Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

 This message is a topical sermon on the importance of thanksgiving and why it is essential in the life of the disciple of Jesus Christ.

Firstly; the principle reason why we as Christians are to offer thanksgiving to our God is that we are commanded to do so. God’s will of command is for His disciples to habitually find reasons to be thankful and express them to our creator.

Psalm 29:2

Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Why does God desire us to express thankfulness to Him?

To offer thanksgiving affirms and agrees with that which is true and firmly established. Mainly; that God is all good and is most worthy of our thanksgiving. To give God thanksgiving rightly directs our affection upwards to the deserving God from whom all blessings flow.

1 Chronicles 29:10-12

¹⁰ Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:

“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,^[i] may you be praised forever and ever! ¹¹ Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. ¹² Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Does God need the affirmation of our thanksgiving?

God is completely self existent and self satisfied so He does not need anything or anyone. God is not needy like people or other created beings. His omnipotence (all power) makes Him unique in that He has no actual or perceived needs.

Psalm 50:8-14

 ⁸ I have no complaint about your sacrifices
    or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
⁹ But I do not need the bulls from your barns
    or the goats from your pens.
¹⁰ For all the animals of the forest are mine,
    and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹ I know every bird on the mountains,
    and all the animals of the field are mine.
¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for all the world is mine and everything in it.
¹³ Do I eat the meat of bulls?
    Do I drink the blood of goats?
¹⁴ Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God

Since God does not need my thanksgiving; what if I choose to withhold it?

The LORD is full of unfailing love but is also a jealous God. This does not mean God is capricious like a little child who wants a siblings toy but rather that His majesty and glory command worship and gratitude for His kindness towards us through Jesus Christ. To deny this command is an act of contempt that amounts to the sin of rebellion.

Psalm 103:1-5

103 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 iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Why do people withhold thanksgiving to God?

Mostly; people who deny God thanksgiving are unbelievers and are operating out of their sinful nature. Disciples who deny God thanksgiving are quenching the Holy Spirit at work in them.

Romans 1:21

²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:19

¹⁹ Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

When should I offer thanksgiving to God?

The Christian life is characterized as continual thanksgiving since our life is sustained by the person of Jesus Christ and God is the one who ultimately meets all our needs. Communion with God through prayer is to be accompanied with giving of thanks. Thanksgiving is offered when we make our requests to God and is part of true prayer.  

Colossians 4:2

² Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

How should we offer thanksgiving to God?

Giving thanks to God is to be done privately through prayer or verbally and corporately with others.

Psalm 50:23

²³ But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
    If you keep to my path,
    I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

 

What are some benefits to offering thanksgiving to God?

Offering thanksgiving to God is a vital part of our prayers and is a powerful antidote against worry, anxiety, and complaining which are all sins that harm us. God delights in meeting the needs of His children and doesn’t want us to live bogged down with internal conflict. Offer God thanksgiving as part of your prayers to keep your inner peace.

Philippians 4:6-7

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.