Giving thanks. What does the Bible mean by giving thanks? The psalm we just read had five instances when it says that there's reason to give thanks to the Lord. Does that mean simply to say to God, thank you? No, it's more than just that. What does the Bible mean by giving thanks? It means responding to God's goodness and grace with gratitude, it is, with a warm and deep appreciation for the kindness received. Giving thanks in the Old Testament is shown by raising of hands to God out of gratitude. The New Testament word for thanks has the root idea from the word grace, that is God's accounting of chosen sinners as righteous on the basis of Christ's crucifixion on their behalf. Putting these ideas together, we can say that thankfulness in the New Testament refers to our response to God for showing his grace toward us, his chosen ones. And that response consists of a warm, emotional, deep appreciation for that grace which God has shown us. And how has he shown us his grace? Ultimately, He did that by sending his beloved son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be our Savior and our Lord. Let's first consider the danger of being unthankful. Not being thankful can be seriously wrong, not just in the eyes of parents, Say thank you, my son. Say thank you when you get something that's nice. Show your appreciation. But it's also seriously wrong in the eyes of God. Why do I say that? Paul, in his letter to the Romans, writes this. Since the creation of the world, God's invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen. being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give him thanks. In effect, those who fail to thank God for his blessings are saying they don't appreciate his kindness toward them. They act as though they could even do without him. Nothing short of outright blasphemy. That's what they're doing, in effect. Let's now take a brief look at six texts of scripture that teach us important lessons about thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul exhorts the Thessalonians, rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks, in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. When is it easiest to be thankful? When things are going well, right? While it might be easier to praise God when you are most happy and comfortable, it's just as important, if not more so, to thank him in the midst of trials. Paul tells us, tells the church there in Thessalonica, to rejoice always and to give thanks in all circumstances. Notice he does not say for all circumstances, but in the midst of them all. See the difference? In as opposed to for all circumstances. Why be thankful? Why can't we just give in to what comes naturally? That is to complain. Because God calls us to a life of continual thankfulness. He has made us new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is God's will that we be thankful. So let it be. Now, I was just thinking over what Pastor taught earlier today about the disciples and the crucifixion. They knew very well that there was a three days period of time before he would rise again. But all they could think about was how horrible it is that their savior had been crucified. In the circumstances, there was reason to rejoice, because he said, promised, I'm going to rise again. But they're not happy for the circumstances. The idea is that they weren't glad to see him crucified. No. There's a big difference there. It does not say to be rejoicing always for all circumstances, but in them, there's a reason to do that. This is not to say we should smile all the time. Indeed, that would be hypocritical. Sometimes events in our lives are sad, and we should not be ashamed of being grieved over them. But it is in those moments that God asks us to thank him, believing that the final outcome will be to his glory and the everlasting good of his chosen ones. Recall what happened when Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick. Did he hurry off and try to get to there so he got time to give him health and strength again before he died? No. He delayed his visit for a few days and then plainly said to his disciples, Lazarus is dead. And I'm glad for your sakes that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him. View of the final outcome of the situation known very well to him, Jesus sees it in the best possible light. The resurrection of Christ, excuse me, the resurrection of Lazarus will serve as a prime evidence of his own being none other than the Son of God. Final outcomes are not known to us. Due to our assurance that God knows the circumstances and the outcome, we can be thankful, anticipating that he has a good reason for what he's doing. It means for us to know why, but there's a good end to the story. Again, recall Stephen when he was confronted by the Jews who hated what he was preaching and began to stone him to death. He prayed, Lord, do not hold us in against them. Revive my spirit. The trials in our lives are not pointless. God has a purpose for everything, even the seemingly bad things. We may not be able firsthand to see any good, but God is sure to keep his promise to work all things together for good to those who are to those who may be able firsthand to see any good, but God is sure to keep his promise to work all things together for good for those who love God and who call according to his purpose. Remember Sarah and her barrenness, Job and his accusing friends, Joseph and his years of under, of undeserved imprisonment, to just name a few. Circumstances looked so bad, but had a very good end. The finding characteristic of a true believer in Christ is how they respond to trials. By finding the good in the bad and giving thanks despite the negative circumstances, Christians set themselves apart from the rest of the world of simultaneously lifting their own spirits, depicting their eyes on God instead of the world. All right, on to a second text of scripture. I will give thanks to you, Lord, for you have answered me and you have become my salvation. Someone, the pastor, just read there were five instances where there was giving thanks to the Lord for the answers that God was giving. The psalmist is setting a good example for us. Like him, we are to keep in mind the prayers we've offered and carefully watch for answers to those prayers. And when those prayers, when those answers do come, let us take special note of the gracious reply and offer prayers of thanksgiving for those welcome responses to our feeble requests. God has indeed been our rescuer from the troubles that we cast upon his loving heart. Third text. I will give thanks to you because I am awesomely and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well. When all is well with our bodies, we have our Lord to thank for such marvelous design and function of them. That is the time we should praise and thank God for his marvelous wisdom and skill in his creative work of fashioning us. The problem is that we so easily take it for granted that all is in tip-top shape and do no more than offer a trite prayer of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father. Our bodies are indeed fearfully and wonderfully designed and created, in many cases, with the capacity of repairing itself. I'm not sure why the evolutions do that. Somehow it's built into the system that can heal itself by accident. Our bodies indeed are fearfully and wonderfully designed and created, in many cases with the capacity to repair itself under God's oversight when it is injured or becomes sick. All glory belongs to our Lord for that. Fourth verse, then you, referring to dispersed sons of Israel, will say on that day, I will give thanks to you, Lord, For although you were angry with me, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me. Even God's frowns of displeasure must not put us Christians out of tune for praising him. Though he is angry with us, though he wounds us, yet we must put our trust in him and give him thanks. At times God has just cause for being angry with us, I'm referring to cases like Jonah and his failure to follow God's command, of Peter and Christ saying to him, get behind me, Satan. But on the other hand, we never have even the slightest reason to be angry with God, though we may think we do. Fifthly, for even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks. but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Note the inward cause of their sin. They are therefore without excuse, in that they did know God, and from what they knew, they should easily infer that it was their duty to worship him, and him only. Though some have greater light and means of knowing the truth than others, Yet all have enough to leave them inexcusable. The evil of it is that they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful. Not thankful for the favors in general they received from God, not thankful in particular for the revelation God is pleased to make of himself to them. Those who do not make good use of the means of knowledge and grace that they are given are justly reckoned unthankful for them. And sixth, but thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted. Consider the following paraphrase of these reactions that Paul makes to the Christians in Rome. Were you at one time among those who were slaves of sin? And are you now obedient from the heart to God? If so, then it would be good for you to remember those times when you did serve sin. Why do I say that? In order that it might keep you humbly keep you humble, penitent, and watchful, and quicken you to that service for God out of thankfulness to him. Our thanksgiving to God must be far more than just words. It should be a life lived out of thankfulness to God for the grace he shows us day by day. Colossians 3.17 puts it this way, and whatever you do in word or deed, to everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him. Note that even the thanks we give to God the Father must be offered through Jesus Christ. Like everything else, our prayers are not pure enough to be acceptable to God, but must be purified through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. We're to give thanks to God the Father in the name or under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our thanks to the Father should be shown by a joyful willingness to do what is pleasing to him. We should perform our acts of service with a conscious awareness of the abundant grace we have received from God. God looks upon us guilty sinners that we are, and chooses to send Jesus Christ to die in our place, to bear the penalty we ourselves deserve to suffer. How exceedingly great should be our desire to show our thankfulness with genuine joy and selfless delight. Consider with me a biblical example of genuine thankfulness. A harlot woman, whom Christ recently saved from her sin, manages to enter the house of a man who invited Jesus to dine with him. And how does she show her thankfulness to her Savior for what he had done to her? She pours expensive ointment on Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair. True thankfulness shows itself in sacrificial service. Simon, the host of the event, responds negatively in his mind by thinking that Jesus should not have allowed this sinful woman to touch him. Jesus challenges those thoughts by saying, he who is forgiven little loves little. But the woman at Jesus' feet, knowing how much she was forgiven, is moved by that grace to express her thankfulness. The result is an overwhelming act of service. to Jesus. Thankfulness shows itself. The writer of Psalm 107 repeatedly calls us to give thanks to the Lord for two things, his loving kindness and his mercies of grace. Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works. to the children of men." This isn't just a polite thank you, Lord, for when something good happens, this is an outpouring of praise to God for who he is and for what he has done and continues to do time without end. Well, I could close now by mentioning many more examples of being thankful, but the psalmist does this a lot better than I could do. when he writes these words. Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord himself is God. It is he who has made us, not we ourselves. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving. and into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name, for the Lord is good, his loving kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100. May God help us all to follow in the steps of the psalmist rendering thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father in all the circumstances and with all our heart and soul, mind, and strength. Let's pray. Worthy you are indeed, dear God, of the thanksgiving that is illustrated for us in these Psalms and Scriptures. Help us, we pray, Lord God, to grow in our appreciation for what you do to us and what you do for us and render to you the thankful spirit, a real deep, fervent thankfulness for the kindnesses that you show to us and of which we're so unworthy. Praise you, Lord God, for this day, for the circumstances of this hour. We can reflect on your goodness and learn more what it really means to be thankful. Help us to show our thanks, Lord God, by lives of service to you to show we really do appreciate all that you are and all that you've done and all that you promise to do as well. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.