Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

 

Scripture Text

PSALM 107:21-22

Intro: November 25^th our nation celebrates Thanksgiving. We as Christians should not wait till the Thanksgiving holiday to thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. God's will for Christians is that we should be a fountain of praise and that our lives should be in a state of thanksgiving to God at all times and all circumstances.

I. We are to thank God for His goodness. Psalm 107:21a (NKJV)
²¹  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness! The air we breath is enough reason to thank God when you take an honest visit to the hospital and see the number of people who live their life on oxygen, only then will you realize that you have been an ungrateful person all this while by not thanking God for life. The scripture says his mercy and goodness endures forever. For every person that is still alive on this earth, God is good and merciful to us. It is not that we are the most righteous people, not that we are the most fervent in our Prayers. It is only the grace and goodness of God that has kept us this far. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. Therefore, we learn to give thanks to God. Meanwhile, giving thanks to God for his goodness also unlocks numerous blessings from God. King David became a man after God's heart despite his sins that he committed while on the throne of Israel. King David did not take the goodness of God over his life for granted; that is why he never missed the opportunity to give thanks to God for his goodness. As we cultivate the habit of giving thanks to God for his goodness, it will unlock more blessings in the name of Jesus.

II. We are to thank God for His wonderful works. [Psalm 107:21b] Psalm 107:21 (NKJV) ²¹  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His wonderful works to the children of men! We have plenty of reasons to praise and be thankful to God for His wonderful works.                                                                              

1. Thank God for our salvation and freedom from captivity to the O.T. laws we couldn't keep and all Satan's power over us. Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV) ¹³  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

2. Thank God we have been set free from sin. Romans 6:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. ¹⁸  And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Our thankfulness to God results in living righteous lives for Him.

3. Thank God for the sacrifice of Christ that brought us to Him. Romans 8:32 (NKJV)
 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? God did not withhold His Son but gave Him to be crucified on a cruel cross so our sins could be forgiven and we could be brought to Him.
1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

4. Thank God for satisfying our physical needs. Philippians 4:19-20 (NKJV) ¹⁹  And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰  Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 5. Thank God He satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness. Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. We were created with a deep hunger and thirst for what is right.

6. Thank God for the wonderful things we see in what He has done and is doing in His creation. Psalm 19:1 (NKJV) The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Thank God for the glory of His creation and handiwork.

7. Thank God that He has made us His heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷  and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Conclusion: In conclusion Psalm 107:22 says “Let us sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing.” A sacrifice is something we put effort into, it costs us. When we bring sacrifices of thanksgiving to God we honor Him. May we continually give to God sacrifices of Thanksgiving and may we testify of His awesome goodness and wonderful works to all mankind. If we give thanks for every blessing that God has given, He may give us more incredible blessings. May we develop a heart of gratitude instead of taking things for granted. I pray we will all come to the realization of all that God has done and is doing for us every day and we would be more thankful.

Invitation: The first way to thank God for His goodness and mercy is to receive His Son Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. You do that by confessing your sins to Jesus and then asking Him to forgive you and save you for Heaven. Then be baptized to show publicly your decision for Christ. Then show Him you are thankful by living the rest of your life for Him.