Winston Salem church of Christ

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?

INTRO:

A. Song – “Count Your Blessings”

1. That is a job that is impossible to finish.

2. Don’t Count Your Blessings—You Can’t Count That High

3. Some people use their fingers and toes to count their blessings and a calculator to count their miseries.

B. What do we have to be thankful for? It is easy to forget what we have to be thankful for because we have so much. It’s as if we get used to it. Other times it is easy to forget what we have to be thankful for because of suffering. We sing a song, Count You Many Blessings also titled, When Upon Life’s Billow’s. It speaks of reminding ourselves to be thankful by counting our blessings in the middle of life’s storms. 1. We must remember not to forget (Ps.103:2)Psalm 103:2 – Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.2. Quote: “Blessed are those who give without remembering and those who can receive without forgetting.”

C. What do we have to be thankful for? Some things are rather obvious; others obtuse. Some things we can be immediately thankful for; others we don’t quite see the blessing until later.. BODY:
I. For Physical BlessingsA. Most of us, if we don’t have something we want, we really do not need it. Plus, sometimes if we don’t have something we want, it is because in the past we got something we did not need – and are still paying for it. And if there is something we really want, most of us can simply go buy it. Christmas is coming up. I almost feel guilty in receiving presents because I do not need anything. Almost, I said. Some extended families make their presents to each other donations to charities.

B. Life Experience: Are You Poor?A long time ago, I went to pick up my girls from karate wearing raggedly, stained, torn mismatched clothes. A little boy came up to me and asked, “Are you poor?” I answered, “At the end of some months, yes.”

1. Some of us have gone through difficult times. Others have not. During my adulthood there have been times where I could not afford a new pair of shoes and had to walk around with a hole in the sole – but I did have shoes. There was another time Janet and I had to decide between buying bread or milk that week because we could not afford both – but there was water to drink and other food in the house. I have never gone hungry. I’ve always had a roof over my head. I’ve had enough blankets to keep me warm during the winters back in
Kentucky. God kept His promise of providing all that I need.

C. We have many material blessings for which to express thanks (Mt.6:33; 1 Tim.6:8; Heb.13:5). In fact, there is not a single thing that I need that I do not have. We can thank God for that.1. Would we be as faithful today if I children went to bed hungry? I pray I never find out. I pray that I never need to find out. Why? The obvious reason of seeing my children suffer; and then the obvious conclusion that I am not seeking first the

kingdom of
God.

D. What would happen spiritually if we were reduced to the same level of many of the world’s population? If we traded places with many in the world, we would have to (1) take away our furniture, except for a few old blankets, a kitchen table and one chair; (2) take away all our clothing except for our oldest dress or suit, a shirt or blouse and one pair of shoes for the head of the family; (3) empty our cupboards of food with the exception of a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt, a few moldy potatoes, a handful of onions and a dish of beans; (4) dismantle the bathroom, shut off the water, and remove the electrical wiring; (5) take away the house itself and move the family into a tool shed; (6) cancel all subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, book clubs, and internet providers; (7) put the nearest clinic or hospital ten miles away and put a midwife in charge instead of a doctor; (8) discard the bank book, stock certificates, pension plans, insurance policies and leave the family $5 in cash; (9) give the head of the family three tenant acres to cultivate on which he will make $300 in cash crops, one-third of which goes to the landlord and one-tenth to the money-lender; (10) cut off 25 to 30 years of life expectancy for every member of the family.1. I have prayed before that God will make me content with what I have without me having to loose everything I have.2. 1 Timothy 6:8

E. Life Experience: Are You Poor?Remember that little boy that came up to me and asked, “Are you poor?” I wish I would have not joked around. I wish I would have said, “I am rich because I have everything that I need.” And that leads me to the next thing to be thankful for – Spiritual blessings. I am rich because I have Jesus.

II. For Spiritual Blessings

A. Although I could have put spiritual blessings before physical blessings since they are more important, I believe it to be true that if we do not appreciate our physical blessings, we can never appreciate our spiritual blessings. Why? For the same reason John said, for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)

B. Illustration: Wealthy ChristianAn aged Christian was called upon by the tax assessor to determine the amount of taxes he should pay. When asked what property he had, the Christian said, “I am a very wealthy man.” Whereupon the tax assessor asked him to list his possessions. The man did:· I have remission of my sins – Acts 2:38.· I have a mansion in heaven – Jn.14:2.· I have peace that passeth understanding – Phil.4:7.· I have joy unspeakable – 1 Pet.1:8.· I have a divine love that never faileth – 1 Cor.13:8.· I have a faithful, pious wife – Prov.31:10.· I have devoted children – Ex.20:12.· I have true, loyal friends – Prov.18:24.· I have songs in the night – Ps.42:8.· I have a crown of life – Jms.1:12.· I have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who supplies all my needs freely – Phil.4:19.1. Closing the book, the tax assessor said, “You are truly a wealthy man, but do you know that I’m/not able to tax you on any of this?” He then added, “You have possessions that give 100 percent profit.”

C. Eph.1 is one of the richest chapters in the Bible.

III. For Disguised Blessings (i.e. Things We Don’t Like)A. Illustration: Winston Churchill – “Then it is heavily disguised.”When Winston Churchill lost the race for Prime Minister in 1945, someone commented it was a blessing in disguise. To which Churchill responded, “Then it is heavily disguised.”

B. Scripture:James 1:2-4 – Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.1. This is hard to do. I don’t think James is saying we should jump up and down if we lose our job, but rather what is our attitude? It should be, “Now I have a chance to glorify God and prove to Him how much I love Him.” And, “Apparently the Devil must think I love God so much he wants to tempt me.”

C. Illustration: Broccoli?I heard about one 4-year old boy who was asked to return thanks before dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation and waited – and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “But if I thank God for the broccoli, won’t He know that I’m lying?”

1. It is hard to be thankful for something you don’t like, isn’t it? That may be an almost impossible task for a child, and even a difficult and unappreciated task for an adult.

D. Illustration & Life Experience: LeftoversFor example, I don’t like leftovers. Some people claim they taste better the second time around. I can disprove that with a simple anecdote:

Did you hear about the man who opened a restaurant and named it after himself. It failed and went out of business. Mr. Leftovers never understood why.

And calling them encore presentations does not help.

Sometimes there are leftovers simply because the cook cooks too much food. I married the greatest cook in the world who still thinks she is cooking for a family of 39.

Sometimes there are leftovers simply because the food the cook cooks tastes disgusting. Which has never happened in my house!!!…except for that non-fat, zero cholesterol, vegetable lasagna even my wife never wants to eat again.

In praying before eating leftovers, my wife has noticed that I sometimes thank God for her hard work, for the refrigerator that keeps the food from spoiling, for the microwave that reheats the food, for the plates, glasses and spoons and forks. I then say Amen.

In other words, I thank God for everything except what? The food! I’m gotten better – now that I have to pay the grocery bill!1. I’ve never celebrated the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I’ve gotten mighty close to the Twelve Days of Thanksgiving Leftovers. The Twelve days of Thanksgiving…On the First Day…..
We give thanks for the fresh turkey feast and its hot trimmings. On the Second Day…..
We bless the cold turkey sandwiches, sloshy cranberry sauce, and hard rolls.

On the Third Day…..
We praise the turkey pie and vintage mixed veggies.

On the Fourth Day…..
We thank the pilgrims for not serving bison that first time, or we’d be celebrating Thanksgiving until April.

On the Fifth Day…..
We gobble up cubed bird casserole and pray for a glimpse of a naked turkey carcass.

On the Sixth Day…..
We show gratitude (sort of) to the creative cook who slings cashews at the turkey and calls it Oriental.

On the Seventh Day…..
We forgive our forefathers and pass the turkey-nugget pizza.

On the Eighth Day…..
The word ”vegetarian” keeps popping into our heads.

On the Ninth Day…..
We check our hair to make sure we’re not beginning to sprout feathers.

On the Tenth Day…..
We hope that the wing meat kabobs catch fire under the broiler.

On the Eleventh Day…..
We smile over the creamed gizzard because the thigh bones are in sight.

On the Twelfth Day…..
We apologize for running out of turkey leftovers. And everybody says, “Amen!”2. Think what an amazing thing it truly is that we can eat leftovers for days and days and days and days and days and….

E. Since giving thanks is a learned response; and we have to think in order to thank; and being thankful is not tied to how much you have, or what you are given, but who you are; then we can even be thankful for things we do not like1. Illustration:Any parent knows the difference between those two things. For Christmas, many grandmothers give socks and underwear. If the children are trained right, they say “thank you.” But are they really thankful? I doubt it. I still remember my grandmother giving me socks. Where do you think I got this illustration?

IV. For Things Not Received:A. Mt.26:39; Mt.27:25; Acts 2:39 – Jesus took the blood of their hands and applied it to their souls.1. Just think, what would our lives be like if we got everything we ever asked for from God?2.

Garth
Brooks, “Unanswered Prayers.”

B. The thankful heart not only remembers blessings received, but is thankful for disasters avoided (Mt.6:13). If we only knew the unknown problems from which God delivers us day by day, with what sincere thanksgiving we would come before His throne of grace!

We thank thee, Father, For the care that did not come to try us;The burden that we did not bear,The trouble that passed by us;The task we did not fail to do;The hurt we did not cherish;The friend who did not prove untrue;The joy that did not perish.

We thank thee For the blinding storm That did not keep its swelling;And for the sudden blight of harmThat came not near our dwelling.

We thank thee for the dart unsped,The bitter word unspoken,The grave unmarked, the tear unshed,The heart-tie still unbroken. (Author Unknown)

C. Illustration: Matthew HenryMatthew Henry (1662-1714) is remembered today for his commentary. During his lifetime he was known for his gratitude. On one occasion he was robbed while walking down a street. The thieves took everything of value. Later that night, Matthew Henry wrote the following in his diary: “I am thankful that during these years I have never been robbed until now. Also, even though they took my money, they did not take my life. And although they took all I had, it was not much. Finally, I am grateful that it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” True gratitude can be found in more places than we often look.1. Start by asking congregation what he could have been thankful for.

V. All four of these are either found directly or implied in the “Lord’s Prayer.”A Daily bread – Physical blessingsB. Forgiveness of debts – Spiritual blessingsC & D. Lead us not…but deliver us – Things we haven’t received if God says “yes,” but things we do not like if God says “no,” because then God knows we need it.a. Better translated, trials since God does not “tempt” us Jms.1:13

IV. WHAT SHOULD WE BE THANKFUL FOR?A. In my Grandmother’s waning years, I almost always got the same Christmas present: white socks. White socks with my name written in big letters in black, permanent marker. I never asked why, but I assume it was because of all the grandchildren, with the added cost, it was either easier, or all she could do. I was thankful, but I was disappointed. I was thankful. I had to be or I would get punished!

B. Anything and everything:· That can be used for God’s glory.· That causes us to think and be thankful.· That creates a desire to become more spiritual.· That ceases us from sin.1. In looking at this short list, does that mean we should be thankful for an

C. A serious responsibility we parents have is to teach our children to be thankful for what they have – and that is hard. In today’s world it is so easy to become spoiled.1. Exercise: write down ten of their blessings.2. Visit the poorest section of town, visit a nursing home or even a children’s hospital.

CONCLUSION:A. Count Your Blessings – If you are not a Christian, Jesus has not come back yet!