Sermon:  Why give thanks?

 

Summary:  Scripture instructs us to give thanks to God.  Gut if God does not need anything from us, then thanksgiving is for our own benefit by transforming our self-perception, our relationships with each other, and especially our relationship with God.

 

Text:  Rom 1:18-32

 

Scripture Reading:  1 Thess 5:16-18

 

Intro:

1.  All of you will likely participate in this national holiday, Thanksgiving

            a.  I remember the thanksgiving lessons in school which growing up

            b.  But it may not have been the first thanksgiving

            c.  Days of prayer or thanksgiving were not uncommon in the early years

                 of this country

            d.  Wasn't till the mid 1800's that Thanksgiving became an annual event

                 when Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving

2.  Want to think about the act of thanksgiving

            a.  The Bible instructs us in many ways to give thanks

                        - 1 Thess 5:16-18 - In everything give thanks, for this is God's will

                           for you in Christ Jesus

                        - Phil 4:6 - With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to

                          God

                        - Psalms - Repeatedly say, "Give thanks to the Lord"

                        - Heb 13:15 - Offer sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips that give

                           thanks to his name 

            b.  Why are we instructed to do this?

                        - Does God "need" it?

                        -Acts 17:25 - God not served by human hands as though he

                          needed anything

                        - God does not "need" anything from us

3.  (Rom 1:18-26) - Gives some insight on this

            a.  Professing to be wise, they become fools

            b.  Why?  Two things they did not do

                        - They did not honor God as God

                        - They did not give thanks to God

            c.  How might have things been different if they gave thanks to God?

4.  I want to suggest that thanksgiving is more for us than it is for God

            a.  A life of thanksgiving can help transform you

            b.  Will look at how a life of thanksgiving can help transform you

 

I.  It can help transform our self-perception

            A.  We will come to have a more correct view of ourselves

            B.  This passage reminds us of this

                        1.  v.25 - We are the creatures, not the creator

                                    a.  What does it mean to be creaturely?

                                                - We owe our existence to the creator

                                                - In him we live and move and have our being

                                                - In him all things hold together

                                    b. We are not independent

                        2.  v.22 - We are corruptible

                                    a.  Other passages remind us of this too

                                                - Rom 3:10 - There is none righteous, not even one

                                                - Rom 3:23 - All have sinned

                                                - Rom 5 - Sin came into the world through Adam, and

                                                  now all have sinned and are corrupted

                                    b.  What does this corruption mean?

                                                - Humans are now helpless, weak, sick due to sin

                                                - Rom 5:6 - While we were still helpless/weak/sick, at

                                                  the right time, Christ died for the ungodly

                                                - Jesus is the only one who can fix our corruption

                        3.  Without Christ, we are totally in poverty in every way

                                    a.  Intellectually - Try be wise without God, become fools

                                    b.  Morally - All corrupted and twisted by sin

                                    c.  Relationally - Will talk about that later in this lesson

                                    d.  Spiritually - Corrupt to the core of our being

            C.  ILL:  Kind of like the desert

                        1.  Desert is a barren place

                                    a.  It is full of rocks, sand, dust, skeletons, death

                                    b.  It is not like the forest

                        2.  But, when you get a little rain in the desert, what happens?

                                    a.  It springs to life all over

                                    b.  There are blossoms, even little creatures

                                    c.  It becomes a beautiful place

                        3.  Life is possible only when there is water

                        4.  Our Lord gives us life through the living water

            D.  God has given us life in the fullest possible sense

                        1.  We have the bread of life which is Christ, and living water Spirit

                        2.  Jesus is the good shepherd has come to give us life abundantly

                        3.  This means we have abundance and not poverty

                                    a.  With water of life, we flourish intellectually, morally,

                                         relationally, spiritually

                                    b.  We have riches not affected by economic downturns

                                    c.  Kingdom of God is a nation that never goes broke

                                    d.  Become rich

                                                - Become better spouses, parents, children

                                                - Better teachers, employees, neighbors

                                                - We grow in peace, prosperity, contentment, joy

                        4.  We have plenty to thank God for in our lives

                                    a.  Look at who you are today due to Christ

                                    b.  Give thanks, not just privately, but out loud

                                    c.  As we give thanks, it transforms our self-perception

                                    d.  We are given all the fullness of Christ and are blessed

                                         beyond compare

 

II.  In can transform our relationships with others

            A.  It helps us to regard others from a godly perspective

            B.  (v.24) - In their lust/desire they were given over to impurity

                        1.  Without God, their relationships are not pure, nothing is pure

                        2.  It manifest itself in so many ugly ways

                                    a.  Text mentions many characteristics of depravity

                                    b.  There is sexual deviancy

                                                - What is supposed to be a reflection of the love,

                                                   beauty, and goodness of God is twisted

                                                - It becomes a reflection of self-centeredness

                                                - People wind up using others for selfish purposes

                                    c.  There are many other characteristics of depravity

                                                - Text mentions many ugly behaviors toward others

                                                - Greed, evil, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice

                                                - Gossip, slander, disobedient to parents, etc

                        3.  Why did this happen?  They did not honor or give thanks to God

                                    a.  We understand all humans are created in God's image

                                                - You all have inherent worth, dignity, beauty

                                                - Worthy of being treated with worth, dignity, honor

                                                - Being like God, we are to be loving, kind,

                                                   compassionate, merciful, not self-centered

                                                - This is part of what it means to be godly

                                    b.  But not everyone acknowledges God or gives him thanks

                                    c.  This affects your relationships on all levels

                                                - Personal, family, community, nation, the world

            C.  ILL  I think of a person I knew

                        1.  When he was dating a girl, family didn't like him

                                    a.  He just didn't seem to be good husband material

                                    b.  Realized they were going to be together no matter what

                                    c.  Needed to support their marriage in a godly way

                        2.  After they were married, he was not a good husband

                                    a.  He was domineering, dictatorial, self-centered

                                    b.  Dropped out of college to play soccer, never had money

                                    c.  Things rocky in their marriage, wondered if it would last

                                    d.  He was disappointed that life not working out the way he

                                          wanted it to.  Not much to be thankful for

                        3.  Then several things happened

                                    a.  He became a Christian, befriended a Christian

                                    b.  Went to Promise Keepers rally, then His Need Her Needs

                                    c.  He then publicly confessed being a bad husband and

                                         made a commitment to be a godly one

                                    d.  Got a job, bought house, raising a Christian family

                        4.  He gives thanks regularly for the blessing of God in his life

                                    a.  His thankful attitude has helped to sustain the change

                                    b.  He expresses it, and sometimes gives money to those in

                                         need to share the blessing

                                    c.  It has transformed his relationships

            D.  When acknowledge God with thanksgiving, it transforms relationships

                        1.  The more we give thanks habitually, the more we change

                                    a.  We become less focused on self

                                    b.  We become more focused on others

                                    c.  We become more humble

                                    d.  We are more likely to share with others

                        2.  Truly it helps to transform our relationship with others

 

III.  It helps transform our relationship with God

            A.  Thanksgiving as a practice can transform our relationship with God

            B.  We can see this if we re-read Romans 1:21-32 as if it were speaking of

                 us rather than unbelievers

                        1.  Read it and make it say the opposite so it is talking about us

Rom 1:21f - They knew God and honored Him as God and were giving thanks and became fruitful in their meditations and their wise heart was enlightened.  Humbly professing their inability before God, they grew in wisdom.  Therefore God brought them near in the desire of their heart to purity so that they would be honorable and holy to the Lord.  For they exchanged the lie of the world for the truth of God, and worshipped and served the creator and not the creature who is blessed forever, Amen.  For this reason, God was transforming their passions so that they reflected the beauty and glory of God in their relationships with one another.  As they continued to acknowledge God, God gave them a sound mind to do the things which are proper, being filled with all righteousness, goodness, generosity, virtue, full of good will, renewal, peace, honesty, benevolent, they are honorable in speech, speaking what is truth, lovers of God, they are respectable, humble, modest, inventors of good, obedient to parents, wise, trustworthy, loving, merciful, and they know the ordinances of God that those who practice these things are worthy of life, they not only do these things , but encourage others to do the same.

                        2.  This reminds us of what happens when we honor God as God

                             and give him thanks

                        3.  God transforms us from the inside out

                        4.  We are not given over to depravity, but draw near to God

            C.  ILL:  Rick Warren says that envy is resenting God's goodness to

                             others and ignoring God's goodness to me

                        1.  Envy can destroy your relationship with God and others

                        2.  The practice of thanksgiving helps to combat envy

                        3.  The practice of thanksgiving can help you draw closer to God

            D.  Thanksgiving as a practice deepens our relationship with God

                        1.  It decreases the pride than separates us from God

                        2.  It allows God to rule our lives

                        3.  It changes us, allows us to be more godly

 

Concl:

1.  We have a lot to be thankful for

2.  I don't know if we can even imagine what world would be like without Christ

            a.  In areas of education, medicine, governmental philosophy

            b.  Humanitarian efforts, technological advances, etc.

            c.  So many things in life are connected to Christianity

3.  The greatest thing of all is the redemption and renovation of the heart in Christ

            a.  God has smiled on us with graciousness of the highest order

            b.  He gave the best and the most he could at the cross

            c.  He has already made the world a better place

            d.  He has changed you, and changed the world, and is still doing so

4.  Charles Spurgeon - "Saying thank you separates man from animals"

            a.  Don't be an animal who never says thank you

            b.  Gives thanks to God, honor God as God

            c.  God is good and has blessed you, and will continue to do so

            d.  Isn't God good?  Let's sing about it.


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BULLETIN OUTLINE

 

Sermon:  Why give thanks?

 

Summary:  Scripture instructs us to give thanks to God. Gut if God does not need anything from us, then thanksgiving is for our own benefit by transforming our self-perception, our relationships with each other, and especially our relationship with God.

 

Scripture Reading:  1 Thess 5:16-18

Intro:

1. Rom 1:18-26 Thanksgiving is more for us than it is for God

2. A life of thanksgiving can help transform you

 

I. Can help transform our SELF PERCEPTION

   A. Can have a more correct view of ourselves

   B. Who we are

           1. v.25 - We are the CREATURE, not the creator

           2. v.22 - We are CORRUPTIBLE, Rom 5:6

           3. Without Christ, we are totally in POVERTY

   C. God has given us life in the fullest

 

II. In can transform our RELATIONSHIPS_ with others

    A. Helps us to regard others from a godly perspective

    B. In their desire they were given over to impurity

          1. It manifest itself, sexually and relationally

          2. Why?  They did not honor or give thanks to God

   C. The more we give thanks habitually, the more we change

 

III. It helps transform our relationship with GOD

   A. Romans 1:21-32 for believers

   B.  We are not given over to depravity, but to God

   C. Thanksgiving deepens our relationship with God

 

Concl:

Spurgeon - "Saying thank you separates man from animals"

 

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Small Group Notes:  Why give thanks?

 

 

Summary:  Scripture instructs us to give thanks to God.  Gut if God does not need anything from us, then thanksgiving is for our own benefit by transforming our self-perception, our relationships with each other, and especially our relationship with God.

 

 

Open

-  Which thanksgiving holiday has been your favorite?

 

 

Explore:  (Rom 1:18-32)

 

1.  Several times, the passage says that God "gave them over."  What are the reasons according to this passage?

 

2.  How did this affect themselves?  How did it affect their relationships?

 

3.  How might things have been different if these unbelievers had honored God as God and given thanks to him?

 

4.  Many times the scripture instruct believers to give thanks (Ps 107:1; Phil 4:6; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Heb 13:15).  What insight does this passage give on how thanksgiving affects believers?

 

5.  Is thanksgiving more for God or for man?

 

 

Apply

 

6.  What causes you to forget or refuse to be thankful to God?

 

7. What are some things you could thank God for?  What things do you typically forget?

 

8.  Is thanksgiving a part of your daily life and attitude?  What might help you to make it more so?

 

 

Prayer