Received With Thanksgiving

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

Why the people who know the truth should be the most thankful people on earth.

46 Million Turkeys and a Holiday About Gratitude

Forty-six million is approximately the number of turkey carcasses thrown into trash cans this last Thursday night in the United States, because every fourth Thursday of November we celebrate a holiday whose tradition has become eating turkey. There is even a "46 Million Turkeys" project, a group wanting Americans to be mindful of all those turkeys, since, as they say, every turkey is an individual.

The holiday is in our rearview mirror now, but I want to take some time to think about this topic of Thanksgiving. We can become distracted by all the things that go along with it—the meal, the family, the cleaning, the decorations, the stress. For those who seek God in his word, it is important to talk about Thanksgiving, because it is not too far off to say that Thanksgiving is uniquely Christian.

Pagans Have No One to Thank

The great 20th-century author G.K. Chesterton said, "Pagans could make an alternative to Christmas, but they could not make a substitute for Thanksgiving Day; for half of them are pessimists who say there is nothing to be thankful for, and the other half are atheists who have nobody to be thankful to."

We live in a nation of incredible abundance, with so much to be thankful for, yet more and more people are not sure who they would be thankful to. Many who don't believe in God still gather for Thanksgiving, but it is focused on football, a big meal, and Black Friday shopping. Even those thinking about gratitude often don't know who to thank. I see this in my own family members who love Thanksgiving, but when you ask, "Who are we thanking?" they give a blank stare.

For followers of God, our gratitude is to be toward God. The apostle James reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from God. As I look at my own life—my wife, my four wonderful kids, our home, all that we have—I must remind myself, even as a Christian pastor, that God is the one who has given every good gift.

Those Who Know the Truth Should Be the Most Thankful

Notice that Thanksgiving comes up twice in this passage. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, foresees a day when some who were part of the gathering of Christians will depart from the faith. One thing that happens as they depart is that they reject the things God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Paul says nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving.

This brings us to the first point: those who know the truth and believe should be the most thankful. The attitude and actions of gratitude should be clearly seen in Christians above all others in society. While others get hung up on football, turkey, and Black Friday deals, those of us who know God through his word should be the most grateful people. And that gratitude should not be set aside to just one day in 365—that is not sufficient.

Give Thanks Always, for All Things

The Scriptures command us to gratitude. To the church at Ephesus Paul wrote that we are to be "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). That can be a challenging exhortation—grateful at all times for all things—because there are surely things from the last eleven months that you are not exactly thankful for. Yet even in the difficult things, I have found lessons and truths God reveals that ultimately make me grateful, even though the difficulty was very hard.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." One of the most-asked questions pastors receive is, "What is God's will for my life?" Thankfully God doesn't lay out every detail of the next eighteen months—we'd object within thirty seconds. But here is a clear part of his will: that you would be grateful and give him praise, not just privately, but publicly, always, in all things, and for all things.

In Colossians 3:17 Paul says, "Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Whatever you do this week, in words or activities, God says you should be grateful. I'd encourage you to meditate on these three verses this week—Ephesians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and Colossians 3:17—and pray, "God, help me become this kind of person who is publicly grateful to you."

Public Thanksgiving points people's attention to God, which is evangelistic. God has called you to share the good news, and one of the best, most practical ways to do that is to publicly give thanks to God for what he has done in your life.

Ten Lepers and One Who Returned

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:11-19)

The story begins with "now it happened," a good reminder that these events actually took place. The Gospels show us how Jesus' life and ministry impacted people two thousand years ago—and his life is still impacting people today. Many of you have a gospel story of how Jesus has impacted your life. Just as these accounts encourage and challenge us, your testimony can encourage, strengthen, and challenge others.

This is important because sometimes you may feel you don't have all the answers to the hard questions people ask. But the one thing you are strong in is your story—you know it better than anyone. When someone brings a difficult question you can't fully answer, you can simply tell your story. In John's Gospel, a man born blind was healed; when the religious leaders bombarded him with questions, he simply said, "I don't know the answers to your questions; all I know is I was blind and now I see." Their questions went right out the window.

Jesus Never Overlooks Those Who Seek Him

This event takes place on Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem, where he would be arrested, falsely accused of sedition, and crucified. He knew exactly what was coming—at least three times in Matthew he told his disciples he would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise again. Luke says he had set himself toward Jerusalem; he was on a mission, and nothing would keep him from it.

Yet even on this mission, he never overlooked the needs of those who sought him. That is both encouraging and challenging. Encouraging, because you may feel God is too busy for your problems—too busy to bother with your prayer card. But Jesus does not overlook the needs of those who seek him; here are the outcasts of society, ten lepers, and he does not pass them by.

It is also a challenge. This week I have repeatedly gotten tunnel vision on what I was trying to get done and overlooked the needs around me. As a pastor I confess there have been many times someone stopped me—"Pastor, can you pray for me?"—while I was thinking, "I've got somewhere to be." Jesus never let his mission make him blind to those who sought him.

A Prayer of Faith Without Shame

Leprosy was a fearful disease that, in the Bible, often involved a visible skin disorder. It is a bacterial condition that deadens the nervous system, so a person loses feeling and unknowingly injures themselves until wounds become infected and limbs are lost. Lepers were removed from civil and religious life. The priest, not a doctor, examined and pronounced them leprous, and they were cut off—unable to come to the temple, only able to be among other sick people.

That is why the lepers "stood afar off." They knew their place; they couldn't approach Jesus or the crowds. Their only fellowship was with one another. Yet they had heard of Jesus, and they lifted their voices: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" This is a prayer of faith. James says it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick. Their prayer recognized three things: the person of Jesus ("Jesus"), the position of Jesus—his lordship and authority ("Master")—and the power of Jesus ("have mercy on us").

They were not the least bit ashamed to cry out for help. Many of us are ashamed to ask for help; we don't want to look weak or impose. But these lepers knew there was no help except in Jesus, so they cried out with zero shame. The heart of God is soft toward those not ashamed to cry out for help. My four-year-old, Elliott, illustrates this perfectly—three or four times a day he yells, "Dad, come wipe my bum," and if you don't hear him the first five times he only gets louder. He knows he needs help. So did these lepers.

See, Answer, Obey

"When He saw them"—underline that—he didn't overlook them or avoid them. He said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." Here is the second point: Jesus sees and answers those who call to him by faith. Why send them to the priests? Because Leviticus 14 commanded that a healed leper reappear before the priest, who would examine him, declare him clean, and reintroduce him to religious and social life with an offering and praise to God.

Then notice: "And so it was that as they went"—circle that—"they were cleansed." The lepers had faith enough to call on Jesus and faith enough to follow his command. Many people call out to Jesus; far fewer obey him. This brings the third point: faith in Jesus must produce obedience to Jesus. We don't know if their healing depended on their obedience; the Scriptures don't say. But we do know that as they went, as they followed his command, they were cleansed.

God Acknowledges Gratitude and Ingratitude

All ten obeyed, but only one returned to give thanks. Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, said, "The number of those who pray is greater than the number of those who praise." Sadly that is often true in our lives—we offer far more petitions to God than praise. Spurgeon urged us to chide ourselves that we offer so much more prayer than praise.

And this one was a Samaritan—an ethnic minority despised by the Jewish people, so much so that calling Jesus a "Samaritan" was used as an insult. If this man was an outcast because of his leprosy, he was doubly outcast as a Samaritan. Yet he is the one who falls down before Jesus. Jesus asks, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?"

This is the fourth point: God acknowledges gratitude and ingratitude. He takes notice when we are thankful, and he also notices when we are not. Romans 1 says wrath will one day be poured out on an unrighteous world because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor were they thankful. He keeps track of our gratitude.

Wholeness for Those Who Praise His Grace

Jesus said to the Samaritan, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well"—the King James says, "your faith has made you whole." There is a difference between being healed of leprosy and being whole. All ten were healed, but only this one received the added blessing of wholeness. The fifth point: Jesus brings wholeness to those who praise the glory of his grace.

There is an added blessing for those who acknowledge the glory and grace of God through Thanksgiving. We give thanks because it acknowledges God's greatness, testifies of his goodness, glorifies his grace, amplifies his glory, exalts his throne, and invites his blessing. As we step into this season celebrating the coming of our Lord Jesus, who came to give us life and life more abundantly, may God stir our hearts to continue on from Thanksgiving with an attitude and mindset of gratitude.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank you that you loved us so much that you gave your Son, that whoever would believe on him would have everlasting life. We thank you, Jesus, that you demonstrated your love toward us, that while we were still sinners you died in our place. God, I pray that you would cause us to be publicly grateful, just like this former leper who praised you before all people. May that be the testimony of my life and the lives of my brothers and sisters here today—a public testimony of gratitude for who you are and what you've done. And as we declare your praises, may the people in our spheres of influence—our neighborhoods, our school campuses, our construction sites, wherever we are—be drawn to you, the good God, by our Thanksgiving. We praise you, Jesus. It's in your name we pray, and all those who agreed said, Amen.