THANKSGIVING 2009

SCRIPTURES – Psalm 136; Deut. 8:1-10; Luke 17:11-19

“What do you say?” You heard this as a child, and have probably said it many times as an adult. “What do you say?” We need to learn to say thank you, for then we will be turned from selfishness and the arrogant belief that “I deserve this” to a humble appreciation for the reception of a gift.

 

To say “thank you” to God rightly, we need to look upon Him rightly. Psalm 136 helps us to do this. “Give thanks to the Lord!” it says again and again, and it tells us why we should do so. It is not because of the gifts He gives. No, we give thanks to God because of who He is.
 

I.              GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS OUR CREATOR.

Just a couple of days ago was the 150^th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s book, “The Origin of Species,” in which he proposed natural selection as the engine of evolution. His theory has since become the accepted standard guiding and shaping scientific thought. Many try to harmonize the Bible with evolutionary theory and say that God created everything by the process of evolution. Darwin made no such attempt. His belief was that the world and everything in it came to be by purely natural processes, with no God causing or guiding it, no overarching purpose and plan for it, no wisdom directing it. This life is all there is, and the only purpose in it is the purpose you put into it – a purpose which ends for you when you die and no longer exist.

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords,… to him who alone does great wonders,… who by understanding made the heavens,” Psalm 136 declares. Give thanks, indeed! God is in charge and is directing things. He has a purpose and plan for this world, and for your life. We are not subject to and powerless before unguided and meaningless events, and destined to end our days in the futility of death. We are in the care of a mighty, good, and loving Creator, who made this universe and rules over it! He will order and guide our days, if we will but entrust our lives to Him. “He does great wonders,” says the Psalm. The present tense verb tells us that God is not a watchmaker who made the world and now lets it run itself. No, He remains involved and directs all things for the blessing of His people. Believe this, and give thanks to Him!

II.            GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS OUR AVENGER

“Give thanks… to Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,” Psalm 136 continues. How sad. What did they do? Remember that it was Pharaoh who first sought to strike down the newborn boys of Israel in order to reduce the Jewish population. Remember also that through Moses and the miracles he performed God again and again showed Himself to Pharaoh to be the true God. If Pharaoh had listened and set the children of Israel free, this final judgment against the firstborn would not have come upon his people. But, Pharaoh persisted in his harsh treatment of the Jews, and so God struck down Egypt’s firstborn and won freedom for Israel.

God does not ignore the wrongs that are done to His people and the sufferings that they endure. He hears our cries and works mightily to deliver us. We are His baptized people! The blood of Jesus, God’s only-begotten Son, is upon us! In Jesus there is final justice, the judgment of those who hate and persecute us. In Him we have the mighty God as our avenger. Rejoice, and give thanks to your Lord!

III.           GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS OUR DEFENDER.

“Give thanks to the Lord… who overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea… who struck down great kings and gave their land as a heritage,” Psalm 136 proclaims. This is similar to God being our avenger. The difference is that an avenger responds to wrongs done to us, whereas as a defender keeps harm from us.

Does God keep harm from us? The people of Israel didn’t think so when they saw Pharaoh’s army approaching and could not escape, as the Red Sea was before them. It may not seem so to us when disease strikes, or a car accident brings suffering. Here we must remember that God’s ultimate goal is to bring His people to the Promised Land of heaven. In Jesus we have a Lord who defended us from eternal judgment in hell for our sins by bearing this judgment for us. He also crushed Satan, our great and eternal enemy, under His feet when He descended into hell in triumph as the first act of His glorious resurrection from the dead. Having sacrificed so greatly for you, you can also be sure that in this life He will defend you constantly, and greatly! No harm can befall us that He will not turn to our blessing.

IV.          GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS OUR “REMEMBERER.”

“Give thanks to the Lord… who remembered us in our low estate.” God remembers His people. This means that He looks upon them in their need and responds.

• As Jesus remembered in mercy the lowly and helpless lepers who cried out to Him. He gave new lives to the lepers, and blessed with eternal life the leper who returned to give Him thanks, saying, “Your faith has made you well.”

Through faith in Jesus we are also well. Eternal life is ours! God is looking upon us with joy and gladness, and so will see our need and respond with His help! We have great reason to fall before Him in thanksgiving.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His steadfast love endures forever!”  Keep this constant refrain of Psalm 136 in your mind and heart. God is good, and all He does is good. In Jesus He loves you forever! Keep this in your mind and heart, and you will be able to rise and go your way in peace and joy throughout this life. Your faith will make you well!