WEBVTT

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 Thank you, worship team.

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 Thanks, Katie and Megan, for singing this morning.

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 Wow, it is rich.

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 I don't want to stop.

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 There will be more singing.

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 But we have a full service today.

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 Have this remembrance of communion and an opportunity to baptize some individuals

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 as an expression of the work of God in their life.

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 And so it's really no surprise that we're experiencing this morning

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 kind of the full measure of God's grace.

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 Not only in the teaching of the word and the singing of songs,

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 but also in the remembrance of the death of Christ

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 and then the work of salvation in the newness of life that he gives through

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 the resurrection of Christ as commemorated through our baptism.

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 So we get the full experience today.

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 I'm excited.

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 I wonder, as we come to this service, how was your Thanksgiving this week?

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 And I know it was the holiday of Thanksgiving, but I wonder, really, how was your Thanksgiving?

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 Thanksgiving.

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 You ever have those traditions where you kind of have to work around the table

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 before you get to take a bite of your Thanksgiving meal?

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 It's sitting there.

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 It's tempting you.

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 All of the goodies are on the table.

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 But before you can eat them, you have to say something you're thankful for.

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 Now, there are the normal things that always kind of come into our mind.

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 They kind of pop into our head.

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 We're thankful for family.

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 We're thankful for freedom.

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 We're thankful for the Bible.

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 We're thankful for salvation.

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 And all of those things that kind of come to our head in the moment.

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 But how many of those things really are just circumstantial?

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 How many of those things that we're thankful for when it comes to family, when it comes to,

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 oh, God, thank you for helping me get through another semester.

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 Thank you for helping me perform well on that test.

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 Thank you, Lord, for getting me from point A to point B in my travels

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 so that I can enjoy Thanksgiving meal with the ones I love.

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 How many of those things really are just fleeting?

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 Very surface, very superficial.

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 And how many times does our Thanksgiving really penetrate to the heart?

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 Get to the things that are enduring.

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 Get to the things that we can really be thankful for regardless of the circumstances.

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 I was just reminded of that this past week.

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 Before we made our trip to Cedarville, which now is short, we're grateful not to have to travel from Chicago down

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 to enjoy Thanksgiving in Cedarville, but now from Columbus.

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 But before we made our trip, I noticed there was a screw in our tire.

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 Like, oh, how are we going to make it?

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 And so, of course, we prayed, Lord, please help us make it to Cedarville.

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 So we made it to Cedarville.

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 Thank you, Lord.

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 What a great God.

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 He can hold the nail in the tire and keep it from deflating.

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 Wow.

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 And, of course, God faithfully got us back, too.

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 And isn't it true that our thankfulness just goes to the surface?

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 It doesn't penetrate to the heart.

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 And challenged, I'm sure, as many of you have been, by the stories of thankfulness that come from the deep well

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 of those who have experienced the overwhelming grace of God.

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 I think of Corrie Ten Boom, who, with her sister Betsy in World War II,

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 were sent to a concentration camp because of their willingness to house Jews in their home

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 and try to be a safe haven for them.

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 But being discovered and being sent to a concentration camp,

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 there were several opportunities to put joy and thanks to the test.

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 And if you've read the stories of Corrie Ten Boom,

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 you would know that they're packed into these rooms with hundreds of ladies,

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 packed in like sardines to these tiny little rooms

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 and stacked four on top of each other in these bunk beds

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 that there's not even room to sit up.

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 And the straw that's covering the bed is all rotten and it's not comfortable.

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 It smells.

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 It stinks.

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 But even worse, it's full of fleas.

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 And one morning, as Corrie Ten Boom was waking up,

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 she forgot about the short bed,

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 and bumped her head on the bunk ahead of her,

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 and turned to her sister and said,

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 Thanksgiving, what can we be thankful for?

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 And Betsy, being perhaps the more spiritual of the two, the more mature,

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 said, Lord Jesus, help praying to God

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 to help fill their hearts with an understanding of gratitude in the moment.

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 And then she remembered the passage that she had read just earlier,

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 a passage that we're going to actually study this morning

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 in 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16 to 18.

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 Short passage with only about 16 Greek words

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 and 22 English words in the ESV translation,

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 but profound, impenetrating truth for us this morning

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 as we think about the significance of Thanksgiving.

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 And through the course of the morning,

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 what I want to bring to our attention

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 is this morning, if you are a person who has experienced grace,

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 you must be a person who is also experiencing and expressing Thanksgiving.

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 Are you gripped this morning by grace?

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 Has it permeated your life,

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 and has it led you to expressions of Thanksgiving and joy?

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 It is my desire in this message

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 to help lead us to, first of all,

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 the components of a grace-filled life.

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 What are the components of a grace-filled life?

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 That is our first point this morning.

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 And as we look at the Scripture,

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 I want us to be gripped with the fact

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 that those who have experienced the grace of God

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 will also be those who express the grace of God

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 through these elements.

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 Joy, Thanksgiving, and prayer.

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 Let me open our time this morning in prayer

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 before we come into the Word.

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 This morning we are challenged to be people of grace today.

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 God, please help us to be overcome this morning

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 with the significance of grace and its implications in our life.

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 May we, like Corrie ten Boom,

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 come to the place where we understand the significance of Thanksgiving.

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 May it permeate our lives,

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 not just give us a comprehension of what we're expected to do,

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 but may it move us and drive us to the actual expression

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 of Thanksgiving and praise and prayer today.

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 May we leave this place,

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 not only comprehending the significance of grace,

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 but may we leave this place having experienced grace

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 and those who desire to be conduits of grace

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 to the world around us.

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 May all that happens today bring glory to our Savior.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 So this morning I want to begin with the components

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 of a grace-filled life.

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 And we're going to memorize the passage, okay?

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 It's very short.

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 I think you can do it.

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 And I'm going to do it in sections

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 so it'll be even easier, okay?

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 All right?

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 So this section to the far, to my far left, okay?

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 You have rejoice always.

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 Can you say it?

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 Rejoice always.

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 Fantastic.

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 Great.

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 Okay?

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 This section, pray without ceasing.

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 Ready?

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 Pray without ceasing.

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 Okay?

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 This section, in everything give thanks.

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 Okay?

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 Ready?

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 In everything give thanks.

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 And we'll make it easy.

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 For this is the will of God.

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 For this is the will of God.

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 Now you can add in Christ Jesus concerning you if you want,

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 but let us focus on in this is the will of God.

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 Okay?

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 Ready?

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 Here we go.

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 This side over here.

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 Rejoice always.

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 Pray without ceasing.

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 In everything give thanks.

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 For this is the will of God.

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 Why does Paul so often put these commands together?

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 Why so often do we see joy and thanks and expressions of prayer so connected to one another as we do this morning?

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 Well, it's because these are actually the components of grace.

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 And I want to show you a graphic this morning.

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 This is a graphic of grace.

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 So grace is the, sorry, go ahead, go back to that one.

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 Grace is the well from which joy, thanks, forgiveness, and prayer spring forth.

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 Grace is the well from which joy, thanks, forgiveness, and prayer spring forth.

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 Now this next graphic will help you see the connection between grace and these other components.

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 You see, grace is in the middle because grace is the root, the foundation of all of these other things.

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 Grace is the Greek word for charis.

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 You see over in your top left, rejoice, which is Cairo.

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 You can kind of see charis in there, grace, in rejoice.

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 You can see kara, which is joy.

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 You can see in the bottom left, forgive, which is charizomai, and give thanks, which is eucharisteo.

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 Well, charis and grace fit into each of these because grace forms the foundation for all of these other expressions.

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 So that you cannot give thanks unless you've experienced and you know God's grace.

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 You cannot be a person of joy.

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 You cannot be a person of thanksgiving.

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 You cannot be a person who forgives unless you're a person who's experienced the grace of God.

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 And on the flip side, if you are an individual who has enjoyed the benefits of God's grace in your life,

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 then the resulting condition of your heart will be the posture of exemplifying that grace in tangible ways.

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 So that if you are a recipient of grace, you cannot be other than a forgiving individual.

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 If you are a recipient of grace, you can't help but be an individual who gives thanks.

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 I'm going to just point you to a couple of passages that help to reinforce this truth.

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 I want you to see Paul's description in Romans chapter 1 verse 21.

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 Paul is just describing the potency of the gospel by saying,

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 I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

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 That's in 1 16.

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 And then he goes on to describe the group of individuals who are seeing the evidence of God in creation.

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 It is clear, it's obvious, his attributes, he says, are clearly manifested.

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 But they reject him anyway.

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 And here is how Paul describes their heart.

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 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him.

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 But they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

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 That's a very strange description, wouldn't you say?

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 I would think they didn't know God, so they didn't believe God.

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 But Paul doesn't put it that way.

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 He says, they didn't know God, and thus were not thankful.

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 It's because they didn't know grace.

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 And because they didn't know grace, they could not be people of thanks.

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 However, Paul's description in Colossians chapter 2 helps us to see the connection a little clearer for those who have experienced grace.

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 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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 Why?

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 Because people who have been transformed by grace, people who have experienced God's grace and are walking in faith are going to be people who evidence the grace of God in their life, which will show up in abounding thanksgiving.

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 Not just in token thanksgiving.

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 Not just in glimmers or hints of thanksgiving here and there, but abounding, this life that is just overabounding in thanksgiving because of the work of God in their life.

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 So if we struggle with joy this morning, if you struggle with thanksgiving this morning,

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 perhaps it's because you have lost a connection and you're not abiding in the grace of God for you.

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 I'm reminded of this passage in Jeremiah.

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 Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 13 that puts it this way.

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 For my people have committed two evils.

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 They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out cisterns for themselves,

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 broken cisterns that can hold no water.

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 This year we've been talking about the significance of this abiding relationship with God.

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 We've been talking about being filled up with the living water of Christ,

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 with allowing his word to fill your heart and soul and to lead you to ever deeper, ever richer experiences with him.

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 Being washed and changed by the Lord himself.

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 So often I think this verse is true of us in that we commit two evils.

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 Not only do we reject the good things of God,

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 but we instead try to fill up our lives with everything else but the only thing that can satisfy.

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 We build for ourselves the cistern of notoriety or promotion at work.

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 We build up for ourselves the cistern of leisure that helps to ease and to pacify our frustration

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 and struggles with the struggles of this life.

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 We seek to escape instead of laying our burdens down at the feet of Christ

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 and experiencing the waters that can heal our lives.

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 We push him away and the broken cisterns of our life continue to leave us feeling empty,

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 feeling devoid of the true satisfaction that can be found in Christ himself.

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 The fountain of living waters is given to us through Jesus Christ.

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 Run to the water because grace is the well from which joy and thanks spring forth.

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 So how do we tap in to this well?

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 How do we find the source?

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 Well, I want you to understand that God is the source of grace and joy.

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 God is the source of grace and joy and thanks.

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 If you turn with me, if you're in 1 Thessalonians, turn with me back a page to chapter 1.

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 You'll see the apostle Paul was just absolutely caught up in this truth.

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 We find in verse 1, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of Thessalonica,

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 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace.

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 Here he kind of reverses the order that we see in many of the other passages.

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 Passages would say, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

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 which you find in all of those places that are there in front of you.

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 But here, the apostle Paul reverses the order and wants them to know that because they are in Jesus Christ,

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 they are afforded grace and peace.

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 If you turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1,

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 you'll see that example in verse 2.

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 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 God is the source of grace.

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 If you want grace in your life, if you want to experience the favor of God for you,

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 you must go to God.

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 He is the only source of grace.

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 Peter puts it this way.

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 He says in 1 Peter,

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 see if I can find this.

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 Maybe not.

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 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 10 says,

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 The God of all grace,

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 who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

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 will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

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 He is the God of all grace.

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 He is the source of all grace.

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 It cannot be found outside of him.

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 So if you want to be a person who understands joy,

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 a person who experiences joy,

00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:39.959
 a person who is characterized by thanksgiving,

00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:47.279
 it begins as you are an individual who is looking to grace from God.

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:53.279
 Experiencing and drinking in the grace of God.

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:56.420
 And then letting it change your life

00:20:56.420 --> 00:21:01.420
 and moving you to a place of thanks and joy in the world around you.

00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:08.519
 God's favored desires to come and to fill your life.

00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:13.940
 And those who are children of God are recipients of God's grace.

00:21:14.620 --> 00:21:17.080
 But also recipients of God's joy.

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:21.440
 We find that in 1 John chapter 1 verses 3 and 4.

00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:45.000
 God is not only the source of grace,

00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:46.940
 but as we would expect,

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.580
 he's also the source of joy.

00:21:48.579 --> 00:21:53.779
 And that joy will come to those who have experienced his grace.

00:21:54.659 --> 00:21:57.819
 So how do we get the grace of God?

00:21:58.740 --> 00:22:03.279
 How do we get to enjoy the grace of God for ourselves?

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:11.299
 Well, I want you to know that Jesus is the means by which we receive grace and joy and thanks.

00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:16.740
 And of course, the verse that comes to mind is in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8.

00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:18.519
 Which says,

00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:21.819
 For by grace you've been saved through faith,

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:23.779
 and that not of yourselves,

00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:27.220
 it is the gift of God.

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:31.680
 For by grace are you saved through faith.

00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:37.920
 Grace alone is the conduit for the gift of God in our life.

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:39.759
 Through faith in Christ.

00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:41.579
 Faith in his death.

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:43.220
 Faith in his resurrection.

00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:48.500
 Faith in his work on the cross to accomplish for us forgiveness of sin.

00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:52.660
 Are you a recipient this morning of grace?

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:58.019
 Grace that comes from God through the person of Jesus Christ.

00:22:58.420 --> 00:23:04.079
 The grace that wants to change your life and make you a person of joy and thanksgiving.

00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:09.639
 It comes through the person of Christ.

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:18.779
 And of course, you would expect that the events surrounding Jesus' coming would be dominated by joy and grace.

00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:19.379
 Would you not?

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:22.460
 We're moving into the Christmas season.

00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:26.960
 We're coming into this Christmas narrative that we enjoy so often.

00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:33.279
 So you would expect that if Jesus came to give us grace,

00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:39.920
 then his story and the events surrounding his story would be punctuated by joy.

00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:44.240
 And as you would expect, indeed it is.

00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:45.980
 First in Matthew.

00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:52.120
 In Matthew chapter 2 verse 10, speaking of the wise men, it says,

00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:57.779
 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

00:23:57.779 --> 00:24:07.259
 And then as the angel is speaking to Zachariah, giving him the announcement of John the Baptist's soon birth,

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:09.680
 he says in Luke 1.14,

00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:15.599
 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:24.240
 Moving down now after Mary has received word of her pregnancy and has gone to meet with Elizabeth,

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:26.379
 Elizabeth says to Mary,

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:32.300
 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:39.140
 And Mary, in this wonderful expression of praise to God,

00:24:39.280 --> 00:24:45.240
 is lifting up the person of Christ and her soon Redeemer.

00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:48.780
 And says in Luke chapter 1 verses 46 and 47,

00:24:48.780 --> 00:24:50.480
 And Mary says,

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:52.620
 My soul magnifies the Lord.

00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:57.240
 My spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.

00:24:58.839 --> 00:25:02.240
 And then Zachariah and his wife,

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:06.559
 in experiencing the pregnancy of John the Baptist,

00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:09.779
 and neighbors beginning to hear about what's happening,

00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:11.200
 it says in Luke 1.58,

00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:16.620
 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord showed great mercy to her,

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:19.380
 and they rejoiced with her.

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:25.640
 Then, of course, the familiar story of the angels who showed up to the shepherds,

00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:27.000
 and they say to them,

00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:33.220
 Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy,

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:36.700
 which will be for all the people.

00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:42.480
 Jesus came to bring grace.

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:47.000
 And as the angels witnessed and announced,

00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:53.360
 that coming of grace would be accompanied by great joy.

00:25:55.440 --> 00:26:00.319
 Automatic joy, because of the work of grace in a heart, in a life,

00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:06.400
 leading us to the experience and the expression of joy and thanksgiving.

00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:11.660
 Jesus is the means of grace and joy.

00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:14.860
 Have you experienced God's grace today?

00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:20.200
 Is your life characterized by joy and thanksgiving?

00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:26.580
 Now, that is the components of a grace-filled life.

00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:30.759
 Now, I want to move to the continuity of a grace-filled life.

00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:35.279
 You might say the constancy of a grace-filled life.

00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:39.799
 Because as we look at these commands, let's say these verses again, okay?

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:47.480
 So, to the far left, my left, rejoice always, pray without ceasing,

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:53.139
 in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:58.559
 Now, what should grip our attention, what should be at the forefront of our minds,

00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:04.039
 is the constancy or the continuity of those words and the commands that we're given.

00:27:04.879 --> 00:27:06.879
 Not only are they given in the present tense,

00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:11.119
 it's a present imperative, a command for us for the here and now

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:12.740
 and in enduring into the future,

00:27:13.419 --> 00:27:18.720
 but this continuing, perpetual call for us to be people

00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.440
 who are characterized by these things.

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:33.860
 One might ask the question, is this really realistic?

00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:37.000
 Is this a fair expectation?

00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:41.960
 Is this something that is just a fluke for 1 Thessalonians

00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:45.559
 or is this something that permeates the whole of Scripture?

00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.740
 Do we find this in other places?

00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:51.940
 And the answer, of course, is that Scripture is filled up

00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:56.519
 with the command to be people who are rejoicing in the Lord.

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:59.420
 Philippians chapter 4, verse 4 says,

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:04.700
 Rejoice in the Lord always again, I say, rejoice.

00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:11.240
 We find in Ephesians chapter 5, this call to give thanks and rejoice.

00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:12.620
 It says,

00:28:12.620 --> 00:28:18.140
 Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

00:28:18.539 --> 00:28:21.460
 singing and making melody to the Lord in your heart,

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:26.880
 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father

00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:29.519
 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:31.319
 Notice there in that verse,

00:28:32.019 --> 00:28:37.180
 the component of thanksgiving is preceded by the work of the Spirit in your life.

00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:41.500
 The companion passage in Colossians chapter 3

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:45.860
 helps us to see the accompanying work of the Word of God

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:48.420
 in Colossians chapter 3, verses 16 and 17.

00:28:49.180 --> 00:28:49.539
 It says,

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:52.140
 But let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:55.779
 teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:58.560
 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

00:28:58.560 --> 00:29:02.120
 with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:04.939
 And whatever you do, in word or deed,

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.819
 do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:11.879
 giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:18.199
 How does thanksgiving happen from those two passages?

00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:21.199
 How do we access thanksgiving?

00:29:22.099 --> 00:29:24.159
 How do we get a hold of it in our lives?

00:29:24.239 --> 00:29:25.879
 How do we make it a reality,

00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:28.699
 not just for the Thanksgiving holiday,

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:31.879
 the Thursdays that we experience once a year,

00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:34.640
 but how does it become this perpetual activity,

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.760
 in season and out of season,

00:29:37.060 --> 00:29:38.600
 this preaching of our life,

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:41.460
 this gospel witness that is happening for us,

00:29:42.040 --> 00:29:44.840
 that shines forth the Word of God

00:29:44.840 --> 00:29:47.080
 and proclaims the praises of Him

00:29:47.080 --> 00:29:49.800
 who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light?

00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:51.020
 How does it happen?

00:29:52.340 --> 00:29:56.180
 It happens through partnership with the Holy Spirit

00:29:56.180 --> 00:30:00.560
 and through partnership in the Word of God

00:30:00.560 --> 00:30:02.560
 speaking into our life.

00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:09.299
 So that, as Paul exhorts us in Galatians chapter 5,

00:30:09.340 --> 00:30:10.840
 he says, walk in the Spirit,

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:14.360
 and you're not going to fulfill the lust of the flesh.

00:30:15.100 --> 00:30:17.539
 He says, later on, he says,

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:20.360
 but the fruit of the Spirit is love.

00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:21.379
 And what's the next one?

00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:24.599
 Joy, which is our Word this morning.

00:30:26.479 --> 00:30:30.519
 It happens through the indwelling power

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:33.359
 of the Holy Spirit in your life.

00:30:33.879 --> 00:30:36.959
 And as the Spirit is activated and indwelling you,

00:30:37.199 --> 00:30:40.359
 as the Word of God is drawing you closer

00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:43.579
 to the experiences and the knowledge of who God is,

00:30:43.899 --> 00:30:46.479
 He leads you naturally to be people

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:49.440
 who are giving thanks in every situation.

00:30:50.839 --> 00:30:54.160
 You become people who are permeated by grace

00:30:54.160 --> 00:31:01.620
 as you exist and dwell in the cauldron of grace.

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:10.860
 I like what Charles Spurgeon says.

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:13.860
 He says, rejoice in the Lord always.

00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:17.759
 In the first place, this is a very delightful thing.

00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:20.919
 What a gracious God we serve

00:31:20.919 --> 00:31:24.359
 who makes delight to be a duty

00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:27.939
 and who commands us to rejoice.

00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:31.079
 Should we not at once be obedient

00:31:31.079 --> 00:31:32.639
 to such a command as this?

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:35.459
 It is intended that we should be happy.

00:31:36.399 --> 00:31:38.259
 That is the meaning of this precept,

00:31:38.679 --> 00:31:40.399
 that we should be cheerful.

00:31:40.939 --> 00:31:43.139
 And more than that, that we should be thankful.

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:45.700
 More than that, that we should rejoice.

00:31:47.360 --> 00:31:53.280
 You know, this prefix, re, at the beginning of rejoice,

00:31:54.200 --> 00:31:57.340
 signifies the reduplication of a thing,

00:31:58.220 --> 00:32:00.240
 the taking it over and over again.

00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:03.900
 We are to joy, and then we are to rejoy.

00:32:05.380 --> 00:32:07.140
 And as in Philippians chapter 4,

00:32:07.540 --> 00:32:09.680
 rejoice in the Lord always, and again,

00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:11.680
 I say rejoice.

00:32:13.360 --> 00:32:15.259
 In season and out of season,

00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:16.940
 our lives are to be punctuated

00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:19.060
 and permeated with joy

00:32:19.060 --> 00:32:22.620
 because of the work of the spirit of grace

00:32:22.620 --> 00:32:24.299
 in your life,

00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:27.200
 the work of Christ in salvation

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:29.440
 leading us to joy.

00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:34.019
 C.S. Lewis put it this way.

00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:34.559
 He says,

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:37.799
 if we consider the unblushing promises

00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:39.480
 of reward

00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:41.460
 and the staggering nature

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:44.559
 of rewards promised in the Gospels,

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:47.019
 it would seem that our Lord

00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:48.440
 finds our desires

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:50.059
 not too strong,

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:51.440
 but too weak.

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:54.299
 We are half-hearted creatures

00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:56.299
 fooling about with drink

00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:57.240
 and ambition

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:59.900
 when infinite joy is offered us.

00:32:59.900 --> 00:33:02.160
 like ignorant children

00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:03.580
 who wants to go on

00:33:03.580 --> 00:33:05.940
 making mud pies in the slum

00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:07.920
 because he cannot imagine

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:10.100
 what is meant by the offer

00:33:10.100 --> 00:33:12.320
 of a holiday at the sea.

00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:16.580
 We're content to build our mud pies

00:33:16.580 --> 00:33:18.160
 in the slums

00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:20.720
 instead of the experience of joy

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:22.780
 that can be had for us

00:33:22.780 --> 00:33:25.540
 at the ocean of God's love and grace.

00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:30.940
 We are half-hearted creatures.

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:34.079
 Our desires are not too strong

00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:34.879
 but too weak.

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.920
 We fill up our lives

00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:38.819
 with broken cisterns.

00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:41.639
 The water of our life pours out

00:33:41.639 --> 00:33:43.799
 rather than pouring forth

00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:45.659
 the rich living waters

00:33:45.659 --> 00:33:46.819
 that God has to offer.

00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:51.899
 God calls us to this unceasing activity

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:54.139
 of joy and thankfulness

00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:55.380
 that happens

00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:58.280
 through the context of prayer

00:33:58.280 --> 00:33:59.800
 as we see so often

00:33:59.800 --> 00:34:03.840
 in Paul's epistles.

00:34:04.620 --> 00:34:07.780
 We turn back to 1 Thessalonians 1.

00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:09.740
 Where does thanksgiving

00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.960
 and prayer come together?

00:34:11.140 --> 00:34:12.680
 Well, we see here an example

00:34:12.680 --> 00:34:14.539
 in 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 2.

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.059
 We give thanks to God always for you

00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:20.280
 constantly mentioning you

00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:22.099
 in our prayers.

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:25.299
 Remembering before our God and Father

00:34:25.299 --> 00:34:26.860
 your work of faith

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:28.339
 and labor of love

00:34:28.339 --> 00:34:30.159
 and steadfastness and hope

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:31.920
 in our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:34:33.179 --> 00:34:35.579
 Why is Paul happy?

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:38.679
 He's happy because of grace.

00:34:39.420 --> 00:34:40.960
 The grace that he sees

00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:42.139
 in these people

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.719
 and it's leading him to joy.

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:44.799
 It's leading him to thanksgiving.

00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:46.940
 And it's leading him to prayer.

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:48.940
 Prayer and thanks to God

00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:51.400
 for his work in the hearts

00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:52.400
 and lives of individuals.

00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:57.720
 Finally, we come to the communion

00:34:57.720 --> 00:34:59.720
 of a grace-filled life.

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:03.640
 The communion of a grace-filled life.

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:09.119
 The word forgiving thanks

00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:10.980
 is the word eucharisteo.

00:35:11.879 --> 00:35:13.119
 And for those of you

00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:15.059
 who may have participated

00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:16.619
 in other churches

00:35:16.619 --> 00:35:18.639
 more reformed in nature

00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:20.259
 or maybe a Catholic

00:35:20.259 --> 00:35:21.539
 or Lutheran background,

00:35:21.759 --> 00:35:24.559
 the formality of the communion service,

00:35:24.759 --> 00:35:26.019
 you would have probably heard

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.379
 the word eucharist.

00:35:28.139 --> 00:35:29.699
 Where does that word come from?

00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:31.679
 It's actually the Greek word

00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:32.899
 for give thanks,

00:35:33.399 --> 00:35:35.379
 which has as a component in it

00:35:35.379 --> 00:35:37.599
 the grace that God has given.

00:35:38.359 --> 00:35:39.359
 Grace because,

00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:41.779
 or thanks because of grace.

00:35:43.239 --> 00:35:45.259
 We find all throughout the Gospels

00:35:45.259 --> 00:35:48.519
 this expression of Christ's thanks

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:52.199
 for his upcoming death

00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:52.819
 and resurrection.

00:35:54.179 --> 00:35:55.799
 How is it that Jesus,

00:35:56.460 --> 00:35:58.219
 the night before he is crucified,

00:35:59.179 --> 00:36:01.440
 has his disciples with him

00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:03.099
 and takes of the bread

00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:05.019
 and takes of the cup

00:36:05.019 --> 00:36:06.880
 and actually gives thanks

00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:08.519
 for the very instruments

00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:11.059
 that will bring persecution

00:36:11.059 --> 00:36:12.460
 and death for him

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:15.460
 but also redemption for the world.

00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:19.099
 Matthew chapter 26,

00:36:20.099 --> 00:36:21.760
 it says,

00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:23.200
 now as they were eating,

00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.420
 Jesus took the bread

00:36:25.420 --> 00:36:27.400
 and after blessing it,

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:28.440
 broke it and gave it

00:36:28.440 --> 00:36:29.079
 to the disciples

00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:29.579
 and said,

00:36:29.699 --> 00:36:29.900
 take,

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:30.259
 eat,

00:36:30.759 --> 00:36:32.119
 this is my body.

00:36:33.179 --> 00:36:34.219
 And he took the cup

00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:36.279
 and when he had given thanks,

00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:37.500
 he gave it to them saying,

00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:38.920
 drink all of it,

00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:40.659
 all of you,

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:42.539
 for this is my blood

00:36:42.539 --> 00:36:43.199
 of the covenant

00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:45.539
 which is poured out for many

00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:47.940
 for the forgiveness of sins.

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:51.720
 as we come to the table

00:36:51.720 --> 00:36:54.780
 and as we remember grace,

00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:56.119
 it should lead us

00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:57.539
 to Eucharisto.

00:36:58.240 --> 00:36:59.460
 It should lead us

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:01.220
 to give thanks

00:37:01.220 --> 00:37:02.480
 just like Jesus

00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:05.920
 for the work that he did for us,

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:07.820
 he accomplished for us

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 on the cross

00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:10.159
 in forgiving sins

00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:13.539
 and leading us to heaven,

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 placing on us

00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:16.340
 the righteousness

00:37:16.340 --> 00:37:17.539
 of Christ

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.940
 that only comes

00:37:18.940 --> 00:37:20.559
 through faith

00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:21.380
 in Jesus

00:37:21.380 --> 00:37:23.440
 as the only means

00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:24.219
 of salvation.

00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:27.559
 So this morning,

00:37:27.659 --> 00:37:28.259
 if you're struggling

00:37:28.259 --> 00:37:30.000
 with joy,

00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:32.280
 if you're struggling

00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:33.719
 a bit this morning

00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.639
 with thanksgiving,

00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:36.960
 it's not a problem

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.440
 with your attitude.

00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:41.619
 It is a problem

00:37:41.619 --> 00:37:42.719
 with your character.

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:45.399
 It is a problem

00:37:45.399 --> 00:37:46.719
 as you have missed,

00:37:47.759 --> 00:37:48.839
 lost sight

00:37:48.839 --> 00:37:51.279
 of the wonder of grace.

00:37:52.480 --> 00:37:53.679
 Something we all

00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:55.039
 need to be reminded of.

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:58.779
 And I find this time together

00:37:58.779 --> 00:37:59.939
 that we're going to experience

00:37:59.939 --> 00:38:01.839
 where Jesus says,

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:02.559
 take eat,

00:38:03.179 --> 00:38:05.259
 do this in remembrance of me.

00:38:05.379 --> 00:38:06.759
 There's the same prefix,

00:38:06.939 --> 00:38:07.139
 re.

00:38:08.579 --> 00:38:10.399
 Jesus does that for us

00:38:10.399 --> 00:38:11.239
 because he knows

00:38:11.239 --> 00:38:12.419
 we need to be called back

00:38:12.419 --> 00:38:13.479
 to joy

00:38:13.479 --> 00:38:14.319
 and called back

00:38:14.319 --> 00:38:15.079
 to grace

00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:16.500
 because we so often

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.339
 lose sight

00:38:17.339 --> 00:38:19.019
 of the grace of God

00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:19.559
 in our lives.

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:21.479
 We need some recalibration.

00:38:21.939 --> 00:38:22.799
 We need some help

00:38:22.799 --> 00:38:24.919
 because our character

00:38:24.919 --> 00:38:26.259
 is so tainted.

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:27.659
 We struggle

00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:29.899
 with needing God

00:38:29.899 --> 00:38:30.859
 to correct us

00:38:30.859 --> 00:38:31.839
 on a regular basis.

00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:34.699
 So as we've been called

00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:35.439
 to rejoice,

00:38:35.839 --> 00:38:36.099
 well,

00:38:36.879 --> 00:38:37.859
 maybe we need to

00:38:37.859 --> 00:38:39.239
 begin with this

00:38:39.239 --> 00:38:40.459
 call to remember.

00:38:41.239 --> 00:38:42.719
 To remember the work

00:38:42.719 --> 00:38:44.539
 that God has done for us

00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:45.759
 so that we can be

00:38:45.759 --> 00:38:46.759
 called to grace

00:38:46.759 --> 00:38:49.419
 and he can remind us again

00:38:49.419 --> 00:38:50.159
 of the significance

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:51.859
 of what that work

00:38:51.859 --> 00:38:52.979
 will accomplish.

00:38:53.899 --> 00:38:54.879
 It will accomplish

00:38:54.879 --> 00:38:57.079
 the transforming process

00:38:57.079 --> 00:38:58.239
 of leading us

00:38:58.239 --> 00:38:59.259
 to joy

00:38:59.259 --> 00:39:00.219
 in thanks.

00:39:00.219 --> 00:39:21.519
 as you as

00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:21.519


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