all of us know, to teach our children 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.000 and to learn ourselves the importance of saying 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.980 thanks to those who deserve it. When an individual 00:01:08.980 --> 00:01:12.840 trusts the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, he receives 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:16.980 a new nature. So the gratitude becomes more natural 00:01:16.980 --> 00:01:19.819 to him because of that new nature, but it's not 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:23.519 automatic. That's why we are commanded in Scripture 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.319 to be grateful. In Colossians chapter 2 it says, 00:01:27.659 --> 00:01:31.219 as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the 00:01:31.219 --> 00:01:37.219 Lord, so walk in him overflowing with gratitude. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:43.480 Isn't that interesting? Walk in him overflowing, 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.939 he says, with gratitude. The point is that when 00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:50.400 we're walking in Christ, gratitude is going to 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:56.569 be a natural outflow. of His life flowing through 00:01:56.569 --> 00:02:00.689 us. While thanksgiving is always appropriate, 00:02:00.829 --> 00:02:04.969 the Bible tells us that giving thanks is expected. 00:02:05.650 --> 00:02:08.030 So this morning as we think about the theme, 00:02:08.090 --> 00:02:11.490 when to say thanks, let's consider what the scripture 00:02:11.490 --> 00:02:15.849 commands us about it. Turn with me first to Psalm 00:02:15.849 --> 00:02:33.840 100 and verse 4. Enter his gates with thanksgiving 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:38.419 and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:43.280 Bless his name. For the Lord is good, his loving 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.280 kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:50.900 to all generations. When should we say thanks? 00:02:50.939 --> 00:02:52.919 Well, first of all, we see here that we are to 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.960 worship with thanksgiving. It is said that this 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.780 psalm was sung as part of one of the offerings 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:03.840 that the people of Israel offered in ancient 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.939 days in their temple. That offering was the peace 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:11.240 offering, or as it was also called the fellowship 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:17.740 offering. It was the one offering of which the 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:20.740 offeror himself was able to partake, he was able 00:03:20.740 --> 00:03:25.319 to eat of that sacrifice. And in Leviticus chapter 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:28.620 7 we see several reasons why one would offer 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:32.080 what was called a peace offering. One of them 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:37.400 was for the giving of thanks to the Lord. If 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:39.400 one of those ancient Jews just wanted to give 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:43.319 thanks to God for his blessings or for some particular 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:46.759 good thing that had come to him, he offered to 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:50.960 the Lord a peace offering, a fellowship offering. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:55.080 Now of course today we no longer observe these 00:03:55.080 --> 00:03:59.900 ancient Jewish rituals. They were a part of the 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:04.159 covenant of law with that nation. But we can 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.539 observe and learn from the principle that seems 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:09.599 to be written in there. And that is that our 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:16.079 worship of God should include thanksgiving. I 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.100 think we can all agree that entering a service 00:04:19.100 --> 00:04:23.160 with a spirit of thanksgiving affects the mood 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:27.120 of that service. Not to mention what we receive 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.699 ourselves from it. If we come as joyful, grateful 00:04:31.699 --> 00:04:34.839 people, the whole service tends to take on that 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:38.160 flavor. And we ourselves are more open in spirit 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.540 to receive from God during that time. What a 00:04:40.540 --> 00:04:45.459 benefit it is to worship with Thanksgiving. How 00:04:45.459 --> 00:04:49.360 far do you have to look this morning? How hard 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.660 do you have to think to come up with some of 00:04:52.660 --> 00:04:58.720 the blessings of God? in your life. As the gospel 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.420 songwriter said, count your many blessings, name 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:07.480 them one by one. We together this morning have 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:11.240 sung our thanksgiving to the Lord. That too is 00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:15.899 appropriate. Singing by God's people is right. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:21.959 The soul's appropriate expression of praise is 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:26.370 through singing. Now, verbally as we speak as 00:05:26.370 --> 00:05:28.509 well, but singing is an important part of that. 00:05:29.009 --> 00:05:31.149 Turn with me into the New Testament to Ephesians 00:05:31.149 --> 00:05:33.870 chapter 5 and notice the striking words of the 00:05:33.870 --> 00:05:36.810 Apostle Paul as he talks about the results of 00:05:36.810 --> 00:05:41.810 being filled with the Holy Spirit. In verses 00:05:41.810 --> 00:05:49.170 19, 20, and 21 of Ephesians 5, he gives us at 00:05:49.170 --> 00:05:51.269 least three results when one is filled with the 00:05:51.269 --> 00:05:55.689 Holy Spirit. speaking to one another in psalms 00:05:55.689 --> 00:05:59.970 and hymns and spiritual songs. So they're speaking 00:05:59.970 --> 00:06:03.709 to each other with encouraging words of praise 00:06:03.709 --> 00:06:07.769 and thanks to God. He goes on to say, singing 00:06:07.769 --> 00:06:11.970 and making melody with your heart to the Lord. 00:06:13.569 --> 00:06:16.189 And so singing also is a part of the spirit -filled 00:06:16.189 --> 00:06:20.470 life. The Christian who never sings has to wonder 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:23.839 what the ministry of the Spirit of God is in 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:27.879 his life. Because when the Spirit of God is ministering, 00:06:27.939 --> 00:06:30.680 there is music, there is singing that takes place. 00:06:31.339 --> 00:06:33.500 And then verse 20 kind of wraps up the theme 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:37.000 in both the speaking and the singing and making 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.860 melody. It's always giving thanks for all things 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:44.980 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:49.800 even the Father. In the Old Testament, giving 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:54.259 of thanks. singing, and music were inseparably 00:06:54.259 --> 00:06:59.259 linked with worship. We see that specifically 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:02.279 mentioned on several occasions. I'd like to turn 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:05.199 to one of them that is found in 2 Chronicles 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:08.680 chapter 23. I'm not going to give you time to 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:10.579 get sleepy this morning. Just keep turning your 00:07:10.579 --> 00:07:16.220 Bible. 2 Chronicles chapter 23. Here we have 00:07:16.220 --> 00:07:19.040 the record of Jehoiada the priest protecting 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:24.279 the young King Joash. You recall that his grandmother, 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:28.560 whose name was Athaliah, was a very wicked woman. 00:07:29.420 --> 00:07:33.920 And when her son was killed in all of that generation, 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:38.579 she desired the throne for herself, and so she 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:42.699 killed all of her grandchildren, except for this 00:07:42.699 --> 00:07:46.240 one young boy that Jehoiada the priest was able 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:51.730 to spare and hide. And eventually, Joash was 00:07:51.730 --> 00:07:54.509 placed on the throne, Athaliah was executed, 00:07:55.290 --> 00:07:58.110 and then Jehoiada, it says in verse 16, made 00:07:58.110 --> 00:08:00.930 a covenant between himself and all the people 00:08:00.930 --> 00:08:04.230 and the king, that they should be the Lord's 00:08:04.230 --> 00:08:07.730 people. And all the people went to the house 00:08:07.730 --> 00:08:11.629 of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces 00:08:11.629 --> 00:08:14.329 his altars and his images, and killed Matan, 00:08:14.589 --> 00:08:20.080 the priest of Baal, before the altars. Jehoiada 00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:22.720 placed the offices of the house of the Lord under 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:25.920 the authority of the Levitical priests whom David 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:29.379 had assigned over the house of the Lord to offer 00:08:29.379 --> 00:08:31.519 the burnt offerings of the Lord as it is written 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:34.259 in the law of Moses. And notice this last little 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:39.200 clause here, with rejoicing and singing according 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:42.440 to the order of David. Now apparently because 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.139 the people's hearts had been turned to Baal, 00:08:45.379 --> 00:08:49.490 they had forsaken the proper order of sacrifice 00:08:49.490 --> 00:08:54.730 in the temple. Now, Jehoiada puts an end to Baal 00:08:54.730 --> 00:08:58.789 worship, the false worship of the world, and 00:08:58.789 --> 00:09:02.570 he reinstates the worship of Jehoiada. Part of 00:09:02.570 --> 00:09:04.649 that means putting back together the courses 00:09:04.649 --> 00:09:07.590 of the Levitical priests that were established 00:09:07.590 --> 00:09:10.610 in the law of Moses. But linked together with 00:09:10.610 --> 00:09:13.929 those courses of priests were those Levites that 00:09:13.929 --> 00:09:18.029 were responsible for the music. of the temple. 00:09:19.490 --> 00:09:22.029 Now it's David that put those in order. You can 00:09:22.029 --> 00:09:24.870 read about that over in the First Chronicles 00:09:24.870 --> 00:09:29.950 25. He drew together several thousand musicians, 00:09:31.049 --> 00:09:33.230 students as well as teachers. He established 00:09:33.230 --> 00:09:37.169 a school of music where these particular ovidical 00:09:37.169 --> 00:09:40.590 priests were trained so that there would always 00:09:40.590 --> 00:09:45.700 be musicians to sing and to rejoice. as the sacrifices 00:09:45.700 --> 00:09:48.620 were being offered by the other Levitical priests. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:54.580 My point here is this, that singing, music, and 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:57.440 thanksgiving were inseparably linked in the Old 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:00.500 Testament, and I believe the same is true today 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:04.000 in the church. Ephesians chapter 5 would be one 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:07.940 proof text of that. It really is impossible for 00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:11.019 us to get together and to worship unless we sing. 00:10:12.470 --> 00:10:15.149 unless we give thanks to the Lord and rejoice 00:10:15.149 --> 00:10:19.250 in His presence. We should never undervalue the 00:10:19.250 --> 00:10:24.389 time in a service that is given to worship. There 00:10:24.389 --> 00:10:27.029 are some people, thank God, I've rarely heard 00:10:27.029 --> 00:10:28.830 it in our church, but there are some people who 00:10:28.830 --> 00:10:31.610 feel, hey, let's get this music stuff over with, 00:10:32.049 --> 00:10:34.269 that's just the preliminaries, let's get on to 00:10:34.269 --> 00:10:38.070 the preaching. A person who says something like 00:10:38.070 --> 00:10:43.889 that shows a woeful ignorance of worship. When 00:10:43.889 --> 00:10:46.070 we come together in the first part of this service 00:10:46.070 --> 00:10:48.110 and we're in our places and we begin to lift 00:10:48.110 --> 00:10:51.990 our hearts to God in singing, that is worshipping 00:10:51.990 --> 00:10:54.789 God and there is nothing that is more important 00:10:54.789 --> 00:10:57.610 than that, including the preaching and the service. 00:11:00.169 --> 00:11:03.129 Let's never undervalue the resources, too, that 00:11:03.129 --> 00:11:06.929 we commit to worship. Sometimes we think of nothing 00:11:06.929 --> 00:11:09.629 of sending thousands of dollars to this project 00:11:09.629 --> 00:11:12.769 or overseas to missions, and we begrudge a penny 00:11:12.769 --> 00:11:15.529 that is spent on worship in our own church. Shame 00:11:15.529 --> 00:11:19.950 on us. The one is not more spiritual than the 00:11:19.950 --> 00:11:24.610 other. When we spend money on worship in our 00:11:24.610 --> 00:11:28.389 church, that is pleasing to God. You say, oh, 00:11:28.409 --> 00:11:30.789 we're spending it on ourselves. Who are you worshiping 00:11:30.789 --> 00:11:35.210 anyway, yourself? Why do we have beautiful music? 00:11:35.970 --> 00:11:38.190 It's because we are presenting that to God as 00:11:38.190 --> 00:11:40.830 an offering and a sacrifice of thanksgiving to 00:11:40.830 --> 00:11:46.889 Him. Never undervalue the music, the worship 00:11:46.889 --> 00:11:51.230 of a church. Our pragmatic Western minds tend 00:11:51.230 --> 00:11:55.129 to think that God is pleased when we spend our 00:11:55.129 --> 00:11:58.690 money doing things. But let's not forget that 00:11:58.690 --> 00:12:02.169 God is also pleased when we spend our money to 00:12:02.169 --> 00:12:06.029 enrich our worship experience because that is 00:12:06.029 --> 00:12:12.230 a celebration of praise to Him, to Him. I thank 00:12:12.230 --> 00:12:14.289 God when we have the resources that we can put 00:12:14.289 --> 00:12:19.090 into an orchestra for a cantata in our church 00:12:19.090 --> 00:12:22.809 because that is an offering that we present to 00:12:22.809 --> 00:12:26.200 God and it's appropriate. That we should worship 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:28.679 the Lord with thanksgiving and we should invest 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:31.519 our resources, our time, our money, our energy 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:36.320 in doing that. Because it is presented to Him 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:41.980 as an offering. Let us worship the Lord with 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:45.200 thanksgiving. And then Philippians chapter 4 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.340 gives us further instruction regarding when we 00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:56.970 are to give thanks. Philippians chapter 4. Some 00:12:56.970 --> 00:12:59.149 of you have these words already coursing through 00:12:59.149 --> 00:13:03.809 your mind as we say Philippians 4 6 Because it's 00:13:03.809 --> 00:13:06.169 a verse that all of us come back to time and 00:13:06.169 --> 00:13:11.470 time again when we're worried It says Be anxious 00:13:11.470 --> 00:13:14.289 don't worry about anything be anxious for nothing 00:13:14.289 --> 00:13:18.889 but in everything by prayer and supplication 00:13:18.889 --> 00:13:23.090 with Thanksgiving Let your requests be made known 00:13:23.090 --> 00:13:27.779 to God You and I are known to worship with Thanksgiving. 00:13:28.259 --> 00:13:34.539 We are to pray with Thanksgiving. One of the 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:36.820 most significant prayer experiences I've ever 00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:40.799 had was Friday night. Some of you were there 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.659 at the concert of prayer when about 8 ,000, I 00:13:44.659 --> 00:13:47.100 would judge, of Christians from around the Twin 00:13:47.100 --> 00:13:51.320 Cities gathered in the Metrodome to worship and 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:56.000 to pray. It was a great evening. And during that 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:00.039 evening, something happened that affected me. 00:14:00.820 --> 00:14:03.600 At one particular point in that two and a half 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:08.220 hour service, they had all of the Christian workers 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:11.659 stand up. There were a number of us from Grace 00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.740 Church sitting together in several rows. And 00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:17.320 they said, now reach out and touch those full 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:20.019 -time Christian workers that are near you, and 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:23.360 let's pray for them. And from all around me, 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:26.919 I felt hands touching me as people within our 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:31.000 church by that act indicated their support and 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:34.240 their prayers. God did something to me in those 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:39.059 moments. As in a very tangible way, I sensed 00:14:39.059 --> 00:14:43.000 the support of His people in prayer. It was a 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:44.980 significant night. I'm sorry if you missed it. 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:48.340 I hope that you'll be there next year. You can't 00:14:48.340 --> 00:14:51.230 believe how fast the time goes. And one of the 00:14:51.230 --> 00:14:54.149 things that we did that evening was to give thanks. 00:14:55.090 --> 00:14:57.549 You and I are to pray with thanksgiving to God. 00:14:57.909 --> 00:15:00.789 Notice that there are three kinds of communication 00:15:00.789 --> 00:15:02.950 with God that are suggested in this one verse. 00:15:03.269 --> 00:15:07.370 There's prayer. In everything by prayer. Now 00:15:07.370 --> 00:15:10.190 that word is the general word for prayer. It 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:13.850 especially embraces thoughts of devotion, of 00:15:13.850 --> 00:15:18.429 worship, and adoration. When we bless the Lord 00:15:18.429 --> 00:15:25.090 for who He is. prayer. And then he mentions supplication 00:15:25.090 --> 00:15:29.309 or petition. That's another kind of communication. 00:15:29.870 --> 00:15:33.570 It goes a step beyond adoration to the point 00:15:33.570 --> 00:15:37.490 when we offer up to God our requests. When we 00:15:37.490 --> 00:15:40.450 hold up the hands of Moses as we talked about 00:15:40.450 --> 00:15:45.049 last week. When we lift up to the Lord the burdens, 00:15:46.169 --> 00:15:49.159 the concerns, the requests that we have. When 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:52.980 we enter into spiritual warfare, those are our 00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:57.080 supplications that we present to God. And then 00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:01.279 the third thing is thanksgiving or praise. Giving 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.639 thanks to the Lord for the worthy deeds that 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:11.080 He has done. The importance of thanksgiving along 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:17.299 with its rarity is found in Luke chapter 17. 00:16:19.529 --> 00:16:23.169 We have here an incident that occurred in the 00:16:23.169 --> 00:16:30.429 ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ In Luke chapter 00:16:30.429 --> 00:16:39.490 17 And we look in verse 11 Where it says and 00:16:39.490 --> 00:16:42.590 it came about while he was on the way to Jerusalem 00:16:42.590 --> 00:16:47.149 That he was passing between Samaria and Galilee 00:16:47.149 --> 00:16:50.240 and as he entered a certain village ten Leprous 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:55.500 men who stood at a distance met him. They kept 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:57.779 their distance because they were used to being 00:16:57.779 --> 00:17:01.120 ostracized and cut off from other people because 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:04.140 of their disease. And they raised their voices 00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:09.660 saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And 00:17:09.660 --> 00:17:13.039 when he saw them, he said to them, go and show 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:17.279 yourselves to the priests. And it came about 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.539 that as they were going, They were cleansed. 00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:23.359 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.299 healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:29.140 voice, and he came and fell on his face at his 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:32.839 feet, giving thanks to him. And Luke inserts 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:39.259 this little phrase, and he was a Samaritan. And 00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:42.819 Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed? 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:46.740 But the nine, where are they? Was no one found 00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:49.539 who turned back to give glory to God except this 00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:53.000 foreigner? That is the Samaritan the implication 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:56.119 being that the other nine were Jews And he said 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:59.359 to him rise and go your way your faith has made 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:04.920 you well There are ten lepers here They are united 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:09.940 in one deep concern and that is their leprosy 00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:13.299 G Campbell Morgan put it this way they were reduced 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:16.380 to the consciousness of their common humanity 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:19.500 by that misery. In other words, we have here 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:22.599 what were probably at least nine Jews and then 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:25.400 one Samaritan. But it didn't make any difference 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:27.700 anymore that the Jews and the Samaritans had 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:30.599 nothing to do with each other. All those kinds 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:33.019 of divisions were put aside because of disease. 00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:36.579 Under such conditions, Morgan says, men forget 00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:39.759 the things that hold them apart. It would almost 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.279 seem as though there may be occasions when trouble 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.779 and misery are beneficent, if they reduce men 00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:49.599 to the consciousness of their common humanity 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:54.019 and make them forget the things that divide." 00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:55.759 Well, that was the case here, wasn't it, with 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:59.980 these men? And Jesus healed them. Now, He did 00:18:59.980 --> 00:19:02.019 it differently than He had done on other occasions. 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:06.200 Back in chapter 5, He healed the leper first. 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:09.720 And then He said, go and show yourself to the 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:14.589 priests. But that was according to the law. A 00:19:14.589 --> 00:19:17.210 person who had leprosy had to be declared clean 00:19:17.210 --> 00:19:21.650 of it by the priest. And so Jesus healed him 00:19:21.650 --> 00:19:24.109 first and then said, go and show yourself. In 00:19:24.109 --> 00:19:27.349 this case, he simply says, go and show yourselves 00:19:27.349 --> 00:19:30.329 to the priest. And it was not until they were 00:19:30.329 --> 00:19:33.150 on their way, says the text, that they were healed. 00:19:34.349 --> 00:19:37.849 What does that say to us? Well, perhaps among 00:19:37.849 --> 00:19:39.930 other things, it says to us that God works in 00:19:39.930 --> 00:19:43.730 a variety of ways. God doesn't always do something 00:19:43.730 --> 00:19:47.990 the same way for everybody. God uses a variety 00:19:47.990 --> 00:19:51.230 of ways to get His work done in our lives. Now, 00:19:51.230 --> 00:19:53.869 of these ten that were healed, there was only 00:19:53.869 --> 00:19:56.829 one in that of Samaritan who returned to give 00:19:56.829 --> 00:20:00.589 thanks to the Lord. It is obvious from what Jesus 00:20:00.589 --> 00:20:08.640 says that He values gratitude. And he notes the 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.519 fact that that gratitude was missing from the 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:16.579 others. I wonder as you and I bow in prayer and 00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:21.640 we come before our Lord, does our prayer life 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:28.440 place us with the one or with the nine? Do we 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:30.880 come back to the Lord again and again and again 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:36.089 and have only petition and request? Or do we 00:20:36.089 --> 00:20:40.710 ever come back and say, Lord, thanks? Jesus, 00:20:40.789 --> 00:20:43.710 thank you for working in that situation that 00:20:43.710 --> 00:20:47.190 I prayed about. You and I ought to pray with 00:20:47.190 --> 00:20:51.230 thanksgiving. We ought not to worry and be anxious, 00:20:52.130 --> 00:20:57.609 but to worship, to pray, to supplicate, to offer 00:20:57.609 --> 00:21:01.890 our petitions, and to praise with thanksgiving 00:21:01.890 --> 00:21:07.329 to bring our requests to God. Let me cover a 00:21:07.329 --> 00:21:10.109 third point as we think about when to say thanks. 00:21:11.250 --> 00:21:13.470 And to do this, would you turn please to 1 Timothy 00:21:13.470 --> 00:21:21.710 chapter 4. Here at the beginning of the chapter, 00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:27.049 the apostle is warning about the latter days 00:21:27.049 --> 00:21:32.910 when there would be people come forth with doctrines 00:21:33.109 --> 00:21:36.069 that do not agree with the Word of God. For example, 00:21:36.170 --> 00:21:38.990 in verse 3, they forbid marriage and advocate 00:21:38.990 --> 00:21:43.630 abstaining from foods, which God has created 00:21:43.630 --> 00:21:47.950 to be gratefully shared in by those who believe 00:21:47.950 --> 00:21:51.009 and know the truth, for everything created by 00:21:51.009 --> 00:21:54.369 God is good. And nothing is to be rejected if 00:21:54.369 --> 00:21:57.869 it is received with gratitude, for it is sanctified 00:21:57.869 --> 00:22:03.940 by means of the Word of God and prayer. We are 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:08.779 to worship with thanksgiving. We are to pray 00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:14.299 with thanksgiving. And we are to eat with thanksgiving. 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:20.880 It is appropriate. It serves as a regular reminder 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:24.160 of our dependence upon the goodness and the providence 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:29.220 of God in caring for our daily needs. There are 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:32.420 numerous examples in the Bible of those who prayed 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:36.680 and blessed the food before they ate. Our Lord 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:40.259 Jesus did that. When He fed the thousands on 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:43.279 the hills of Galilee, it says that He took in 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:45.940 His hands the loaves and the fishes, and He blessed 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:49.279 it, holding it up to heaven. And then He distributed 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:53.539 it to those who were about to eat. He did the 00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:56.279 same on that night before He was crucified. And 00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:58.880 then again after His resurrection, when He ate 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:03.369 with the two disciples at Emmaus. They asked 00:23:03.369 --> 00:23:06.069 him to offer the blessing for the food, and he 00:23:06.069 --> 00:23:11.509 did so. And then again, the Apostle Paul in Acts 00:23:11.509 --> 00:23:14.390 27 gives us a beautiful example when in the midst 00:23:14.390 --> 00:23:19.750 of a storm at sea with 276 people on this wooden 00:23:19.750 --> 00:23:22.950 crate that's about to come apart, he says to 00:23:22.950 --> 00:23:25.470 them, be encouraged and get something to eat. 00:23:26.509 --> 00:23:28.289 Now, I don't know if you've ever been seasick. 00:23:29.049 --> 00:23:32.829 I never have. But if you've ever been seasick, 00:23:33.049 --> 00:23:36.069 that's not what you want to hear. But Paul says, 00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:38.869 be encouraged. We're all going to be saved. Let's 00:23:38.869 --> 00:23:43.190 have some food. And before he distributed the 00:23:43.190 --> 00:23:48.029 food, it says there, he gave thanks for it in 00:23:48.029 --> 00:23:52.769 the presence of all of them. Only a handful of 00:23:52.769 --> 00:23:55.269 believers on that ship. Paul, who was under arrest 00:23:55.269 --> 00:23:58.369 in the small party with him, including Luke, 00:23:59.630 --> 00:24:03.029 all the rest pagans. as far as we know, but the 00:24:03.029 --> 00:24:05.490 apostle Paul gave thanks for that food in the 00:24:05.490 --> 00:24:09.250 presence of all of them. Do you do that? In the 00:24:09.250 --> 00:24:13.089 cafeteria there at your office? Do you bow to 00:24:13.089 --> 00:24:15.170 give thanks to God for that food in the midst 00:24:15.170 --> 00:24:19.390 of all of them? What about in the cafeteria school 00:24:19.390 --> 00:24:26.490 or college? For that matter, a restaurant. Do 00:24:26.490 --> 00:24:28.970 you pause to give thanks to God for that food 00:24:28.970 --> 00:24:31.930 that you're about to eat? The Bible commands 00:24:31.930 --> 00:24:35.670 us to eat our food with thanksgiving. God has 00:24:35.670 --> 00:24:38.569 created all of it. It's good for us to eat, but 00:24:38.569 --> 00:24:41.809 it is sanctified. That is, it is set apart for 00:24:41.809 --> 00:24:47.089 God's purpose in our physical bodies by the Word 00:24:47.089 --> 00:24:50.890 of God and prayer. We are to pause to take time 00:24:50.890 --> 00:24:53.150 to say, Father, thank you. You are the one who 00:24:53.150 --> 00:24:56.029 has provided this food, and we acknowledge that 00:24:56.029 --> 00:25:00.160 from your hand. You can never go wrong in doing 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:03.740 that. You say, yes, but if I'm out with a businessman 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:06.079 and I'm trying to sell him something, it's a 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:08.140 little awkward, isn't it, for him to be my guest 00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:12.140 and for me to pray? It may be a little awkward. 00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:15.680 It doesn't mean it's inappropriate. What I usually 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.140 say when I'm out with an unsaved person for lunch 00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:21.880 is to say this. It's my custom to give thanks 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:24.920 before eating. Would you please join me? And 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:27.180 I have yet to find anyone who is offended by 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:30.980 that. Sometimes they're a little red in the face. 00:25:33.180 --> 00:25:35.960 But I have yet to have anyone say to me, oh no, 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:41.859 please don't do that now. Because I say, we offer 00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:43.680 thanks, Lord, we thank you for this food. They 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:51.099 don't have time to say no. Not really. Do you 00:25:51.099 --> 00:25:53.119 eat with thanksgiving? I love that we ought to 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:56.049 do that. That's a testimony to the world. of 00:25:56.049 --> 00:25:58.230 our dependence upon God, and we're not independent 00:25:58.230 --> 00:26:02.549 of Him for our food, the daily food that we eat. 00:26:03.910 --> 00:26:08.130 The story is told about a king in Spain who got 00:26:08.130 --> 00:26:12.049 reports that his pages, the young men who served 00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:14.150 him in his court, were eating without giving 00:26:14.150 --> 00:26:17.430 thanks to God first for their food. He was quite 00:26:17.430 --> 00:26:19.710 alarmed by that, and so he arranged an occasion 00:26:19.710 --> 00:26:21.450 when there was a banquet. He invited all of them 00:26:21.450 --> 00:26:24.410 to come, and they did. And sure enough, they 00:26:24.410 --> 00:26:26.730 all began to eat without giving thanks for the 00:26:26.730 --> 00:26:28.609 food. About halfway through the meal, a beggar 00:26:28.609 --> 00:26:33.410 came in by design of the king and sat down at 00:26:33.410 --> 00:26:37.569 the table and began to eat the food. The young 00:26:37.569 --> 00:26:39.789 pages looked at the king, expecting him to order 00:26:39.789 --> 00:26:43.609 the man removed. But he never did, and they were 00:26:43.609 --> 00:26:48.029 amazed. Finally, the man finished and got up 00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:49.529 from the table and walked out without saying 00:26:49.529 --> 00:26:52.690 a word to the king. And when he had departed 00:26:52.690 --> 00:26:55.029 the page, he said to the king, what an ungrateful 00:26:55.029 --> 00:26:59.029 man he was. And the king had them just where 00:26:59.029 --> 00:27:02.170 he wanted them. And he said, yet you are more 00:27:02.170 --> 00:27:05.630 ungrateful than they, for you eat at this table 00:27:05.630 --> 00:27:08.769 every day and never give thanks to your heavenly 00:27:08.769 --> 00:27:12.849 father who provides you this food. They learned 00:27:12.849 --> 00:27:14.809 a lesson that day, a lesson that all of us can 00:27:14.809 --> 00:27:18.740 learn. Eat with thanksgiving. And let's close 00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:21.180 our message this morning by seeing one more time 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:23.680 when we are to give thanks. And this is found 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:37.640 in Colossians chapter 3. And verse 17. And whatever 00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:43.619 you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of 00:27:43.619 --> 00:27:47.700 the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to 00:27:47.700 --> 00:27:52.240 God the Father. I tie this together with several 00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:54.039 other verses in the New Testament, including 00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:56.539 1 Thessalonians 5 .18 where it says in everything, 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:59.660 give thanks. I simply put it this way, you and 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:04.500 I are to live with thanksgiving. Whatever we 00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:10.700 do in word, in deed, we are to do that with thanksgiving 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:14.680 to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:17.680 the circumstances that come into our lives are 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:22.099 the result of what we've actively done, or perhaps 00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:25.059 they come upon us despite what we've done, it's 00:28:25.059 --> 00:28:28.259 outside of our control, you and I are to learn 00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:33.619 to give thanks in everything. Why? We are to 00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:37.599 trust our circumstances to be God's will for 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:42.599 us. As you and I understand the sovereignty of 00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:47.069 God, Understand that He is bigger than our circumstances. 00:28:47.190 --> 00:28:50.250 We can learn to give thanks to Him whatever our 00:28:50.250 --> 00:28:56.210 circumstances may be. One poet put it this way, 00:28:57.109 --> 00:29:00.890 Thank you Lord for every blessing, though disguised 00:29:00.890 --> 00:29:04.650 they often are. Thanks for guiding through the 00:29:04.650 --> 00:29:08.630 valley that we might behold thy star. Thanks 00:29:08.630 --> 00:29:13.559 for sunshine and for shadow. Thanks for pleasure 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:17.960 and for rain. Thanks, O Lord, for every blessing 00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:22.579 thou dost give and give again. Thank you, Lord, 00:29:22.579 --> 00:29:26.880 for home and loved ones. Or, if we must walk 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:30.380 alone, thanks for promises so precious thou wilt 00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:35.339 never leave thine own. Praise for food or lack 00:29:35.339 --> 00:29:39.309 we give thee. Praise what air befall us here, 00:29:39.430 --> 00:29:42.910 for thy blessed word assures us of thy presence 00:29:42.910 --> 00:29:49.410 ever near. Even the most tragic and difficult 00:29:49.410 --> 00:29:53.690 experiences of life can yield cause for thanksgiving 00:29:53.690 --> 00:29:57.369 to God. We may have to be like a miner who goes 00:29:57.369 --> 00:30:02.289 down deep to look for the diamonds. It requires 00:30:02.289 --> 00:30:06.190 diligence, perhaps. But when those occasions 00:30:06.190 --> 00:30:09.470 for thanks are found, we can offer them up to 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:12.609 the Lord and they sparkle with particular beauty. 00:30:14.769 --> 00:30:19.609 Matthew Henry was a Welshman who lived from 1662 00:30:19.609 --> 00:30:24.730 to 1714. Matthew Henry grew up in a minister's 00:30:24.730 --> 00:30:28.289 home and he himself was ordained to the Presbyterian 00:30:28.289 --> 00:30:32.470 ministry at the age of 25. He served only two 00:30:32.470 --> 00:30:35.640 churches. in his lifetime before his early death 00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:39.279 at the age of 52. He is best known for his Bible 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:41.599 commentary, which some of you perhaps have, in 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:45.720 your library. On one occasion, Matthew Henry 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:50.980 was robbed. After that experience, he sat down 00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:55.779 and wrote these words in his daily diary. Let 00:30:55.779 --> 00:31:00.660 me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed 00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:04.940 before. Second, although they took my purse, 00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:09.859 they did not take my life. Third, because although 00:31:09.859 --> 00:31:14.700 they took my all, it was not much. And fourth, 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:19.559 because it was I who was robbed and not I who 00:31:19.559 --> 00:31:25.019 robbed. Now there's a man who has done some mining 00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:29.549 in a tough experience, but he gave thanks. The 00:31:29.549 --> 00:31:33.470 psalmist said, I will extol the Lord at all times. 00:31:34.109 --> 00:31:39.849 His praise shall continually be on my lips. Beloved, 00:31:39.990 --> 00:31:44.509 Satan is never more quickly disarmed than when 00:31:44.509 --> 00:31:49.309 you choose to be thankful. When you are thankful 00:31:49.309 --> 00:31:52.630 in adversity, it delivers you from self -pity 00:31:52.630 --> 00:31:56.970 and despondency. When you are thankful in prosperity, 00:31:57.450 --> 00:32:02.349 It delivers you from self -importance and conceit. 00:32:03.390 --> 00:32:06.390 The one choosing to live in gratitude rather 00:32:06.390 --> 00:32:11.089 than grumbling is truly set apart from the devil's 00:32:11.089 --> 00:32:18.410 grasp. We have to observe that the life characterized 00:32:18.410 --> 00:32:20.710 by thanksgiving is the one that is under the 00:32:20.710 --> 00:32:25.589 control of the Holy Spirit. Gratitude is something 00:32:25.589 --> 00:32:28.650 that must go beyond mere attitude, though it 00:32:28.650 --> 00:32:32.650 starts there. It must embrace action. That's 00:32:32.650 --> 00:32:36.750 why this day is called Thanksgiving and not thanks 00:32:36.750 --> 00:32:41.710 thinking. You see, it's action that's involved. 00:32:44.289 --> 00:32:48.990 A famous surgeon and OB doctor by the name of 00:32:48.990 --> 00:32:51.910 Dr. Howard Kelly lived outside of Baltimore. 00:32:52.009 --> 00:32:55.279 One afternoon, He was taking a long country walk, 00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:59.420 and he became thirsty. He stopped at a farmhouse, 00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:03.400 and he asked for a drink of water. The little 00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:06.400 girl who came to the door was by herself. Her 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:09.119 parents were not there, and they had gone to 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:12.160 town. And so she said, I have no water. But she 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:15.960 said, there is some cold milk down at the spring, 00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:19.119 where they kept it cool. Would you like a glass 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:22.210 of milk? He said, I surely would. And so she 00:33:22.210 --> 00:33:24.970 took him down to the spring and then she dipped 00:33:24.970 --> 00:33:28.329 out some milk and he drank it. She said, would 00:33:28.329 --> 00:33:31.309 you like another glass? He said, well, yes, I 00:33:31.309 --> 00:33:34.309 would. And so she offered another glass to him. 00:33:35.690 --> 00:33:39.230 And then giving thanks to her, the famous doctor 00:33:39.230 --> 00:33:43.509 went on his way. He worked at John's Hopkins 00:33:43.509 --> 00:33:46.789 Hospital. And would you believe that within just 00:33:46.789 --> 00:33:49.890 a few days, that little girl was taken to the 00:33:49.890 --> 00:33:54.500 hospital? with a serious illness which that doctor 00:33:54.500 --> 00:34:01.240 had to take care of by his surgical skills. He 00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:03.900 recognized her, although she did not, of course, 00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:08.820 recognize him. Her parents came to take her home 00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:13.019 and they received the bill expecting to find 00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:17.300 it rather large. They were poor people, but their 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:20.360 where the total balance should have been on that 00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:24.840 bill. It simply said, paid in full with two glasses 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:30.639 of milk. Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly. Now, my friend, 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:34.619 that's Thanksgiving. Not just thanks thinking. 00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:41.639 That's Thanksgiving. How can you give thanks 00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:51.030 this season? To God? to your spouse, to other 00:34:51.030 --> 00:34:55.849 loved ones or friends or co -workers, when ought 00:34:55.849 --> 00:35:01.630 you to say thanks and how? Would you bow with 00:35:01.630 --> 00:35:10.250 me please? If you're not a Christian today, if 00:35:10.250 --> 00:35:12.690 you've never trusted in Jesus Christ as your 00:35:12.690 --> 00:35:17.679 Savior, Your greatest need is to say thanks to 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:20.880 God for his salvation provided through Christ. 00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:24.539 And the way to say thanks is by receiving that 00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:29.079 free gift he would have for you. Hundreds of 00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:32.940 us here have done that. Will you do it today? 00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:37.559 Right where you're seated? As many as received 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:40.360 Jesus Christ, to them he gave the power to become 00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:43.539 the sons of God, even to them that believe on 00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:47.429 his name. Will you believe on his name for the 00:35:47.429 --> 00:35:53.090 saving of your soul? And then those of us who 00:35:53.090 --> 00:35:57.090 have done that, whose souls have been saved, 00:35:58.670 --> 00:36:04.570 are we really a grateful people? Our quickest 00:36:04.570 --> 00:36:09.050 answer would probably be yes. But let's allow 00:36:09.050 --> 00:36:11.469 the Spirit of God to search our hearts. Let's 00:36:11.469 --> 00:36:17.659 not give a superficial response. Holy Spirit, 00:36:21.920 --> 00:36:25.480 we need to be more thankful than we are. Even 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:31.679 the most grateful of us is at times not thankful. 00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:37.460 There are times when we grumble and complain, 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:42.340 we criticize and gripe, when we ought first to 00:36:42.340 --> 00:36:49.949 give thanks. We acknowledge our sins. Lord, make 00:36:49.949 --> 00:36:55.570 us truly grateful. And show us how in very practical 00:36:55.570 --> 00:37:01.449 ways we can be practices of thanksgiving this 00:37:01.449 --> 00:37:12.449 season. First to you, and then to others. Just 00:37:12.449 --> 00:37:15.070 before we say amen and close our prayer time, 00:37:15.250 --> 00:37:17.449 I wonder if there's someone here who would say, 00:37:18.110 --> 00:37:22.070 yes, God has spoken and I am in need of being 00:37:22.070 --> 00:37:26.550 more grateful to Him and to others. And by His 00:37:26.550 --> 00:37:30.630 grace, I want to practice thanksgiving. I want 00:37:30.630 --> 00:37:34.969 to overflow with it as I walk in Christ. Would 00:37:34.969 --> 00:37:39.010 you just lift your hand and put it down? Yes. 00:37:41.059 --> 00:37:47.099 God bless you. Many, many. Lord, you see our 00:37:47.099 --> 00:37:51.019 hands. You know the desires of our hearts. And 00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:53.800 so work in us this grace, we pray, in Jesus' 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:55.260 name. Amen.