Generosity in Gratitude
Generosity • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Introduction
On this Thanksgiving Day weekend, I feel that it is important to remind ourselves of reasons to give thanks to God for all he has done in our lives.
Today we are going to draw several biblical principles from a Psalm of David about generous gratitude.
David was a shepherd — and it was as a shepherd the Prophet Samuel anointed David as God’s chosen one to be the next king of Israel.
David experienced great victories (Goliath) and hard challenges (Saul trying to kill him).
Eventually, after the tragic death of Saul, David took the throne—and demonstrated his capabilities as a leader and military warrior.
Then he experienced spiritual defeat as he committed adultery, deception, and murder.
But God demonstrated His justice and His mercy with David.
Like David, when we placed our faith and trust in God, there was the flood of hope, joy, and peace in our lives.
And then we faced the reality of life: failure, disappointment, pain, and fear.
David wrote:
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
God’s work in David’s life produced something in David’s heart. Welling up within him was a new song—a song of praise and thanksgiving.
One of those songs is Psalm 103.
Text: Ps 103:1-2.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Transition
Question: Have you experienced such discouragement and frustration with life—then God!
One of the great lessons of life is to learn to not forget his benefits (blessings, graces, deliverances…)
In the final part of our series on Generosity, I want to be reminded of our generosity in gratitude!
Text: Ps 103:3-5.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Point 1
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Forgiveness.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Forgiveness.
Who forgives all your iniquity.
7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
God’s forgiveness of our sins is a profound blessing!
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The natural result of forgiveness is thanksgiving. Thankfulness is the evidence that we truly believe God has forgiven us of our sins.
Point 2
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Healing.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Healing.
Who heals all your diseases.
It is a profound thought of God as a healing God—who supernaturally invades the natural.
He heals us not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally.
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.
The results of answered prayer is praise and thanksgiving.
Nothing is too difficult for God.
Point 3
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Salvation.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Salvation.
Who redeems your life from the pit.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
God saved us by His grace—and through His salvation we give thanks and worship Him.
Point 4
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Transformation.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Transformation.
Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
God’s gift of love and mercy changes everything. Because of Him, we love God and we love others. In fact, our love becomes expressed in mercy.
Because of God’s love and mercy, we now can forgive others (motivated by God’s forgiveness toward us).
Point 5
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Contentment.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Contentment.
Who satisfies you with good.
God gives us good things—and we become satisfied, embracing a life of contentment.
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Contentment reveals our trust in God, no matter the circumstances.
Point 6
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Renewal.
Give Thanks to the Lord for Our Renewal.
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
God rejuvenates us!
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Conclusion
We have abundant reasons to express to God our gratitude generously.
We can give thanks to God for:
Forgiveness
Healing
Salvation
Transformation
Contentment
Renewal
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Song: “10,000 Reasons”