Speaker Sermon/Lesson Title Audio   Video  Text   MS Word Category Bobby Stafford A Thankful Life     Thanksgiving

A Thankful Life

Introduction:

Something interesting happened to Jesus on His way to Jerusalem.  (Luke 17:11-19) “Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’  So when He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’  And He said to him ‘Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well.’ ” NKJV  An amazing miracle took place.  Ten were healed of a dreaded disease but only one, and he a Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus.  As a result, he received an additional blessing.  Jesus notices our lack of gratitude.  So how do I come to have a thankful life?  How can I display a grateful heart?

Body:

I.  Be Content with What You Have

·  Americans have more possessions than any other country, but are some of the least satisfied.  The Israelites complained in the wilderness that they had no food, yet they had plenty.  (Exodus 16)  David showed discontent by taking Bathsheba.  (II Samuel 11)

·  Those who long to be rich display an ungrateful heart.  (I Timothy 6:9-10) “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” NKJV

·  Jehovah wants us to live a life of contentment.  (Matthew 6:25-34) “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  So why do you worry about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of there.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” NKJV  The apostle Paul knew about being content.  (Philippians 4:11-13) “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content; I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” NKJV

·  These verses show God blesses us with the necessities of life.  (Psalm 84:11) “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.” NKJV  (Psalm 145:15) “The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season.” NKJV

II.  Thankfulness Must Be Learned

·  Jehovah taught Israel thankfulness by having them offer the firstfruits of the ground’s produce.  (Deuteronomy 26:9-11) “ ‘He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’  Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God.  So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.” NKJV

·  Parents must teach their children to be thankful or they will grow up to think the world owes them.  See Romans 1:21.  “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” NKJV  (II Timothy 3:1-2, 5) “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away!” NKJV

·  A brief look at the Bible reveals the importance of a thankful heart.  (Ephesians 5:20) “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” NKJV  (I Thessalonians 5:18) “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”NKJV

III.  Remember God’s Blessings

·  A battle took place in Mizpah between God’s people and the Philistines.  God defeated the Philistines on behalf of His people.  Because of that, a stone was placed there as a memorial.  It was called Ebenezer, which means “stone of help.”  (I Samuel 7::12) “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.” NKJV

·  We travel in time to the mid 1700’s in England.  A seventeen-year old young man had been in a London gang for years.  He went to hear a preacher by the name of George Whitefield.  He went to mock and ridicule him.  The sermon was titled “Wrath to Come” and it changed his life.  Six years later he wrote the hymn “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”  His name was Robert Robinson.

O Thou Fount of Every Blessing

O Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;  Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise,  Teach me ever to adore thee; May I still Thy goodness prove;  While the hope of endless glory, Fills my heart with joy and love. 

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’ve come;  And I hope by Thy good pleasure  Safely to arrive at home.  Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand’ring from the fold of God;  He to rescue me from danger  Interposed His precious blood. 

O to grace how great a debtor  Daily I’m constrained to be!  Let Thy goodness like a fetter Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee.  Never let me wander from Thee, Never leave the God I love;  Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.  Robert Robinson  A Nettleton 

Verse 1:  Fountain opened in Jerusalem.  (Zechariah 13:1) “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.” NKJV  Song – “There Is A Fountain Filled with Blood”  William Cowper  Verse 2:  “Ebenezer” – “Stone of Help”  Verse 3:  Grace turns us into debtors and keeps us from wandering.

Conclusion:

Jehovah is the giver of every blessing.  He’s the source of every good and perfect gift.  Let us live a life of giving thanks characterized by a grateful heart.  Jesus shed His blood which became to the world a fountain of life. 

Bobby Stafford  November 24, 2019