Happy Thanksgiving to all my American brothers and sisters. Hope you all had a great day off and that you remembered to give thanks to the one who bought you above all.
When we had our Thanksgiving here in Canada I was asked to give a message on thankfulness. I thought in honor of our + your day of Thanksgiving I would post the sermon notes here for you to read and think about.
I know that I haven't done this in awhile and some of you know why. I don't, after all, want to treat the Baptist forums like my own personal youth group, as one has said. However I think that the topic of thankfulness is important and the studing that I did for this message was a real blessing to me. So I wanted to share it.
Don't worry (you know who you are) I won't be starting up the question of the week again so there is no need for an uproar
. Nevertheless here are the sermon notes...
Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon apparent they wouldnt make it. Terrified, the one shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. Were in for it!" John answered, "I cant. Ive never made a public prayer in my life." "But you must!" implored his companion. "The bull is catching up to us." "All right," panted John, "Ill say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table: O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful."
Leviticus 7:11-14 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.
Now the Peace offering was one of the blood offerings. Part of the offering was eaten by the priest (representing Gods acceptance) and part was eaten by worshipers and their guests. Thus, God hosted the meal, communing with the worshiper and other participants. There were three kinds of peace offerings, the first kind was the thank offering.
Its easy to see this offering of thanksgiving in the Old Testament
Leviticus 22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
More than the command we see that the Lord desires our showing of thankfulness. It is the sign of His people. So many of the commandments and customs that we learn about in the Bible, which God set forth, were made to separate us from the rest of the world. God has always, and still to this day wants us to be a set apart people.
Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher wont think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."
It is a way in which we worship Him. We are said to worship through our thanks Consider His words through David in the 50th Psalm. Psalm 50:11-15
Psalms 50:11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
Psalms 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Psalms 50:13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Psalms 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
In the New Testament we see that this application exists. In the book of Ephesians Paul gives to us a list of direct commands on how we are to live our lives and amongst these command we find the direction to give thanks.
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
In the book of Hebrews Paul makes a contrast between the Old Testament economy and the New Testament economy. Whereas the Jews approached God through the sacrifices, the Christian is to approach in a different manner. Since Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins we are instructed to
Hebrews 13:14-16
Hebrews 13:14-16 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
This is a part of the Christians life that has always been required by God. In much the same way as we teach our children to be thankful our heavenly Father instructs us to be thankful.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
A word study on the term "bound" from this verse gives us some deeper insights. The word in Greek is of-I-lo and means "to owe" or "under obligation" in Luke 11:4 the same word is translated "is indebted". In Luke 17:10 it is translated "was our duty". In 1 Corinthians 7:3 this same word (speaking of the love of a husband to his wife) is translated "due".
We can learn from this that we as Christians "owe our thanks" to God, we are bound by our very Christianity to offer thanks to God. I love that Paul has determined to give the praise and thanks to God for the faith and love of these brethren. He does not seek to build up man but rather gives credit where credit is due.
The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these, who nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.
To the Christian there is always cause for thanks. Salvation, the greatest gift ever bestowed upon sinful man is a continuos gift. Our assurance is everlasting. We will never die. Whether there be good times or ill, hardships or joy we ought to be thanking God for this great gift.
2 Corinthians 1:5-7
2 Corinthians 1:5-7 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
If there is one hearing the sound of my voice who is not a follower of Jesus Christ. The message to you is far more bleak. You do not have the assurance of everlasting life, you do not have the blessings of God abiding in you, you do not have anything to be thankful for that will not fade, that will not rust, that will not fall apart.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
That means that the sorrow of the world works evil, it is mere suffering, and can come to no good end. But the good news my friend is that this can all change. You are on the pathway to hell right now, all of your joy will fade because its temporal, all of your sorrow can come to no good end, only more sorrow. Everlasting sorrow. There is good news! Today is the day! Today is the day of your salvation. Dont put it off, dont wait. God is calling you home and tonight is the night for that step. If you do not know the Lord find me or pastor, or these men, or the deacons, or any Christian here and we will take the time to sit down with you tonight and show you from the Bible how you can be saved.
When we had our Thanksgiving here in Canada I was asked to give a message on thankfulness. I thought in honor of our + your day of Thanksgiving I would post the sermon notes here for you to read and think about.
I know that I haven't done this in awhile and some of you know why. I don't, after all, want to treat the Baptist forums like my own personal youth group, as one has said. However I think that the topic of thankfulness is important and the studing that I did for this message was a real blessing to me. So I wanted to share it.
Don't worry (you know who you are) I won't be starting up the question of the week again so there is no need for an uproar
. Nevertheless here are the sermon notes...Give thanks, for your own good
- Giving thanks is a commandment which can be found in both the Old and the New Testaments
Leviticus 7:11-14 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.
Now the Peace offering was one of the blood offerings. Part of the offering was eaten by the priest (representing Gods acceptance) and part was eaten by worshipers and their guests. Thus, God hosted the meal, communing with the worshiper and other participants. There were three kinds of peace offerings, the first kind was the thank offering.
Its easy to see this offering of thanksgiving in the Old Testament
Leviticus 22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
More than the command we see that the Lord desires our showing of thankfulness. It is the sign of His people. So many of the commandments and customs that we learn about in the Bible, which God set forth, were made to separate us from the rest of the world. God has always, and still to this day wants us to be a set apart people.
Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher wont think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."
It is a way in which we worship Him. We are said to worship through our thanks Consider His words through David in the 50th Psalm. Psalm 50:11-15
Psalms 50:11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
Psalms 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Psalms 50:13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Psalms 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
In the New Testament we see that this application exists. In the book of Ephesians Paul gives to us a list of direct commands on how we are to live our lives and amongst these command we find the direction to give thanks.
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
In the book of Hebrews Paul makes a contrast between the Old Testament economy and the New Testament economy. Whereas the Jews approached God through the sacrifices, the Christian is to approach in a different manner. Since Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins we are instructed to
Hebrews 13:14-16
Hebrews 13:14-16 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
This is a part of the Christians life that has always been required by God. In much the same way as we teach our children to be thankful our heavenly Father instructs us to be thankful.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
A word study on the term "bound" from this verse gives us some deeper insights. The word in Greek is of-I-lo and means "to owe" or "under obligation" in Luke 11:4 the same word is translated "is indebted". In Luke 17:10 it is translated "was our duty". In 1 Corinthians 7:3 this same word (speaking of the love of a husband to his wife) is translated "due".
We can learn from this that we as Christians "owe our thanks" to God, we are bound by our very Christianity to offer thanks to God. I love that Paul has determined to give the praise and thanks to God for the faith and love of these brethren. He does not seek to build up man but rather gives credit where credit is due.
- Thats all well and good but what do I have to be thankful for?
The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these, who nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.
To the Christian there is always cause for thanks. Salvation, the greatest gift ever bestowed upon sinful man is a continuos gift. Our assurance is everlasting. We will never die. Whether there be good times or ill, hardships or joy we ought to be thanking God for this great gift.
2 Corinthians 1:5-7
2 Corinthians 1:5-7 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
If there is one hearing the sound of my voice who is not a follower of Jesus Christ. The message to you is far more bleak. You do not have the assurance of everlasting life, you do not have the blessings of God abiding in you, you do not have anything to be thankful for that will not fade, that will not rust, that will not fall apart.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
That means that the sorrow of the world works evil, it is mere suffering, and can come to no good end. But the good news my friend is that this can all change. You are on the pathway to hell right now, all of your joy will fade because its temporal, all of your sorrow can come to no good end, only more sorrow. Everlasting sorrow. There is good news! Today is the day! Today is the day of your salvation. Dont put it off, dont wait. God is calling you home and tonight is the night for that step. If you do not know the Lord find me or pastor, or these men, or the deacons, or any Christian here and we will take the time to sit down with you tonight and show you from the Bible how you can be saved.
