1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,720 Well, today's a special Sunday because, as you know, we are 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,560 setting apart this service to recognize and celebrate God's 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:09,400 faithfulness to us as a church family. 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,040 And I want to let you know that taking the time to dedicate a 5 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:15,800 Sunday to turn our attention to that and reflect on the 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,560 beginnings of this ministry and how the Lord has guided us step 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,680 by step over the years is not just an excuse to add another 8 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,800 event to our calendars. More than that, it is an 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,960 occasion for us to worship because the Bible tells us that 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,160 when a community, people come for heartfelt, intentional 11 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:40,800 adoration for what God has done, that is worship. 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,320 But Thanksgiving is not limited to a service. 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:45,920 It's not limited to a celebration. 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,360 The possibility of glorifying God in that attitude and that 15 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,400 act has been granted to each of us as individuals. 16 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,680 Private gratitude, heartfelt individual Thanksgiving. 17 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,239 And so I want to take this day where we are obviously thanking 18 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,360 the Lord as a body to instill and to strengthen that 19 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:15,480 conviction in our hearts to be a thankful people. 20 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,240 And so that the celebration and the joy that we are tasting 21 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:24,440 today would join us and go with us for the long haul leaving 22 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,200 this place this evening. And so I began earlier this week 23 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,600 to just think about the Scriptures, the verses, the 24 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:36,280 examples of Thanksgiving. And strangely, it was this verse 25 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:37,760 that was brought to my attention. 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,720 You don't have to turn there. You know it very well where Paul 27 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,080 commands the Philippian church in Philippians 25. 28 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:48,440 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. 29 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,480 Now you might be wondering, OK, that's a wonderful verse, but 30 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,040 what does that have to do with gratitude? 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,440 Well, here's how you can translate Paul's command there 32 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,080 by the Spirit. Think like Jesus thinks. 33 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,920 Think like Jesus thinks. And then it dawned on me, when 34 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,039 you read the Gospels, you don't only find the Lord preaching, 35 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:15,440 delivering, healing, serving, abstaining, over all, obeying 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,360 the Father. If you read carefully, you will 37 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:23,560 find the Lord Jesus Christ thanking the Father. 38 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:29,400 And there are actually 4 distinct occasions where we find 39 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:34,520 the Son of God expressing gratitude to God. 40 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,480 And we're going to look at those four occasions in a moment here. 41 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,120 But I want to tell you upfront what the goal of this message 42 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:42,040 is. And this is where I'm going to 43 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,240 ask you to turn to the Epistle to the Colossians in chapter 2. 44 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:52,280 Consider with me two verses about why we need to focus a 45 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,400 message on Thanksgiving. Colossians chapter 2 beginning 46 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:02,440 in verse 6. The scripture says Therefore as 47 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:08,440 you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and 48 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:14,080 built up in Him, and established in the faith, just as you were 49 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:19,760 taught. 3 very important words abounding in Thanksgiving. 50 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:27,400 Don't just be thankful. I want you to abound in 51 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,440 Thanksgiving. Do you know what it means to 52 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,960 abound in something? Do you know when something is 53 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:33,920 abounding? The original word here is to 54 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:38,160 overflow, to not even just meet a certain measure for it to 55 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:44,320 spill over what one might consider a standard overflow in 56 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,560 Thanksgiving. So Paul is talking about the 57 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,600 lifestyle of a Christian that doesn't just express 58 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,840 appreciation here and there. Now he's talking about a way 59 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,760 that our faith can connect to certain truths, and those truths 60 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:07,200 feed the heart to the point that it becomes swollen and enlarged 61 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,320 and even overflowing with this constant awareness of the 62 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,079 goodness of God that then naturally expresses itself in 63 00:04:17,079 --> 00:04:20,360 Thanksgiving. See, Paul is not saying abound 64 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:24,880 in Thanksgiving as a way to force Christians to just act in 65 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,640 a thankful way. That's never, that's never the 66 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,840 goal of any command in the Scripture. 67 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,560 What he's saying here instead is that you should turn your 68 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,360 attention on certain realities and revelations that will then 69 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,360 result in this. And yes, like any spiritual 70 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,440 discipline, there is a level of training and exercise and 71 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,160 intentionality, but there is also this promise that the 72 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,320 Spirit is able to carry us in it. 73 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,880 So understand this. Listen, the thing that should 74 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,960 mark us as believers in the realm of gratitude is that we 75 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:02,440 should be abounding in it. And I wasn't planning to say 76 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,720 this until earlier this morning came to my mind because I'm 77 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,560 concerned that with a message on Thanksgiving and looking at 78 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,120 different reasons why we should be grateful to God that we would 79 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,560 hear that and the response at the end of the service would be 80 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:19,360 all right, thanks brother. I'll be a little bit more 81 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:20,960 positive this week than I was last week. 82 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,120 Thanksgiving is much more serious than that. 83 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,880 Implementing it, understanding it, when you actually look 84 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,840 carefully in the Scriptures, there's much more at stake of 85 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:36,680 being a thankful people. It's just not a matter of you 86 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:41,480 being a little bit more chippy on a Monday has different 87 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,200 factors at play that I think most Christians don't even 88 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,640 realize. Let me give you an example. 89 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,040 Do you know that the scriptures describe Thanksgiving as a light 90 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,760 to the soul that will keep your heart from growing dark? 91 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:06,160 Listen, a lack of gratitude is like leaving a city gate wide 92 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:11,040 open, leaving darkness to enter more easily. 93 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,240 And once it's in, it will become the breeding ground for 94 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,560 uninvited vices and sins to take over. 95 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,160 You might think that's an exaggeration, and I'm here to 96 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,360 tell you this is not me, this is the scripture. 97 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,800 So you're in the New Testament, me in the book of Romans chapter 98 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,920 1, and look up Paul's words there in verse 21 of Romans one. 99 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:38,400 Notice how he describes a people who are ensnared by a variety of 100 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:44,760 sins. Romans 121 For although they 101 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,960 knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him. 102 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,400 But they became futile in their thinking, And here it is, and 103 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,240 they're foolish. Hearts were darkened. 104 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,320 What led to their hearts being darkened? 105 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,120 A lack of gratitude, among other things. 106 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,080 So you see, there's something about thankfulness that protects 107 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:13,080 you. And in order for us to be kept 108 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:18,440 from a darkening taking place, a blackness blanketing our souls, 109 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:25,520 Thanksgiving is the repellent. It is the guard. 110 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,320 It is a shield. Because look what Paul describes 111 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,160 in the same context as the ugly consequences of a heart that is 112 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,840 not filled with ongoing thanks to God, among other things. 113 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:38,600 Look at verse 29. You're there in Romans one. 114 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,440 Look at verse 29. They the same people who did not 115 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:43,600 honour God, who give thanks to them. 116 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:48,680 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, 117 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:54,040 covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, 118 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,560 strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, 119 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:04,720 haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of 120 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:10,160 evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, 121 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:15,040 ruthless. Do you see the connection and 122 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,280 the train of thought? These vicious qualities become 123 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,960 more possible when your heart is less aware and willing to 124 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:29,480 express Thanksgiving to God. In other words, if you want to 125 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,760 avoid being filled with all manner of unrighteousness, your 126 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,120 heart needs to abound in Thanksgiving. 127 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:41,200 Think about it. It's much more difficult to lust 128 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:42,919 when you're abounding at Thanksgiving. 129 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:45,640 Yeah, it's a lot harder to go out there and commit adultery 130 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,560 when you're grateful for your spouse. 131 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,040 Despite all the difficulties and challenges. 132 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,840 If you're grateful, if you, if you can see the gift, if you can 133 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,360 recognize God's Providence in that person, it's a lot more 134 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,520 hard to go out there and think that you're going to find 135 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,960 something better. It's a lot more difficult to 136 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,320 become covetousness when you're grateful for what God's 137 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,200 Providence and his perfect leadership has been granted you. 138 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,240 It's a lot more difficult to crave something that doesn't 139 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,440 belong to you. It's a lot more challenging to 140 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,240 slice up somebody's reputation with slander and gossip when you 141 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,440 are willing to recognize the good in them and the blessings 142 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:22,960 that God has brought to you through them. 143 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:24,960 Do you see the wisdom of Thanksgiving? 144 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,160 It's not a matter of you and I just being happier. 145 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,280 It's needed for effective spiritual warfare. 146 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:34,520 I don't think people teach that when it comes to spiritual 147 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,600 warfare. When's the last time I ever 148 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,360 heard? Be thankful if you want your 149 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,560 heart to be strong against sin, But I'm here to tell you it, and 150 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:47,200 I want to fuel our hearts today in the place of gratitude by 151 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,440 looking at our ultimate example in the Lord Jesus Christ and 152 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,000 considering 4 separate occasions where the Gospels tell us that 153 00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:03,320 He said thank you, thank you the Lord Jesus #1 gave thanks for 154 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,840 God's immense grace. Let's turn to the first 155 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:13,280 scripture in Luke chapter 10, verse 21, Luke 1021. 156 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,680 Lord, train our hearts to be thankful today. 157 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,880 It says here in that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit 158 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,520 and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that 159 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,480 you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding 160 00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:36,400 and revealed them to little children. 161 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:40,640 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will in all of the 162 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,040 gospel accounts. You want to know something 163 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:43,880 remarkable? This is the only place where 164 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,520 we're explicitly told that Jesus Christ rejoiced. 165 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,720 Not that he didn't express jubilation in other places, 166 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,600 surely he did. But this is the only place in 167 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,160 all of the Gospel accounts where we are explicitly told that 168 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,320 Jesus rejoiced. And it wasn't just a natural 169 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,320 joy, it was a joy that was supernaturally inspired, that it 170 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,400 sprung from the innermost part of his being because he rejoiced 171 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,240 in the Holy Spirit. This means many important 172 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:13,000 things, many things, one of which is the evidence of the 173 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:14,800 Spirit's work in your life and mind. 174 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,000 He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, which tells me one of the 175 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,840 clearest signs that the Holy Spirit is working in a 176 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,640 Christian's heart is that they desire to give thanks. 177 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:29,720 How do we know that? Because we told again, he 178 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,240 rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and the first words that come out of 179 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:39,240 Jesus mouth is what I thank you. I thank you Father, Lord of 180 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,760 heaven and earth. So if you're a person here who 181 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,640 should be, we all should be seeking the continuous infilling 182 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,760 of the Holy Spirit. I can guarantee you one thing 183 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:54,480 based on the Scripture that you will find yourself growing and 184 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,520 longing and yearning to express gratitude to God, and you'll 185 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,840 even find yourself spontaneously doing it. 186 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:03,920 So this is an encouragement. Why is it encouragement? 187 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,080 Because Thanksgiving is a work of the Holy Spirit. 188 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,800 He inspires that desire. He makes it a lifestyle. 189 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,040 The more we depend on him and long for Him to harness our 190 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:14,920 hearts and our tongues and our thinking. 191 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,800 Here's Jesus rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, and the first thing 192 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,040 that comes out of His mouth is I thank you. 193 00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:23,800 Many people come up with strange ideas of the manifestations of 194 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,520 the Spirit, and the Bible is very plain and clear about them. 195 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,440 I don't think it's often brought up that if the Holy Spirit 196 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,400 really moves in you and me, then you're going to be moved to give 197 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,200 thanks. That's what it says. 198 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,240 He's our helper. The Lord has granted us this 199 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,880 gift to guide us in all matters and including this. 200 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,880 Can I point this out? Notice how Jesus addresses God. 201 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,920 He addresses God as Father while simultaneously honoring him with 202 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:54,200 the highest title that you can ascribe to anybody with majesty 203 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,480 and power. He says you are the Lord of 204 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,560 heaven and earth. What do I take from that? 205 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:00,840 Well, you know, you have some Christians who see God as 206 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,920 Father, but they don't see him as King. 207 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,120 And you have some Christians who see him as King, all sovereign, 208 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,160 but not as an intimate, loving Father. 209 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,840 But here's Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit, and he says, I 210 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,240 thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. 211 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,760 Do you see how the Holy Spirit helps us in everything, not just 212 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,680 in how you thank God, but in how you view God? 213 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,440 But what was it that Jesus was thankful for at this moment? 214 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,400 Look again at this verse. He says that you have hidden 215 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,880 these things from the wise and understanding and reveal them to 216 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,520 little children. What are these things? 217 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,200 What is he talking about? Well, as usual, context provides 218 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,960 clarity. When did the Lord Jesus rejoice 219 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:49,440 in the Holy Spirit? Look back at the beginning of 220 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:54,960 verse 21 in that same hour. So something took place recently 221 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,120 that served as a catalyst for Him to outburst with this prayer 222 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:00,920 of thanks. And all you have to do is read 223 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,400 the preceding verses to realize what he's Speaking of. 224 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,720 So look back here and look at verse 17 of Luke 10 and you'll 225 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,720 see what he's talking about when He says these things. 226 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:13,520 The 72 returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons 227 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:17,720 are subject to us in your name. And he said to them, I saw Satan 228 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,120 fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you 229 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,800 authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the 230 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,320 power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 231 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,240 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this that the spirits are 232 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,440 subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in 233 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:36,400 heaven. Ah, there it is. 234 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,680 So these things that Jesus said were hidden to some yet revealed 235 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,480 to others include the empowerment of His disciples, 236 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:49,120 their experience of the authority of His name, divine 237 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:53,680 protection from the evil 1 and their names being written in 238 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,640 heaven. And when the Lord saw the 72 239 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,400 disciples relishing in those realities, he could not help but 240 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:04,920 turn to the Father and say Thank you, Father, that you are 241 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:09,480 willing to unleash these graces to little children. 242 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,360 In other words, what Jesus is saying is thank you Father, for 243 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,320 being willing to give such blessings to those who are the 244 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,720 least deserving. You know, you don't have to do 245 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:27,560 much investigation or studies to look at how the world treats 246 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,160 people. And it's common knowledge that 247 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,640 those who are wealthy and those who are intelligent and those 248 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,520 who are beautiful and attractive tend to get more respect than 249 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,120 others. But that's not how God's Kingdom 250 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,840 operates. God reserves his rewards not 251 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,440 necessarily to the powerful and to the wise, but to those who 252 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:54,720 operate in childlike faith characterized by dependency and 253 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,920 humility. In fact, what he means by this 254 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:00,880 is that those who are boastful right when he says these things 255 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:02,920 are hidden from the wise and understanding. 256 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:04,960 What he means by that is that those who are boastful and 257 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:09,720 reliant on their strength and their thinking, they are barred 258 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,560 from such blessings. But God has opened his arms to 259 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,160 those who acknowledge their weakness and their ignorance. 260 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,720 So what is Jesus ultimately really giving thanks to God for? 261 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:25,080 God's grace. And I wonder if as followers of 262 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,520 Jesus, we have ever taken the personal time to to thank God 263 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,080 that when he redeems sinners and that when he recruits servants, 264 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,880 he does so with boundless grace because Jesus does. 265 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,360 Can I ask you something? I want, I want this to be really 266 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,000 practical here. When was the last time not in a 267 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,840 service? Not because the worship team or 268 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:48,680 the praise team or the preacher told you to? 269 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:53,160 When was the last time you just on your own have paused and 270 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:57,600 meditated that there is a final day coming where you will stand 271 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,520 before God and the record of your sin will be pulled out with 272 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:08,680 100% accuracy and what's on that record will determine your 273 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,920 eternal fate? When was the last time that you 274 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:17,359 breathe out a thanks because on your record, because of your 275 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,520 faith, will be stamped boldly, forgiven? 276 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,319 Not because of you being part of a superior race, not because you 277 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:32,040 passed an exam for eternity, or that you impress God with your 278 00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:35,800 amount of sacrifices, but simply because you trusted in the Lord 279 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,000 Jesus Christ? May we never come to a point in 280 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,000 our faith where the good news becomes old news. 281 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:48,760 Beyond that, when's the last time have I thank God that when 282 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,880 He uses people, he's willing to use the foolish things according 283 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,880 to the world, the weak things, things that are despised, even 284 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,240 the things that are not, so that they would become something so 285 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,800 that no man may boast. When that means that means that 286 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,600 we all qualify to be used by God. 287 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,800 I have no reason to live besides being used by God. 288 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,200 Honestly, to be with Christ is better. 289 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:16,080 And like Paul, I, I wrestle because Paul says I want to go 290 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,160 be with Christ, but the only thing that I got going for me is 291 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:19,920 staying here and bearing fruit for his Kingdom. 292 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:26,040 I don't ever have to worry or fear that there is something 293 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,280 outside of my control that will limit me from being used by the 294 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,920 Lord. That's what we're here to do 295 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,320 today, to really recognize that God has used this church for his 296 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:37,560 glory and nobody can take credit for it. 297 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,640 Nobody. The first instance that we look 298 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,520 together here is that Jesus gave thanks to the Father for his 299 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,320 boundless grace. But here's the second place. 300 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:53,880 Turn with me to John chapter 6 #2 The Lord Jesus gave thanks 301 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:58,120 for physical needs being met. We see the Lord doing this at 302 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:01,240 both the feeding of the 5000 and the feeding of the 4000, but we 303 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:02,680 can merge them in the same thought. 304 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,320 Now I know that these miracles of provision are very familiar 305 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:10,760 to us, but I want us to consider carefully John's perspective on 306 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,560 the feeding of the 5000, because we're going to learn something 307 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,960 about the what and the when of the Lord's Thanksgiving in this 308 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:17,520 manner. Look at John 6 beginning in 309 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,120 verse 9. There is a boy here who has five 310 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,400 barley loaves and two fish. But what are they for? 311 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,120 So many Jesus said, had the people sit down. 312 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,400 Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down about 313 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,320 5000 in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and 314 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,160 when he had given thanks, there it is. 315 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,320 When he had given thanks, He distributed them to those who 316 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:49,120 were seated, so also the fish as much as they wanted. 317 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,520 I want you to look at what Jesus gave thanks to God for. 318 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,160 And when he gave thanks for the what is clear, right? 319 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:02,360 Jesus took the loaves from the little boy that he donated, and 320 00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:04,800 he had given thanks for those loaves. 321 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:11,560 But what are 5 loaves for 12 grown men, let alone 5000? 322 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,760 And those are just men. Then you have their wives and 323 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:16,480 their children. What are you? 324 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:20,320 This is more of an opportunity to worry than to worship 5 325 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,080 loaves. So here you are. 326 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,880 You have a need. We need a we need to feed a few 327 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,840 1000 people. Anybody want to make a donation? 328 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,960 And the only donation that came in was 5 pieces of bread. 329 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,760 That's it. That's all we can cough up here. 330 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,240 That's not what the Lord does. He takes the bread. 331 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,760 He gives thanks. The average person would panic, 332 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:48,800 but we're considering the mind of Christ here. 333 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,160 Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus. 334 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:57,880 Jesus Christ truly gave thanks to God because He had this 335 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,240 awareness of God's perfect wisdom manifesting in His 336 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:06,160 perfect provision. You know, Thanksgiving is not 337 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,560 always about responding to seeing what you desire to come 338 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,720 to pass. We reserve our Thanksgiving for 339 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:14,600 that right. We have these goals and these 340 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,200 longings, and we have these expectations. 341 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,560 And only when those things transpire do we say God is 342 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:20,880 faithful. Look what He did. 343 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,760 He answered exactly what I was looking for, exactly what I laid 344 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:25,480 out before him. God came through. 345 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,280 You should rejoice when your prayers are answered. 346 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,600 But Thanksgiving should not be kept solely for those 347 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:35,080 testimonies. It should equally be offered as 348 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:40,600 a declaration of trust and contentment in God's gradual 349 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,160 leading. That's what Jesus does here. 350 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,800 You know, Matthew Henry, the great English Bible scholar, was 351 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,640 reported to have been robbed by thieves at some point in his 352 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,000 life. And many of us have benefited 353 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,240 from Matthew Henry's writings. They're available online for 354 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:59,680 free. One of the greatest scholars in 355 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,640 church history. But they found an entry in his 356 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,960 diary of that fearful occasion when he was robbed. 357 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:09,000 And let me quote and read to you what he wrote in his diary. 358 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:14,120 Quote Matthew Henry says let me be thankful right there. 359 00:22:14,120 --> 00:22:17,520 I'm like what do you mean let me be thankful you had your purse 360 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,400 taken from you? No, he says let me be thankful 361 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:25,200 1st that I was never robbed before. 2nd although they took 362 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:26,840 my purse so they didn't take my life. 363 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,280 Third, although they took my all, it was not much. 364 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,360 This is my favorite. 1/4 Let me be thankful because it was I who 365 00:22:35,360 --> 00:22:37,440 was robbed and not I who was doing the robbing. 366 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,160 You see, the strength of your Thanksgiving is very much 367 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,880 dependent on the accuracy of your perception of who God is. 368 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,720 And the more comfortable and the more firmly you grasp the 369 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,000 character of God, the nature of God, the promises of God, the 370 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,160 better you and I are able to sincerely walk in a place where 371 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:03,400 we can give Thanksgiving. And it will be an aroma to the 372 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,880 Lord, and it will be a fragrance before men. 373 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,920 And that's why Paul could say something like give thanks in 374 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,360 all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus 375 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:17,360 for you. First Thessalonians 518 which 376 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:19,840 leads me to the when? When did Jesus give thanks? 377 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,080 He took the bread. And when he had given thanks, 378 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,960 people might think that he took the bread, he multiplied and 379 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:28,360 gave it. And then he gave thanks for the 380 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:29,920 miracle. He gave thanks before the 381 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:35,240 miracle. And we see here that this is a 382 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:39,240 principle for us, that God's worthiness of Thanksgiving 383 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,600 should be granted even before what we hope comes to pass. 384 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:48,840 And how fitting is that example for us as a church? 385 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:52,440 Do we have a need for a bigger place? 386 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:54,440 Yes. If you don't know it, just come 387 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,720 downstairs after the service. You'll feel it a little bit. 388 00:23:58,200 --> 00:23:59,880 We do. But what are you going to do? 389 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,680 Wait to give our songs of praise and thanks until God comes 390 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,280 through for us? No, that's not what I see in my 391 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:12,640 Jesus. I consider us being in this 392 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,960 physical place a miracle. I don't doubt that for a moment. 393 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:17,480 I don't. But I also like to consider this 394 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,560 place in our situation as 5 loaves in our situation and 395 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,440 circumstances. 2 fishes that were provided through the 396 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,000 selflessness of another church body called Church of Our Savior 397 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,920 who extended and donated their love to us. 398 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,840 And here we are. We are waiting for God to do 399 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:39,880 more, but we also are, by way of example, charged to give thanks 400 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,400 that Providence has placed this in our hands. 401 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,040 He deserves glory for what he's done in these past three years. 402 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:54,720 It's my genuine hope that when you and I go home tonight, you 403 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,520 will go home with a renewed sense of purpose and strength to 404 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:03,360 be grateful for what God placed over your head. 405 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,680 For the kind of car that He allowed you to drive, For the 406 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:09,880 kind of clothes that He afforded you. 407 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:13,480 For the things that are in your cupboards. 408 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:19,400 For the meal, every meal that He sets before you as a continuous 409 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,360 acknowledgement of His perfect leadership in your life. 410 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:24,120 Do you might have dreams and desires and hopes? 411 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:25,520 Absolutely. Will they be realized 412 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,240 immediately? That's not how God works. 413 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,680 But He's still worthy of thanks. You know, we're trying to do 414 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,600 this in our home from time to time. 415 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,160 I'll look up my wife it just random times of the day and I'll 416 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:38,920 say love. Tell me three things you're 417 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:43,160 thankful for. And we can do this all the time. 418 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:45,080 Sometimes we do it while we're talking in bed. 419 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:46,720 Sometimes we're in the kitchen cleaning things up. 420 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:48,280 And I'll say, tell me three things you're thankful for. 421 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,040 And she'll say things she'll tell me, OK, what are you 422 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:51,400 thankful for? And I'll say some things. 423 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:56,280 It's impossible to do something like that and be in a bad mood 424 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,920 after unless you're just doing it mindlessly. 425 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,120 And in that little practice, I'm telling you, conversations pop 426 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:04,280 up. And so now we're switching it up 427 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,520 a little bit, OK, Not the obvious things, you know, like 428 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,000 family, one another and stuff. Tell me other things that you're 429 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,040 thankful for. And then you get more specific. 430 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,880 And then now you're, you're, you're broadening your 431 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:19,080 understanding of how God is blessing you beyond what he, he 432 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:21,880 does plain and clear before your sight. 433 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:33,680 Jesus expressed thanks for how God met his needs step by step. 434 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:39,760 Let's follow him in that. Let's go to the Third Point, 435 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:47,960 John Chapter 11. The Lord Jesus gave thanks for 436 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:54,400 his access in prayer. This is the testimony, the 437 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,760 miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 438 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:02,800 11, verse 41, as he's ready to call out Lazarus, His name. 439 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,720 And as many have noted before, if Jesus did not call out 440 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,520 Lazarus his name, everybody would have raised from the dead 441 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,480 of that grave site. But notice what happens before. 442 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,720 This moved me so tremendously, right? 443 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,600 He says here in verse 41. So they took away the stone, and 444 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:22,160 Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that 445 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:26,560 you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, 446 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:30,840 but I said this on account of the people standing around, that 447 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,680 they may believe that you sent me. 448 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:37,840 Read carefully. Look again what he says Thanks 449 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:43,160 for, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 450 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,200 So through Jesus's words, you know what I gained from this? 451 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,880 That Jesus believed that prayer was a gift. 452 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,600 And the sooner you and I believe that about prayer, the sooner we 453 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,320 will understand prayer, something we get to do, and 454 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:05,720 that's something we have to do. Now here's what moved me. 455 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:10,680 If Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God while on earth, took the 456 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:15,000 time to give thanks to the Father for having this kind of 457 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:21,000 channel to him, how much more IA mere creature susceptible to 458 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:29,720 inconsistencies and failures. Give thanks to God that that 459 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:36,280 throne room of His and that courtyard of His is always 460 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,960 available to me 24/7. Here's what I'm trying to get 461 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,520 across. Jesus shows us that we shouldn't 462 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,920 only be thankful in prayer, we should be thankful for prayer. 463 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,160 I thank you that you have heard me. 464 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:58,800 Now this is fascinating because it shows that Lazarus's miracle 465 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,240 was the result of prayer. Notice what he says. 466 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:02,680 I thank you that you have heard me. 467 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:07,200 Past tense meaning that at some point undisclosed to us, Jesus 468 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,680 Christ came before the Father and acquired his wisdom and his 469 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,920 guidance about what to do with Lazarus case. 470 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:19,120 And at some point in secret, the Father directed him, directed 471 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,440 him about the timing of when to go to the tomb and how to do it. 472 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:27,720 Everything was supplied by the Father to the Son through 473 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,640 prayer, and that teaches me what what prayer is to the Lord 474 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:32,480 Jesus. At least. 475 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,040 That it was His source of power, that it was the means for his 476 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,720 fellowship with the Father, that it was the channel of guidance 477 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:44,080 that he utilized day by day, moment by moment. 478 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:49,000 Yes, Christ was unique in many ways, but these blessings are no 479 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:55,480 less available to us in prayer. One of the most convicting 480 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,040 examples and I love to use illustrations from the Bible. 481 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,720 One of my most admired individuals in the Scriptures. 482 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,160 Not because of his name. Trust me, if he was named 483 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:06,440 somebody else, I would still say the same. 484 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:11,720 Daniel. OK, Daniel was a man of prayer 485 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,160 and one of my favorite stories there is in chapter 6 when a 486 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,520 decree went out that it was illegal to pray to anybody 487 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:22,280 except the king. You know what Daniel does? 488 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,320 We're told that at the moment he heard about that document being 489 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:31,520 signed, he went home, got on his knees, open the window, prayed 490 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:33,480 three times a day like nothing had happened. 491 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:40,640 You know what that tells me? That Daniel rather have died, 492 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:47,560 did not pray for a month. What do you know about prayer? 493 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,800 What have you experienced in prayer? 494 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:54,480 Where you, without any hesitation said to yourself, I'd 495 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:59,360 rather die than not use this gift called prayer. 496 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,240 And it makes sense. You read Daniel chapter 1 to 497 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:04,000 chapter 6 and you see what prayer has done in this man's 498 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:05,600 life. You read it after chapter 6. 499 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,440 You see how prayer provided all these experiences and these 500 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:10,000 revelations and these provisions. 501 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:15,880 So to Daniel, he thought, to not pray is not to live at least 502 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,200 abundantly, at least to the fullest. 503 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,400 Yeah, many people are going about their day without prayer. 504 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:25,800 But all the heights that you are missing because you don't see it 505 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,320 the way you're supposed to see it. 506 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:31,760 And I can spend, which I will not do on the pulpit. 507 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,080 I can use the next 30 minutes to just give testimony after 508 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:41,920 testimony about how God has come through by no other way but 509 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,880 through prayer in such a way that if I had not prayed, I 510 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:48,600 should have no reason to believe that he would have come through. 511 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:55,480 Jesus says I thank you, Father, that you have heard me. 512 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:57,640 And I always say this. Forgive me if I'm repeating 513 00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:59,520 myself, but we're creatures of repetition. 514 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:03,040 Apart from salvation, there is no greater spiritual thrill than 515 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,440 to know that God in heaven hears my prayers and when he actually 516 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,400 answers them. What did the psalmist say? 517 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:13,880 I love the Lord because He has heard my plea and has answered 518 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,000 my cry. Therefore, I will call upon them 519 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,560 all the days of my life. When you actually see a prayer 520 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,080 answered in a way that it can't be brushed off as coincidence 521 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,160 or, you know, I think this would have happened even if I didn't 522 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,720 pray. No, no, like real prayer being 523 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,520 answered, you'll never be the same. 524 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:34,640 You can't. And I'm afraid so many 525 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:36,400 Christians don't believe this about prayer that they're 526 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:40,720 missing out on that opportunity. Walk in it enough so that when 527 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,200 God actually comes through, you'll be marked for the rest of 528 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,200 your life. And you can say like Jesus, 529 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:50,480 Father, I thank you that you have heard me, heard me. 530 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:58,720 Shall we come to our last point? Let's turn to Matthew together 531 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:09,400 in chapter 26. The Lord Jesus not only gave 532 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:15,440 thanks for God's immense grace, not only for his physical needs 533 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:20,640 being met, not only because God had an open heaven over his 534 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,960 head. Lastly, the Lord Jesus gave 535 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,000 thanks for the fellowship made possible by his sacrifice. 536 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,240 Do you know what we do here? Every single Sunday? 537 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,040 We partake of the Lord's Supper together. 538 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:33,840 And I'm not sure if you noticed that, but when Pastor Bennett 539 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:38,280 leads us in the breaking of the bread and and the cup, we give 540 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,000 thanks for each element separately. 541 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,680 And the reason why we do that is because Jesus modeled that at 542 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:47,520 the Last Supper. So it encourages us to take time 543 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,520 to consider the distinct elements that have purchased our 544 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,880 salvation, at least what they represent. 545 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:59,360 And what do we find here? Let's read Matthew 2626 to 29. 546 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,760 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and after blessing 547 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,720 it, broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, take, eat, 548 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,199 this is my body. And he took a cup, and we had 549 00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:11,960 given thanks. He gave it to them, saying, 550 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:14,679 drink of it, all of you. For this is my blood of the 551 00:34:14,679 --> 00:34:17,000 covenant, which is poured out from many for the forgiveness of 552 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:18,840 sins. I tell you, I will not drink 553 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,880 again of this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it 554 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:23,800 new with you and my Father's Kingdom. 555 00:34:24,639 --> 00:34:27,159 So what can we say here? We can say with complete 556 00:34:27,159 --> 00:34:30,440 validity that Jesus is in fact giving thanks for the new 557 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:31,440 covenant. Absolutely. 558 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:33,400 That's not wrong. But I think it's more precise 559 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,040 than that, at least in this context. 560 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,679 Not only is He thanking the Father that the new Covenant now 561 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:41,679 is about to be inaugurated, I believe that He is thanking the 562 00:34:41,679 --> 00:34:44,120 Father about what the New Covenant would bring about. 563 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:49,320 And in this case, what He is eagerly looking forward to is 564 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:53,880 that because of His impending sacrifice, He will one day be 565 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:56,320 reunited with His disciples in eternity. 566 00:34:58,040 --> 00:34:59,440 I believe that was part of His Thanksgiving. 567 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:00,840 You're saying really? I'm saying really? 568 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,360 Why else mention what we see here in verse 29 where He says I 569 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,560 will not drink of this fruit of the vine until I drink it anew 570 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:07,760 with you and my Father's Kingdom. 571 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:11,320 So think about it. The moment he establishes this 572 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:16,240 communion, he he right away says, I want to let you know 573 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:21,200 that we're going to be reunited again that we're going to have 574 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,280 fellowship forever. You cannot tell me that the Lord 575 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,600 did not have this longing and this yearning even as he was 576 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,640 laying out this ordinance for the church. 577 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:37,560 He did, and that sets the seal of what this table is about 578 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:39,560 every single month when we celebrate, at least in its 579 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,600 fullness, that we're not just rehearsing what the Lord has 580 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,160 done, but what He will do to return and reunite us to be with 581 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:51,600 Him everlastingly. And it would be unwise for us to 582 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:55,160 celebrate our eternal fellowship with a Savior and the Saints 583 00:35:55,160 --> 00:36:00,640 only once a month. Extend your Thanksgiving about 584 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:05,000 what has been made possible through the cross as a daily 585 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,560 realization. Paul does this over and over 586 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,560 when he thinks about his relationship, yes, with Christ, 587 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:19,120 but with the believers. Years ago, we studied the book 588 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:20,800 of Ephesians. We might revisit in years to 589 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:26,240 come, but I remember to this day that early in our study of the 590 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:30,200 book of Ephesians, there was something that Paul says that he 591 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:35,440 did for the church that cut my heart and it's still bleeding in 592 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:39,640 a good way. The way this man thought and 593 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,720 thanked God for Christians was mind boggling to me. 594 00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:46,720 So you don't have to turn there, but please just lean in because 595 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:48,920 we're almost done here. I want to read these verses to 596 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:50,360 you. Just listen to this man's 597 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:54,360 language of how he gave thanks not for the bread that 598 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,560 represents the body, but the actual spiritual body of Jesus 599 00:36:57,560 --> 00:36:59,400 Christ. Namely, the church doesn't know 600 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:01,440 what he says in Ephesians one, verse 15. 601 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:05,200 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord 602 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:08,880 Jesus and your love toward all the Saints, I do not cease to 603 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,120 give thanks for you remembering you in my prayers. 604 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,000 Now this was years ago when this was unpacked to me in great 605 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,880 detail and I sat back in my chair and this is the thought 606 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,240 that came to me and I remember it so clearly like it was 607 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:24,360 yesterday. When was the last time I took 608 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:30,240 the time to come before the Lord and identify people based on 609 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:34,080 their fervent devotion to God and their service to the Church 610 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:37,480 of Jesus Christ and to thank you for such people? 611 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:44,400 Lord, thank you for such people. When was the last time that I 612 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:47,840 thank God for his work, not in me, but in somebody else? 613 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:51,760 This is what Paul is saying. I can't help but give thanks 614 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:57,840 because I'm witnessing something of God's glory in you and I want 615 00:37:57,880 --> 00:37:59,640 to honor and acknowledge God for that. 616 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,800 Now here's another place in Philippians one verse three, I 617 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:09,640 thank God, I thank my God and all my remembrance of you always 618 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:13,680 and every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy. 619 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,720 Can you imagine that? Can you imagine having such an 620 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:20,600 awareness of people in your life that when you pray for them or 621 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:26,200 about them, you get excited? This is biblical Christianity. 622 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:27,560 I'm just telling you what it's saying here. 623 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:29,800 And I'm like, if this is possible, give it to me. 624 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:33,600 Here's Paul who says, when I think about you and I pray for 625 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:39,120 you, I get giddy. But he doesn't end there. 626 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,240 Why is he praying with joy? Verse 5, because of your 627 00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:47,960 partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 628 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:53,480 So here again, thinking to myself, looking at this, this is 629 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:57,200 how we should read our Bibles. When was the last time that I 630 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:01,440 came before the Lord and I identified people in my life who 631 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:06,280 enrich my ministry and make my walk with Jesus Christ that much 632 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:11,320 sweeter? When have I given thanks for 633 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:16,840 that? Might be thinking, I didn't know 634 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,200 a message on Thanksgiving can be so convicting. 635 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:22,240 I'll tell you why it's convicting because it's not our 636 00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:26,840 disposition. It's not our disposition and 637 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,000 that's why the Scripture is absolutely sprinkled with it. 638 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:35,280 So we would be reminded you have so much to give thanks, yes, so 639 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:38,520 much to be grateful for. And the Bible has been given to 640 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,280 us as a mirror to be like this is you're missing this, you're 641 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:46,160 not seeing this. And that's why we have every 642 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:51,040 right to come before the Lord saying, Lord, help me see what I 643 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:54,080 can't see. You know, there's a testimony in 644 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:57,200 the book of Genesis where where God opens people's eyes to 645 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,360 things that are before them. Come to Genesis 21. 646 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:06,120 Her and her son Ishmael are out in the wilderness. 647 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:10,000 They run out of water. And notice what verse 17 says of 648 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,640 Genesis 21. And God heard the voice of the 649 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:15,640 boy, and the Angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to 650 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,520 her, What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the 651 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:21,960 voice of the boy where he is up. Lift up the boy and hold him 652 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,720 fast with your hand, for I'll make him into a great nation. 653 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:26,560 This is it, this is it. I'm telling you we're not going 654 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:27,720 further than this. Verse 19. 655 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:31,760 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. 656 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:34,800 She went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a 657 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:36,880 drink. People debate, did God create 658 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:40,480 the well and then show it to her, or was it always there but 659 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:45,120 she couldn't see it? I leaned to the latter. 660 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:48,560 And it reveals something about us and our humanity, especially 661 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:52,320 in our troubles and our trials, that we often cannot see what 662 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:57,000 things are right before us that can rescue us, that can bless 663 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,160 us, that God has supplied for us. 664 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:03,120 So I bring this up in closing, that we would ask God for that 665 00:41:03,120 --> 00:41:05,880 same miracle. There are things that we should 666 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:11,120 be thankful for that are right under our noses and we just 667 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:14,360 can't see it. But God is so gracious enough to 668 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,920 open our eyes so that we can give thanks. 669 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,120 Can I give you a final thought from Jesus giving thanks to the 670 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,520 Last Supper? It was on the night that he 671 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,400 would be arrested and put to death, which tells me something 672 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:31,120 about his gratitude. He was thankful until his dying 673 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:35,440 day. I want to follow my Jesus in 674 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:38,600 that way. You know, sometimes as people 675 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:40,560 get older in life, they become more cynical. 676 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,680 They get grumpier because they've sailed through life and 677 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,680 they've seen the fickleness of people and the evil in the world 678 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:52,640 and they just become jaded. That's not your destiny if 679 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:54,160 you're a spirit filled Christian. 680 00:41:55,520 --> 00:41:58,200 I see my Jesus and I see him. Even on the night that he was 681 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:00,800 going to be betrayed by one of his own, he just finished 682 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:03,280 washing his feet. The devil had entered him 683 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:07,680 according to John 13, and yet he can still have the presence of 684 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:10,440 mind and the heart filled of the Holy Spirit to give thanks. 685 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:15,760 I need that. Can we pray and ask God to help 686 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:17,560 us? Lord, we thank you for the 687 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:24,040 service. A simple message Lord, but all 688 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:27,240 one that convicts us all, including the one who shared it. 689 00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:33,160 Lord, help us be a people who know the great protection and 690 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:37,200 provision of Thanksgiving. Heal our hearts from murmuring 691 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,400 and grumbling. Help us be like Hagar who is 692 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:42,560 able to see things that she missed. 693 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:48,360 Even if our eyes are filled with tears, Lord, even if our eyes 694 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:51,720 can't seem to pull away from the things that trouble us or 695 00:42:51,720 --> 00:42:56,920 disturb us, Help us see what you want us to see that can save us 696 00:42:57,440 --> 00:43:02,640 and sustain us. Lord, from our hearts we say 697 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,960 thank you for Maranatha Bible Church and as Paul gave thanks 698 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:09,200 for the church, as we give thanks to you for this one. 699 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:12,760 Thank you for every single believer here who makes this 700 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,920 ministry possible. Thank you for every servant 701 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:17,920 behind the scenes. Thank you for every person who 702 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:21,680 sacrificed time and energy for the gospel to go out, for 703 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:23,760 believers to be strengthened and encouraged. 704 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:26,840 People who have sacrificed their money, people have sacrificed 705 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:30,360 their gas, people who sacrificed their homes, their meals. 706 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,120 Lord, we are grateful and we trust, oh God, that it will be 707 00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:36,640 rewarded. Lord, we pray that as a church 708 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:39,520 moving forward, we would abound in Thanksgiving. 709 00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:42,840 May that be our portion by your Spirit's help. 710 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:47,600 In Jesus mighty name we pray Amen and Amen, Amen. 711 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:51,040 We're going to celebrate downstairs in a moment, but 712 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:55,320 let's give God a final Thanksgiving and praise and in 713 00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:57,120 song and worship.