Thanksgiving 2021
Introduction:
As a church we have always taken the Sunday before Thanksgiving as an opportunity to
give thanks and this year we are so thankful that we can enjoy our Church Thanksgiving
meal together. Thanksgiving is a time of reflection upon the last year and thanking the Lord
for His mercy and grace. As Christians we understand that every good thing given . . . is from
above, coming down from the Father (James 1.17a) and that we are always to give thanks for
all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father (Ephesians 5.20).
A day of thanksgiving has been part of the fabric of America since the very beginning of this
country. The tradition of celebrating the holiday on Thursday dates back to the early
history of the Plymouth Bay colonies.
A famous Thanksgiving observance occurred in the autumn of 1621, when Plymouth
governor William Bradford invited local Indians to join the Pilgrims in a festival of
gratitude. Over 150 years later in 1789, George Washington became the first president to
proclaim a Thanksgiving holiday saying, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be
observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty
God.” And almost another 100 years later, in the middle of the Civil War, President
Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a National Day of Thanksgiving.
Declaring a day of thanksgiving in the middle of the Civil War might had seems strange to
many people in Lincoln’s day. “Why not wait until the war is over and then celebrate
Thanksgiving” might had been what many were thinking. But giving thanks to God during
difficult times is the essence of true thanksgiving. This morning I would like for us to
consider one verse found in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter four and verse fifteen.
For all things are for your sakes, so that grace, having spread to more and more people, will
cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2Cor.4.15)
This is an amazing verse when you consider the context. The church of Corinth had many
problems – doctrinally and relationally. The Apostle Paul had suffered both physically and
emotionally during his years of ministry. But through all these problems and difficulties
Paul had stayed focused on the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ (4.4). Have you
ever noticed how people are more likely to be thankful when they have suffered hard
times?
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Over ten years ago after almost dying from a severe case of malaria that I contracted in
Haiti, being hospitalized for several months, and receiving amputations on both of my feet I
was finally allowed to go outside for a few minutes. As they wheel me out of the hospital in
a wheelchair, I remember feeling that humid Florida air and saying to myself, “I will never
again complain about Florida humidity and will be thankful for everyday the Lord will give
me for the rest of my life.”
Going through times of difficulty can often produce a strong sense of thanksgiving to God.
Paul had been afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2Cor.4.8-9) Paul
knew that all of things happened so that grace, having spread to more and more people, will
cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Here we are reminded again of the
Christian way of thinking – that every detail works to our advantage and to God’s glory. We
are the people who know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom.8.28) But in today’s text we
see that the emphasis is on every detail – every minute detail has been designed by God to
work to our advantage and to His glory. This perspective on life provides overwhelming
comfort and confidence for the believer because unlike the world that says that God is
dead, distant, or disconnected we believe that God is alive, active, and in absolute control of
all things.
Testimony of Thanksgiving
This morning I have asked two of our members to share a testimony of thanksgiving.
Robert Spence
Susy Oldham
For all things are for your sakes, so that grace, having spread to more and more people, will
cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2Cor.4.15)
Notice that Paul cannot let man, even a converted and thankful man to be the purpose for
his ministry. Yes, his ministry is for man’s sake, but beyond that, above that, and vastly
more important than that, his ministry reaches its goal when all the things we experience
causes a thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Paul’s ministry was completed when
every situation becomes a symphony of thanksgiving coming from our lips to the glory of
God. For Paul his ministry was finished when every situation results in an avalanche of
thanksgiving to the glory of God.
Closing Thoughts
Brothers and sisters, like the Apostle Paul, let’s stay focused on the light of the gospel and
the glory of Christ. (4.4) Let us seek to grow in Christ so that everything we experience will
cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
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Transition to the Table
The real thanksgiving meal!
Apostle’s Creed
Benediction