Sermons

In the name of our Savior Jesus, whose love motivates thankful hearts in people, Dear Christian Friends, Typical thank you note How many times have you went to your mail box at home or even your mail slot here at church and pulled out a “thank you” note from a person to whom you gave a birthday gift, a wedding gift or a baby shower gift. What does a typical thank you note say? “Thank you very much for the…” and you fill in the blank. Maybe you add a descriptive word like “wonderful,” “generous” or “thoughtful.” Maybe you write a little bit more, telling the person what you are doing with their gift. But most of the time a typical “thank you” note gives thanks to a person for the thing, the tangible gift that was given. Atypical thank you note Paul's words of thanks before us today are not your typical thank you note in that Paul’s doesn’t give thanks for a tangible gift. With a thankful heart shaped by God’s grace, Paul in our text looks beyond the inanimate gift and gives thanks to God for people. When we celebrate Thanksgiving, we quite naturally count our physical blessings. We consider the good things we have as gifts from God. We consistently remind ourselves to take note also of our spiritual blessings; the forgiveness of sins, the gift of new life as a believer and the gift of eternal salvation. But we have not covered everything if our list of physical and spiritual blessings doesn't include people, people like Paul and the Philippian Christians, whose hearts have been shaped by the grace of God. God often uses people to bring physical and spiritual blessings into our lives as he continually reminds us of his grace and mercy. Theme: On the basis of Paul's unusual thank you note, our thanksgiving encouragement is to THANK GOD FOR PEOPLE; people whose hearts are shaped by God’s grace! Thank God… 1) for those who care, and 2) for those who teach us to care. Paul’s Philippian Relationship Have you ever sat down to write a note to a person to thank them for a gift, only to realize you don't remember which gift came from them? The end result is either a vague thank you note or no note at all. In our text Paul never gets specific about what gifts the Philippians sent his way. Rather, the flavor of Paul’s words express a heart of appreciation as he looks past the thing, the money or supplies and rejoices in the cherished relationship between him and the givers. Paul says to the Philippians concerning the Philippians, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me." Even though Paul writes these words from his prison cell, he finds a way to be thankful. His heart is warmed by the love of distant people. He says things like, "Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles," that show he is focused on people. And when he says, “They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God,” we see that certainly the God of grace is at the center of his thankfulness. Remember, he rejoices greatly in the Lord for the concern that people had for him. Paul's relationship with the congregation in Philippi was unique. Even though he is under arrest, he finds joy in thinking about them. In Philippians 1:3-6 we read, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Paul’s Gospel Partnership Paul’s partnership in the Gospel with the Philippian people is well documented throughout his writings. While Paul was generally very careful to distinguish himself from the roving peddlers of philosophy who traveled Greece to make a profit with their ideas, his relationship with the Christians in Philippi was different from the very beginning starting with a woman named Lydia. When she and the members of her household were baptized she invited Paul and his companions into her home and said, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord come and stay at my house.” And so Paul and his companions did just that. A similar situation happened between Paul and the jailer who was turned from despair and suicide to hope and forgiveness by the Gospel. After sharing the Gospel with him, Paul and Barnabas were invited to be guests at his house. Once again demonstrating Paul’s close partnership in the Gospel with the Philippian Christians, those people for whom he was thanking God. Our Gospel Partnership Our partnership in the Gospel with other believers is like Paul’s, something for which we are very thankful. It is good for us to give thanks to God for Christian friends who comfort us with the good news of Jesus Christ at a time of need or loss. It is good to give thanks for dear Christian friends who come to our aid in assisting us and our families, who offer a word of Christian encouragement when we were down and hurting. It is good to give thanks for fellow members of our Christian congregation who shared a portion of God Word with us just when we needed it the most. What wonderful fellowship of Christian friends God has given us who say to us “I can see you’re hurting. I’ll pray for you and your family.” On this thanksgiving we have many reasons to give thanks to our God. Certainly among the many reasons we have for giving thanks to our God is for the gift of those who care and take the time to show their love. Transition: As God encourages us to thank him for people who care, he is also encouraging us to be thankful for those who to teach us how to care. Unnatural Thanksgiving, giving thanks, having a thankful heart, doesn't come naturally for sinners. The Bible says, “Out of the heart comes evil desires.” By nature we do not demonstrate thankful care. Our sinful nature can so easily silence our thoughtful care for others. And so God provides ways by which people teach us both to give thanks to God in words and through our care and concern for others. We need to be taught this because there is a secret to it. Paul in our text speaks of that secret to thankfulness. The secret I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Law Did you hear it? Did you catch the secret to a thankful heart? It all boils down to a matter of Law and Gospel. If we don't understand our guilt under the Law, we are not thankful, for we conclude we deserve the good we have and we don't deserve the bad that comes our way. We complain about the good that is kept out of our reach and the bad touches our lives. We can look at all the blessings that surrounding us and still complain that something is not right. If our focus is just on things we will never find contentment, for, as Solomon wrote, whoever loves money, never has money enough. Jesus once said, “A man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of his possessions.” Those who bring God’s Word to us, a word that helps us truly evaluate our many blessings and teach us to be sincerely thankful, teach us to care for others. Gospel Paul’s secret to true thankfulness come to every believer through the Gospel. When we know God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as Paul knew his Lord, we find the certainty that our needs will be met, that we will have sufficient strength, and we find the clear and narrow focus for our lives that comes through the Gospel. Jesus explains our life’s focus when he says, “It is God’s will that all people come to a knowledge of the truth.” God has given his only Son as a sacrifice for the unthankful and undeserving. Paul saw beyond a visible exchange of earthly things to a sacrifice, a thank offering that is acceptable to God in Jesus Christ. He understands that while a need may guide our gifts and efforts, that only God's promises provide the necessary motivation. Our heart asks, how can we be thankful and give, when we ourselves continue to have so many needs? Based on the grace of God in Christ, Paul can assure us, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.” Who are they? Just who are these people who teach us to care? Like Paul, they may be Christian pastors and teachers. They certainly include Christian parents, who teach us more than just how to write thank you notes, who teach us to recognize that God's grace, not our merit, stands behind the good things we have and that outweighs the difficult things we must endure. We also want to take note of the caring people who serve us in organizations like: Wisconsin Lutheran Child and Family Service Wisconsin Lutheran Christian Counseling, Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministry, the Jesus Cares Program, and the Committee on Relief. When Paul was imprisoned, he was out of sight, yet there were people in Philippi who would not allow him to be forgotten. The people of those organizations I referred to call to our attention the needs of people hidden from our sight, through various publications, mailings, reports. Our sinful nature doesn't like being reminded to write even a thank you note, so it is more than eager to forget the needs of people. It is right for us to thank God for those people who have organized to help people in need and who would encourage us and teach us how to show care and concern to the elderly, those who need Christian advice and encouragement, those who need special education, and people who are sick or in prison. They remind us that whatever we do for the least of our brothers, we do for Christ. Conclusion Each one of us has experienced countless good things that come to us from the hand of a gracious God. However, merely having good things is no guarantee that we will be thankful. May God enlarge our hearts and shape them by his grace, so that we are indeed thankful to him for people who care and for the people who teach us to care.