Thank You

Opener:

We’ve been working through different subjects on prayer. Two weeks ago we looked at what the disciples did immediately following the ascension of Jesus. They didn’t work, they didn’t strategize, the very first thing they did is pray. Then we looked at the life of Stephen, who was the first martyr for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the midst of all the chaos, pain, persecution, Stephen prayed earnestly to God.

This evening 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 often times 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 heart is one that is in tune with God.

If you have your bible turn to Psalm 118:19-24. We’re going to be looking at several different passages this evening, 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

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord;

the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

22 The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord's doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us 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.

I deal with this all the time in my household with my kids. We’re constantly telling them “Say thank you.” Especially with my oldest son with those green eyes. 500 times a day people say “Look at what beautiful eyes you have.” and I’m just waiting for his response. Cause anything other than a “Thank you.” is going to get a talking to later.

Why is it so important that I want to instill a thankful attitude in my children's life? Because gratitude affects every area of your life. Not just saying 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 John, Maddie, Jess, or Parker, they say, they are a grateful people. They are always praising 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? Cause 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 15 minutes and look at 3 gifts that we can be thankful for this Thanksgiving and every day of our lives. Let’s go!

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

1. Thankful for the gift of life

   1. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Song)
   2. In this psalm, the day the Lord has made is the day of His rescue. Here’s how I’d apply that: God has given you the gift of life. Cherish every minute.
   3. 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.

   4. 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 where you are.

      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

         5. God gives you the gift of life. How have you received it? Are you grateful for the time He has given you?
         6. Illust: I got rocked.

      3. Pic.

      4. I don’t have to like my situation, I didn’t ask for this, but I can give thanks through it. Thank you for the gift of 16 years that we did have. Thank you for the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you that I have confidence that He is with God in heaven.
      5. There’s a lot of hard questions amidst pain and suffering about God. It’s easy to doubt and become angry. And there’s a lot we’ll never understand.
      6. In these moments it shakes us to the core and challenges everything we thought we believed, but as we press in to Christ His love and peace overwhelm us. He is a loving Father and even in the moments where we don’t understand we can trust that He is working in and through the situation.
      7. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins. To suffer a brutal death and endure the cross for our salvation. As we set our eyes on His sacrifice, His death, burial, and resurrection, we can find hope and life that restores our souls.
      8. And in that we can choose to be thankful.
      9. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
      10. Thankful for the gift of family

   5. 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.

   6. The family I’m talking about is the family of God. Church is not like a family, the church is family.
   7. 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.
   8. Family does not run away when times get hard, but runs to each other when times get hard.
   9. We can be thankful for the family of God that is here tonight and the people God has placed in our lives.
   10. 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 awesome? It wouldn’t be long until she would start to feel unappreciated and neglected.
   11. “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” - Romans 12:10

   12. Thankful for the gift of grace

   13. “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.
          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.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday! If you don’t have plans then I hope you will join us for Friendsgiving happening this Tuesday evening here in Boulder.

It’s going to be a blast. You do not want to miss it!

Let’s pray.