A New Testament Wide Survey of Thanksgiving

And greetings welcome to the dividing line on a Tuesday Tuesday of first Christmas That's also known as Thanksgiving And it's actually gonna only be in the 70s here in Phoenix.

So I'm all bundled up because after the summer we had Where it frequently didn't get anywhere near the 70s at the coolest part of the day then this is like Oh Arctic it's great.

It's wonderful. I I would I'm really hoping please please just just one good winter storm before Christmas You know or the dark skies and windy and rainy.

I mean Rain, that would be just any would be nice. We're in the middle of a drought That's as unbelievable, but anyways

We want to be upbeat as much as we can today. I almost didn't have a computer to use today some of you know that Mac OS big sir came out and This you got it.

You got to give this laptop This particular one some real kudos. I mean it has been sitting here for a very very long time

It was my main unit for a long time. Then it came in here I don't even know what what year it actually is, but it has done a great job this is

Why doesn't it say it normally Says right. Oh, there it is.

There it is late 2013 Okay, late 2013 in computer life is like Really really ancient and so an hour ago.

I decided I'll go ahead. I'll install it It said I think it said 29 minutes it took an hour because it's old and it's tired, but it it did a great job

Still very thankful for this particular unit, it's it's it's done great anyways so I've I've got this funky background that I've never seen before for big sir on it and and That's different.

But anyway, as long as it's as long as it's working. Hey Before we jump into a

Bible study today primarily. I want to focus on that Two things

Let me offend the easily offendable. I just listened to I think yesterday's

Blog and may blog from Doug Wilson and really enjoyed it And I'd recommend it to you and I would also recommend to you the

Canon press app which I just got on my phone, which is really really nice and We should take a look at that rich because it automatically brings the blog and may blog thing in and stuff like that and Apps or apps are nice so someday we'll we'll we'll catch up with everybody and get a get an app out there and Be able to do the same thing with the dividing line

But check it out. Listen to it And then I saw this thread on Twitter and I just wanted to read it to you because it is

Fascinating for those of you who love like I do church history and That is from Dirk Junkin he he wrote we all know the order the books of New Testament by heart when the

Tyndale House Greek New Testament This is my Do -do -do the

Tyndale House Greek New Testament my my Jeffrey Rice version of the Tyndale House Greek New Testament Probably the nicest

I'll bet you Dirk Junkin I'll bet Dirk Junkin does not have as nice an edition of his

Greek New Testament That's a that's a good thought anyway

Somebody else will end up with it someday anyways, but anyway when the Tyndale House Greek New Testament was published we changed the order and Put James through Jude between Acts and Romans now.

Let me tell you something The first time you open it up and try to you know, you're trying to find something, you know

Acts takes you all the way. Okay, this is I'll show you here. Here's here's the end of Here's the end of Acts.

All right, so you're yeah, you're over halfway through and there's James right after right after Acts and you're like and there's first Peter and there's second

Peter and There's first John and so you check and then there's Romans for well

There's second third time and then there's Romans and you're like you're you're thumbing through stuff going

What happened here? Is the Canon been messed with? Well, okay In the

Greek manuscript tradition Acts and James to Jude go together with few exceptions But where this normal versus modern order of gospel

Acts Romans come from I always thought this is Dirk Junkin speaking This was due to Latin influence, but it wasn't

Also in Vulgate manuscripts James to Jude go with Acts according to carer 2020 the correct answer surprised me our current order ready is solely an innovation by Erasmus How stunning that one man's decision has such an enormous and largely unacknowledged influence on our

Bibles And then there's a reference to the study from this M carer on the subject of The codex

Reikland and so on and so forth you can you can look up So what he's saying is the order that we have in our modern

New Testaments Where you go Acts Romans so on so forth Which I'll be honest with you

Makes more sense Really when you think about it Lengthwise Things like that,

I think that that makes sense to to go from the story of Paul directly into the epistles of Paul Also makes sense obviously if you if you place a tremendous amount of weight upon the traditions of the early church

I Don't think that anyone really has any idea as to why?

the ancient manuscripts had the order that they did or Why that would necessarily have some kind of I don't know theological significance to it man

There are a lot of evangelicals that do think however That the order of the canon as it exists today.

Well, which didn't exist back then but as it exists, thanks to Erasmus That that has some theological significance to it for example how many times you heard somebody quote from The book of Revelation and quote revelation chapter 22 and say hey it says don't add or take away from the words this book and Then I've actually heard people say and I'm sure

God knew No matter when Revelation was written. I'm sure God knew it would be the last book of the

New Testament and Therefore they will read into that warning a pan canonical aspect

Because the warning is about the book of Revelation. I mean, that's just you've got to be fair and Lots of evangelicals try to expand that out and and say see this is this is about Revelation ends right there last book written all that kind of stuff and it's just not a defensible position but people do it and it's because and and I've often

Pointed out to people the Jews did not have the same order of the Old Testament The Hebrew Scriptures the

Tanakh that we have That's why people miss Jesus' statement in Matthew when he says the blood of Abel To the blood of Zechariah son of Barakaya slain before the altar will be held against this generation

They're like who? Remember Abel I was in I was

I was still awake We got to Abel in Sunday school, but this other poor dude no earthly idea and that's because his story is found in a section of the

Bible that a lot of Christians have never read and that's in 2nd

Chronicles, but Everybody in Jesus' day knew exactly what he's talking about because 2nd

Chronicles was the last book in the Hebrew canon The Hebrew canon was the same as what we have today as Protestants But in the order in which is found so you grab

Your Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartentia back there And you start looking for books and you have the same thing you run into here.

It's like why is the canon order different? And that's part of that's one of the reasons you study church history so I thought that was an interesting thread and it happened to pop back up on my on my

Feed right as we were getting started. I saw it this morning. I thought well, that's interesting So I thought

I would share that share that with you at that particular point in time But it is

Tuesday, November 24th 2020 and We have at least for the moment in most countries a

Greater or lesser freedom to Engage in The celebration of what in the

United States is called Thanksgiving. I know there's a Canadian. There's a Canadian Thanksgiving. It's different It's earlier.

It's not the same time. I realize that many of you in our audiences overseas whether it be in in Deutschland or in France or down in South Africa or Zambia or you poor poor people in Australia Even if we're still allowed on in New Zealand, which

I'm not really sure we are wherever you might be Thanksgiving here in the

United States is one of the last vestiges of the fact that This was founded as a nation filled with people who professed the

Christian faith You may be aware of the fact that our Constitution Does not establish religion, but in fact

Says there there is to be freedom of religion but that establishment had a context that establishment was the fact that there were a number of the colonies that Came together as the states that formed the initial

Union that already had established religions and all that was saying that that was not saying that those states could not do that And that was not saying that there would not be an acknowledgment of the

Christian God in the United States Which continued for a very long part of our history?

Up through World War two you you have I have I purchased. I think I've shown it to you

On the dividing line before I have found on eBay. You can find almost anything on eBay some things you shouldn't find eBay, but anyway

I've Brought in a New Testament that was handed out to soldiers in the army in World War two with a

Note from the president Franklin Delano Roosevelt in printed in the front recommending the reading of this

To to the members of the military So this was not you know, the the modern

Secular mythology concerning the history of the United States is just that it's a mythology there was never an intention to be neutral toward the fact that Our entire legal system is based upon the idea that God created man in his image and therefore inalienable rights flow from God's creative purpose so We had

Have had established we've we not only had in God we trust on our money and things like this but The holiday of Thanksgiving really is is uniquely

American and we love to share it with others and and as Americans go overseas they share these things and so we know that there are people overseas who likewise observe something similar to this and I think it's wise and wonderful, but as a nation there was a time when there was a recognition of Thanksgiving and We all know inherently that that has changed and We all know that the whole concept of Thanksgiving is so Completely out of step with the emptiness of the secular worldview

Because Thanksgiving requires the giving of thanks to someone our website or with Are we not streaming?

Oh Okay, it oh Okay. All right.

All right. I had to get Rich's attention there because Rich was busy with technical He claims with technical things now, you gotta understand

I'm a I've taught so many times in in seminary classrooms and things like that and I'm a peripatetic

Professor I like to walk around the room and I have caught people playing solitaire so many times on their computers as they walked around behind them that I've just become somewhat of a skeptic when

When someone says oh, I'm having technical issues here, you know, it's like, okay.

All right, but I believe that That Rich probably is having technical issues with the tags right now

Huh, he says don't make me push buttons, okay fine Well given how everything is spliced together over there right now with all the cables leading into other rooms and things like that pushing buttons

Might be a very bad thing to do We're all fine here. Now. Yes, that's right. All right We Thanksgiving has really come to Lose its meaning within a secular worldview for obvious reasons

There is no place for it ugly bags of mostly water fizzing chemicals Meatbags, whatever terms you want to use

What is the what is the worldview that can make sense of giving thanks

Giving thanks to a a merciless Unpurposeful system of laws that just happened to take the form that it did in A universe that is intent upon our ultimate destruction

Because we we go against the laws of nature. We are highly organized systems of energy and entropy doesn't like that and anybody who knows

Standard physics theory knows that we're heading toward what's called heat death The universe expands out and dies

Just once that once that once once the mass is spread out over such a massive area that gravity

Is basically nullified Everything dies and so and of course we die long before that as the

Sun starts to expand and eventually consumes Mercury and then Venus and then the earth

It doesn't go supernova. It's not big enough to go supernova, but expands be and and cools as it's as it expands and eats the earth anyways, so That's that's the that's the good news of the secular worldview

Is that someday earth will be within the orbit of the size of the Sun? Yay. Whoa, whoo

There's some transcendent meaning for you and then even if we manage to get off the planet by then eventually

You have heat death and it all it all comes to an end anyhow and and that's it so What what is there to give?

Thanks to Who there is no there's nothing out there to give. Thanks to and If you give thanks to the natural order the natural order is going to eat you anyways

So there this is a holiday. This is an observance an observance

That the modern secular mind looks back at the pilgrims and just simply has to go what foolish people

They left the comforts of England many of them died of horrible diseases over here.

They died of starvation They brought diseases with them that then killed Indians the native population

Which by the way, we're busily killing each other before we got here just in case you're confused about that, but that's another story and so They look at this whole thing and they go we

Why there is no basis or foundation for any of this and they find our giving of thanks to God to be one of the most incomprehensible acts that we engage in as Human beings it makes no sense to them

There's there's no foundation for it. And so keeping that in mind. It is interesting to look at the appearances of the term in the

New Testament and Make some observations. It's sometimes it's just really helpful

Could you drop it down a Degree or so kick the fan on or something like that? Cuz that's I know

I'm wearing a I'm wearing a your person perfectly fine in there Yeah, yeah, it's good you want the heat up it's like gonna be a short program

Sometimes it's really interesting To just use the wonderful now you could do this with certain kinds of Concordances back in the paper book days, which we may be going back to before long

Don't throw out your your paper books But it is interesting to look up the lexeme the root form of a particular term and look at its distribution in the books of the

New Testament and See how it's used and so you're probably aware of the fact that the term

Thanksgiving the giving of thanks Eucharist Oh is the is the verbal form and Then it is used as a as a noun for Thanksgiving the giving of thanks and it's interesting that for example, it's only found twice in Matthew and It is found

Both times interestingly enough in regards to the giving of thanks in the eating of foods, so the seven loaves and fishes remember that particular miracle in Matthew chapter 15, he took the seven loaves of fish and Giving thanks.

He broke them and started giving them to disciples disciples in turn of the multitudes and so one of the things you see immediately by looking at Matthew Mark and Luke is this repetitive

Element of the giving of thanks in the reception of food again

Something that is distinctly Theistic minimally

But completely out of place in the secular worldview. There's You you're the one that paid for other people to gather the food the idea of giving.

Thanks to a pitiless merciless Naturalistic system that we have to game to get us food

Does not make sense to the secular mind but Jesus gives thanks and breaks the bread and the same thing in Matthew 26 27 and When he had taken a cup and given thanks, and of course, this is in the

Eucharist itself the establishment of that Thanksgiving meal and that's probably really the foundation of the utilization of that term

Eucharist is There in Matthew 26 27 when he had given taken a cup and given thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you so in In mark same situation exact same situation where he gives thanks in the giving of the breaking of the bread in the miracles and Then again in Mark chapter 14

Completely parallel with Matthew the same two incidents giving thanks is what is is given reference there now

There are a few more in Luke for example in Luke chapter 17

You have someone giving thanks to Jesus the Samaritan that returns after being healed

He gives thanks to Jesus and then in the story of the Pharisee and the tax gatherer

The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself God I thank thee that I am

NOT like other people swindlers unjust adulterers even like this tax gatherer. So you have Eucharist Oh used inappropriately in the giving of thanks by the

Pharisee When he didn't really understand his own sinfulness But then you also have in Luke 22

You have the taking the cup and giving thanks and then interestingly enough in Luke Two verses later when he had taken some bread and given thanks and so there seems to be in the

Lucan Narrative a little more detail that there are two Incidents of giving thanks in both the reception of the bread and of the wine

So that's that's an interesting aspect to it John the gospel of John has a only two and it's not the two that you would expect you do have the

John chapter 6 Incident of the 5 ,000 but what's interesting?

It's only said that there came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread

After the Lord had given thanks and isn't that interesting? I found that fascinating That you would

Identify a Location along the shore of the Sea of Galilee Based upon where the

Lord had given. Thanks after they ate the bread and the Lord had given. Thanks and It it did

It did make me wonder And I don't know why

I think about things like this, but It did make me wonder if there wasn't a time later in life

After the death brown resurrection of Jesus that some of the people who Were at those miracles

Were in situations where they heard Jesus pray Went back to those places and said this is where the one who rose from the dead

Prayed and he said this or I heard him say that or something along those lines and so here is here is a place along the the shoreline

Where they ate the bread and the Lord had given. Thanks. There's a recollection of them

You have Jesus giving. Thanks at the resurrection of Lazarus So they move remove the stone and Jesus raised his eyes and said father.

I thank you that you heard me I give thanks to you that you heard me, but those the only two places in John is

John 6 23 and 11 41 And then in in Acts only two places as well

Acts 27 35 and having said this he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all and he broke it and began to eat

And acts 28 15 and the brethren they heard about us came There from there as far as the market of Appius and three ends to meet us when

Paul saw them He thanked God and took courage So We can

I think we can very fairly say that in the historical and narrative portions of the

Gospels and Acts Giving of thanks is mentioned in passing. There is not a

Emphasis upon That particular action that is laid out for us

Emphasized in any meanly meaningfully strong way it is however when you get into not only not only just into Paul but into Paul's epistles that are specifically addressed to churches and That his purpose is to help them to mature in Christ So because see there are some

Pauline epistles. They're dealing with doctrinal issues that are dealing with the

Jew Gentile issue and Those are as We'll see different in how often the term appears in the centrality of that term so It's common in Paul's greetings

Romans 1 8 first. I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all Because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world

So there is the giving of thanks to God for the Roman Church There is interestingly enough just in passing in Romans 1 21

For even though they knew God they did not honor his God or give thanks now that We could stop and camp on that one for a while because what that means is there is a

Creaturally necessity of Thanksgiving to God and in fact, it is a

Sign of Rebellion and fallenness When men do not give thanks to God for simple existence

For though even though they knew God They did not honor him as God or give.

Thanks Those are the the the extent of general revelation and creation is to hold men accountable

To honor him as God and give thanks They are to be thankful But like I said we could camp there for a while, but I'll just mention that in passing

Then in Romans 14 6 he observes the day observes if the Lord and he who eats does so for the

Lord For he gives thanks to God There is one theme that has now been firmly established

Throughout the Gospels Acts and in the Romans and we're using the Erasmus in order of the books of the

New Testament Some people think you shouldn't use Erasmus in pronunciation I will make this argument for those of you who are all into this you should only do modern

Greek pronunciation stuff and you're against Erasmus. Then why are you using

Erasmus as canon order? I Think you need to rebind your King James versions and go back to the pre

Erasmus Canon order. How's that? Romans 14 6

He who observes the day observes the Lord he eats does the Lord for he gives thanks to God. So here's your

Here's your establishment. I mean so far all the way through What is giving thanks normally so far associated with well one thing we can establish is

From the perspective of the scripture writers When you partake of food you give thanks to God for the life that you have and the sustenance he provides to you and That's not the same thing you know,

I went to a Southern Baptist Church for a long time and well, I my my youth from sophomore year in high school was at a

Southern Baptist Church and A lot of the kids that had grown up in those types of churches

Felt it was a part of their maturity To not have to give thanks when they ate because they consider that to be legalism

Well, it wasn't legalism there is a clear biblical pattern of a recognition of one's creatureliness and And one's dependence upon God for sustenance

That has already been established and we haven't gotten into the key utilizations of Eucharist Oh At this at this particular point in time

Then Romans 16 for Who for my life risked their own necks to whom not only do

I give thanks? But also all the churches of the Gentiles and so there is the giving of thanks on his part

To those who had risked themselves for but again so far not a deeply theological emphasis upon the giving of thanks

First Corinthians you have Much more you have

I thank my God always the verse 4 of chapter 1 might I thank my God always concerning you For the grace of God was given you in Christ Jesus Then later on in verse 14 interesting a completely different context.

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Christmas and Gaius Which is an interesting text we won't get into today first Corinthians 10 30 if I partake with thankfulness

Why am I slander concerning that for which I gave thanks? So there's two two uses here within a text concerning again

Eating of food giving of thanks The assumption is that that's a given for The Christian people and an interesting enough when when

Paul narrates the Lord's Supper He follows Matthew and Mark and Luke and and when he had given.

Thanks, he broke it and said this is my body Which is for you do this remember to me? So the the Eucharist the the

Eucharist prayer the giving. Thanks Central to the definition of the

Lord's Supper Things related to it first Corinthians 14 17 for you are giving thanks well enough

But the man is not edified and so there that giving of thanks is in the worship service and in regards to speaking in tongues

So that's a whole nother area second Corinthians chapter 1

You also joining in helping us through your prayers that Thanks may be given to many persons on our behalf for the behavior for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many

So thanks being given to people here rather than to God Normally thanks if thanks if the object is not mentioned it's normally assumed to be

God but There are instances of giving giving thanks to to others

So only once in 2nd Corinthians twice in Ephesians Ephesians 1 16 do not cease giving thanks for you while making mention of you in my prayers and Ephesians 5 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our

Lord Jesus Christ to God even the Father so you are getting a little bit more of the

Context there and these are again primarily the the verbal and participial forms

That I'm looking at right now so Things that are being done

Concept But always giving thanks for all things in the name of our

Lord Jesus Christ to God even the Father so there we're starting to get into more of the theological aspect of What that what that involves always giving thanks for all things.

It was interesting. I don't think I I Don't think I mentioned

The fact that I did well, maybe I did Yes, I guess I I guess it. I I don't remember

I did listen to the Doug Wilson debate remember that on the subject of Predestination election and you know

Does God predestine all things things like that? And what was really interesting to me? was the fact that one of Doug's primary arguments that he made was that we are to give thanks to God for all things and If God therefore is not sovereign over all things there would no be there be no reason to give thanks to God for all things

And so that the all things that a Christian experiences must be from the hand of God or there would be no reason to give

Thanks to God for all things That was an interesting somewhat roundabout approach

Philippians 1 3 I thank my God and all my remembrance of you Colossians 1 3 we give thanks to God the father religious

Christ Colossians 1 12 Giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the

Saints in light That one is descriptive of the mindset the way of thinking the whole life of the

Christian is one of giving thanks to the father and that of course is seen very clearly in Colossians 3 17, which probably

I Don't know if if you've memorized a verse that uses the verbal form of giving.

Thanks This is probably one of the ones that you've memorized or probably the best candidate and Whatever you do in word or deed

Do all in the name of Lord Jesus giving thanks through him to God the father.

I mean there is a Again a

Multi -week sermon series verse especially for Puritans Because There is so much application that would that would need to be made

Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. I mean

There's so much That's one of those verses for example Where I've said many times

And don't let those who deny the deity of Christ push you into position of only arguing key texts and not seeing the full -throated full -bodied

Evidence of the deity of Christ this is this is a text that I would list as teaching the deity of Christ and you go

I Don't know that I've ever argued with a Jehovah's Witness about that one and you probably haven't and you know why because we don't think of the ramifications of the things that are said about Jesus in The New Testament, so look at it again giving.

Thanks to the Father Who has quality? I'm sorry and whatever you do in word or deed do all in The name of the

Lord Jesus of the Lord Jesus giving thanks through him to God the father Now you see the

Unitarian hears that and sees the distinction between Jesus and God the father in that seat Since I'm Unitarian God is the father.

He's the only one who's God and therefore That makes Jesus different.

Well, the point is you're to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus all word or deed all of life in Christ's name and That this then is the context by which you then give thanks through him to God the father such

Can you imagine any? created being having that kind of status the the very idea that you would engage in every act and deed and word in the name of an archangel is just absurd

To the picture of worship in the New Testament and Yet, that's what certain people believe

This is a Trinitarian text It makes perfect sense that you do all in the name of the

Lord Jesus giving. Thanks to him to God the father It's not confusing. There's no division. It's John 5 all over again.

It's balanced It's beautiful and there you have one of the key texts of giving thanks through him through Christ to God the father

In first Thessalonians 1 we give thanks to God always for all of you making mention of you in our prayers and first Thessalonians 213 key text for this reason

We also constantly thank God that when you receive from us the Word of God's message You accepted it not as a word of men, but what it really is the

Word of God Which also performs its work in you who believe so we constantly thank

God That when you receive from us the Word of God's message you accepted it not as the

Word of men the notice did the thing Did you catch that? I know Sometimes when people go through lists of verses people to sort of tune out

I get it. But did you catch what said there? I remember

I'm thankful my memories my short -term memory You Know We're getting to that age where?

Well, actually, I think part of it honestly is cultural and part of it is the computer stuff

Because I've I've I've run into 20 year olds who report the exact same thing

I do and that is I walk down the hall turn to my office and I'm going there to do a particular thing

And by the time I sit down my desk Use my fingerprint to unlock my computer

I'm just sitting there staring at going. Why am I here? What what did I come here to do?

Who am I why am I here? Yeah, no, but it's like well there's stuff to do I'll just do that until it comes back to me.

I guess I don't know But I'm not the only Young people and I so I think it that may be more the

Massive influx of everything rather than just age, but it could be age I suppose but I'm so thankful that we can remember things long in the past and It's sometimes all of a sudden a memory will come up That that I can't remember having thought about Either since it happened or for many decades

But one of the most precious things to me You know my school years meant a lot to me

And that's meant a lot of school years for me. So but my school years meant a lot to me and It's amazing how much

I can remember from Well junior high even grade school junior high high school

But in Bible College, I was a double major biology and Bible minor in Greek.

And so I I Remember who was in my Greek class?

Not everybody. I'll admit that How we got down to we got whittled down to 12 in our

Greek class. And so everybody was wondering who is gonna be Judas Who's gonna be because Greek tend to whittle people down it really really did

There were a lot a lot of folks who wanted to do it at the start But and having taught it many times myself now, yeah, it's that always happens lots of folks come in that first week just bright -eyed and bushy -tailed and About about six weeks in they ain't bright -eyed and bushy -tailed anymore by they've been skinned but anyway,

I remember the core group of guys that we had and we sort of stuck together through you know about three years and And got to know each other and That's why the death of one of them has been so Tragic in our little our little group a number of years ago but I remember which books we translated in which year and How we were studying

Greek syntax and in which? Grammar we used and stuff like that and I remember we translated this text and first essence fit first That's only his chapter two.

It was in the year. We were doing syntax and This was a syntactically rich text let's put just put it that way and for this reason

We also constantly thank God That when you

Received from us the Word of God's message

You Accepted it not as the Word of men but for what it really is the Word of God which also performs its work and you believe

One of the things you have to do in Second year Greek is sentence diagramming now

That's why I say if you ever decide to learn Greek and it's wonderful to do so Learn English first Because We we pretty much talked my

English teachers in high school and junior high school out of doing any of that They were they would much rather read

Shakespeare anyways, and so we pretty much talked about doing the grammar manet That was that was bad.

That was not a good thing But I did do some sentence diagramming in English and But even to this day any sense diagramming

I do is primarily a It's Greek acting as if it's as if it's

English and so I remember us sitting here.

I don't remember who translated this particular text, but Just look at the complexities here the overarching statement is

We are constantly giving thanks to God for what? That when you

Received from us so you can give thanks to God for the actions of others and your own because because You accepted it

Not as the Word of men, but what it is really is the Word of God. So we were proclaiming it So you have our actions?

then you have your reaction to our action and That reveals the

Word of God to be that which performs its work in you who believe and All of this we give thanks to God for you.

Can't you you can't put that together? You cannot put that together in a non decretal

Synergistic world Why are you giving thanks to God for these things? You should be giving thanks to them

That when you proclaim the Word of God to them They accepted it as the Word of God because that was their decision wasn't it?

But Paul's giving thanks to God Just things to notice things to notice

First first session is 518. Of course another one of the key texts in giving.

Thanks in Everything give thanks. This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus everything

Everything Again a stopping place for a sermon One of the texts that Doug Wilson used in the debate.

How can you give thanks for everything? How can this be God's will for you in Christ Jesus if there are random

Things that happen that have no meaning they have no purpose Because it's just how the world works and all

God's sovereign over is, you know Tsunamis and floods and earthquakes and stuff like that, but all that man stuff man sovereign over that Okay That's not how he understood him

And then second Thessalonians, we ought always to give thanks to God for you brethren as is only fitting because your faith is

Greatly enlarged in love of each one one of you toward one another goes ever greater Why are you giving thanks to God for that give thanks to God for what they are doing?

No, that's God working in them. Paul understands what this is. It's it's God's Word working in him It's God's spirit working in them.

And that's why God has given the thanks for these things There is the whole idea of Thanksgiving within within the

Christian faith is seen right there and Then of course, it's interesting first Thessalonians 2 13 is interesting as is second

Thessalonians 2 13 and don't get into the numbers Those numbers were not assigned till when when?

Nope. Nope But 1551 because that one doesn't have the verse the verses

I'm giving rich a sudden quiz He's not appreciating very much, but I'm giving a sudden quiz. So 1551

Stephanos The the chapters were already done They were done the medieval period but the the verses were inserted by Stephanos right after the publication of that right down there in 1550

So in 1551, so but but it is interesting both first Thessalonians 2 13 is

Theologically rich as a second Thessalonians 2 13, but we should always give thanks to God for you brethren beloved by the

Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the

Spirit and faith in the truth entire sermon on that one

Giving thanks to God for you Brethren beloved by the

Lord Because God has chosen you and There's a textual variant here from the beginning or as firstfruits for salvation

Through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. I would argue and I think would have a solid ground for arguing

That that final line through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth

If you're gonna give thanks to God the Father for the sanctifying work in people's lives by the

Spirit Then the next line is faith in the truth. You can give thanks to God the

Father for the fact that their faith is in the truth There's giving the thanks God for what faith?

human faith another one of those texts Which would show that? proper biblical balance and The thanks goes to God never to man

In a synergistic system. It's a 50 -50 split Philemon, I thank my

God always making mention of my prayers and then you have one reference in the book of Revelation In Revelation 11 7 in one of the prayers we give thanks to you

Oh Lord God the Almighty who art and who was because thou hast taken thy great power and has begun to rain and so you have

Thanksgiving being given in the context of Of a prayer so Let me just grab one other thing here we're running out of time

But There are of course numerous other texts found in the

Old Testament that would greatly Enhance our understanding of Thanksgiving, but there is also the noun form

That is found in The Scriptures as well for the giving of thanks and So you have such passages as 2nd

Corinthians 4 15 For all things are for your sakes that the abundance great that abundant grace might through the

Thanksgiving of many Redound to the glory of God rebound to the glory of God Provide that The giving of thanks to God is part of his glorification, let's put it that way

Second Corinthians 4 15 makes that clear second Corinthians 9 11 you will be enriched and everything for all liberality, which is producing what?

Thanksgiving to God It is producing This is something that should be produced by the work by the work of the

Spirit within us when we are being sanctified We are being made thankful people Thanksgiving is being produced within us in In that in that way

Synchronies 912 for the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the Saints, but it's also overflowing through many

Thanksgivings you kind of steers to God Now these are these the substantival uses.

So I did the verbal ones first and here's the substantival Uses noun form uses and that of course is where you get

Philippians 4 6. So you're probably wondering why didn't you go to that one? again, it's difference between verbs and nouns be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known to God so there is a

Very important aspect of the attitude of the heart and I think this is

What is so? abhorrent to me about the word faith movement because when you command

Faith, I mean you saw the idiocy. Sorry you saw the foolishness this week of Kenneth Copeland having people put their hands on their bald heads and speak hair to grow

Sorry, I as I said on Twitter I expect yes, I I expect a

I Expect a she bear to come out from behind the curtain and take him out

The the attitude that Jesus is commending to us when he talks about believing and God will do these things

The basic assumption is seen here but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known to God The thankful heart is a content heart

The thankful heart is a heart If you're truly thankful for what you've got

Then you're content with what you've got we show our lack of contentment

By the fact that we may thank God for our newest toy But Parents you all know what

I'm about to tell you you've seen it We've all gone through it and we all did it you're sitting around the

Christmas tree and The boxes are opened and there's been the squeals of delight how long does that last and that tells you how truly thankful someone is for what they received and That remains true for us adults

So Contentment comes with true

Thanksgiving and the whole basis of The word -faith movement is an utter rejection of contentment.

So there's no Thanksgiving When you're telling God you need that brand -new

Camaro That's not being that's not supplication with Thanksgiving It's just the opposite of it.

It's the negation of it and So what makes

When we talk about powerful prayer We always look at this backwards because we're looking in Time toward eternity from below toward above we're always looking at it backwards

When Jesus said whatever you ask believing you shall receive he meant it But he meant it in this context the person who in prayer and supplication asked to God with Thanksgiving is a person whose will is submitted to the will of God a

Person in contentment and so if you are walking in the center of God's will

Of course, he's gonna move that mountain because that's where God's will is gonna take you But this idea that you get to tell

God that you're a little God on earth. Oh goodness, I cannot imagine the condemnation that Will come upon those who have perverted the scriptures in there.

I I Shake to think about it. I really do. I really really do Um Colossians 2 7

I got a hurry here having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in your faith just as you were instructed and overflowing with N.

Eucharistia Overflowing in it what you want to know what a mature

Christian is. There's the description. That's one of the best descriptions. I know firmly rooted being built up in him

Established in your faith Just as you were instructed. You don't take credit for it.

God used others to instruct you just as you were instructed and Overflowing with eucharistia

That's the same term overflowing abounding with Thanksgiving abounding with Thanksgiving, there's a description of a of a

True Christian Colossians 4 to devote yourselves to prayer keeping alert in it with an attitude of Thanksgiving, it's literally

Gregor untas being alert being focused in it and out a in prayer and Eucharistia in Thanksgiving in the it surrounds all of it.

This is this is the description of proper prayer Really quickly for a simply for three men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods

Which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth

So that's that's with that's that's a gratefully shared part and For everything created by God is good and nothing is rejected if it is received with Gratitude or with eucharistia with Thanksgiving and then finally the last reference

Revelation 7 12 another of the prayers found in that wonderful book.

Amen Blessing and glory and wisdom and eucharistia So you've got dachshund

Kai. Hey Sophia Kai. Hey, you guys said eucharistia Kai hate to may honor

Kai hate dunamis power and escuse strength To our

God forever and ever. Amen These are to be given to God these belong to God because God is the creator of all things so Thoughts from the concordance,

I guess you might say looking at what We need to be thankful for so let me just we're gonna go over by half a minute here.

But none of this is changed when

God calls his people To walk through deep darkness

May sound great to be able to do this when we've got all of our gadgets we've got our houses and we've got our cars and we've got our retirement accounts and we've got our health insurance and we've got peace and we got freedom we can travel over the world and that What if we don't have any of that left?

Well, that's all taken away Um Do these commands cease does does do our our prayers?

No longer need to be with Thanksgiving Now just close that story because it has hit so many many many many many people the story from the hiding place where The sisters are in Ravensbruck concentration camp and They are transferred to this huge Dorm type thing

And in the center where they're put these Stacked up bunks with rancid.

Hey, I can't imagine what it smelled like Filled with fleas filled with fleas and Betsy's like I Don't know how much more of this

I can take I mean, they've they've been through so much and death and deprivation and and and all of these things and She's almost to the point of Her sister says we have to give thanks to God in all things and she's like I can't

I Cannot give thanks to God for these biting itching insects.

I can't do it and Not long after that They have their hidden Bible They're able to start doing

Bible studies they're seeing God doing such amazing things in the women's lives and all sudden they realize

We've never been interrupted in doing it of our Bible studies, why not? Because the guards never come in here

Why do the guards never come in here? Because the fleas They know the fleas are there they never come in and so they have free reign free reign to do

Whatever they want to do in ministering the Word of God and For that they gave thanks for that they gave thanks they obeyed

God blessed I would have been with her

God I can't I can't do it. I Can't but You think of any of those situations any of those situations of persecution deprivation difficulty?

You can't do it right now and of yourself the Spirit of God is not limited as to where he can go and that is our greatest our greatest hope and So for those of you who have freedom

To gather with your family we're gathering with with part of my family that's here in the valley and with our grandkids, so I will

Have that opportunity to have kids running around and front yard in the backyard I imagine

Waylon will be you know, you want to see He can get up above the top of the house in our tree in the front yard.

I mean, he's straight up that thing and And so, you know, you know, you've got taking pictures of the grandkids in the in the tree and and all the other stuff that you do with with grandkids and We're gonna have

Christmas pictures taken at church next next Sunday before a service starts and so we got

Kelly got Christmas dresses for the girls and it's just so much fun and all that type of stuff going on and we also have a

Fairly new couple from the church that's going to be joining us for Thanksgiving as well.

So We have the freedom to do that We do not have to worry about The Gestapo Breaking into our house because there's going to be two four eight ten of us in in the house and only one turkey

And two cats, but one of them will be long long way one of them does not like visitors but we don't have to worry about that too much, but some of you do

I realize that and so our prayers are with you and Some of you are simply in situations where even having the funds to have the food might be a real challenge

But I hope in the midst of all of it wherever you are in United States overseas wherever you are

That you will take time this week to truly think about the importance of Thanksgiving Not the day the attitude because it is the work of the

Spirit of God in his people's hearts to have Thanksgiving a contentment as to what he calls them where where he calls them and what he calls them to do that I Think has been very clear from our looking at the scriptures today.

Our plan right now Lord willing is to be back on Friday In the

United States that's called Black Friday for some reason that's where all the businesses used to go into the black As the

Christmas shopping season started. I Don't think anything is normal this year and I will say one last thing.

I Don't know what Thanksgiving and Christmas is gonna look like in 2021, I don't know

I've been hearing things and reading things and I Mean there's stuff out there.

That's just This isn't conspiracy theory stuff. It's published stuff It's it's we are being wide open.

This is what we want to do globally and It could have a huge impact upon what

Christmas and Thanksgiving of 2021 may be or may not even a be able to be so whatever you do

Don't waste this time With trivial pursuits and Sports and things that will have no lasting eternal value

Value what you have now be thankful for it because we don't know what the future may bring.

We know God does and God will sustain but God's Sustaining of his people does not mean the continuation of the giving of gifts of stewardship

That is God can give and as Job said God can take away blessed be the name of the