Thankful Heart
Introduction:
- Thanksgiving is upon us, already.
- The importance of having a thankful heart.
- When we were in Shanghai we started the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving. Of course Thanksgiving is an American holiday but it did not matter. Often times people would try to to get me to celebrate it on Saturday because schools or work did not have off on Thursday but instead I just closed our school and gave our team the day off so Chrisitna could cook and feed everyone.
Offering: Sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Leviticus 22:29 When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.
Psalm 50:23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.”
Psalm 107:21-22 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing.
• The only reason you need to be thankful is that God is good.
Ps.136:1 – Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
Spurgeon describes this verse. “Essentially he is goodness itself, practically all that he does is good, relatively he is good to his creatures. Let us thank him that we have seen, proved, and tasted that he is good. He is good beyond all others: indeed, he alone is good in the highest sense; he is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, and the rewarder of good. For this he deserves the constant gratitude of his people. For his mercy endures for ever. We shall have this repeated in every verse of this song, but not once too often. It is the sweetest stanza that a man can sing. What joy that there is mercy, mercy with Jehovah, enduring mercy, mercy enduring for ever. We are ever needing it, trying it, praying for it, receiving it: therefore let us for ever sing of it.”
Main passage: A Thankful Heart
Luke 17:11-19 (ESV) 11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
1. The ten lepers stood at a distance.
12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying,
1.1. Sickness, shame, and religion kept the lepers afar off.
1.2. They were crying out for mercy.
1.3. The Word tells us “Jesus saw them”.
1.4. How important it is to let people know that they are seen.
1.5. I am so glad Jesus saw me.
1.6. “Go and show” instructions.
1.7. Learn to be a people who follow instructions.
1.8. Ela… we want things to change and when we are given instructions we only partially if at all follow them.
2. Return and give thanks.
15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
2.1. As they went… they were healed.
2.2. One realized as they were heading to the priest that he was healed.
2.3. Ela… miracles happen in so many ways.
2.4. 10 were sent and 1 returned.
2.5. A tithe returned.
2.6. Where were the nine?
2.7. The Samaritan, the foreigner, the unlikely one returned…
2.8. Ela… you never quite know which one will return with a thankful heart and which ones will snub off the generosity.
2.9. Don’t fall into the “what have you done for me lately” mentality. Only thankful for a minute until the next miracle.
Matthew 16: 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.
3. The thankful person will always walks away with so much more.
16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:19 (KJV) And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
3.1. It wasn’t a religious ceremony or even a healed body that this samaritan really needed…
3.2. What did the nine leave with?
3.2.1. The Nine left with just a healing.
3.2.2. Ela… there healing was precious and important but a physical healing alone is not what we are seeking.
3.3. He like all of us needed to be made whole…
3.3.1. And this wholeness was found at the feet of Jesus.
3.3.2. Here we are, all foreigners, needing to be found at the feet of Jesus.
3.4. The healing is not the end all.
3.5. God heals people all the time for many different reasons:
3.5.1. #1 he is just good that is what He does.
3.5.2. To bring glory to his name.
3.5.3. He is trying to get people’s attention.
3.5.4. He moves on behalf of the prayers of a loved one. 3.5.5. He moves on behalf of one’s faith.
3.6. What did the 1 leave with?
3.6.1. One left with so much more.
3.6.2. (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible) We may look for God to meet us with mercy, when we are found in the way of obedience. Only one of those who were healed returned to give thanks. It becomes us, like him, to be very humble in thanksgivings, as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus distinguished himself, he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward cure, he alone got the spiritual blessing.
3.7. Thank Him for all He has done and then you will see clearly to see all He is doing right now in your life.
4. Having a thankful prayer and worship life.
Psalms 30:12 (NKJV) 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalms 35:18 (NKJV) I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
Psalms 92:1 (NKJV) 1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
Psalms 100:4 (NKJV Strong’s) 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name
Psalms 105:1 (NKJV) 1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
1 Chronicles 16:8 (ESV) 8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
1 Chronicles 16:34 (ESV) 34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
4.1. Worship consist of three ingredients.
Revelation 4:9-10 (NKJV) 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
4.1.1. Giving glory. 4.1.2. Giving honor. 4.1.3. Giving thanks.
4.2. If you want to uproot discontentment, ungratefulness, an an overall negative few of life then get some thankfulness in your heart.
4.3. For some of us this would be like learning a new language. 4.4. We pray for people by giving thanks for them in our prayers.
Ephesians 1:16 (NKJV) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
Conclusion: Everyone needs a thank you.
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people
• • • •
Thanksgiving for all people. Learn to say *thank you*. Learn to say *sorry*.
And say them both often.