Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

The speaker, Tom Fannin, discusses the importance of Thanksgiving and having a thankful attitude toward God. Tom also emphasizes the need to give thanks willingly and cheerfully, not grudgingly, and he also highlights the importance of recognizing that everything we have comes from God and that we should not boast about ourselves. Tom mentions that there is a spirit in the world that is not thankful and does not recognize God; warning against this mindset, he encourages love and kindness towards others, even enemies. Tom supports his points by referring to biblical passages from Leviticus, 2 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, Romans, 2 Timothy, and Luke. Well, greetings to everyone. It's really nice to be back with you again on another session of GoToMeeting. Today, we're going to be talking about Thanksgiving. Here in the United States, we're getting ready to have the holiday of Thanksgiving. At the time of year, personally, I like because it's late fall and there's a lot of beauty around. On Thanksgiving Day, for me personally, it's a day off work, get some time off work, get some time to spend with my family, get some good food, get a fellowship, and hopefully, take some time that day to just reflect on the blessings that have been given to me and my family and to this nation. It'd be nice to know that everybody in the United States that are keeping this day of Thanksgiving would take time to give thanks to God for all he's done, and the promises that he's kept. We know promises that he made to Abraham and to his seed, and what a great blessing this nation has received through the promises. Let's go back to Leviticus 22, if you will with me, Leviticus 22. I'm going to start reading in verse 29 of Leviticus 22. It says, and when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it at your own will. Here we have God saying, when you offer this sacrifice of thanksgiving, it's to be done at your own will. We know God does desire, as we'll go through the message here, for us to give thanks to him, but in a certain way, with a certain attitude, but it's to be done at your own will. On the same day as to be eaten, you shall leave none of it until morning. I am the Lord, and you shall keep my commandments and do them. I am the Lord, and you shall not profane my holy name, but I will be holy among the children of Israel. I am the Lord who is sanctifying you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord. And later on, we'll talk more about God and remembering who God is and remembering his name. But certainly, as we look at this and apply it to ourselves, what has God done for us and sanctifying us through the Holy Spirit and bringing us out of this world and calling us so we have in the church much to be thankful for, don't we? Well, let's go back to 2 Corinthians, if you would with me, 2 Corinthians, the 9th chapter. And what we'll be talking about here is, you know, God loves a cheerful giver. So in whatever we present or give to God, he wants us to do it with the right mind, with the right attitude. In 2 Corinthians 9, and let's go to verse 6. It says, This I say, the one who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Each one has his purposes in his heart, so let him give. But not grudgingly or by compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. So when we think about Thanksgiving, there is a way we approach God with Thanksgiving. It's not by compulsion, as it says here, or grudgingly. It's willfully. It's from the heart, and we'll talk more about that later. Cheerfully. For God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that in every way you may always have sufficiency in all things and may abound unto every good work. According as it is written, he is scattered abroad and he is given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever. Now, may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread to eat, supply your seed and multiply your sowing, and may he increase the fruits of your righteousness. And so, yes, when we think about all of us, may God do that for all of us, increase our fruits, the fruits of righteousness. So that you may in every way be enriched into all bountifulness, which causes Thanksgiving to God through us. For the administration of this service is not only filling up to overflowing the deficiencies of the saints, but it's also abounding by the giving of many things to God. So, you know, we know Paul's talking about the brethren, giving to brethren and helping out brethren, but also part of the message here was the abounding of Thanksgiving, the attitude we need to have towards God, the cheerfulness of giving from the heart willfully, whether it be Thanksgiving to God or what we do for one another, the attitude God wants us to have, you know, with the right attitude, it enhances our ability to be more thankful to God for what he's done. While we're on this thought of Thanksgiving and our attitude towards Thanksgiving, let's review back what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, the fourth chapter. Sometimes it's easy to forget what we've been given and who it comes from. And Paul makes it clear here that there's nothing that we have that we haven't received. So let's go back to 1 Corinthians 4 and go in verse 5. It says, therefore, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and he will make manifest the motives of all hearts. And then shall each one receive praise from God. And so, yeah, there will be a time where the motive of the hearts, those type of things will be revealed by God and we'll know. We don't know all these things now, but at some time we will. Now, these things, brethren, I have applied to Apollos and myself for your sakes, that in us you may learn not to think of men beyond what is written, so that no one among you is puffed up on behalf of one of us against the other. For what makes you superior to others and what do you have that you did not receive? That's the point here. What do any of us have that we didn't receive, right? But if you also received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it? So it's something for us to keep in mind that, you know, whatever God's given us, whatever God gave Paul and Apollos to do, it was all received. Our talents, our abilities, the blessings we have, all the things that occur in our lives, we receive it. From God, it's not of our own. So we know we all have to be on guard that we are careful not to be boasting in ourselves or become puffed up in ourselves in anything. But just recognize God that he gave it to us, everything. That's the kind of mindset God wants us to have when we consider being thankful. Let's be turning back now to Romans, the first chapter. Well, we certainly see a spirit in the world today that's not thankful and doesn't recognize God. This is brought out in Romans 1, and I'll start reading here in verse 18. It says, And as I mentioned in the beginning of the message, I really like the fall time of the year here where I'm at in Ohio. We enjoy the seasons in this area, and you know, the fall time is a beautiful time. You know, when you give God thanks, I look around and see the beauty of his creation. Obvious to me, these things came into being by him and by Christ for our enjoyment, for our pleasure. So it's a beautiful time to look around and give thanks to God for all that he's given us. But it's seen, what he's done, his power, his creative ability, and it's playing through what we see. Now, continuing on, it says, Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. That's the key. They weren't thankful for the things that were received from God, his creation, his beauty. His design, his purpose for man. But they became vain in their own reasonings, right? We talked earlier about being puffed up, boasting in self, and their foolish hearts were darkened. While professing themselves to be the wise ones, they became fools. And then down to verse 24, it says, For this cause, God also abandoned them to uncleanness through the lust of their hearts, who disgraced their own bodies between themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie. And they worshipped and served the created thing more than the one who is creator, who is blessed into the ages. Amen. And for this cause, God abandoned them to disgraceful passions. And we'll just stop there. So there is an abandoning then from God for those who don't recognize God and give God thanks for what he's done. And you can be turned over as we see this world to a different mind. A mind that rejects God and accepts all types of wicked things. Let's turn back also to Second Timothy and see what Paul writes to Timothy about that we're going to be seeing in the end time. And we're seeing this now in Second Timothy three. Let's start in verse one, it says, know this also that in the last days, perilous times shall come for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, braggarts, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, savages, despisers of those who are good, betrayers, reckless, egotistical, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, and having an outward appearance of godliness, but denying the power of true godliness, but as for you, turn away from all these. So we see again, as we're talking about here, this spirit, this attitude within people, and you lump all these things together. And you see an attitude or spirit that's not thankful. A lot of the attributes, same attributes you see here, apply to that mind. And again, that's what's seen today. Let's go back to Luke, the sixth chapter. Luke 6, and we're going to read 35. Christ says here, but love your enemies and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again. And, you know, this is what we just read there back in Timothy. These are attributes that don't apply to the people God or Paul was talking about there. We would see those attitudes we would see in the end times. It says, and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the highest, right? And that's who we are, is God's children. For he is good to the unthankful and the wicked. So, here you see, again, the groups that are lumped together, unthankful and wicked. It says here, God's good to them, right? And an attribute we should all have. So, God and his love and his mercy, he is even good to them. So, my point here is, you know, maybe with us, as God's people, having a right attitude of being very thankful to God. Could help us with our attitude, even towards the ones who are wicked and not thankful. But having an attitude where Christ talks about here, or we have a different thought about our enemies, or a different thought about having lending and expecting nothing in gain and doing good. All these attributes that God, Christ want us to have, being thankful ties into those, right? And of course, we want to be building that mind of God in Christ. Let's go back to Matthew, the 15th chapter. And we know God's attitude. He wants everyone to repent, doesn't he? And be a part of the kingdom. Matthew 15, verse 8. It says here, for this people draw near to me with their mouths and with their lips, they honor me, but their hearts are far away from me. Well, a lot profess to be thankful. This time of year here in the United States, but, you know, God again, he's looking at what's in our minds and hearts, true thankfulness. And he knows. So that's what we need to be looking for within ourselves. You know, hopefully none of us have a wrong spirit about us, but we have the right spirit with God's spirit working within us. And we really understand what the sacrifice we're talking about of thanksgiving to God, what it is. And how much it means to God. And how important it is for our conversion. Let's see, turning back now to Psalm 107. Psalm 107, we know we want to be giving God a thanks that is true, a thanks that is from the heart. Psalm 107, and we're going to read verse 1 and 2 of Psalm 107, it says, oh, give thanks to the Lord. For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. So that the redeemed of the Lord say, who he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. And again, that really ties back to what we read there in Leviticus 22 about the sanctification. About him delivering us. But there's thanks to be given to God for who he is and what he's done. So let's read, keep your place here because we're going to be back, but let's read what's written that describes this more in the new covenant. With us, let's go back to Colossians, the first chapter. So Colossians 1, and I'm going to read in Colossians 1, verse 12. It says, giving thanks to the father who has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints and the light. Who has personally rescued us from the power of darkness and has transformed us in the kingdom of his son of his love. In him we have redemption through his own blood, even the remission of sins. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation. So doesn't this explain more to what we have and what we've been given? God rescuing us from the power of darkness, personally doing this and through the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus Christ being redeemed. Being able to give thanksgiving for that. So certainly that's what's being talked about here also, as we'll go back in Psalm 107. But while we're in Psalm 107, let's go ahead and read verses 21 and 22. It says, let them praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let them and let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. So that's what God wants from us, is his people. This again, a sacrifice of thanksgiving, one that's from a broken contrite spirit and a right heart and a right mind. With the understanding, again, we had if we talked about there in Colossians, this understanding we have of the truth and what God's done for us. Well, you know, when we're thankful, when we offer these sacrifices of thanksgiving to God and we have a thankful mind, it does something for us. It's healthy for us. Let's go back to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy 2. In verse one, it says, I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and respectability. For this is good and acceptable before God, our Savior. You know, being thankful, offering prayers, intercessions, supplications, but also these thanksgivings we give to God, as it says here, on behalf of all men. When we do these things, it does something for us. It brings a different peace to us, a different understanding to us. It helps us lead a right life, a life, as it talks about here, that's quiet and peaceful and respectable. And this is something that's acceptable to God. So, when we have this sacrifice that we give to God of being thankful, it does something to our minds. It helps us to have a better understanding of how we should conduct ourselves, especially as we live in this world and the difficulties of it. Let's go back to 1 Thessalonians, the fifth chapter, and see again how this helps. 1 Thessalonians 5, and we're going to read verses, starting in verse 16. It says, Rejoice always, pray unceasingly, give thanks in everything, So, we need to have an attitude where we can give thanks in everything. Now, that may be hard to do at times, because there's a lot of things that we can't do at the same time. But, we can do it. We can give thanks in everything, and we can give thanks to God for everything that we've done in our lives. Everything. Now, that may be hard to do at times, because sometimes we face difficulties and problems in life, and it has an effect on us. But, we need to reach a point where we give thanks to God in everything. And, you know, sometimes we really need to study and think about and meditate on the circumstance and think through it. All the circumstances we enter into and even our problems and difficulties. And, once we process it and think through it, then we may find things in there that are like, you know what? Yeah, there was something in that that I'm thankful for, to God. It could be anything. But, sometimes we focus on maybe the negative things, but there are things within there that maybe we see later, like, you know, God, thank you for intervening. Thank you for the timing of that, or thank you for what I've learned from that. So, there are things to be thankful for to God and Christ in everything. So, we need to be mindful of that. Let's go back now to Colossians, the second chapter. You know, at times, we have things that aggravate us, and I know I do too. And, I have to check my attitude at times, because I'll get upset about things. But, how many times I can say for myself, kind of back to that thought of giving God thanks in everything, that I've had certain things happen to me. And, maybe one example would be something as simple as getting a flat tire. But, maybe it happened at a convenient time, at the right place, where you're able to get it fixed and repaired. And, you thank God, well, thank you that it happened here. It could have happened in the middle of the busy highway somewhere, and it didn't. The tire was flat, or I could get it done and get it taken care of. So, again, having the mind where we look at the entire situation, and thank God that it worked out the way it did. Well, in Colossians, the second chapter, we're going to start verse six. But, true thankfulness is an indication that we're rooted in Jesus Christ. And, don't we all want to be rooted in Jesus Christ? So, let's read that in Colossians two, verse six. It says, therefore, as you have received Christ, Jesus the Lord, be walking in him. And, that's what we all agreed to. When we entered into baptism, into this covenant, we agreed to walk as Jesus Christ walked, when we received Christ. In other words, when we received the understanding of who Jesus Christ is. Being rooted and built up in him, and being confirmed in the faith exactly as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. So, giving thanks again to God, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, it's an indication, brethren, that we're rooted in Jesus Christ, that we're built up in Jesus Christ, that we are remembering who Christ is and what we received when we were called and we got this understanding. So, just the point here is, when we give thanks to God, it shows that we're rooted in Christ. And, you know, when you read through the scriptures, Jesus Christ continually gave God thanks, but particularly, he thanked God for the spiritual things that God was doing through him and through us. You know, an attribute, too, of thankfulness is giving glory to God. Have you ever thought about that? When you offer thanks, the sacrifice of thanks to God, you glory him. Let's go back to Luke 17, and we'll see an example of that. Luke 17, and we're going to start in verse 12. It says, of Jesus Christ here, as he went into a certain village, he was met by ten leperous men who stood in the distance, and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said to them, go show yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass that while they were going, they were cleansed. Then one of them, seeing that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him, and he was a Samaritan. And answering, Jesus said, were not ten cleansed, but where are the other nine? Are not any found returning to give glory to God except this stranger? And then in verse 19, it says, then he said to him, arise and go, your faith has healed you. So, here's just one return. After seeing he was cleansed, and really probably with a heartfelt thanks, gave that to Christ, glorifying God. So, whatever God does for us, when we give him thanks, we glorify him. So, it's something for us to remember, because we all want to be glorifying God. In our actions and what we do, being thankful does this, the glory of God in this. Well, the righteous, and we talked about this earlier in Leviticus 22, but the righteous remember God's name, and who God is, and who Jesus Christ is, and they give thanks and praise to his name. Let's read that back in Psalm 140. Psalm 140, it says in verse 13, surely the righteous shall give thanks unto your name, and the upright shall dwell in your presence. Well, you know, back again in Leviticus 22, where it talked about the sacrifice of Thanksgiving, it finished up the chapter there in Leviticus, talking about remembering God in his name, who he is, and what was done for them. And as we think about today, what's been done for us. But the righteous give thanks to your name. What is the name that we give thanks to? Who we give thanks to? Well, that's Jesus Christ. Let's read about that in Philippians, the second chapter, just to remember who this is. Philippians, the second chapter. Philippians 2 and verse 6. It says, who, speaking of Jesus Christ, although he existed in the form of God, did not consider it to be robbery to be equal with God. So, we understand what this is talking about. Jesus Christ being the Lord of the Old Testament. But emptied himself and was made in the likeness of men and took on the form of a servant. And being found in the manner of man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him a name, which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every name should bow, of beings in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So, we give thanks to God. We give thanks to the God, the most high and who he is, to his name. And we give thanks to Jesus Christ in his name, a name given to him by God, a name that's been given that's above all other names and the authority that was given to him and what was able to be done through him, through his name. So, we give as God's people, thanks to his name, because we know what it means. We know what he had to do to be the savior of mankind and the plan that God and Jesus Christ came up with. So, brethren, we have so much to be thankful for, particularly thinking about this, giving thanks to the name of God and the righteous God's people do that because of the understanding we have. Let's go back to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13. In verse 14, it says, for we do not have a continuing city here on earth. Rather, we are seeking the one that is coming. Accordingly, let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God through him. Again, Jesus Christ speaking of here. That is, with the fruit of our lips openly professing our faith in his name. So, brethren, again, we talked about the sacrifice of thanksgiving, but along with that, it's the sacrifice of praise to God for all that's been done for us. Thinking about all the good that's been done for us, and I know for a lot of people, the circumstances they're in, it's pretty tough at times, especially those who face a lot of serious health issues as they get older and things like that. But, brethren, whatever situation we find ourselves in, you know, we just need to remember that God's with us. God provides and takes care of us. And sometimes it's good to reflect on what God has done, maybe not presently, but praise God and thank God for what he's done in our lives before. So, it's easy for us sometimes to get caught up on the current situation, the current moment we're in, but, you know, it's good to reflect back maybe on what God has done for us before in our lives and all the blessings and opportunities that's been given to us. So, it's good to remember the past too, what God's given to us in the past. I'm going to be turning now back to Philippians, the fourth chapter. Well, we all like benefits and the good benefits that come from God. So, I just want to talk a little bit here about the benefit we get from being thankful. It's talked about here, as we went back to Philippians 4, it's talked about here starting in verse 4. It says, Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say rejoice. Seems like we've read that in a few different scriptures already, this message, but, you know, God expects us to rejoice and, you know, rejoicing and thanksgiving and praise all kind of tie together, don't they? It's kind of hard to have thanksgiving, true thanksgiving, without thinking about the rejoicing with that. Let your moderation be known to all men, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. It's hard to do, but it says here, don't be anxious about anything, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God in everything, in everything. Now, earlier we read that we need to have an attitude where we're thankful in everything. So, here it says, let your requests be made known to God in everything. So, if we're doing this in a right way and with prayer and supplications and in thanksgiving, being told not to be anxious, then what is the benefit? Well, it's given here in verse 7. It says, in the peace of God, which shall pass as all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. So, part of our prayers, brethren, all the time when we're having problems or difficulties or we're worrying or anxious or we just don't know how things are going to work out, especially in the difficult times we're going to be facing. Some are facing now remembering to always give thanks to God will help us through this. It will, and God will give us that peace we need. We may not understand how we're going to get through certain situations, but God does, and he'll give it to us. But our part, again, is to offer those thanksgivings to God, those sacrifices. Let's go back to Psalm 100. Psalm 100, and we'll conclude here by reading this chapter. But, you know, as we go to read this, and this is actually called a Psalm of Thanksgiving, when we read this, something for us to think about is, how do we approach God? How do we come before his presence? And not only that, but when we're together as God's people, how do we come before each other when we fellowship? Now, we didn't read this, but back in Hebrews there, 13, where we read earlier, it talks about there's fellowshipping that needs to be done, and there's a sacrifice there, that sacrifice of fellowship. But how do we approach God and Jesus Christ? How, again, do we come into their presence, and how do we come into the presence of one another continually? Let's read here in Psalm 100, verse 1. It says, Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God. He has made us. And not we ourselves, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. So, it's all from God. He made us. Everything we've received has come from him, right? Going on then, it says, Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Give thanks unto him and bless his name. We've read about that. God the Father and Jesus Christ, and who they are and what those names mean. For God is good. His steadfast love is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations. So, brethren, let's all just remember to be thankful to God, to glory him. Our thanksgiving does this. It's a sacrifice from us. He asked us to give it to him at our will. But we should give it with the right spirit and the right mind, our love to God and Jesus Christ. So, we'll go ahead and end there.