Power to Be Thankful!

 Series: Power to Live!

 Introduction:

A.   We've just come through Lent, Passion Week, and last week  celebrated the Resurrection!

B.   Because of the resurrection, we have the power to live for God!  We have the power to change and be better!  We have the power to do and be lots of things!

C.   Watch this clip:

 

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIXJVVVEGIg

 

Trans.

The first one is APower to Be Thankful.@  Let's look this morning and see how Jesus gives us the power to be thankful and look at our own inclinations toward being thankful or not!

 

Prayer

Luke 17: 11-19

 

I.   Jesus healed ten lepers, notice the difference in the response

of the one leper to that of the other nine!

 

A.   They were all healed - they were all blessed!

 

B.   But the nine didn't return to give thanks!

1.   Perhaps they felt it would have happened anyway!

a.   Sometimes we are prone to explain our blessings

away this way.

b.   Even when we have been praying for someone or

     about a situation, when the person's situation

becomes better or our own situation is resolved, we forget to give thanks to God!

c.   Boy, I'm glad it worked out that way; that was sure lucky! (luck - another reason for it to be

resolved!)

2.   Perhaps they felt they deserved the blessing; after

all, they had never done anything to deserve that

type of lifestyle! They didn't owe thanks because

they had it coming!

a.   Sometimes, we are this way!

b.   We feel that what the person has done for us is

only fair, or we feel that what God has done

for us is only fair!

c.   We forget that the other person or God didn't

              really have to do anything!

d.   Examples from former pastorates:

 

Indiana, took wrapped presents for Christmas to

some in our community who we learned had fallen

on bad times. 

 

Responses varied: some, "Just put them here."

Others would be so thankful, they just

couldn't believe someone was doing  that for

them.

 

Food pantry ministry: you can see it in peoples

responses to that. Some are so thankful!

Others just seem to expect it!

 

I see it and I am sure you do too in responses

from people receiving gas or help from

the Thrift Store!

         

                                                          This is the difference between expecting

                                                          someone or God to do for us because we deserve

                                                          it and realizing that all that people or God do

                                                          for us is a gift that doesn't have to be given:

                                                          one we do not have coming to us!

 

3.   Back to lepers: Perhaps they got caught up in

     the opportunities their new life opened up to

     them and "forgot" to give thanks!  Do we

     sometimes get so excited about the gift that we

     forget to thank the giver?

 

C.   But notice the one that did.

 

1.   He realized what life had been like without Jesus.

2.   He looked at what he had because of Jesus!

3.   And he was "grateful!"

4.   So he went all the way back and thanked Jesus for

what he had done!  When someone says thanks at the

time you do something for them, it is one thing, but

when someone goes to an effort to come back later,

they are really showing gratitude!  This was the

case with this man!

              5.   I believe that, because of the resurrection, Jesus

empowers us to express thanks in this way!

 

 

II.  Which one are you the most like?

 

James 1:17

"Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from

 above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is

 no variation or shadow due to change."

 

A.   Do we realize this and realize what we wouldn't have if it

weren't for God and respond by giving "Thanks" for the good

things?

 

B.   Or do we:

1.   Feel they would happen anyway?

2.   Feel we deserve them?

3.   Get caught up in the good things & forget to give thanks?

 

Conclusion:

A.   In concluding this morning, because of the resurrection, God

gives us the power to be thankful!.  Because of the

resurrection, we can be transformed in this virtue!

 

B.   Do we need to tap into that power this morning?.

 

C.   As we encounter Christ at the table, you can tap into that

power to be changed into a person who is thankful to God for

God’s blessings.  You can be that person who thanks God for

answers to prayer!  You can be that person who is thankful to

people instead of thinking they only did what they should! You

can be that person who puts a priority on being Thankful!

 

     D.   Maybe you’ve never made a commitment to Christ and maybe you

are feeling convicted in that, you can make a commitment to

Christ for the first time too as you come and encounter Christ

at the table.  If you do, let me know so I can help you with

your new walk in Christ!

 

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion