1 Living in Gratitude GRAT - thanksgivingtabernacle.org · 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. 12. Now we ask...

GRATQuestion 1:As you get ready for Thanksgiving, what are you looking forward to most?

Living in Gratitude1

BI BL E S T U DI E S F OR L I F E 121© 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources

THE POINT

Give thanks . . . in everything.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

On a recent trip to Greece, one of our favorite stops was a store called The Nut House in the town of Thessaloniki . As soon as you enter, you’re amazed at the colorful displays of nuts and dried fruits from the Mediterranean . But then you immediately notice what takes up a large portion of the shop from front to back: a conveyor belt with thousands of shelled nuts moving along, being roasted and readied to be enjoyed .

That conveyor belt reminds me of the Christian life as we are moved along in our growth to become equipped by Christ . We are “conveyed” through a variety of life experiences and challenges .

Regardless of what we encounter, though, one trait should ride with us: gratitude .

Gratitude is more than a simple “thank you .” It’s a way of living . The apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonian church in that same city long ago, understood that if this ingredient is seasoned into the life of believers, it will transform their lives and their church .

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WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

1 Thessalonians 5:12-1312 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

In this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul unpacked his heart and the Holy Spirit’s instruction as to how believers can live in the hope of Christ’s return . As he approached the close of his letter, Paul wrote “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess . 5:11) .

In verse 12, Paul pointed to one way we can offer encouragement: express gratitude to leaders in the church . These individuals work diligently to teach and lead the body spiritually . They have been given the authority to do so by Christ and have been given the great responsibility of admonishing and caring for the body as Jesus would (Heb . 13:17) .

Paul commanded us “to acknowledge” these leaders . His words mean more than simply paying them more attention than you normally would on a Sunday morning . The verb means “knowing fully, appreciating their true worth,”1 then granting them the appreciation that comes with understanding the sacrificial nature of what they do . For added emphasis, Paul underscored this point in verse 13: “hold

them in the highest regard in love because of their work .”

Some of us may immediately think back to the time we disagreed with a decision made by church leadership . We may have felt the leaders made a mistake . Or maybe the pastor wasn’t meeting our expectations . But the Holy Spirit isn’t asking us to honor leaders because they’re always agreeable to our tastes or because they’re perfect—they’ll never be either . Nor is the Holy Spirit asking us to honor a pastor simply because he carries the title but doesn’t display the example of Christ .

Question 2:Who has been instrumental in teaching you how to walk with God?


The Spirit is calling us to practice loving submission to our leaders out of submission to Christ and to the authority He’s given His under-shepherds. He’s calling us to recognize with respect the sacrificial way leaders carry out their calling. Christ is calling us to set aside deeply-held personal preferences and replace them with grace-filled expressions of love for those who serve.

Paul’s aim is for us to “live in peace with each other.” We are to strive for peace by giving respect to our leaders in all circumstances—

and that includes right in the middle of disagreements. There’s something sweet-smelling about patience and submission to authority and even more so when it’s the hard thing to do.

This command begins in the heart and works its way out. It starts in our personal prayers, expressing gratitude to the Father for providing a shepherd to lead His church.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-1514 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Coming off the heels of the command to be at peace with one another, Paul offered several commands that help us live that out .

Warn the idle. The word Paul used for “idle” is broader than just being lazy . It was used for someone who was out of line or disruptive . These individuals would not only bring themselves to ruin but also hurt the reputation of the body of Christ . With care, Paul warned the body of Christ on how their behavior was heading .

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THE POINT Give thanks . . . in everything.

© 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources

Encourage the disheartened and help the weak. The disheartened were those who were suffering from persecution . Paul urged us to express sympathy and sensitivity to those in grief and in darkness . Those who are weak could have included those who were being persecuted, but also could include the poor, the sick, the disabled, or those who suffer the death of loved ones .

Be patient. To accomplish the other command, one important mark is needed: “be patient with everyone .” Patience is such a needed commodity in the church . Paul reminded the Philippians that they needed the humility that considers “others above yourselves” (Phil . 2:3) . Patience is kindled by humility and love .

Do good to others instead of evil. Humility and love also kindle a desire to keep any desire for revenge in check, and pursue instead what is best for the other person . This must have been a distinctive mark in the Thessalonian church as they encountered persecution from Jews and Gentiles alike . Jesus showed us how to do this when He went to the cross .

We don’t have to pay the cost Jesus did, but when we follow His example of love and patience, we are positioned to help others grow in the life Jesus made possible .

Question 3:What does it look like to obey these verses in the church today?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-2216 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.


Every Thanksgiving, our home participates in a simple tradition: when the meal is finished, we don’t leave the table. Every person has the opportunity to express thanks to the Lord and others for something that has happened recently. It’s a special tradition for us because we’ve gathered together and focused on expressing our gratitude.

But giving thanks is not reserved for Thanksgiving. Consider how most of us learned to express thanks. When we were children and someone gave us something, a parent or grandparent would ask the question: “What do you say?” Of course, we were expected to say, “Thank you.” Our parents never wanted us to feel entitled. Most of us were taught from an early age to be marked by gratitude for the gifts of others.

Gratitude is not reserved for the good things that are easy to be thankful for. We are to “give thanks in all circumstances.” We do not give thanks for everything, but we do so in everything. In good times and bad, we can still have an attitude of thanksgiving. Living in this mindset softens and shapes our hearts so that our lives are marked by humility and grace, not entitlement and complaining.

Paul gave two other commands that help us live a life of persistent gratitude. Rejoice and pray—and do so continually. If God desires for us to give thanks in all things, this means that we’re continually aware of God’s presence, power, and control over every circumstance. But to do this, we have to be in a continual state of prayer that keeps us in tune with Him.

I recently had to rent a car while mine was in the body shop. The first thing I did was reprogram the radio’s stations so that, with a touch of my finger, I could lock into the music I enjoyed. So it is with prayer. If we’re to be aware of God’s control over all things and give Him thanks, we must continually lock into hearing from and talking with Him. We must open our hearts to what He is saying. And when these things are related with thanksgiving and prayer, we are led to rejoice always in deep-seated joy for God’s control of all things and provision in Christ for all things.

Finally, Paul warned against shutting down the work of the Spirit through other believers. The issue was the spiritual gift of prophecy. Of course, Paul wasn’t giving a blank slate for people to communicate whatever was on their mind as truth. All things are to be tested; discernment is to be applied for the protections and guidance of the church.

As our hearts are continually looking to God with thanksgiving for what He’s doing in the body (v. 18), continually in tune with Him in prayer (v. 17), and continually rejoicing (v. 16) for His provision of the Spirit, then our hearts are ready to receive God’s word through others. And for that we can be thankful.

Question 4:Which of these commands do you find most challenging to follow?

Question 5:What does it look like to “give thanks in everything”?




My Prayer:

A CORNUCOPIA OF THANKSDraw a sketch of a cornucopia of people in your life for whom you are thankful.

Then write a prayer, thanking God for each one.

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude

is happiness doubled by wonder.”G . K . C H E S T E R T O N

Engage

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So how will you live in gratitude? Choose one of the following applications.

Thank God. Take time daily to express gratitude to God. Consider what He has given for you: a recent provision, a character trait, or even the life of His Son. Reflect on this and express thanks throughout the day. Watch how your heart will move from worry to trust and joy.

Thank others. Pray for your pastor and/or another believer who has helped you in your walk with Christ. Ask the Lord how He wants you to encourage the person. Send a card, a text, or an email expressing respect and gratitude.

Help others express thanks. Be an encouragement to others who need physical and spiritual help. Pray for them first and remind yourself of the gospel’s work in you. Meet with these individuals, listen, and learn about their need. Then, commit to walk with them, pray with them, and seek the solution that will help them. Be a reason they can be thankful to God.

Once we come to Christ through repentance and faith, we begin a journey that makes us more and more like Christ. A big part of living that out will be displaying the gratitude that the Holy Spirit frequently brings to our minds and hearts.

LIVE IT OUT

1 Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (Eerdmans, 1991), 165.




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