I was not scheduled to preach today. But we are living in the times of a pandemic and precautionary actions.
In other words, I had to cover with less than a day’s notice. But our one, true God is good. 😉
Below are my notes. (And a link to the audio and video may later be on The Church Next Door AZ YouTube page)
Psalm 100: Thanksgiving
Read v. 1-2
First week of Advent! Christmas season has officially started! Christmas carols everywhere!
Also, it is Thanksgiving weekend.
Read v. 4
Why do we thank God? What reasons do we have to give Thanksgiving?
• v. 3: Because He is God.
• v. 5: Because He is good.
• v. 2: Because of His gifts.
v. 3: God is God.
God deserves our praise and Thanksgiving because He is our Creator and Lord.
• Revelation 4:11: [the 24 elders around God’s throne fell down and said] “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
o We can’t even get our electronics, let alone governments, to run right. Could we handle all of Creation?
• Exodus 20:2-3: “I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other gods before Me.”
o Not “I am to be your favorite god,” but “There is no other.”
• Colossians 1:15-20: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
o God is in control. Of everything. He holds it all together, sustaining and replenishing, and leading His Church to reconcile the world to Himself.
v. 5: God is good.
• Luke 18:18-19: And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
• Psalm 34:8: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
• Psalm 145:9: The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
• James 1:16-17: Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
• Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
o God is good and the source of all that is good, and He does not change.
o God’s mercy extends to all people (Matthew 5:45: “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”), but His grace and ultimate good are reserved for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. So we are thankful that He is good and …
o Therefore …
v. 2: God’s gifts.
As stated, God gives good gifts. What are these?
• We have His Word.
o Just read Psalm 119. It is long, but it is all about God’s Law/Word/Scripture.
o Ephesians 2:20: We are ”built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
• We may get health and wealth in this life, but that is not our guarantee.
o John 14:33: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
o We have His peace.
• Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
o We have His grace and forgiveness.
o We also were created for good works.
• What are our good works?
o We get to help those in need.
Galatians 6:10: So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
James 1:27: Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
[Isaiah 58, Micah 6:8]
o We get to share the gospel.
Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.
We are told by God’s Word that we who believe have received His peace through His grace and forgiveness, being His master workmanship to do His work of reconciling a lost world to Him through good works and sharing the good news of His coming!
So … how do we live a life of thanksgiving?
• In Luke 19:1-10, we read of Zacchaeus, a tax collector whom Jesus visited. Merely being shown kindness by Jesus led this small man to change his ways – to repent – and repay any wrongdoing he had done.
o We show thankfulness by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus’ work of salvation through the cross.
• In Luke 17:12-18, we read of the 10 lepers who were healed. How many came back to worship Jesus? Just 1.
o We show thankfulness by worshiping our God who has cleansed us of our sins and possibly even healed our physical/mental afflictions.
• [Giving Tuesday this week 😉] In Luke 21:1-4, we read about the poor widow who gave 2 copper coins as a gift to God, which was all she had to live on.
o We show thankfulness by giving to God, not out obligation or our excess but in gratitude and sacrificially, especially to help spread the gospel (see 2 Corinthians 9).
• Colossians 3:12-17: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
o In all things we are thankful. Even when doing the dishes, cleaning up after our pets/siblings/kids/spouses/friends, paying bills, going to work, being at work, listening to the news, driving in traffic, being stuck at home during a pandemic . . . and when watching our favorite show/movie, listening to our favorite song, driving down an open road, going to a game or other event, buying a new car or video game or toy or tool . . .
In all things.
One more reason to be thankful, and a reminder on this first Sunday of Advent, of Hope:
I can hear the complaints: But if God is good, why does He allow evil? Why does He let bad things happen to good people?
• Firstly, let us remember what Jesus told us: No one is good but God alone. As Isaiah reminded, even our good works are like filthy rags. We have all sinned and deserve punishment.
• So why does God allow evil things? (Yep. Trigger warning.)
o The first part of this answer is that He gave us free will. If He simply stopped us from doing evil, we would no longer have free will.
o Second part, we look at Revelation 8:1-5 (the seventh of the 7 Judgment Seals):
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,[a] flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Jesus shows John here that in the midst of all of the suffering we cause each other, God is listening to our prayers. He hears all of our cries for help. Sometimes, yes, He steps in and stops the evil. However, at the same time, He is right there, holding His chosen child and saying, “It’s okay. I’m here. I hear you. Their punishment is certain.” He is right there, looking at the abuser, the mocker, the murder, the liar, saying “Repent, for punishment is certain.”
Hurting loved one of God: He hears you, and He has promised His judgment and wrath on all evildoers.
If you are the abuser, the mocker, the murderer, the liar: He says, “Turn to me, for I have taken the wrath you deserve on myself when I was pierced and hung on a cross. Repent of your sin, and receive my grace.”
• All of God’s promises come true. 2 Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
We give thanks to our One True and Good God for the gifts of His promises: His grace and forgiveness and dealing with sin and evil once and for all.
[READ PSALM 100]
a simple man of God 