Father, your son has told us that there's many different ways that your word can come to us,
that some of us people, we can be like shallow ground.
Some can be ground with lots of weeds and thorns.
And some of us, Father, can be good soil.
Some of us can be so hard that your word makes no impression whatsoever.
Father, you know our hearts and you know our minds and you know our wills.
And we ask, Father, that knowing us as you do and knowing that you still love us,
Father, in your mercy and in your kindness, would you so pour out your Holy Spirit upon us this morning
that we will be good soil, that your word will enter deep within our lives,
deep within our minds and hearts and wills,
and that as your word comes into us, that it will bear much fruit for your glory.
This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Amen. Please be seated.
Just as a bit of an aside,
this Sunday in the blog, which is in your bulletin,
I talk a little bit about the Catholic Church and what the Creed means,
and over the next few weeks, different parts of the Creed in particular.
I'm going to talk about the Church again next week,
and then I'm going to talk about what it means by remission of sins and all that.
But if you have any questions, just send me an email,
and over the next few weeks as I write my weekly blog, I'll try to answer your questions.
Please take your Bible and turn in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5,
and we're sort of in the middle of a teaching series on practical discipleship.
And so we're taking a series of different commands in the Bible that are practical,
and we're looking at one each week.
And so it's 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 9,
and we're going to read down to verse 18,
because verse 18 is the text that I'm going to speak on.
We're going to look at together this morning.
And 1 Thessalonians 5, if you've forgotten your Bibles,
there's always some Bibles up here at the front, and you're welcome to have them.
Here's how the text goes.
For God has not destined us for wrath,
but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,
just as you are doing.
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord,
and admonish you,
and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
Be at peace among yourselves.
And we urge you, brothers and sisters,
admonish the disorderly,
encourage the faint-hearted,
help the weak,
be patient with them all,
see that no one repays anyone evil for evil,
but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
And the text we're going to examine together today is,
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
On Thursday,
I went to my daughter Emma's high school graduation ceremony.
If you're a guest here,
I have nine kids.
Emma's my eighth child,
so it was my eighth high school graduation ceremony.
And, you know,
it's astounding.
I don't know if,
like,
my oldest son,
my oldest child,
I don't know,
like,
if he just is,
like,
really inferior to Emma and her class,
but every single time we go to a high school graduation,
they always tell them that you are the kindest,
smartest,
most gifted,
you know,
on and on and on class.
That,
I mean,
the principal,
the presenters,
they always say that every year.
So I don't know if that means that,
like,
my son was up here,
and they just,
every generation just keeps getting better.
And I don't know,
before long,
they'll all be like,
I don't know,
like,
my grandkids will be like gods and goddesses.
I don't know what's going on.
But every,
every year,
they're always told the same thing.
I,
I said the same thing at the eight o'clock service,
and a man who was going out of the service said,
you know what,
I went to my daughter's high school graduation,
and it's not yours.
And they told my daughter that her class was the best,
and brightest,
and smartest.
So I don't,
you know,
he didn't know what was going on.
Now,
I'm not going to make fun of high school graduations,
and it's definitely better that they say nice things like that
than mean things.
True story.
When I was in my rural parish,
there was a neighboring church,
a few kilometers away,
and the minister had been away on holidays,
and he'd been away for,
like,
for quite a few weeks,
all on the same,
he went to one cottage,
and he went to the same church the whole time.
And when he came back on,
the first Sunday he came back in his sermon,
he said,
gosh,
you guys are such a lousy congregation.
Like,
where I was before,
they give more money,
they work harder,
they keep the church nicer,
they love Jesus more,
they come to the prayer meetings,
and he went on and on and on,
and the sermon ended,
and the whole congregation,
I'm not making this up,
the whole congregation got up and walked out.
Didn't come back.
So,
you know,
it's much better at high school graduations
that they say nice things than bad things.
Okay?
I mean,
they shouldn't really say,
the principal shouldn't say,
I've been a principal for 25 years,
you're the worst class that I've ever,
I've had more problems,
headaches,
sleepless nights with you than anybody else.
He shouldn't say that,
even if it was true.
However,
here's the thing,
at a high school graduation ceremony,
they'll always as well say all these things like,
reach the stars,
you know,
whatever you can do,
do it with all your might,
you know,
and,
you know,
be thankful,
be kind.
In fact,
actually,
if you put up the Bible verse,
you put up the Bible verse,
Andrew,
other than this little bit,
just say it with me,
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
In fact,
often in ceremonies like that,
they'll actually say something like,
give thanks in all circumstances,
because it'll make you happier,
wiser,
more successful,
more fit,
better looking,
shinier teeth,
I mean,
they don't say all those things,
but you know what I mean.
And they'll often say things like that,
and often in churches and stuff,
when they have a sermon about giving thanks,
it often ends up sounding a little bit like it's a high school graduation ceremony,
that,
you know,
just give thanks,
give thanks,
but here's the problem with that.
The problem is Jesus.
Jesus throws a monkey wrench into all of this talk about give thanks,
and give thanks,
and giving thanks is good for you,
and giving thanks will make you more successful.
Here's the problem.
Jesus throws a huge monkey wrench into that whole way of interpreting give thanks in all circumstances.
You don't believe me?
Turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18.
Luke chapter 18.
And we're going to look at verse 10 and following and see what Jesus says here.
Luke chapter 18,
beginning at verse 10.
Luke 18,
verse 10.
And if you don't have your Bible,
and if you don't have your Bible,
you can just listen as I read.
Jesus is talking.
He says,
two men went up into the temple to pray,
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee standing by himself prayed thus,
God,
I thank you
that I am not like other men,
extortioners,
unjust,
adulterers,
or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week.
I give tithes of all that I get.
But the tax collector standing far off,
notice he's not going to be thankful at all.
The tax collector standing far off would not even lift up his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast saying,
God,
be merciful to me,
a sinner.
And Jesus says,
I tell you,
this man,
the tax collector,
went down to his house justified rather than the other.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
So here's the first thing.
Andrew,
if you could put it up.
Sometimes being thankful shows that we are very far from God.
Sometimes being thankful shows we are very far from God.
I'm going to have a different number.
Like I'm going to have a variety of points up here,
but in some ways,
this is like the thing I'm going to try to show you a little bit about how to
understand that when the Bible text says to give thanks in all circumstances,
that we have to try to understand it in a biblical way so we can put it into
in practice in a biblical way.
And the first thing is that while being thankful is,
good in a right,
in a certain context,
Jesus shows us and tells us that sometimes being thankful shows we are very
far from God.
Put the scripture text up again,
Andrew.
And by the way,
if you want these points,
they'll be on the webpage on Monday if you can't write them down quick enough.
But say this text with me together.
Say it with me.
Give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Now,
here's the other problem that we have with this text is,
I don't know how many people there are here,
a hundred people.
I don't know what the number is.
I'll figure it out later.
Chances are that some of you are very sad.
Some of you are probably depressed.
Some of you probably feel very empty.
Some of you are struggling with loneliness.
Some of you are struggling with financial problems.
Some of you are all of the above.
And you know,
you hear a Bible text like,
give thanks in all circumstances.
And you think to yourself,
if you think to yourself,
I came into the church depressed.
Now I feel worse.
Because I don't feel thankful at all.
And I don't feel thankful,
and it's hard for me.
And now the Bible tells me
that it's God's will for me to be thankful,
and I don't feel thankful at all.
And inside,
you're saying,
George,
if you knew the financial problems,
if you knew the pain
that I was struggling with right now in my body,
if you knew the constant pain I had,
if God knew that,
he wouldn't say that I should be giving thanks
in all circumstances.
I feel completely and utterly unthankful.
Well,
here's the thing
about hearing this Bible text.
If
the first thing is
to try to tell us that
it's not,
the Bible's not telling us to be like
a boosterism,
like just,
you know,
give thanks,
and it's a key to success.
If that's not what the Bible's saying,
the Bible's also doing something else,
saying something else
which is often missed by Christians.
If you could put the next point up,
Andrew,
it's saying this,
the Bible is not telling me
to feel thankful.
The Bible is not telling me
to feel thankful.
All you depressed people out there,
a little bit of weight
should just come off your shoulders.
Okay?
The Bible is not telling me
to feel thankful.
I'm not denying the Bible.
I'm just trying to clarify,
in fact,
what those few simple words
are actually telling us.
And they're not telling us
to feel anything.
The Bible never tells us
to feel anything,
which is wise,
and the Bible is wise,
because as we all know,
telling somebody
to feel something
basically never works.
In fact,
if you tell somebody
to be more happy,
you know what it usually creates?
Anger.
It doesn't create happiness.
In fact,
unless they get happy
when they're angry,
that's the only way
they're happy.
You know,
they weren't feeling thankful
or happy before.
Now you told them
to be happy,
makes them angry.
They get happy
when they're angry,
so they're happy,
but that's not what you meant,
right?
You don't want to have
angry people get more angry.
And the Bible's not telling us
to feel anything.
If you could put
the Bible text up again,
Andrew,
let's say it together.
Give thanks
in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus
for you.
The Bible
is not all,
it's also not telling us
that we have to be thankful
for every single thing
that happens to us.
The Bible
is not a piece
of Stoic literature.
Those of a certain type
of educational background
will know what Stoics are.
The Bible is not telling us
to be Stoics.
The Bible does not present
a God who's sort of distant
and distant,
maybe very distant,
and now sort of operates
basically by fate,
and we just have to accept
everything that happens.
We don't have to say to God,
okay, God,
thank you for my cancer.
Thank you that I'm bankrupt.
Thank you that I broke my leg.
Thank you that,
you know,
like that country
and western song,
my wife left me,
my dog left me,
you know,
my truck left me,
and everything left me,
and thank you for this, God.
The Bible's not telling us
that we have to give thanks
to God
for everything that happens to us.
Some really terrible things
happen to us,
and it's not our fault,
and some really bad things
happen to us
because it's our fault,
right?
I mean,
for many people,
if you have,
I mean,
I'm not a doctor,
maybe it's for every person.
If you have cirrhosis of the liver,
for many people,
it's because you have
excessive drinking
for a long time,
and you can't say,
God,
thank you so much
for my excessive drinking
for a long time,
and I now have,
that's not what the text
is saying at all.
Here's,
if you put up the point,
Andrew,
here's what the text is saying.
God calls me
to turn to him
and give him thanks
in my circumstances,
not for my circumstances.
That's what the Bible text
is telling us to do.
If we clear away
a little bit
about what the Bible
is not telling us to do,
this is part,
this is the heart
of what the Bible
is telling you
and me to do.
God calls me
to turn to him
and give him thanks
in my circumstances,
not for my circumstances.
It's a very,
very important distinction.
Put the text up again,
Andrew, please,
and say it with,
give thanks
in all circumstances,
for this is the will
of God
in Christ Jesus
for you.
Here's the other thing.
When I was in my
previous church,
one morning I got a call
from a distraught mom
and her,
no,
so it wasn't the mom,
it was the wife,
and her husband
was in jail
and she asked me
if I would go
to visit him in jail.
And it was the first time
I ever went
to visit somebody
in jail.
It was the old jail
in Pembroke.
I don't think
it exists anymore.
And so I went
to see this fellow
in jail.
It was a very memorable time,
not only because
it was the first time
I ever went to jail,
but it was the other thing
that was memorable
was that when I walked
into a certain part
of the jail,
not only was my parishioner
there,
but another parishioner
was there.
And I wish I had a camera
to capture the look
of surprise on his face
when I walked in
because he was trying
to keep it secret
that he was doing
time in jail.
And anyway,
so I go see
my parishioner
and he had a really
hard, terrible time.
It's his own fault.
He woke up
that morning
in the Killaloo
Detention Center
and he didn't know
why he was
in the Killaloo
Detention Center.
He didn't know
what he'd done.
But he woke up
feeling sick
and with a terrible headache.
He knew
the last thing
he could remember
was that he was drinking.
And then he wakes up
and he's in a jail
and he asks the guards
what he's done
and they won't tell him,
but they're not
very friendly to him.
And they drive him
to the Pembroke Jail
and he asks them
time and time again.
He doesn't know
if he's killed somebody.
True story.
He doesn't know
if he's killed somebody.
They drive him
to the jail.
They still don't tell him
what he's done.
It's only when he's
being booked
into the Pembroke Jail
that they tell him
what the charges
were against him.
He'd gotten
ragingly drunk,
crashed his car,
and when the police
came to try
to deal with him,
he was a little
short guy like this,
little scrawny,
short,
hardworking,
working class guy,
and he tried
to take on the cops
and beat them up.
And the cops
were all like this tall
with shoulders like this,
but so he got
overwhelmingly drunk,
smashed up his car,
walked away from it,
started to fight
and kicked
and fought the cops
as hard as he could
until they finally
subdued him,
put him in the car,
passed out,
threw up in the car,
I mean the whole bit.
You can understand
why the cops
didn't want to talk to him.
But he was very subdued
when I met with him.
And here's the thing.
If you could put
the next point up,
Andrew,
here's the thing.
God calls me
to turn to him
and speak to him
and one of the things
I am to do
is to give thanks.
I'll explain why
the Bible text
tells us this.
God calls me
to turn to him
and speak to him
and one of the things
I am to do
is to give thanks,
but it's not the only thing
I am to do.
You see,
that young guy,
if he was to listen
to give thanks
in all circumstances,
he has to turn to God,
he has to say
some things to God,
but he shouldn't
only say thank you.
Right?
He needs to probably say,
dear God,
I really messed up,
I really did wrong things.
Isn't that what he has to say?
I mean,
some of us,
if we're
in a terrible situation,
maybe we're in a terrible
family situation,
and we take this text
to heart,
we're not to say to God,
dear God,
thank you so much
that nobody in my family
will ever talk to me again.
That's not what the Bible
is telling us to say.
One of the things
that we might have to say
is, dear God,
please forgive me
that I am so angry
and unforgiving.
Please help me
with my unforgiveness.
That might be one of the things
we have to say.
You see,
if you put up the text again,
Andrew,
here's the thing,
in the original language,
in English,
they have to translate English,
give thanks in all circumstances
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you.
In the original language,
the word the isn't there.
It doesn't make any sense
in English,
so they have to add it
in English.
And what it means is,
if the word the was there,
it might mean that literally
in these circumstances,
that's the thing you have,
you always have to be thankful.
Like,
it has to be the substance
of your talk,
the main thing of your talk.
But what this is saying
is that what,
the text is saying
is that you're not giving
thanks to God
for everything that's happened
to you,
but whatever your situation is,
you turn to God
and talk to him
and there's going to be
maybe a whole range of things
that you're going to have to say.
Maybe you're going to have to say,
you know,
forgive me for this
and forgive me for this
and help me with this
and show me this
and give me wisdom about this.
But out of all of the things
that you say,
one of the things
that you must say
is give thanks.
In light of your situation,
but it's not the only thing,
but it's one thing,
it's an important thing
in terms of your relationship
and my relationship with God,
is to give thanks.
You see,
this is really,
really helpful for us.
You know,
the Bible,
just like a brief bit of a thing,
but the Bible tells you
lots of things about,
has a very,
very rich and nuanced
understanding of suffering
and trials
and things like that
that go on in lives.
There's a whole range of stories
and the Bible is very deep
and very,
very wise
and it's,
you can spend your whole life
studying the Bible
and the Bible,
God will continue to speak
into your life
in new ways
as you open the scriptures
and you go from cover to cover.
And,
you know,
sometimes we're in a period
of just things
that are happening to us
or just very bad
and it might just be
that we have to call out to God
and one of the things
that we might have to say to God
is,
Father,
is this happening to me
because I've sinned?
Are these things happening to me
because,
you know,
that I've sinned?
Father,
do I have to come to you
or is it a sin of commission
or a sin of omission?
Father,
please reveal that to me
and Father,
if it is something going on
in my life
that,
you know,
I in a sense am bringing on
because of what I've done,
show it to me,
Father,
and then,
Father,
please help me,
help me to understand,
help me to seek amendment of life
and to say that I'm sorry
or,
or Father,
are you showing me
that,
is this happening to me
because there's something
you want me to know?
Is this happening to me
because there's something
that you want me to become?
Is this happening to me
because there's some new thing
you want me to do
in a new direction in my life
and,
Father,
and here's,
you see,
maybe,
so you see all these things,
you pour out your heart to God.
God wants us
in the middle of every situation
and every circumstance
to stop in a sense
at least at one time
during this situation,
this circumstance,
and turn to him
and speak as God.
And in the midst of the range
of questions
and requests
that you say to God,
one of the things,
and,
you know,
in terms of,
it might be this.
You might then have to say something,
Father,
I thank you
that I don't have to deal
with this alone.
I thank you
that you are with me.
I thank you
that you are wise.
I thank you
that you are power.
And I don't,
I don't,
I'm going to try to list
the things
that you're to thank God for.
Pour out your circumstance,
your heart to God
and your circumstance.
And I'm not just giving you
bad things.
It could be good things
as well,
you know,
and it could be good things
to go,
Father,
thank you so much
for blessing me with this.
Father,
please,
please deliver me
from any type of pride
or vanity
or arrogance about this.
But Father,
thank you.
You've been so kind to me.
I'm so thankful for you,
to you,
for what you've done.
So it's not only
just bad situations,
it's in every circumstance
to turn to God.
And you know,
when we're depressed
or we're despondent
or we're in pain
or we're just unbelievably sad
or we're in mourning,
it might be very hard
because we don't feel thankful
to think of what we
can say thank you
to God for.
And that's what is so important
because it calls us
to think about who God is
and what he's done for us.
And often that,
that's very,
very important
because,
you know,
our self is talking to us
and saying all of these things
and in a sense
that God is just saying
that comes a time,
George,
where you've just got to stop
and in a sense
try to shut off
all that conversation
that's coming into your head
and turn and look to me
and think of who I am
and what I've done
and just think of me.
And as you think of me
and as you think of all
of who I am,
I want you to also
be thankful
for some of who I am.
And that's what the Bible
is telling us to do.
If you put up the text again,
oh, sorry,
there,
let's say it together.
Give thanks in all circumstances
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you.
Now,
what I've just described
of stopping
and giving thanks to God
is always very hard.
Almost always very hard.
It's hard to sustain it.
And the reason is,
if you could put up the point,
here's the reason is,
I am not a God in process.
I am a fallen creature.
In our culture,
it makes worse
something that already goes on
in every one of our souls
and minds
and hearts and wills.
It's easy for us to think
that we are like a God
in process,
but we are not
a God in process.
We are fallen creatures.
I'll give you an example
and then I'll show you
how it fits in
with this text.
One of the common pieces
of advice that you see,
I read lots of novels
and stuff,
read newspapers,
watch movies
and all that.
And one of the very common
things you say,
and I've actually heard
Christians say this
to other Christians,
is that you need to learn
to forgive yourself.
Okay?
I'm going to shock you all
right now,
but I'm going to tell you this.
Don't forgive yourself.
In fact,
I'm going to make you
even more shocked.
Never forgive yourself.
Now I got your attention.
It's completely opposite
of what the world says.
Let me tell you this.
Do it as an experiment.
Go all the way
through the Bible.
Look every time
that the word forgiveness
is or forgive
and see if it ever
in the Bible
tells you to forgive yourself.
Not once.
Never tells you
to do that.
Why doesn't it tell you
to do that?
God,
you're not a God.
You're not God.
I don't want to depress you.
You're not God.
I'm not God.
My sin
is against God
and against the person
I've wronged.
And I might have to go
to the person I've wronged
and I might have to ask
them for forgiveness
because I've wronged.
And every act
of wrongdoing
against another person
or against myself
is also an act
of wrongdoing
against God
and I need to get
his forgiveness.
I am not a God
to give myself forgiveness.
And you see,
this is how it fits in
with gratitude
and thankfulness.
I am not a God.
I'm not supposed
to come before God
and say,
oh God,
I thank you so much
that I have the right views
on eschatology.
I'm not like
all those foolish,
fill in the blank,
premillennialists,
dispensationalists,
amillennialists,
postmillennialists.
I thank you, God,
that I have the right view
on abortion.
I have the right view
on same-sex marriage.
I give you thanks
and praise God
that I have the correct views
on politics.
And you know,
really all of these things,
what you're doing
is actually what you're doing
is congratulating yourself.
And just as the Bible
doesn't tell us
to forgive ourselves,
the Bible doesn't tell us
to congratulate ourselves.
If we congratulate ourselves,
it's because we think
that we're a God
in process.
And I don't want
to depress you,
but the truth
is never depressing.
The fact of the matter
is you and I
are not gods
in process.
Process.
We are fallen creatures.
Fallen creatures.
This has a very
important consequence,
but let's look
at the text again,
Andrew.
Put it up, please.
Say it with me.
Give thanks
in all circumstances,
for this is the will
of God
in Christ Jesus
for you.
What the text
is saying
about being,
about,
when I said earlier
that we're not
a God in process
but fallen creatures,
what it's telling us,
the Bible is,
it's so deeply
imbued in the Bible.
I mean,
it's taught in
Genesis chapter 1
and 2
and 3,
but it's so deeply
throughout the Bible
that we miss it
because nothing
in the Bible
makes sense without it.
I could have you
read Genesis 1 and 2,
but it's all the way
through the Bible
that we're creatures.
We're creatures.
We're completely
and utterly dependent.
I'm dependent
upon the earth
spinning on its axis
at a precise rate.
I'm dependent
upon the sun
spinning around,
the earth spinning
around the sun
at a precise speed.
I'm dependent
upon the earth
being a specific
distance from the sun.
I am dependent
upon air.
I'm dependent
upon the chemicals
in my head
being correctly balanced.
I'm dependent
upon the little neurons
firing in the right order
in the right way.
There's not a single thing
in me
that is not dependent
on something else
and external
because
I am a creature
and so are you.
And our culture
wants to make us
think that we are
like gods,
but we're not.
I'm not.
You're not.
I'm a creature.
In fact,
if you put this up,
one way that we could
rename ourselves
as human beings,
Andrew,
is to say,
who am I?
I am only need.
That's who I am.
I'm only need.
I need oxygen.
I need food.
I need water.
I need my body
to work right.
I need the planet
to spin.
I need the stars
to be where they are.
I am only need.
And who is God?
What's another name
you could have for God?
God,
another name for God
is never need,
only give,
only love.
It's another name
for God.
Never need,
only give,
only love.
God has no environment.
He has nothing
that he needs.
But he only gives
because he's only love
in it as of the nature
of love to give.
And that's why,
you see,
when the Bible
is saying that
it's to give thanks
because it's the will
of God in Christ Jesus
for you,
it's because it's just
the Bible's telling us
not to become
some type of,
as I've already said,
you know,
to feel a certain way
all the time.
Drugs make you feel
the same way
all the time,
and drugs ruin you
if you take drugs
to make you feel
the same way
all the time.
Right?
That's what they do.
And it's not telling us
to be a masochist,
and it's not telling us
to tell lies,
and it's not telling us
to be self-congratulatory.
The Bible's assuming
that we understand
that we're creatures
and that we're fallen creatures,
and that who we are
is only need
because I am creature.
And who is God?
God is never need,
only give,
only love.
That's who God is.
And so,
in a sense,
the deepest sense,
since I am only need
and God is never need,
it means that in truth,
I should be always grateful.
And there should be
an almost limitless number
of things
that I could give thanks for.
The physicists amongst us
could literally say
in their prayers,
Father,
thank you that the earth is,
and you actually know
the distance from the sun,
thank you that the earth
is traveling at this speed,
thank you that the earth
rotates at this rate,
thank you for the ozone layer,
and scientists could take
all the scientific stuff
we know about
what it means to be creatures
and what it means
to have life on earth,
and that could be
a list of thanks to God.
Let's say the biblical text
again together.
Give with me,
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you.
My wife is a dog walker,
she walks her dogs,
and I'm a runner.
And here's one of the differences
between runners and dog walkers,
is runners don't talk
to each other.
I mean, maybe if you have
a running buddy
and you run with your buddy,
you talk with that,
but runners don't talk
to each other,
because you're running.
And actually,
between trying to fight
for breath,
and trying to deal
with the pain
all over your body
from running,
you wouldn't even be able
to have much of a conversation
anyway,
because you're trying
to deal with all those things.
But things about dog walkers,
is dog walkers meet each other,
the dogs,
you know,
sniff and all that stuff.
And then the people talk.
So one day,
my wife was telling me
this afterwards.
She was out walking to the dog.
She met this older lady.
They spent some time talking.
And she was really worried
about her son,
who was estranged from her.
And not only was her son
estranged from her,
like not close to her
and sort of ignoring her.
And I'm not making
a political comment
on this, by the way.
I'm just,
it's just a story,
a true story.
So I'm not making
a political point.
But one of her complaints
about her son
and worries about her son
is that he'd become
very right wing.
And he viewed himself
as a self-made man.
And he looked down his nose
on other people
who he thought
didn't work hard enough
and try hard enough.
And she said to my wife,
but you know what?
He grew up
in a stable,
secure home
with books.
We gave him
every type of opportunity
to learn and develop.
We sent him to a really
good university.
And while he was at
that good university,
we paid for every penny
for his tuition,
every penny for his residence,
every penny for things
in between school years,
so that he could have
every opportunity.
And that when he was
starting out,
we paid every penny
for him to get set up
and established.
And here he thinks
that he's a self-made man
and looks down his nose
on people
who maybe don't have
much money
and aren't as successful
as he is.
And he thinks
that if they just tried
like he tried,
they would be successful.
And as the woman
told the story,
it's a very, very,
and we can understand it.
But here's the thing.
In a sense,
I am,
you and I
are that young man,
no longer a young man.
You and I
are that man.
Andrew put up
the next theory.
I am completely
dependent upon God
and completely estranged
from God.
Remember,
my first point
was that
I am not
a God in process,
but I am
a fallen creature.
and on one hand,
I am only need
and God
is never need,
only give,
only love.
And the great mystery
of my existence
is that
I am completely
and utterly
dependent upon God
and yet at the same time
in my flesh
I am estranged
from him.
God is the one
who has the neurons
fire
and the brain
work properly
and I use my brain
to tell him
to stay out
of my affairs.
God is the one
that gives me
the will
and the mind
to work
and provides
an environment
and maybe has me.
I could have been
born in Iraq.
I could have been
born in North Korea,
but I'm born
here in Canada.
I had nothing
to do with that.
And I have
all these advantages
and at the same time
that I receive
advantage after advantage
and gift after gift
and need is met
after need is met
and I say,
God,
how dare you,
how dare you
have those views?
How dare you ask me
to do this?
Stay away from me,
God.
I'm not interested
in you, God.
I don't think
you exist, God.
And every single thing
that I do like that,
even if it's just
ignoring God,
I'm dependent
upon God
to ignore him.
And so are you.
You see,
that's why
when we turn to God
in every circumstance,
in every situation,
it's not just important
that we turn to God
in every situation
and that we say
a variety of things
to him,
but what needs
to form us
as we turn to him
is not just
an acknowledgement
that God is great
and that he's full
of glory,
that God is never need,
only good,
only love,
and that he provides
for me,
he gives me the gift
of existence,
he,
you couldn't list
all of the things
that we're dependent
upon that God gives,
but it's not just
that we do that,
that would just be
like deism,
it's also that I,
I need to turn
to him
in light
of what God,
see,
here's the mystery
of the gospel,
that the same God
who even as I am
estranged from him
provides me air
and food
and just,
he,
all of my,
he just provides
at the same time
when I'm estranged
from him,
he provides
for that truth,
that too,
and he provides
it all
with nothing
left over,
with nothing
added by me.
In 1 Thessalonians
5 verses 9 and 10
which sort of
frames this text,
it says,
for God has not
destined us
for wrath,
but to obtain
salvation
through our Lord
Jesus Christ
who died for us
so that whether
we are awake
or asleep
we might live
with him.
And notice
what it says,
for God has not
destined us
for wrath,
but to obtain
salvation.
It's something
we receive
that God
who gives
all things,
he,
through the death
of his son
upon the cross,
gives salvation
and it's something
that I am
to obtain,
that I am
to receive.
And as the hymn
said at the beginning,
you might have missed it,
but it's not in part,
but in whole.
The salvation
that God
is going to give
is whole
and complete.
Why?
I am
only need.
And even
when I rebel
against him
and even
though I think
that he doesn't
exist and I'm
estranged from him,
I never am
anything other
than only need.
So even
salvation
has to be
something
that the one
who needs
nothing
and only
gives
and only
loves,
he has
to do it
all.
And he does
it all
through the gift
of his son
who dies
upon the cross
that I am
estranged from him
and he
comes to me.
He crosses
that infinite
distance
that I cannot
begin to cross
and he
comes
to me.
and what
Jesus does
for me
on the cross
is something
complete and
utter that God
does in Jesus
for me.
And I
can only
obtain it.
I can only
receive it.
I can never
earn it or
accomplish it
or work for it.
I can never
be a self
made man.
I can only
receive what
Jesus does
on the cross
because that
is the means
by which God
can give
salvation.
And at the end
of all these
practical disciples
disciplines,
how is the text
framed verses
23 and 24
to bring the
point home
again?
Now may the
God of peace
himself
sanctify you
completely
and may your
whole spirit
and soul
and body
be kept
blameless
at the coming
of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
God keeps it
blameless.
God sanctifies.
He who calls
you is faithful.
He will surely
do it.
And so it is.
Whether I'm
having it
fantastic
circumstances
right now,
things are going
really, really
well, or maybe
there's things
that are really
not going
very well,
the Bible
is inviting
us in every
circumstance
and in every
situation
to turn to
God.
And as we
turn to God,
we're to dwell
on his greatness
and his glory.
And we are to
dwell on the
fact that even
when we are
estranged,
Jesus Christ
crucified is the
means provided
by God
completely,
utterly,
thoroughly,
with nothing
left over,
that provides
the means by
which I can
become God's.
The estrangement
is removed.
And all I can
do is receive it,
never earn it,
never attain it,
never work for it,
just receive it.
And as I am in
my circumstances,
as I'm praying
about my
circumstances,
as I'm asking
for wisdom,
as I'm asking
for help,
as I'm asking
for direction,
as I'm repenting
in the midst
of all of these
things,
I'm to still
turn and thank
him in light
of his greatness
and glory and
in light of what
his son has done
for me on the
cross.
And here's this
final thing.
Let's say the text
and then I'll show
you the final point.
Let's say it
together.
Give thanks in
all circumstances
for this is the
will of God in
Christ Jesus for
you.
Here's the thing
that we are to
understand when we
turn to God in
whatever situation
we're in.
If you put it
up on the screen,
Andrew,
God is unchangeably
wise and powerful.
Sorry, God is
unchangeable.
He's wise and
powerful, kind and
good, true and
loving, wild and
untamed.
Who knows what
he's going to do?
Can't put him in a
box, can't tame him,
can't put him on a
leash, can't pat him
on the head, say he's
a good boy.
And on one hand,
it's the most
frightening thing in
the world to think
that when you
turn to God in
your circumstances
and your
situations, you're
turning to the
God who has no
needs and is
completely and
utterly wild and
untamed.
And our only
confidence is that
he's wise and
powerful, kind and
good, true and
loving.
And that he sent
his son to die
upon the cross.
He himself provides
all of salvation and
we are to receive it.
God.
And so it is, that
is the God and
that is the context
that we are to turn
to in every
circumstance and
situation.
And amongst the
many things we say,
one of them is thank
you.
And his greatness and
his glory and the
gift of Jesus and
him being wild and
untamed is the
context of our
thankfulness to him.
Please stand.
Let's just bow our
heads in prayer.
Father, we give you
thanks and praise that
you know every single
person here in this
room and you know us
completely and utterly
perfectly.
We thank you,
Father, that you
know, not only do
you see the mask we're
wearing right now, you
know every mask we
have in our arsenal.
You know how, you
know even the way we
go from mask to mask
to mask to mask.
You see every mask,
every maneuver, and
you see us as we
really are.
You see us, Father,
and you know even the
dreams at night that we
don't remember.
Father, you know all of
those.
You know us perfectly.
And still you love us.
And still you sent your
son to die upon the
cross for us.
And still, Father, when
we come to Jesus and
accept him as our
Savior and Lord and
receive what he has
done for us, what only
you can accomplish and
what you accomplish in
your son.
Father, we thank you
for this.
We thank you for it.
And we ask, Father, that
your Holy Spirit would
move and work deeply in
our lives so that in
every circumstance and
situation that we would
pause and turn to you
and that we would dwell on
your greatness, that we
would dwell on your
glory, that we would
dwell on your wisdom,
and we would dwell on
your power, and we
would dwell on what your
son did for us on the
cross, what he won for
us on the cross, and
what you offer us through
the cross and through
your son.
And, Father, we ask that
that would form us as we
turn to you and talk to
you.
And in all of our pouring
out of our heart to you,
Father, and we ask that
you would teach us and
help us to pour out our
heart to you.
We ask as well, Father,
that we would give you
thanks in our different
circumstances.
Father, make us a
prayerful people.
Make us disciples gripped
by the gospel, living for
your glory.
And this we ask in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Please take a posture of
prayer as we enter into a
time of intercession.
As we enter this time of
prayer, please feel free to
take whatever position helps
you to communicate with God
our Father.
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus,
precious Holy Spirit, our
wonderful triune God, we
praise and thank you for your
love and care for us.
As our country prepares to
celebrate our national day, we
praise and thank you for our
temporal home here in Canada
and all the freedoms we
enjoy.
We pray that you will bless all
our leaders, federal,
provincial, and municipal, and
that you grant them open and
willing hearts to seek your
will for the good of all.
Bless and keep those in all the
services, both at home and
abroad, whose role it is to
keep us safe from harm.
And help us to choose
gratitude, especially for our
salvation.
Let us pray.
Dear God, may the leaders of the
nations rule with righteousness
and may they...