THE GIVER AND HIS RECIEVERS (Phil 4:4-6; Col 3:12-15)

Transcription

1 THE GIVER AND HIS RECIEVERS (Phil 4:4-6; Col 3:12-15) A. Thanksgiving Day is a day TO reflect & respect the abundant blessings God has given us in this nation. 1. Millions will use that day for indulgence, intemperance, & ingratitude, not truly respecting their Creator, or their country, or even their consciences. Romans 1: For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power & divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, & their foolish heart was darkened. 2. But why do we who live in this country seem to have it so much better than many others? a. God Blessed America!!! b. He did so primarily for His kingdom s sake, & the spread of the gospel. c. But He also blessed this nation for the sake of those who worked hard in honest labor to build this nation & to provide for their families & for those in need, and for those who sacrificed in so many ways - especially in the ultimate way - to help secure our freedoms and, of course, they were working along with the Lord in that matter too. 3. Giving thanks is 1 st an act of remembering those things for which we have to be thankful. 1

2 Psalms 50:23 (Asaph in the words of God) 23 He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God. Psalms 69:30 (David) 30 I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalms 95:2 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (Psa 100; 145) [Thanksgiving should be more than just a day of giving thanks to God; it should be our disposition every day as disciplined & devoted disciples of Christ.] I. THANKING THE GIVER A. You have to wonder, don t you, if the national holiday coming up would have been suggested by our political leaders in We see fewer are willing to say that every good & perfect gift is from God (Jas 1:17). 2. Fewer take the time to bow their heads & sincerely thank God. 1 Timothy 4:4-5 4 For everything created by God is good, & nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God & prayer. 3. Even fewer acknowledge the role of the Son of God in giving us all that is worthwhile. John 5: [Jesus] For just as the Father raises the dead & gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. B. This is one reason the Holy Spirit of God urges us to be thankful. 2

3 1 THESSALONIANS 5: PRAY WITHOUT CEASING; 18 IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. Colossians 3:15 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; & be ye thankful. 1. There are many things wrong in our nation, & yet God continues to be generous. a. Thousands don t get good nourishment, but many work to see that they do. b. Hundreds are responsible for the food you will put on your plate today. C. But who compares to God in the matter of generosity toward the human race (Psa 145:9)? 1. Showering abundance of the wicked & the righteous (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:17). 2. But His reason for doing that is found in (Matt 5:43-47). 3. We re sitting in the Father s classroom & He s teaching us how to live among the people of this world. a. how to love our enemies. b. how to bless those who curse you. c. how to do good to those who hate you. d. how to pray for those who spitefully use & persecute you. e. how to love more people than just the people who love us. f. how to be son s & daughters of our Father. g. how to be perfect, even as He is perfect. 3

4 4. But His greatest gift of all, the gift to which all of His other gifts point is eternal life! Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (John 3:16) 2 Timothy 2:10 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. (2 Tim 4:8) James 1:12 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. [The free gift of eternal life required endurance on Paul s part to bring it to us AND perseverance on our part to receive it. What better way is there to express our gratitude to God than to acknowledge the purpose of His gifts, which is to finally bring us into His holy & majestic presence?] II. TAKING THE GIVER FOR GRANTED A. It s easy to take a gift for granted - isn t it? Especially if it s given very often. 1. And if we take the gift for granted, then we re taking the Giver for granted too. 2. And when that happens, we stop being thankful for the gift AND the Giver (Rom 1). 3. But if God doesn t get tired of providing for us each day, we shouldn t get lax in thanking Him each day. B. Remember the ten lepers (Lk 17:11-19)? 4

5 1. Nine became examples of the ingratitude. 2. Only one took the time to give thanks the Lord for removing the disease. 3. But in Jesus response to them, He didn t draw attention to the nine for their lack of faith in His power, but for their refusal to humbly say Thank You! 4. How many people this week will sit down to a table full of food, knowing God supplied it, but will not pause a moment in quiet, humble reverence & thank Him? [May our love for the Great Giver never fail -- may we never take Him or what He gives for granted. And may His generosity toward us be the force that drives us to imitate Him.] III. TAKING THE GIVER AT HIS WORD A. We read the verse in class Wednesday night. Acts 20:35 35 "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 1. It s easy to pay lip service to that statement attributed to Jesus, but what does it really mean? a. It means that there is a greater RESULT from giving than receiving. b. Receiving is nice, but giving is so much more rewarding. - By giving we gain a better under-standing of God (1 John 3:16-18). 5

6 - If we never give generously, how can we ever understand the Giver? [Ultimately, when all things are considered, there is more joy & reward in giving than in receiving. Receiving lasts for a moment, but giving pays an eternal dividend.] IV. REPAYING THE GIVER A. What if we had to repay God? 1. Suppose He threatened to stop giving if we didn t give Him something of equal value. 2. If that were the case, it wouldn t be long before we were not receiving anything. 3. Jesus described God the Giver in these terms. Luke 7:41-42 (Simon the Pharisee s house - Sinful woman) 41 A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, & the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Luke 7:41-42 (KJV) 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence [day s wage], & the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? [There s another reason we have to be thankful: God has not sent us bill for His gifts & services. He does, however, require that all our planning & efforts be directed toward doing His will & being thankful to Him (Col 3:17). And certainly there is no question but that He is deserving of our full devotion & unfailing gratitude!]. 6

7 CLOSING A. Once we start thanking the All-mighty Giver, there is really no place to stop. Psalms 68:19 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden [nkjv - loads us with benefits], the God who is our salvation. Colossians 1:12 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 2:6-7 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted & now being built up in Him & established in your faith, just as you were instructed, & overflowing with gratitude. 2 Corinthians 9:15 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 7