Clean House: Happy Thanksgiving 2022

Clean House: Happy Thanksgiving

November 20th, 2022 | Casey Middle School

Thanksgiving History:

Most well known is the celebration in Plymouth Massachusetts. After a harsh winter in 1620, where the colonists lost half of their people, they began to form relationships with the Wampanoag (Wom-pan-og) tribe. Who taught them about fishing, planting, and hunting. By the fall of 1621 the colonists had collected enough food to feed the community through the coming winter. The Wampanoag joined the colonists for a three day feast to celebrate the abundant harvest. This moment is considered the first Thanksgiving.

Later colonists had different reasons for gathering together for thanksgiving meals dating back to the Puritans. These meals consisted of prayer and giving thanks to God. Every fall the governor of the colonies would declare days of thanksgiving for harvest and victories over battles.

In 1777, the continental congress decreed that all 13 of America's colonies celebrate a national day of thanksgiving that year in celebration of their victory over the British at Saratoga. By the mid 19th century, many states celebrated the holiday.

In 1827, a magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale, writer of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, launched a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For 36 years, she published numerous articles and sent letters to governors, senators, and presidents, earning her the nickname the “Mother of Thanksgiving.” And in 1863, three months after the victory at Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving now rarely looks back on tradition or these historical events. For many, thanksgiving is a time to share a meal with friends and family, watch some football, maybe play some games and then crash. Back in the day, really just a few years ago, it was also the preamble to lots of shopping.

But what if we paused all of the hustle and bustle and took time to craft new traditions. Traditions that both honor the old ways and also create new family memories. What if thanksgiving wasn’t just a moment created, but a moment elaborated on preexisting habits of gratitude and thanksgiving?

My hope is that we don’t just go through the motions. But that we are intentional to create moments, show love, and give glory and honor to God.

Intro:

This morning I want us to look at a passage in Psalms and talk about the importance of being thankful to God in prayer. We have a lot to be thankful for, but oftentimes we lose our focus and our attention turns from praising God and being thankful to worry, anxiety, fear, and self righteous living.

I believe a thankful life is one that is in tune with the heart of God.

If you have your bible, turn to Psalm 118:19-24. We’re going to be looking at several different passages, but we’re going to start here in Psalms. If you don’t have your bible then the words will be on the screen or you can download the YouVersion app on your phone and follow along.

Passage: Psalms 118:19-24

19 Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the Lord’s gate; the righteous will enter through it. 21 I will give thanks to you because you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

Big Idea: True thankfulness comes out of an understanding of who God is and what He has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Illust: Giving a gift to someone.

If I were to give you a gift. It didn’t even have to be something special, what would you say? (Thank you) Have you ever had anyone say something different?

What if I said… “good for you.” or “you better have made it a good one.”

Or maybe I could have said… “keep your gift.” or “I don’t want it.”

You see the opposite of thankfulness is what? Selfishness, pride, arrogance, negativity, etc.

This is a constant conversation in my home. When someone gives one of my kids a compliment, I’m patiently waiting for the “Thank you.” Or if someone blesses my kids with a gift… C’mon… let’s hear it. “Thank you.” If they run off or ignore the generosity of others, they’re coming back and they’re going to be given another opportunity to redeem themselves.

Why is it so important that I want to instill a thankful attitude in my children's lives? Because gratitude affects every area of your life! It’s not simply about the “Thank You”, but genuinely being a thankful person and having a heart of gratitude.

My hope for us is that we not just make Thanksgiving a holiday, but that we make it a habit of our everyday life.

That when people speak of Julian, Sarah, Emily, or Andres, they say, they are grateful people. They are always celebrating other people, praising God, and showing gratitude for every little thing.

I want to look at a foundation for how this is possible in every season of life. Sounds challenging right? Because not every season is spectacular. But God gives us a foundation for gratefulness that we can stand on no matter the circumstances.

I want to take the next few minutes and look at 3 gifts that we can be thankful for this thanksgiving and every day of our lives. Let’s go!

Main Points: 3 things you can, with absolute certainty, be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

1. THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE

   1. “ In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” - John 1:4 CSB
   2. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Song)
   3. In Psalm 118 the day is the day the Lord rescued the psalmist, and in John 1 the life is the life found in Jesus. Here’s how I’d apply that: God has given you the gift of life. Cherish every minute.
   4. You might be saying “Yeah but my life isn’t that great.” You don’t know what I’ve been through or what I’ve done.

   5. God loves you just the way you are! God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you there.

      1. “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14
      2. “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:16
         6. God gives you the gift of life. How have you received it? Are you grateful for the time He has given you?
         7. You have been given the gift of physical life, but even better, you have been given the gift of new life in Christ!

2. THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF FAMILY

   1. “The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” - Romans 8:16-17 CSB
   2. Family is a gift from God. Not everyone comes from a family that loved them well and nurtured them growing up. Others have been brought up in a very loving home and are grateful for their family.
   3. The family I’m talking about is the family of God. Romans 8 says the Spirit tells us we are God’s children. Here’s how I’d apply that: if we are His children, we are family to each other. Church is not like a family, the church is family.
   4. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we are called to love, serve, and take care of one another as family. Now that does come with all the dysfunction as well. Have you ever met a perfect family? Have you ever been to a perfect church? BOOM! Starting to see the picture.
   5. Family does not run away when times get hard, but run to each other when times get hard. Family endures and perseveres in every season.
   6. We can be thankful for the family of God that is here this morning and the people God has placed in our lives.
   7. Thankfulness is both an attitude and action.
      1. It’s one thing to be thinking that you are grateful for someone, but it’s a whole other thing to actually say it.
      2. Let’s be a people that is vocal about our gratitude towards one another, constantly showing honor and thankfulness.
      3. Illust: What if I never showed appreciation to my wife for being an amazing wife and momma? It wouldn’t be long until she would start to feel unappreciated and neglected.
      4. Practical: Let’s practice honor circles around the dinner table this Thanksgiving. Showing and sharing gratitude to God for one another.
   8. “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” - Romans 12:10

3. THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF GRACE

   1. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

      1. The gift of God is God’s grace, His undeserved love poured out on your life through His Son Jesus Christ is our foundation that we can stand on no matter the storms.
      2. Thankfulness brings us back. Helps us remember.
      3. The word thanksgiving in Greek is Eucharist. This word throughout the NT is used almost exclusively in direction to God.

      4. We see this at the last supper…

         1. “and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” - 1 Corinthians 11:24
            2. Take time this week to be thankful and meditate on the goodness of God’s grace and love that He lavishes on us.
            3. “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:7
            4. How can you be thankful when you’re going through it? Because God is never changing and you can count on his steadfast love and faithfulness.
            5. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1

Let us give thanks to God for life, family, and grace. Let us praise Him in every season.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

A Puritan Prayer of Thanks:

O My God,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves thee, for my little vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee, ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for:

the soul thou hast created, for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;

for the body thou hast given me, for preserving its strength and vigour, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;

for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,

for a full table and overflowing cup,

for appetite, taste, sweetness,

for social joys of relatives and friends,

for ability to serve others,

for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,

for a mind to care for my fellow-men,

for opportunities of spreading happiness around,

for loved ones in the joys of heaven,

for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express, for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

From: Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2002), 26-27.