WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.339 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:09.359 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.500 Join us. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:17.140 All of you kids, we're going to talk about giving thanks for just a minute. 00:00:19.059 --> 00:00:21.100 So thankful that you all are here. 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:26.379 We're getting to give thanks to God a lot this morning to thank Him. 00:00:26.379 --> 00:00:32.759 I wanted to ask you, when is it that you most often give thanks to God? 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:37.379 When you pray and give thanks to God, when is a time you do that a lot? 00:00:37.820 --> 00:00:38.299 Thanksgiving. 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:40.659 At Thanksgiving, that's true. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:41.600 Yes, when else? 00:00:41.619 --> 00:00:42.480 In my bed alone. 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:43.620 Say it again. 00:00:43.780 --> 00:00:44.759 In my bed alone. 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:47.039 Yes, that is also a good time. 00:00:47.480 --> 00:00:49.980 Is there a time that you do every day? 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:52.140 At dinner. 00:00:52.480 --> 00:00:53.939 Okay, at dinner time. 00:00:53.939 --> 00:00:56.899 Do a lot of you give thanks to God before you eat? 00:00:57.199 --> 00:00:57.559 Yeah. 00:00:57.820 --> 00:00:58.259 Yeah. 00:00:58.399 --> 00:00:59.019 You always pray. 00:00:59.559 --> 00:01:00.000 Yeah. 00:01:00.239 --> 00:01:01.199 You pray before you eat. 00:01:01.259 --> 00:01:03.060 That's a very good time to give thanks. 00:01:03.179 --> 00:01:04.959 We pretty much do God our Father all the time. 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:05.379 Yeah. 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:07.900 And some of you are going to get to give thanks. 00:01:08.140 --> 00:01:13.879 This week, a lot of you have a special meal where you give thanks to God and you see more 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:19.180 of His blessings spread out on that table in front of you and around that table. 00:01:19.180 --> 00:01:22.659 And you take special time to give thanks this week at Thanksgiving. 00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:23.620 Yes. 00:01:23.620 --> 00:01:23.880 Yes. 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:30.240 This morning, I want us to just think of one more special table. 00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:31.240 Okay. 00:01:31.620 --> 00:01:38.760 A table that is spread with God's blessings that give us special reason to give thanks 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:39.340 to God. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:43.659 Can any of you see a table right now with things on it? 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:43.860 Yeah. 00:01:44.140 --> 00:01:46.420 Do you see this table up here? 00:01:46.820 --> 00:01:48.900 You know, we call it the Lord's Supper. 00:01:49.820 --> 00:01:50.060 Yeah. 00:01:50.219 --> 00:01:52.000 Some of you have supper at home. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.719 This is God's supper. 00:01:55.180 --> 00:02:03.519 A meal where God sets the table and He invites us to eat with Him and to be a part of this 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:04.299 with Him. 00:02:04.299 --> 00:02:09.680 So when you see a dinner table at Thanksgiving, you might see, what might you see on the table 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:10.639 or near the table? 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:11.000 Turkey. 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:11.020 Turkey. 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:12.579 A lot of food. 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:12.960 Yeah. 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:14.079 That you'd be thankful for. 00:02:14.079 --> 00:02:14.099 Turkey. 00:02:14.099 --> 00:02:16.460 Are there people at the table that you're thankful for? 00:02:16.780 --> 00:02:17.180 Turkey. 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:17.699 Yes. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:18.439 And turkey. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.460 And there are a lot of people. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:23.639 Chairs at the table. 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:24.959 Other things that God gives us. 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:26.819 Maybe friends who are there with you. 00:02:26.839 --> 00:02:27.679 Maybe cheese. 00:02:27.819 --> 00:02:27.979 Yeah. 00:02:27.979 --> 00:02:31.199 But I want to talk to you about what we see at God's table. 00:02:31.259 --> 00:02:32.759 Because this table is not turkey, is it? 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:33.199 No. 00:02:33.399 --> 00:02:33.779 No. 00:02:34.659 --> 00:02:43.579 At this table, there's food on this table that is, it represents for us the body and the 00:02:43.579 --> 00:02:45.219 blood of Jesus. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:46.219 Did y'all know that? 00:02:46.219 --> 00:02:52.360 Did you know that every time we celebrate this, that that's what we are remembering and 00:02:52.360 --> 00:03:00.319 giving God thanks for, is that Jesus came and sacrificed His life for us. 00:03:00.860 --> 00:03:05.819 That Jesus' body was broken and His blood was shed. 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:11.259 That He came to die so that we could have life with Him forever. 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:12.560 Isn't that amazing? 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:15.800 Do you think that's something that we should be thankful for? 00:03:16.580 --> 00:03:19.020 That God loved us that much? 00:03:19.539 --> 00:03:22.759 Do you think God wants us to remember that and be thankful for it? 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:25.599 He gives it to us a lot. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:31.219 Very often so that just like you sit at the dinner table every night and you get to give 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:33.300 thanks to God for His good gifts. 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:38.479 Every time you see us come to this table as a church family, that's what we're doing is 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:42.699 giving God thanks for how much He has loved us and sending Jesus for us. 00:03:43.079 --> 00:03:44.000 Can you remember that? 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:47.520 That every time we come here it's a chance to give thanks. 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:52.479 I hope you remember that this week even as you give thanks to God for other things in 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:57.080 your life, that you thank Him for sending Jesus because He loves you. 00:03:57.219 --> 00:03:58.719 Can you remember to do that this Thanksgiving? 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.379 All right. 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:01.599 Thanks for coming up here. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:04.599 Y'all go back to your seats now and have a great Thanksgiving. 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:04.719 Thanksgiving. 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:23.060 For just a couple minutes I want us to contemplate that not just with our kids but as adults 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:26.319 too as we prepare to come to this table together. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:33.779 Imagine for just a minute that you're at the first Passover having come out of Egypt. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:37.819 God's people are gathered at this Passover celebration. 00:04:38.019 --> 00:04:39.139 What are you thankful for? 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:45.139 It's not primarily how good the food tastes, is it? 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:48.319 It's not even a new job you got. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:52.180 It's not even the family that's gathered there with you. 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:56.899 You're thankful for God's deliverance out of slavery in Egypt, aren't you? 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:05.279 Imagine that not only are you there at that first Passover out of Egypt, but imagine you're 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:11.099 the oldest son in your family gathered around that Passover feast. 00:05:12.179 --> 00:05:13.539 What are you thankful for? 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:19.959 It's not primarily for your friends, although those are great gifts. 00:05:20.659 --> 00:05:22.979 It's not primarily your academic success. 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:26.599 You're thankful for your life. 00:05:28.139 --> 00:05:31.959 You're thankful for the blood of the Lamb. 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:38.639 The God who provided that blood for you to be put on the doorposts of your house as a means 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:42.120 of deliverance for you and life, right? 00:05:44.539 --> 00:05:50.599 That same kind of thanksgiving should be ours when we come to the Lord's Supper. 00:05:51.139 --> 00:05:56.439 Giving thanks is such an important part of the Lord's Supper that it's often been referred 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:00.339 to as the Eucharist from the Greek word for thanksgiving. 00:06:00.339 --> 00:06:08.539 It's because as Jesus celebrated this with his disciples, we get this account in 1 Corinthians 11 00:06:08.539 --> 00:06:09.639 that Paul gives us, 00:06:09.779 --> 00:06:15.139 I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:23.979 he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is 00:06:23.979 --> 00:06:25.899 my body which is for you. 00:06:26.799 --> 00:06:29.059 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:06:29.060 --> 00:06:36.139 All of the gospel accounts of that last supper remind us of this, that Jesus took the bread 00:06:36.139 --> 00:06:37.300 and gave thanks. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:40.519 That he took the cup and gave thanks. 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:42.139 Thanks for what? 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:44.060 For God's deliverance, right? 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:45.819 That's what they were celebrating. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:55.420 For God's provision of the blood of the Lamb, even though Jesus knew that it would be his blood 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:56.000 this time. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:04.339 Friends, our greatest thanks is not for material blessings. 00:07:04.740 --> 00:07:09.660 Even God's very good blessings for which we should give him thanks. 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:15.139 God's word says we should give thanks in all things, whether they seem good or bad. 00:07:15.139 --> 00:07:20.360 So it is good for us to share of the ways God is working in our lives practically. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:26.860 But the greatest thanks that we ought to have is for our life in Christ. 00:07:27.719 --> 00:07:34.379 For every spiritual blessing that we have in Christ. 00:07:34.379 --> 00:07:39.579 I don't know what you think of every time we spend several minutes celebrating the Lord's 00:07:39.579 --> 00:07:39.819 supper. 00:07:40.159 --> 00:07:47.719 But I hope it provides you some perspective this morning as the Passover provided perspective 00:07:47.719 --> 00:07:49.519 for God's people. 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:55.659 Every time they celebrated it, perspective of what they were thankful for. 00:07:55.660 --> 00:08:02.880 As you contemplate this table this morning and any other day, especially Thanksgiving, 00:08:04.080 --> 00:08:10.820 give thanks for the body and blood of your Savior given for you that in him you might have 00:08:10.820 --> 00:08:13.780 every spiritual blessing. 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:15.600 Can you imagine that? 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:20.420 Adoption as sons and daughters of the King. 00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:28.180 That you might have an inheritance that will never perish or spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you. 00:08:28.400 --> 00:08:33.440 That right now you have his Holy Spirit so the very power of God lives inside of you. 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:37.240 You have forgiveness from every one of your failures. 00:08:37.800 --> 00:08:42.840 Freedom from a burdensome yoke and working to justify yourself. 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:49.320 You have true rest in Jesus because he has done all the work that was necessary for you. 00:08:49.460 --> 00:08:51.879 You have every spiritual blessing. 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.720 You're redeemed from darkness into light, from death to life. 00:08:55.800 --> 00:08:57.280 You have been rescued. 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:03.379 You actually have relationship with a God who hears your prayers, who is there with you, 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.280 who hears every cry of your heart. 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:06.860 This he has given to you. 00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:13.300 You are held in his strong hand and no one can snatch you out of his hand. 00:09:13.700 --> 00:09:16.159 All of that and many, many more. 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:17.620 I'm just getting started. 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:21.539 It comes to you in Christ. 00:09:22.659 --> 00:09:28.879 It comes to you because he gave his life for you to unite you to him forever. 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:30.419 Praise the Lord. 00:09:30.500 --> 00:09:30.639 Amen? 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:30.799 Amen? 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:36.000 Every spiritual blessing in Christ. 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:41.620 This is a table full of a feast of God's blessings. 00:09:42.659 --> 00:09:47.779 And as we come look around and realize that you're not the only one that's gotten all those. 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:52.699 The people you've heard come and share this morning, the brothers and sisters sitting here 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:59.720 online and even around the world also have been brought in to that family. 00:09:59.860 --> 00:10:06.740 There's family around this table too because of a father who loves us, because of an older brother 00:10:06.740 --> 00:10:09.020 who gave his life for us. 00:10:09.340 --> 00:10:12.320 And so now we get to give thanks together. 00:10:13.540 --> 00:10:20.759 Thanksgiving will fill the heart of an elderly man with dementia as he comes to this table 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:25.399 and remembers that his God remembers him. 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:27.919 It's Thanksgiving. 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:32.799 Thanksgiving that will fill the heart of the young woman who's been chased from her parents 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:38.500 and husband and children because of her faith in Christ. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:44.659 She has no source of income, but she remembers the treasure that she has in her Savior 00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:46.939 and her spiritual family. 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:54.240 Thanksgiving that will fill as they come the heart of a couple grieving over their health, 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:59.480 their children, their lives not unfolding the way they planned. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:05.260 And they come here and they remember the God who sees us, who endures our pain with us, 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:10.360 who sovereignly delivers us from whatever it is that we're going through in this life 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:14.180 into a glorious future that he has planned for us. 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:23.979 A future that includes a table that is set with a great feast, the eternal wedding supper of the Lamb. 00:11:24.059 --> 00:11:26.279 We're going to have a feast full of God's blessings. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:26.599 Amen? 00:11:27.899 --> 00:11:29.539 Giving thanks forever. 00:11:29.659 --> 00:11:31.839 Can you imagine how you'll give thanks around that table? 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:33.479 What will you be giving thanks for? 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:41.879 I can't even imagine that we would think of anything else in that moment other than the life that we have 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.779 because of the blood of the Lamb given for us. 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:52.139 We're there, Revelation tells us, because we're wearing robes that are white, washed white in the blood of the Lamb. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.259 And we will praise him and we will see him face to face 00:11:55.259 --> 00:12:00.720 and we will rejoice in his life and death and resurrection forever for us. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:09.899 I pray this table, the Savior who is pictured here, will be the thing that stirs your heart to thanksgiving. 00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:17.399 Today, this thanksgiving and every day as you consider his great love for you. 00:12:18.560 --> 00:12:22.139 It was that night that Jesus was betrayed, 00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:26.960 a night of difficulty and pain for him for sure, 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:32.139 that he took bread and he broke it and he gave it to his disciples. 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:35.400 As I'm ministering in his name, give this bread to you. 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:36.920 He said, take and eat. 00:12:37.700 --> 00:12:40.040 This is my body given for you. 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:42.200 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:46.740 And then he took the cup after supper saying, 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:49.580 this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:52.080 Shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:54.639 Drink from it, all of you. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:02.360 We come to this table because in it we see the Savior for whom we give thanks. 00:13:02.439 --> 00:13:05.840 If that's what you see and what happens in your heart, 00:13:06.199 --> 00:13:09.100 then whether you're a member of this church family or any other 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:15.139 that finds their hope in Jesus, come and celebrate and give him thanks with us. 00:13:15.539 --> 00:13:20.600 If that's not you, if you hear about Jesus and see a picture of Jesus, 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:23.519 but it doesn't cause thanks to well up in your heart, 00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:26.000 you feel like that's not for me, 00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:30.200 then don't come to this table and take these elements this morning. 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:35.240 But we would invite you to come, to come watch, to come let us pray with you, 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:38.519 or even stay where you are and just contemplate Jesus. 00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:44.639 He is a Savior who will fulfill every need that you have, 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:46.680 who will meet you wherever you are, 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:48.839 and who will never ever leave you. 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:51.799 He offers himself to you this morning. 00:13:51.979 --> 00:13:53.959 Let's pray and we'll come and celebrate together. 00:13:56.239 --> 00:14:00.679 Father, we're so grateful for your provision for us. 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:06.159 For the blood of Jesus that has been given on our behalf, 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:11.839 would you use these very common elements for a sacred purpose in our hearts, 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:17.639 that they might stir up thanksgiving that lasts forever. 00:14:19.079 --> 00:14:23.339 Thanksgiving for how much you love us and for all that you've done for us in Christ. 00:14:24.719 --> 00:14:26.620 And we ask it in Jesus' name. 00:14:27.099 --> 00:14:27.399 Amen. 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:32.720 For more information, visit us online at southwood.org. 00:14:32.959 --> 00:14:33.959 Thank you.