Let the Thanks Come Out! # 30

In our previous two passages in Revelation, we have seen the twenty-four elders give thanks for Creation by Christ and Salvation through Christ.  In our final Song of Thanksgiving we find them Giving thanks for the Accession of Christ to rule over all nations. Revelation 11:

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

Christ has risen to power to rule over all, and many are not happy about it. Human leaders, in their Satan-induced pride want to revolt. They refuse to bow down, which will unleash the fulness of God's wrath and judgment.  But the elders, who understand history, and His story, are moved to thanksgiving. Why? Because Christ has finally taken His place ruling over the earth, which is what we all really long for and need.  When we allow Him to rule and reign in our hearts and minds, even if storms are brewing around us, even if many are resistant to His rule and reign, we can and will find reason to give thanks to Christ, Who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We will see that things are becoming the way they ought to be. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #29

There is a second great Song of Thanksgiving in the Revelation given by Christ to the Apostle John. It's found in the seventh chapter:

 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

In the song we looked at yesterday, in Revelation 4, we saw the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, while here the order has switched to Thanksgiving and honor and power and might. There is a change in the order and a change in the emphasis. The theme of their song has switched from Creation to Salvation. As this great multitude of believers, from every tribe and nation, saved by the blood of Christ, gather and worship God the Father and the Son, the angels, elders and four living creatures give thanks to God for His great salvation, and for all those who trust in Him and have joined them in the eternal praise and worship of God.  What a sight to behold!  If you are thankful to God for your salvation, you will. 

Let the Thanks Come Out. #28

Lots of times we allow ourselves to become so wrapped up in the struggles of this world and this moment that we lose sight of the bigger picture of what is going on outside and around us and in eternity. We are given a glimpse in Revelation 4:

 6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”

The apostle John had been taken out and above the limitations of this life to get a glimpse of the presence of Christ in heaven, to experience true worship. And as overwhelming as everything around the throne was, all focus is on the One Who is in the throne, the Creator. He is worthy of worship because He has created all things, including us, the beauty of the universe, and the stuff and people we worry and argue about.  True worship includes three elements: giving Him glory and honor and thanks: confessing that He is Right in His plan and purpose; He is Perfect in His character and holiness, and He has been Good to us, because He is Good. There is this sense in which giving Him thanks flows from recognizing His glory and position over all, and that if we are not thanking Him, we are missing out on the fullness of worship. Like the nine lepers Jesus healed who never said thanks, we are prone to not take the time to thank Him, not give Him the honor He deserves as Lord of the universe, and often doubt His plan and purpose as Creator. May we give Him glory and honor and thanks. 

Let the Thanks Come Out #27

In my sermons the last two Sundays, we have touched on the fact that we as followers of Christ have even more reason to be thankful than those in the Old Testament - that Christ has exceeded the sacrificial system in every way. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way as he wraps up his letter in chapter 13:

 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

With all the deep theology the preacher has shared, he says it comes down to this: We are outsiders, sojourners to this world, just like Jesus was. Because of that we will be misunderstood, mistreated, and misrepresented. How should we respond? With a life of thanksgiving. We need to live differently, as we are citizens of Christ's kingdom. Secondly, we should let our lips tell of Him, give thanks to Him, praise Him for all He has done for us. Thirdly, true thankfulness shows itself in generosity; it remembers to do good and share. So as we go out into the world today, to do whatever we have planned, let's remember what God has planned for us: to think differently than the world, focusing on what matters for eternity; to talk differently, giving Him thanks, and to live differently, wondering: "what can I do for someone else?" 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #26

Our passage today on Giving Thanks is totally different from others we have seen before. Paul writes to Timothy about an issue going on there in Ephesus, where Paul had sent Timothy to bring order. I Timothy 4:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

When Paul had made his last stop in Ephesus, he addressed this issue which would be seen over and over in the church, sometimes with greater intensity: a demon-driven deception that led people to depart from the church.  Two particular areas of deception had to do with two good things: food and marriage. These are good things, great things God has made, which this deception will call into doubt.  It is an extremist position. Overeating and overemphasis on sexuality are the other extremes.  God calls for balance in both. Underlying the attractiveness of such deception are a spirit of self-righteousness and discontent. Those who promote such ideas actually think they are better than those who accept God's good gifts and the Gospel of Christ. They also are not thankful; they are ungrateful, just like those in Romans 1, so they give their minds over to these deceiving thoughts.  Once again, we find ourselves in an age of discontent, deception, and self-righteousness, which is directly opposed to the Gospel, marriage, and every good thing God has given, and willing to accept evil, immorality, and a manmade gospel as good. 

Paul points Timothy, and us, back to the truths of the word of God, and thankful prayer, as the way to avoid such delusion and deception, and in the remainder of the letter focuses on what is truly good. The way of Christ is a dependence on His righteousness, and contentment and gratitude for all He has given.

Let the Thanks Come Out! #25

Yesterday we looked at what is called the Final Instructions in Paul's letter to the Colossians. Today we look at his "final instructions" in I Thessalonians 5:

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 

In one sense, I think we could call this paragraph "Signs of a Thankful Life." Think about that. If you are thankful for the pastor or other leader God has placed over you, how can you show him honor, gratitude? Respond to their teaching; realize how much they love you; respect each other, keeping a spirit of peace. Those are the things a pastor wants to see. I know.  Secondly, a life of thanksgiving is shown by how we deal with each other. When we see God provides for us, and gives us the satisfaction of labor so we have enough, our thankful hearts will want to encourage the same behavior in each other. When we have been given strength and encouragement to go on when tempted to give us, our heart of thanksgiving will in turn try to give the same to someone else. When we truly understand God's patience and forgiveness, with thankful hearts we will be patient and forgive, instead of looking for ways to retaliate and get back at someone who hurt us.  Thirdly, thankfulness overflows. It reveals itself in a joy in all situations, and is seen in us when we keep praying with thanksgiving, and asking God to reveal more of His will for us. Finally, because we understand that God is good and wants what is best for us, we will allow His Spirit to work in our lives to change us, and we will abhor what is displeasing to Him - any evil thoughts, words, motives or actions, because He is Good. May we give God a thankful life, for He is good. 

Let the Thanks Come Out #24

At the end of Paul's letters, it seemed like he always had more to say. So he would include a short section that Bible printers simply label: "final instructions". Here is what he says to the Colossians in chapter 4:

 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Mix your praying with thanksgiving; don't always make it "give me, give me." And by the way, I would appreciate it if you would pray for us, and what God is trying to do through us: thank you for praying.  And think about your effect on others around you. When they see you living thankful lives, using your mouths for encouragement instead of tearing down, and thanking instead of complaining and arguing, they are going to sit up and take notice. Then they will start to ask you questions, that you need to ask God to help you answer.  If you're always going around complaining, talking negatively and nasty, they will not be asking you; they already know what you think. But if they see and hear your being encouraging and thankful, then they will ask; they will want to know what you have to say. Let's sound thankful today. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #23

We've seen in the last two letters of Paul we examined how thanksgiving is an integral part of the Christian life. Today we find a similar, but more detailed exhortation in his letter to the Colossians:

 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
First, thanksgiving requires the proper attitude toward each other: How do we view and treat one another? Do we have humble, kind, meek and loving hearts toward each other? How do we handle our complaints with each other: Are we truly forgiving? It's hard to give God thanks when we're always complaining about each other.
Secondly, thanksgiving requires that we truly allow Christ to do what He wants to do in our lives. He wants to give us peace: are we willing to receive it? Are we teachable, allowing His Word and His people to speak into our lives. We will never be able to wholeheartedly give thanks when we are resistant to what He is trying to do.
Finally, thanksgiving requires that we see our lives as His, that we are always sincerely asking: "Lord, what do you want me to do?" If we are living our lives expecting Him to bless what we want to do, instead of viewing the purpose of our lives as being His chosen, holy and loved children, we will struggle to give Him thanksgiving. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #22

As we look at some of the things the Apostle Paul had to say about thanksgiving, we come to Philippians 4:  

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

As Paul exhorts us to consider the things that make for the joyful and peaceful life that should characterize us as followers of Christ, he challenges us as to what we do with our hearts, our mouths, and our minds. First, our hearts need to be fully given to Christ, which will lead also to us being bound to one another in the Lord. In almost every letter Paul gives a call to unity, to oneness in Christ - that we will allow nothing to pull us apart, destroying the atmosphere conducive to thanksgiving.

Secondly, we need to consider what we do with our mouths. We should rejoice, and rather than worry and complain, go to God together in prayer, giving thanks to Him, allowing Him to give us peace in all things. 

Thirdly, we need to check our minds for what we are thinking about, dwelling on. If we are always caught up in the "what ifs" of life; if we are always dwelling on the negative or sinful, then we will be stifling our thanks to God.  In other words, what keeps us from giving God thanks is ourselves. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #21

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5)

As I read the first verse above, verse 17, my mind automatically went to Psalm 107 and the study we did on that Psalm of Thanksgiving this past Sunday. in verse 17 there we find:

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;

From the other direction my mind went to Romans 1, and how foolish, darkened hearts fail to be thankful and turn their backs on God.  Paul says: "Don't be like that." Don't be foolish and turn to sin. Don't be foolish and deal with life's disasters by drunkenness. Instead, let the Holy Spirit take control of your hearts, minds and mouths: Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, not just to yourself or one another, but together to God. Give thanks always and for everything - not just to people who give you things or do things for you, but to God. Submit, put others needs before your wants, not just to look like a nice guy or lady, but as a way of honoring Christ, who gave Himself for you.  

More and more we are seeing that this thanksgiving thing is not some sort of magical button we can push to get God to give us what we want. Rather it is part of a package, but an integral part of the Christian life that pulls together our relationship with God and each other. It is a part of worship and a way of living. If we leave it out, we will be missing out on a key ingredient of life lived to the full. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #20

We've spent a few days in Paul's letters to the Corinthians, seeing how he sought to see if they could be taught or otherwise caught Thanksgiving, and stop being so selfish and complaining. When we go to the next letter, Galatians, we don't find anything for him to work with - not even his traditional introductory thanksgiving for them. They were so stuck on doing righteousness themselves they literally had nothing to be thankful for. But Paul makes up for that in his introduction to the letter to the Ephesians:

 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1)

Yes, that is one of Paul's famous run-on sentences, taking up seven verses. And we could easily spend five minutes on each one, but we won't. Instead, notice just a few things: First, faith and love make a great seed bed for thanksgiving. When we really trust God and treat each other with love, we will see thanksgiving overflow from God's people. Secondly, when this is taking place, and thanksgiving is flowing from our hearts and mouths, God is able to plant more wisdom and understanding into our lives and our fellowship of believers, and we will have confidence and hope that we are moving in the right direction. Thirdly, when thanksgiving is coming out, and wisdom is going in, we will experience the power of Christ flowing through us, and we will get a glimpse of what God is doing now and what He will do as King above Kings.  Thanksgiving is part of the atmosphere, the culture, the process of God at work in our lives, in our churches, in the world.  Leave that out, and you have the Grumbling Galatians. But mix thanksgiving in with your faith and love, and you have a powerful thing. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #19

We've been looking at Paul's letters to the Corinthian church, as he addressed their negative tendencies: to grumble and complain, and live selfishly and sinfully.  He tried to explain to them how inconsistent these were with their being recipients of the grace of God. In chapter nine of his second letter he wrote:

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

In particular, he was talking to them about an opportunity to give to an offering for the believers in Judea, who were suffering with famine and persecution. It was an opportunity for them to sow, to invest in what God was doing, His work of Grace. When we do, God gives us grace - the ability to do what we cannot do on our own. When we are generous, we are reflecting the character of God, who has been generous with us. This blesses them; it bears witness to others about the grace and righteousness of God; it gives us the privilege of seeing God work through us; most of all: It brings thanks and glory to God. When we truly appreciate the power of the Gospel in our lives, we will be moved to generosity. When we are ungrateful for all God has done in Christ, we get greedy, selfish, and downright unrighteous. Choose wisely today. 

Let the Thanks Come Out #18

As we have seen the last two days, the Corinthian church was an unthankful church, focusing on the things of this world, and therefore arguing and complaining. Paul had to write them again, trying to help them understand the need for thanksgiving. In chapter 4, he reminds them of the treasure God has given them, even though they, like he are clay pots. Then he says: 

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

If thanksgiving could not be taught, maybe it could be caught. If they could see Him and his missionary band giving thanks, even though they were facing all sorts of struggles - including ministering to them as a stubborn, ungrateful people - then maybe they would get the idea: the things of this world are nothing in comparison to all we have in Christ. When we really realize what we have in Him, and allow Him to transform our thinking and our living, then we give thanks, we keep on going, and God is glorified.  

Let the Thanks Come Out! #17

As I mentioned yesterday, the church at Corinth had a complaining problem: they were never satisfied with what God had provided, spiritually or physically. The result was that they were always arguing with one another and living sinful selfish lives without regard to one another. In short, they were focusing on the things of this world and their personal happiness in this life to the neglect of what really matters. As he nears the end of his letter, Paul turns their attention forward, to the resurrection that is to come. Chapter 15:

 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has given us much for which we should be thankful: provision of our physical needs, the body of Christ the help us on life's journey, the Holy Spirit to help us do what we cannot, but most of all, He has given us Christ, who has defeated death, and the sin that makes us all so ungrateful. That is the icing on the cake. That is what tops it all off: Thanks be to God for Christ, and all that He has done, is doing, and is yet to reveal to us.  May our thanks for Christ come out loud. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #16

One of the characteristics of Paul's letters to the churches was his opening with a word of Thanksgiving. One of the more lengthy and detailed ones was to the church that had the biggest problem with complaining: The church at Corinth:  

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  (I Corinthians 1)

Paul gives credit where credit is due: to God. He is thankful that God had poured out His saving grace on the believers at Corinth, and that in Christ they had everything they needed to know, and all the words they needed to say about anything that really mattered. As He states: so that you are not lacking in any gift - they did not lack or need any super flashy gift or knowledge or power.  In fact, they had enough to sustain them - to carry them through till Christ's return. But as the letter goes on to reveal, they were not satisfied with that; they always wanted the bigger spiritual thrill. They were, of all the churches, the one most like the people of Israel, grumbling in the wilderness. As Paul summarizes in chapter 10: 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. God got tired of hearing them grumbling about never having enough. Let's not be like them. Let the thanks come out!

Let the Thanks Come out#15

As I mentioned yesterday, there are only two occasions on which the Gospels record Jesus gave thanks, but that doesn't mean He only did so then, but that the giving of thanks at those two events was empasized for some reason. The second event was in the upper room. Luke 22 says:

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 

The Passover celebration included multiple cups, including the cup of blessing, over the whole event. The importance of Jesus giving thanks here is the new meaning He attaches to the unleavened bread and the cup they shared: they represented His upcoming sacrifice for sin. In other words, now that Christ has given His life for us and our sins, we have even more reason to be thankful than the Jews did for their deliverance, and the Lord's Supper has become for us a thanksgiving celebration.  But what about Jesus? In one sense, as He gave thanks, it had to be difficult, knowing what lie before him in the next 24 hours. But He was also able to look beyond that, to His coming kingdom. So too, we can remain thankful by looking beyond any present or coming struggle and pain, and looking forward to His covenant promise. 

Let the Thanks Come Out. #14

The Gospels record only two events on which Jesus "gave thanks." I don't think that is an indicator that He never did on other occasions, but after all, He is God the Son, the One to Whom we should be thankful. What it does do is emphasize those two occasions, and why thanksgiving is mentioned there.  The first is the feeding of the five thousand. Most of you are familiar with the account found in all four Gospels: the crowd was building that followed Jesus; they chased him all the way to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, where He taught them from a hillside. When He looked out on them, He saw they were hungry and tired, asked for whatever food could be found, gave thanks, and miraculously multiplied the food as it was being passed, ending up with more leftovers than He started with. Obviously that got some peoples' attention. John notes in his record:

 

6:22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 

Notice how John refers to the place Jesus performed this miracle as "the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks." He does not say "the place where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish", but where He had given thanks.  Why had Jesus given thanks? To be sure, as a good Jew, He was recognizing all things come from God. But there is more: He was giving thanks for all those who were there seeking the Bread of Life: God's word. He was thankful for all those there seeking salvation. Those kinds of things should drive us, and cause us to give thanks. Are we thankful when Christ is blessing others? 

One more thing of note: giving thanks draws people.  Thankful people are a magnet to bring others to God. Jesus gave thanks. Everyone was abuzz rejoicing over what Jesus was saying and doing, and that attracted others to come see for themselves.  Do we attract others to Jesus by our thanksgiving?

Let the Thanks Come Out! #13

In this study of thanksgiving, we will look at one last Old Testament passage: Psalm 50. It is written like a formal complaint in a courtroom, with God calling His court to order, with the heavens and earth to attest to the righteousness of His judgment against His people. His called has thanksgiving as its bookends: v. 

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!”

God lays before us two distinct courses: Call to Him, trust in Him, live to please Him, and thank Him. Sandwiched in between all that is the opposite: people who may recite liturgies, even Bible verses, who take communion, and act like they are worshippers, but the rest of their lives show otherwise. They come and hear His words, then leave them behind on the floor. They believe corruption and immorality are just fine, because they don't look so bad. And they use their mouths for everything but thanksgiving: evil speech, likes, gossip, and complaining.  God says: "I have not missed all these ways you have lived with thankless hearts, but now, I'll tell you this: I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the hypocrisy, the lies, the gossip and the complaining. I'm tired of you leaving me out of your life. Choose a life of thanksgiving, or choose death." Which will we choose today?

Let the Thanks Come Out! #12

We have seen in an earlier session that Jeremiah, the weeping prophet of all people, gives messages that call us to thanksgiving. In Jeremiah 33, he is in jail, hearing reports of the city crumbling under the seige of the armies of Babylon, when God speaks through him: 

10 “Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again 11 the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord:
“‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
    for the Lord is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!’
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. 13 In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

Even when everything falls apart, including the walls, the steadfast love of the Lord is there. Even when the sheepfold is empty and the cupboard is bare, the steadfast love of the Lord is there.  He can put it all back together again. He is the Good God who is able to restore.  Giving thanks is letting go. When we have something to give as a sign of our thanks - and the thank offering was giving something that is important to us - when we let it go the joy of thanksgiving fills our hearts. But even if we have little or nothing to give as an offering of thanksgiving, when we give ourselves and our voices to thanksgiving, the hope and joy and love of the Lord can and will still fill us.  The Lord told Jeremiah and His people that yes, even when it seems you've lost it all, the Lord is Good: His steadfast love endures. He will restore.

Let the Thanks Come Out #11

Isaiah is a long book, filled with long chapters, with long judgments against the people of Israel, especially in the earlier chapters, but in chapter 12 we find a Song of Thanksgiving: 

You will say in that day:

“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,

    for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away,

    that you might comfort me.

2 “Behold, God is my salvation;

    I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the Lord God is my strength and my song,

    and he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

    call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

    proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;

    let this be made known in all the earth.

6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Where does this come from. What day is God talking about? For that we go back to chapter 11:

  There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

He's talking about Christ, and the salvation He will bring among all peoples, in all the earth. Simply put, thanksgiving is a way we make His salvation known, we give witness.  And it has an impact on others, inviting them to come to Him, but it also impacts us - it is a testimony to ourselves to trust Him more. Thanksgiving calms our fears and refreshes our faith.  Let us resolve today: "I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for your salvation."

Let the Thanks Come Out! #10

 

Psalm 106:

Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are they who observe justice,
    who do righteousness at all times!
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help me when you save them,
5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.
6 Both we and our fathers have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
    did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake,
    that he might make known his mighty power.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe
    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11 And the waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them was left.
12 Then they believed his words;
    they sang his praise.
13 But they soon forgot his works;
    they did not wait for his counsel.

Thanksgiving requires Remembering.  When the songwriter begins his call to thanksgiving, he asks a question: Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? First of all, none of us can see all the wonderful things God has done and is doing right now. But we also tend to forget as we see in the final verse we read. We forget our sins and God's faithfulness.  Confession of both prepares us for thanksgiving.  This psalm goes on to talk about this cycle of God's remembering His people, while His people tend to forget Him and all He has done.  So, as the psalmist calls out to God here He is not only asking God to remember him and his needs and those of his people, He is asking God to help him to both remember His past acts of faithfulness and to see what God is doing right now. Then, he says, help me when you save them, 5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. - Help me see and remember, so I can help others see and remember and thank You too. Today, let's prime the pump of thanksgiving with remembering. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #9

We've seen how David was the one who instituted thanksgiving to God in public worship. But it was by no means impersonal. In I Chronicles 29, He had just completed a fund drive for the building of the temple, which he would never see, but yet was a cause for great thanksgiving in his heart. We begin in verse

 10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 

Notice here what thanksgiving says: First: everything belongs to God. David says it repeatedly. He gets all the glory, all the credit for what had been accomplished. It is by His power.  It is His Kingdom. (Notice here a familiar ring in the Lord's Prayer.) It is His riches. It is His strength.  Secondly, true thanksgiving is humbling: Who am I? Who are we?, David asks. we have no legal rights to be here; they are God-given rights. We come and go, but God stands forever. Notice that this humility is not belittling or depressing or hopeless; it is empowering, rejuvenating, and makes you want to shout out for joy. Finally, God chooses to share His abundance with us and make us a part of His plan.  We are like poor children who God gives our favorite food, or a needed jacket, or a prized toy, making us know someone cares about us, so we want to run up and give God a big hug. Let the thanks come out: tell God it's all His; Thank Him for sharing it with you; run up and give Him a big hug. 

Let the Thanks Come out! #8

 One of the best known Psalms, which is a call to worship and thanksgiving is Psalm 100:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

The Psalmist begins by telling us to get noisy! Lots of times before a worship service things are quiet and contemplative as we prepare to enter the presence of Holy God. Sometimes when you sit down in a church sanctuary it's more like a crowded restaurant. But is that "noise" to the Lord? Are we at all aware of His presence? Have we come as His servants seeking instructions on His will.  As we come we need to have that attitude that says "He is God. We belong to Him." The noise is good if it is directed toward Him - joyful noise of thanksgiving and praise. We are coming into the Royal Presence of Holy God to give Him thanks for all He has done and praise for all He is.  Again, we are drawn back to the character of God: for He is good, loving, and faithful: He has what is best in mind for us; He will do everything on His part for what is best for us; He is the On that will always be there for us. Let us enter His gates with thanksgiving!

One thread of thanksgiving we find throughout scripture is how God reminds us to be thankful even in the darkest of days. A prime example is Jeremiah, who not only gave prophesy after prophesy of judgment against Israel; he had to watch it happen. But God reminded him that is not the end of the story. Jeremiah30:

18 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
    and have compassion on his dwellings;
the city shall be rebuilt on its mound,
    and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
    and the voices of those who celebrate.
I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
    I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children shall be as they were of old,
    and their congregation shall be established before me,
    and I will punish all who oppress them.
21 Their prince shall be one of themselves;
    their ruler shall come out from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
    for who would dare of himself to approach me?
declares the Lord.
22 And you shall be my people,
    and I will be your God.”

As we look at this promise, God refers to the Prince, this ruler who would come out from them. Notice what He says: "I will make Him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me?" Who, on their own, is good enough to approach God? No one, except a person of the Godhead. He is talking about Christ, our great High Priest, coming before Him on our behalf. That is what makes us able to be His people, who have a personal relationship with God. And, as we have seen, and will see more of in our call to thanksgiving, that is the reason to let the thanks come out: Who God is, what He has done, and that He has called us to be His. 

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;

    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

31 This will please the Lord more than an ox

    or a bull with horns and hoofs.

32 When the humble see it they will be glad;

    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

33 For the Lord hears the needy

    and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

As the Psalmist is wrapping up Psalm 69, he calls himself to thanksgiving. To better understand how significant this is, we need to look back at how he began in the opening verses:

Save me, O God!

    For the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in deep mire,

    where there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters,

    and the flood sweeps over me.

3 I am weary with my crying out;

    my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim

    with waiting for my God.

He is drowning in despair, dishonor, and discouragement. All of his support system has abandoned him. He cannot go to worship God. But then he remembers that God cannot be bought with sacrifices and offerings.  Unlike false religions that think you buy your way into God's good graces, He wants our thanks, our gratitude for our life; He wants us to proclaim that we need Him and we want Him. This will not only help him, but also others who find themselves in sinking ships, up to their necks in despair. We can help one another with our thanksgiving, even in the time of struggle an suffering. Thanksgiving revives our hearts, and the hearts of those around us. Others may despise us, but God will not. 

Let the Thanks Come out! #5

 In Psalm 7, David is crying out to God, as he is being both sought after and spoken evil of by those who were out to get him. After first opening up his own life for God's examination, halfway through the song He brings us back to the character of God:

8 The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
    O righteous God!
10 My shield is with God,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day.
12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
    he has bent and readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
    and is pregnant with mischief
    and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes a pit, digging it out,
    and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His mischief returns upon his own head,
    and on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
    and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

God is the righteous judge. David had been looking at his own righteousness as compared to that of those who were against him, as we see in the first verse we read. But as he struggled with God about his circumstances his focus turned to the righteousness of God, as we find in verse 11: God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. God can truly say: "Welcome to my world, where every day people, including you, have evil words, actions, and intentions." What should be our response? Give thanks to the Lord! He is just and good, and He knows what He's doing. He sees it all. We cannot.

Let the Thanks Come Out #4

 

To you, O Lord, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
    when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary.
3 Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
4 Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
    or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the Lord!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

(Psalm 28)

Funny thing about rocks: They don't move very fast, and sometimes they don't talk very much. The Rock is one of David's favorite word pictures for the faithfulness of God. He spent a lot of time around rocks, in the deep hill country, hiding from Saul and the Philistines, waiting - waiting for God to finally bring him safely to his promised place as King. But he always knew it was coming. Waiting on the Rock to move can be hard, because we are so restricted by time, but He is not.  But the Lord does hear; He does give strength; He does protect. He is worthy of our song of thanksgiving, even in the time of waiting. 

Let the Thanks Come out! #3

We have seen how God used David to establish thanksgiving as a part of worship. An appropriate Psalm for today is Psalm 9:

 1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
    they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
    you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
    you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
    their cities you rooted out;
    the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

As with our last song of thanksgiving, David calls us to whole-hearted praise for Who God is and what He has done.  But also for what He shall do. Notice he says I will give thanks, I will recount I will be glad, I will sing praise, when... Based upon what God has already done, He will do it again.  God is a righteous God Who rules over all nations. Kings and Kingdoms, Presidents and Parliments, come and go before Him.  The Lord sits enthroned forever, and at the end of the day, then end of an era, or the end of time, He will always sit there, worthy of our thanksgiving and praise. So, let's start the day that way today. 

Let the Thanks Come out! #2

 Yesterday we read the opening verses of the first Song of Thanksgiving recorded in Scripture, found in I Chronicles 16. After calling upon his people and all nations, as well as every creature on land and in the sea to give a cry out to God, David concludes this song: 

34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
35 Say also:
“Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!”
Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

As we said yesterday, one of the basic reasons we should give thanks to God is because of His name, His character - because He is good, and God's people can see His acts of love consistently, repeatedly. He is also the God Who gathers.  Nations that celebrate Thanksgiving often do so after the crops are gathered for the year, recognizing God's provision of their needs. But there is another gathering David mentions here: God gathering His people together: He has saved us and pulled us together. Why? So we can thank and praise Him together. It is a shared experience. When we sing His praises, tell of His wonders, and share how God has blessed us, there should be an "Amen" of thanks that comes out of our hearts and mouths.  Let the thanks come out. 

Let the Thanks Come Out! #1

 As we begin this month of Thanksgiving, one of the things I find amazing is how little mention of giving thanks we find in the earlier books of the Bible.  Except for a few references to the commandments about thank offerings, nothing is said until the time of David. In I Chronicles 16, David has established the capital of Israel in Jerusalem and brought the ark of the covenant there and made a temporary house of worship. v.7 says:

Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

    make known his deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wondrous works!

10 Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

David said: "Let the Thanks Come out!" Let them come out in songs, prayers and testimonies. "Give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name!"  For David, this was very real. During his lifetime he had been kept away from the house of the Lord for long periods of time, on the run from Saul and the Philistines. Now, he could settle down and worship, and the first thing on his mind is "Thank you, Lord." In David's mind, there are two most basic reasons to give thanks: the Lord's name, and His deeds. God's name reveals His character - what He is like deep down to the core. Get to know God and you will say: "Thank you, God. You are so good."  Then step back and see what God has done - things you take for granted; things you have missed while caught up in the drudgery of life - things that make you step back and say: "Thank you, Lord." Let the thanks come out, in songs, in prayers, in praises and testimonies: "Thank you, Lord."