THE GIVING OF THANKS

THE GIVING OF THANKS

THANKSGIVING

November 19, 2006

Introduction

This Thursday is Thanksgiving. What does it mean? What is it all about? For some, it will be a day of food and football, and some have come to refer to Thanksgiving as Turkey Day, but does it matter? How important is thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is not something that is to be done once a year, and then forgotten, but sometimes in life, there are events that help us to realize how thankful we should be. What are those events?

Body

I. God ordained a sacrifice at harvest time under the Old Testament.

(Exodus 23:19 NKJV) ""The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

A. It was a sacrifice of the first of the firstfruits. Give to God first, and then you take what is left.

B. There are times of harvest for all of us.

· For some it is a literal harvest.

· For some it is payday.

· For us, it is the closing on a house that we have sold and built.

C. There are other times that we ought to remember to thank God.

1. Each meal we eat should be a reminder of the goodness and providence of God.

(1 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV) "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, (2) speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (3) forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (4) For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; (5) for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

2. Thank God for His taking care of us and providing so wonderfully for us.

(Psa 37:25 NKJV) I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

a. We need to thank God for His providence and care--He expects and deserves it.

b. He warned the children of Israel not to forget Who gave them all the good things that they had.

(Deu 8:7 NKJV) "For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8 "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 "a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 "lest; when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 "and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 "when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 "who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 "who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end; 17 "then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' 18 "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 "Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 "As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

3. Thank God for His safety and protection over us.

4. Thank God that He sends the rain that we have water for drinking and for crops.

III. Thanksgiving becomes an attitude that is very important.

(1 Ki 8:61 NKJV) "Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day." 62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. 64 On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings 65 At that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven more days; fourteen days. :66 On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.

A. The opposite of thanksgiving is grumbling.

1 Corinthians 10:1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,3 all ate the same spiritual food,4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. . . . . 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

We don't need to be singing, "hardly a comfort can afford," but rather we need to think soberly and righteously about what God has given.

B. The opposite of thanksgiving is ingratitude.

Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

C. And be ye thankful.

(Col 3:15 NKJV) "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."

Conclusion

I. Thanksgiving is part of our being in a right relationship with God. Basic obedience is a necessity. Are you obedient to God?

Bible Study with Harley Sermons I have Preached

Hit Counter