In Everything Give Thanks
Preached at Grenfell U.C. - 4/2/01 & Greenethorpe IJ.C. - 11/2/01
by George Walker - Lay Preacher as part of a service of Holy Communion
Scripture: - Psalm 113; Luke 17. 11 - 19; 1 Thessalonians 5. 12 - 24.
Hymns - AHB :- 14, 25, 428, 30.
One day as Jesus moved between Samaria and Galilee on the way to Jerusalem 10 men afflicted with the dread disease, leprosy, came as near to him as they were allowed by the law, pleading to be healed. Jesus said, "Go and show your-selves to the priests;" and as they went they were healed. I suggest there is a lesson here for us -- we can be part of our own healing by co-operating with God and becoming in part the answer to our own prayers. What happened next is very interesting. 9, having carried out Jesus', instruction, and incidentally obeyed the Law of Moses, probably rushed off to tell the great news to their friends and families -- maybe they had not been able to approach them too closely for many years. What about number 10? Read Luke 17: 15 - 19. How different!! How often do we say "thank you" to God, parents, family, friends and acquaintances who help us along life's way. As this man discovered, the one who says thank you shares the joy of the one who receives the thanks.
Change of scene: - a small man, wizened by age and much travel in all kinds of conditions plus beatings and ill-treatment of various kinds, sits in a Roman prison, rarely free from the pain and discomfort of chains and manacles around his wrists and ankles. Probably his bed was the hard cold stone floor. One would expect him to spend his time feeling sorry for himself and complaining about his plight. But he wrote, "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
Paul, for that's who it was, had learned the meaning of true thanksgiving, even in the midst of great adversity. Thanksgiving for him was not a once a year celebration, but a daily reality that changed his life and made him a joyful person in every situation. Thankfulness is the natural out-flowing of a heart that is attuned to God. A spirit of thanksgiving is the mark of a joyous Christian. Conversely an ungrateful heart is cold toward God and indifferent to His mercy and love.
For what should we thank God?
1. Thank Him for material blessings.
I have come increasingly to believe that it is a corruption of belief to say that if you have sufficient faith in God you will become materially rich. The point I was trying to make to the young people is that God is sovereign, He is in control; we cannot demand or coerce Him into giving us what we want. We are certainly encouraged to he persistent in prayer, but humbly acknowledging that He will answer in His time and according to His will. Millions of Christians in Africa and India, by our standards, live in abject poverty but when it comes to faith and devotion to the Lord, they leave us for dead. Bishop Barnett of North Sydney after attending the world Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops wrote of the African Bishops: - "Stricken by poverty, terrorized by persecution and war, they stood high as men of faith compared to us affluent Westerners. They shone like stars in the night." Affluence does not help our faith; frequently the reverse is true. Nevertheless, whatever our situation, let us never cease to thank our heavenly Father for what we have.
We may have heard some say, "Life would be great if only-" If only I was smarter, more attractive, healthier, richer, had a better job, IF ONLY Joni Eareckson Tada, at age 17 became a quadriplegic when on a hot summer's day she dived into the shallow waters of the Chesapeake River. Some of you will have read her story or seen the film based on her life. In her book, Secret Strength, in one devotion she wrote, "Many times I have thought - life would be great if only I were a paraplegic then I could use my hands." A number of Scripture verses helped her past this point in life.
"We have been given fullness in Christ " CoL 2. 10. In other words we are complete in Him.
"His power has given us everything we need for life and godliness." 2 Peter 1: 5.
2 Cor: 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.
If you are finding it difficult to thank God maybe those verses can help you.
2. Thank God for the people in your life.
It is easy to take people for granted, or even complain and become angry if they do not meet our every wish. How much better to give thanks for those around us - spouses, children, parents, friends, fellow worshipper's not forgetting those who have been part of our life in the past. Let others know that you appreciate them and are thankful for them including those who in a great number of ways are part of the life and witness of this church.
3. Thank God in the midst of trials.
We naturally draw back from trials and difficulties but not one of us is exempt. Not one of us knows what the year ahead will bring but we 'do' know that God loves us and has promised to be with us till the end of time. A senior minister of the Presbyterian Church in USA after many years in the ministry writes: (Decision - November, 1999) "I've walked through more heartbreak than I can even remember. But I've learned one important God deserves to be praised all of the time. When we are in relatively good circumstances, it is easy to he thankful from a heart that is blessed and at peace. When we are going through extremely difficult circumstances, our hearts may be broken and the pain unbearable. Then faith in God's goodness way not be easy nor is it easy to praise God. Praise is an affirmation of basic truth, the truth that God is good all the time." Professor Steve Brown says, "I don't want this principle to sound easy or pleasant. We shouldn't pretend that life is always wonderful or that Jesus promised it would be always easy. Followers of Jesus Christ ought to he the most realistic people in the world. We know about sin and disobedience, we know about the nature of a fallen world (a subject David touched on last week) and we know about pain. But we also know God, and we know that we are not Home yet. Meanwhile we bear witness to truth --- the truth that God loves us, ---that He is in charge and ---that He is good. That is the witness of the thankful person who has learned to praise God in every circumstance.
4. Thank God especially for His salvation in Jesus Christ
God has given us the greatest gift of all -- His Son who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him personally and receive the gift of eternal life. "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." The Bible tells us we are separated from God by our sin. But God loves us and wants us to he part of His family forever. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son into the world to die as a perfect sacrifice for sins.
Have you opened your heart to Jesus Christ?
If not turn to Him in repentance and faith, and thank Him for what He has done for you. We should not let a day go by without thanking God for His mercy and grace to us in Jesus Christ. In ourselves we do not have the strength to live the way God wants us to but Jesus has promised to be with us always to the end of the age. For the Christian every day can be a day of thanksgiving. as we give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
