THANKSGIVING DAY – November 22, 2007 – 1 Tim. 2:1-4

ESLC

 

“TRULY THANKFUL”

 

Introduction:  Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  Our text for this morning is the Epistle Lesson just read, 1 Tim. 2:1-4.  We begin with prayer.

 

Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:

 

·        Thanksgiving has a long and storied history subsequent to the European immigration to North America.  The early settlers known as the Pilgrims first establish Thanksgiving as a holiday following the fall harvest in 1621.  The Native Americans in the area were invited to join in the feast.

 

·        Following the establishment of our great nation, President Washington made a Thanksgiving Proclamation.  For those who hold to the doctrine of an absolute separation of Church and State, his proclamation might hold some interest.  Though it is a bit lengthy, I will read it to you:

 

“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country...for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed...and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually...To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best."

 

·        Note Washington’s faith in God’s providence, his appeal to God for mercy, his assertion that all of our blessings come from God, and his assertion that we owe thanksgiving and praise to God! 

 

·        Reading Washington’s words make it quite clear that the piety of our elected officials and the citizens of our country today is quite different than that of previous generations.  In fact, given the lack of participation in Thanksgiving worship of so many Christians these days, we should seriously ponder the direction our life of faith in going, and the direction of our country’s psyche! 

 

·        Washington’s words pretty much echo and reflect the will of God as it is expressed in our text for this morning.  Thankfulness is something that ought to permeate God’s people, those who believe in Jesus our Savior.  Specifically:

 

I.  God Wants Us To Be Thankful And Show Our Thankfulness To Him For All Of The People Who Contribute To Our Earthly Blessings – Who Enable Us To Live A Quiet, Peaceful, And Dignified Life

 

     Text:  “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

 

Statement:

 

·        Many people today don’t even recognize all the things that other people do so that they may receive the rich and abundant blessings that we enjoy today. 

 

1.     Do we really appreciate those in authority, within the State, the Church, and even our homes?

2.     Do we really appreciate all of those who make sure that our homes are provided with electricity, gas, water, and sanitation?

3.     Do we really appreciate those who provide us with safety, the police, the firemen, and our military?

4.     Do we really appreciate those who provide us with abundant choices at the grocery store, those who grow, those who ship, the entrepreneurs who fund and supply grocery businesses?

5.     Do we really appreciate those who keep our roads smooth and safe?

6.     Do we really appreciate those who service our furnaces, air conditioners, cars, boats, sewer systems, etc.?

7.     Do we really appreciate those who provide us with medical care and counseling services?

8.     Do we really appreciate the good neighbors we have and our friends?

9.     Do we really appreciate those who work in technology, for the advances they make and the comforts and conveniences we enjoy?

10.     Do we appreciate clothing manufacturers, candy makers, oil producers, gasoline distributors, horticulturalists, carpenters, teachers, professors, bankers, and all the other people who work so that we may be blessed abundantly?

 

·        Because we work, and because of the whole concept of working for a salary, we don’t think of any of this as being particularly special or worthy of our thanks and praise!  We don’t even give a thought about the One Who supplies all of this to us, we simply take it for granted.  And we also take God’s delivery system – other human beings – for granted!  And the result is that we generally live as ingrates.

 

Application: 

 

·        So, surely it is God’s will that we be properly appreciative of Him, the Giver of all good and perfect gifts.  But let us also consider how He wills for us to show our gratitude – by giving thanks and praying for all other people who work and serve us to make our lives better!

 

·        And let us not omit giving thanks to God Himself Who has created all people and made them creative, innovative, and productive!

 

Transition:  And these blessings enable us to do our most important work!  For:

 

II.  We Are To Use The Leisure And Peacefulness Provided By The Productivity Of Others To Promote God’s Principal And Primary Will – To Proclaim And Publish The Gospel So That All People Might Be Saved By Knowing And Believing the Truth

 

     Text:  “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

 

Statement:

 

·        We must remember that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”  So, if God’s will that all be saved by coming to the knowledge of the truth is to be accomplished, we must do all that can to publish, proclaim, preach, and teach the Word of God!

 

Application:

 

·        Stop to think about all of this!  First, the wonderful blessings that we are so privileged to enjoy – all by the gracious mercy and love of God.  Second, that God has blessed you even more fully in the gift of His Son, Jesus our Savior, the “Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world,” “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” 

 

·        Then stop to consider that our Benefactor’s chief and foremost will is that others come to faith and salvation through the knowledge of this truth!  And that He wills for us to participate in distributing and delivering this gift of salvation to other people [who we should dearly appreciate and love for all that they provide for us] by telling them about Jesus!

 

Conclusion:

 

·        We have so much to be thankful for, yet we have somehow lost sight of the piety of being “TRULY THANKFUL” to God!  We end up being ungrateful for virtually everything that we have!

 

·        So let us this morning, above all other things, be thankful for the forgiveness that God has provided for us in the suffering, death, and resurrection of our dear Savior.

 

·        And then let us also be thankful for all the blessings that we receive through the labors of others.

 

·        And let us be thankful enough to express our gratitude in the manner that God wills for us thank Him – in our prayer life, and in our worship life, and in our witness life!

 

·        When we consider all of these blessings of God, it is difficult for us to imagine being ungrateful!  And as we consider all of these blessings of God, it should fill us with great joy and deep satisfaction to be able to give Him thanks and praise in our worship this morning!  May we also be thankful enough to Him to do all that we can toward the accomplishment of His primary will – that others be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth!

 

·        God grant such thankfulness and loyalty to God to each of us, Amen.

 

Votum:  And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the truth faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.