Covenant Baptist Church
Sermon Guide for 11/19/17
Have you ever noticed when we are truly thankful for something it’s hard to hide it?
Where do you think you are on the thankful spectrum?
Entirely ungrateful________________Polite but not very thankful______________Genuinely thankful
Heart Condition:
Colossians 3:15 NASB1995
Be thankful…
Be > genomi: to beome, begin to be or to come into existence
It has been ingrained in us to act thankful (being polite) whether we are or are not.
Can you remember a time when your circumstances brought about in you a deep, intense sense of thankfulness or gratitude?
Jesus example and God’s Response:
John 6:5-13 NIV
Jesus often demonstrated that He lived with a thankful heart toward His Father God.
John 6:11 NIV
John tells us Jesus took the loaves…the vastly insufficient amount of food and…gave thanks…
Gave thanks > eucharisteo: to be grateful or to feel thankful; to give thanks
Becoming and living as a thankful person matters
Ephesians 5:4 ESV
Philippians 4:6 ESV
Colossians 4:2 ESV
1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
It would be easy to mistakenly think being thankful is a means to an end – a way to get God to do what we want Him to do. It clearly is not.
We are being ushered in to a way of living life with God in His Kingdom, not being taught a polite formality required by God before He will loosen His grip on potential blessings
How do we become thankful people?
We learn to think thankfully: The condition of your heart is a direct result of the focus of your mind.
Philippians 4:8 NASB1995
Dwell on = take up residence; to reside
To become thankful people we must regularly set aside unhurried time for thinking about things of God’s Kingdom and The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Going & Growing Step:
Memorize and reflect on this passage each day this week. Envision and imagine a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Think about what that means for you. Think about what that means for your family. Think about what that Kingdom means to you right here and now. Think about what that Kingdom means to you after this life is over.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken… Hebrews 12:28