For This, I’m Thankful

1. Read: Hebrews 13:10-15

2. About the Text:

1) The author is encouraging us to cling to Jesus.

2) He is the sacrifice for our sins today.

3) We are to go to Him.

4) Earthly citizenship isn’t our priority, but heavenly.

5) So, by Him we offer the sacrifice of praise to God.

6) What is that sacrifice? It is the fruit of our lips.

7) What is the content? Making confession or giving thanks to His name.

3. About giving thanks.

1) It was characteristic of those condemned in Romans 1 that they were not thankful. Romans 1:21 states, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

2) In Colossians 3:15 Paul writes, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

3) 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

4) Being thankful helps us to recognize our limitations, frailties, inabilities, and dependence upon others.

5) In that regard, being thankful causes us not to be prideful.

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Consider that the purpose of the creation is for man’s needs.

1) Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

2) Genesis 1:29 “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food:”

2. Having that in mind, in the creation God has provided the raw materials for . . .

1) Food and Water

2) Clothing

3) Shelter

4) Oxygen

5) And other items of interest to our lives.

3. Moreover, it is also in the creation that the basis for employment is found.

1) Genesis 2:15 “And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

2) The resources that we need to build everything that we have comes from the creation.

4. Moreover, we have the Sun, Moon, and stars as sources of beauty, navigation, and time keeping.

1) Genesis 1:14-18 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”

5. I’m so thankful to God that He put us on a planet where He has provided for us.

1. God’s Revelation through the Holy Spirit

1) When we consider that God chose to reveal His mind to us, what a blessing is that?

2) We could not know God’s thoughts without Him revealing them to us.

3) Consider 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.”

2. The Faithful men whom God inspired to write His word.

1) Forty different writers over a period of 2000 years.

2) 2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.”

3) What if David had given up?

4) What if Paul had given up?

3. Today’s printed word.

1) We are so fortunate to have the printed word today.

2) Not too many years ago, it was quite scarce for anyone to have a book in their house.

3) When Guttenberg set up his printing press, it changed our lives.

4) We are now able to read, study, and learn from the Apostles and prophets directly.

5) The majority of the people in the world have not had this privilege.

6) Jesus promised that He would preserve His words. Matthew 24:35 states “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

1. Family

1) Wives – Proverbs 18:22 “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”

2) Husbands – Titus 2:4 “that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children”

3) Children – Psalm 127:4-5 “As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.”

4) Parents – Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”

5) Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, Nephews, Nieces, Cousins, etc.

2. Friends

1) Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.”

2) Proverbs 27:6a “Faithful are the wounds of a friend….”

3) Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

4) 3 John 1:14 “The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.”

1. God’s wisdom in creating her.

1) Ephesians 3:10-11 “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:”

2) Consider the autonomy of each congregation.

3) Consider the plurality of local leadership.

4) Consider the cooperation of the congregations.

5) These aspects show God’s wisdom in the design and organization of the church.

2. Her Members

1) Romans 12:4-5 “For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.”

2) Consider 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 where Paul discusses the need for all members.

3. The Salvation that is in her.

1) We become part of the body by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.”

2) To be in Christ is to be in His body, the church. The church is the body of Christ; Ephesians 1:22-23 “and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

3) To be in Christ is to have salvation. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.”

4) Salvation is in the church, the body of Christ.

1. For His Love

1) John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

2) Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. For His Teaching

1) John 8:31, 32 “Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

2) John 7:17 “If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.”

3. For His Example

1) 1 Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

2) John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

4. For His Sacrifice

1) John 10:17 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.”

2) 1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

5. For His Leadership

1) Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.”

2) Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

1. For This, I’m Thankful

1) The Creation

2) The Bible

3) Family and Friends

4) The Church

5) Jesus

2. On being thankful.

1) This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, but it is a start.

2) If you need to be more thankful in your life . . .

a. Take this list as a start and add to it yourself from your own life.

b. Start a gratitude journal for which you are thankful for different things each day.

c. Tell someone you know the things for which you are thankful today.

3. Invitation