11/23/2021
Thanksgiving: A Principle to Live By ~ Armando Torralva
Text: Colossians 3:17 and 1st Thessalonians 5:18
How many of you have watched on TV that cartoon or animated sitcom called “The Simpsons”? The main characters are a satire of a working-class family, consisting of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie.
The series lampoons many aspects of American culture, society, politics, and history. The Simpsons debuted in December1989 and currently holds the record for the longest-running prime-time sitcom in the US, running for 32 years.
In one episode of “The Simpsons” Bart is asked to say grace before the family eats their Thanksgiving Meal. And this is what He prays:
“Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing.”
Who says TV doesn’t reflect our culture?
This coming Thursday we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Most of us look forward to spending time with family, eating a wonderful Thanksgiving Meal, watching a football game on TV, eating a pumpkin pie for desert and so on. Of course, we give thanks to God for all His blessings.
But, Thanksgiving, in the Bible, is not just a verbal expression of gratitude for a blessing received; it is a principle to live by.
That is the theme of this message: Thanksgiving is a principle to live by. Here are the two points of this message.
#1. Thanksgiving should serve as a principle to live by…. A principle is a value used to guide our behavior or to evaluate things.
#2. Thanksgiving should serve as a sign of spiritual maturity.
I start this message with a quote:
“Your attitude determines your altitude.” In other words, how you respond, in your heart and mind and actions, to the things that challenge you will shape the person you will become. It will determine how high you will go in your disposition, or how low you will stay.
With that in mind, Thanksgiving is a time to reevaluate our attitude towards God.
So, let’s see how we are doing.
Centuries ago the Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:15----
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…and be thankful.”
Do you realize that according to Scripture, We are commanded to be thankful! Naturally the question arises: Why are we commanded to be thankful?
Well, I’m glad you asked:
The answer is because thanksgiving serves as a safeguard against pride and arrogance. Thanksgiving acknowledges the grace of God, and thus, recognizes that we are recipients of His grace and all other gifts – things we don’t deserve but which are given to us by God because of His mercy and love to us.
Over and over the Scriptures encourage us to worship God with praise and thanksgiving. For example:
Hebrews 13:15 says: “By Him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips Giving thanks to His name.”
Ephesians 5:18-20
“Be filled with the Spirit…singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
David said in Ps 34:1
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Paul said in I Thessalonians. 5:18
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
You may be puzzled about what it means to praise continually and give thanks always in every situation. Someone might ask, “Won’t this lead to denying your true feelings?”
Does it mean that when you stub your toe or Or fall and hurt yourself – your spontaneous response must be “Thank You, Lord”? Isn’t it dishonest to give thanks if you don’t feel thankful?
First of all, the Bible does not command us to feel thankful in every situation. It does NOT command us to manufacture positive feelings. Instead, it commands us to give thanks (Ist Thessalonians 5:18.
To give thanks when you don’t feel like it is not hypocrisy; its obedience (remember, we are commanded to be thankful!)
This does not mean you should deny your negative thoughts and feelings and attitudes sweeping them under some emotional rug.
If you are like most of us, you struggle more with your own sin and failure than with outward circumstances.
You may feel that until your life is straightened out and everything is going well– that you are in no condition to praise and thank God or Serve God. But God’s Word cuts through that thinking and with truth reminding us that approach to God has nothing to do with our attainment –it is based on God’s redeeming grace.
Reading through the Psalms made me realize that David and the other writers of the Psalms were honest about their feelings – facing them and telling God about them. Often they praised God first – and then expressed their disturbed emotions, their perplexities, even their complaints. After this they went on to praise God again despite their struggles. They did not deny their feelings or simply ignore them. Nor did they wallow in them. And it doesn’t seem that they postponed their praise until they had worked through their emotions and felt better. Instead they mingled an honest pouring out of their feelings with sincere, God honoring praise. You see, Life and Praise - is not always a feast of pure, simple gladness. In many situations you can experience both pleasant and unpleasant emotions.
I came across a saying that is very biblical. This is what I read: “It is not happy people who are thankful (though they can be); It is thankful people who are happy.”
Folks, Life is a series of problems that we continually try to solve –and a lot of the time those problems cause us a great deal of stress, anxiety and worry. But, "Gratitude is the stress buster." Years ago Dairy Queen (fast food restaurants in South Texas) had a commercial advertising the “Hunger Buster Meal.” Well folks, gratitude /thanksgiving is the “Stress Buster.” In other words, thankful people are joyful people.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be careful/anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
The peace of God comes from having a thankful heart, a heart that knows Jesus Christ as Savior and seeks to do His will.
You cannot have the Peace Of God without first having Peace With God. Why peace with God?
Without Jesus Christ, we are enemies of God, sinners in rebellion against a holy and righteous God, blind and lost without hope.
Romans 5:10
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life.
Colossians 1:21
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
Now, please note that according to Philippians 4:7, The peace of God will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:3 states it this way:
"You wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed/focused on thee."
Most people define peace of mind as the absence of mental stress and anxiety. The expression “peace of mind” conjures up images of Yoga-like composure with calm, comfort, and composure being so prevalent that nothing can disturb the one who has peace of mind. But, the Bible uses the word peace in several different ways.
Peace sometimes refers to a state of friendship between God and man. This peace between a holy God and sinful mankind has been made possible by the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ, “having made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).
This state of friendship with God is a prerequisite for the second kind of peace, a tranquil mind.
It is only when “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1) that we can experience the true peace of mind that is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, in other words, His fruit exhibited in us (Galatians 5:22).
Isaiah 26:3 tells us that God will keep us in “perfect peace” if our minds are “stayed” on Him...meaning our minds lean on Him, center on Him, and trust in Him rather than ourselves or on our problems.
Peace is experienced when we believe what the Bible says about God’s Nearness, His Goodness and Power, His Mercy and Love for His children, and His complete sovereignty over all of life’s circumstances.
But we cannot trust someone we don’t know, and it is crucial, therefore, to come to know intimately the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. To turn from sin and ask Jesus for His forgiveness and eternal salvation.
Peace of mind is experienced as a result of prayer with thanksgiving. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
A peaceful mind and heart are experienced as a result of recognizing that an all-wise and loving Father has a purpose in our trials. That is why Romans 8:28 is so special to millions of Christians: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
The 1st book of the Bible (Genesis) provides us an excellent example of God’s providence in action that works all things out for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). This verse is illustrated through the life and sufferings of Joseph who experienced the cruel betrayal by his brothers, who sold him into a life of slavery, the agonies of his soul, the false accusations, the years in prison, the forgetfulness of the butler – which mean 2 extra years of imprisonment. Yet God allowed all these things to happen for good!
God used all of these events to prepare Joseph to be Prime Minister of the greatest nation on earth at that time. Through those events – God had Joseph in the right place and at the right time to keep hundreds of thousands of people alive
including himself and his family during a severe and prolonged famine!
How did Joseph evaluate all that had happened to him, all the suffering, and imprisonment that he endured?
He told his envious brothers, who sold him into slavery,
“You meant evil against me – but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20)
When you think about it, thanksgiving is more than lip service - it is life service. It is a principle to live by even when we don't understand why we suffer or see any reason for it.
Now watch this, folks. If you will take heed, if you will live by this verse of Holy Scripture, you will save yourself a lot of grief and regrets. Colossians 3:17 says “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
As Christians we bear the name of Christ. All that we say and do should be associated with the name of Jesus Christ. By our words and our works, we should glorify His name. If we permit anything into our lives that cannot be associated with the name of Jesus, then we are sinning. We must do and say everything on the authority of His Name and for the honor of His Name. Bearing the name of Jesus is a great privilege, but it is also a tremendous responsibility.
The story is told of a young French soldier serving in Napoleon’s Army. This young man was not a very good soldier. He was constantly getting himself in trouble. One day he got into serious trouble and was taken to Napoleon for disciplinary action.
As he stood at attention, Napoleon asked him his name. The young soldier said, “My name is Napoleon, Sir.” The great Napoleon looked at him straight in the eyes and said “Young man, either change your ways, or change your name!”
You see, Napoleon did not want his name to be associated with drunkenness and unruly behavior. As Christians we bear the name of Christ and He does not want His name to be dragged through the mud.
Notice that Paul said in Colossians 3:17: whatever we do in the name of Christ ought to be joined with thanksgiving.
Now listen folks, herein is the principle to live by:
If we cannot honestly give thanks for whatever we are contemplating doing or saying or joining then, we better NOT do it!
If all of us will consciously live by this principle of thanksgiving, we will save ourselves a lot of grief and regrets.
I said that thanksgiving should serve as a principle to live by.
#2. Here is the second thing about thanksgiving:
it should serve as a sign of spiritual maturity.
Colossians 2:6-7 says: “as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith – as you have been taught ---- abounding with thanksgiving.”
The mature Christian is one who is rooted in Christ. Christians are not to be tumbleweeds that have no roots and are blown about by “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians. 4:14). The Christian is built up in Christ/ “edified” in Christ. That means that we are set on the foundation, which is Christ Himself, and we continuously grow in grace.
The Christian who is growing in grace is able to abound in thanksgiving. The person growing in Christ is able to recognize the hand of God in his/her life and return thanks for it. That is why “abounding in thanksgiving” is a sign of spiritual maturity. (Colossians 2:7)
Someone said: "Immature Christians, abound in grumbling ---Mature Christians abound in gratitude!"
Remember Job? After he lost all his children in one day, he said, “the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). We don’t have a problem with the Lord giving us His blessings. It is when He takes them away that our faith is challenged.
Yes, thanksgiving is a sign of spiritual maturity.
I read of a man who was approached and robbed of his wallet. Later that night, he wrote these words in his diary:
“Let me be thankful First because I was never robbed before: Second, although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, although they took my all, it was not much. And Fourth, because it was I who was robbed – not I who robbed.”
What a beautiful attitude of thanksgiving!
Someone said: “I don’t think the Lord wants any pompous proclamation of thanks on one Thursday in November --- as much as He wants a little humble service from each of us everyday in the year.”
In closing, may you be challenged and encouraged to praise and thank God not only with your voice, but with how you live your life as well! Amen.
