Where Did Thanksgiving Come From?
Intro:
1. ILL: “1st Proclamation After Plymouth”
2. ILL: “Washington’s Proclamation”
3. ILL: “Sarah Hale’s Persistence”
4. The idea of thanksgiving actually came from the Bible!
Colossians 3:15-17
I. Examples of Thanksgiving Expressed in the Old Testament
A. They were called Fellowship Offerings which could be made as offerings of thanksgiving or Peace Offerings. (Lev 3:1-17; 7:12-15).
B. These offerings were offered spontaneously whenever someone wanted to express gratitude to the Lord.
C. The offering consisted of an animal whose blood had been drained & whose body fat was burnt on the altar.
D. This offering, along with unleavened cakes, were to be eaten by the priests that day.
II. Examples of Thanksgiving Expressed in the New Testament
A. The man carried by his 4 friends. After he was healed immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God - Lk 5:25.
B. In the pig story, after his healing the demon possessed man told everyone what the Lord had done. (Lk 8:39).
C. The woman afflicted with palsy praised God after she was healed (Lk 13:13).
D. Blind Bartimaeus followed Jesus (Mk 10:46-52).
III. When is It Appropriate to Thank the Lord?
A. Before eating food.
1. Bible examples.
a. At the Feeding of the 5000. Lk 9:16 - Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.
b. At the Last Supper. Matt 26:27-28 - Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them.
c. Paul before the Shipwreck. Act 27:35-36 - After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
2. How about saying grace in public?
a. ILL: Our family tradition.
b. We do use discretion - ILL: Connection Club.
c. It’s a good witness & example if done appropriately - not in a “holier than thou” fashion.
B. In all circumstances.
1. I Thess 5:16-18 - Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
2. Eph 1:16 - I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
3. It’s tough to give thanks in some circumstances - ILL: Bill Barker’s prayers of Thanksgiving.
IV. What are Some Things You Can Thank God For?
A. For satisfying your personal needs. Rom 14:6 - He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
B. For deliverance from sin. Rom 7:23-25 - but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
C. For giving us the Lord Jesus. II Cor 9:15 - Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
D. For victory over death & the grave. I Cor 15:56-57 - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
E. For people who have accepted the word of God.
1. I Thess 2:13 - And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
2. II Cor 2:14 - But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
3. Rom 6:17-18 - But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
F. For the faith & love you see in the body of Christ. II Thess 1:3 - We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
The Lord is disappointed when you take His grace for granted!
ILL: The Samaritan Leper. Lk 17:15-19 - Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.
Lord Jesus suffered & died on the cross for you. He loves you that much! Express your gratitude to Him by surrendering your life to Him today!
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