Luke 17:11
True thanksgiving comes from the realization of God's grace and is characterized by an attitude that calls for action, resulting in spiritual cleansing and the miracle of grace within the soul.
Chuck Smith emphasizes that true thanksgiving stems from recognizing the grace of God, which goes beyond material blessings to include love, victory through Christ, and forgiveness. He illustrates this through the story of the ten lepers, highlighting that only one, a Samaritan, returned to express gratitude, demonstrating the importance of acknowledging God's goodness. Smith points out that true thanksgiving should lead to action and a deeper spiritual understanding, as it reflects our relationship with God. The sermon concludes with the reminder that genuine gratitude results in spiritual wholeness and transformation.
Text
THANKSGIVING
Intro: Christians are thankful people. Non-Christian opposite "neither were they thankful."
I. THE CAUSE OF TRUE THANKSGIVING.
A. The grace of God.
1. Too often we think only in terms of material.
a. Health - Glory in infirmities.
b. Strength - God's strength made perfect.
c. Shelter - Christ who spoke of no place to lay His head.
d. Food.
2. Deeper causes of thanksgiving.
1. His gift of love.
2. Our victory through Christ.
3. Forgiveness - peace - hope.
B. The case of the lepers.
1. Leprous type of sin.
a. Defilement and separation from God.
b. Hideous loathsomeness and death.
2. "The lepers stood afar off and cried."
a. Jesus with leper in Chap. 5.
b. Church divided over lesser things.
3. Their faith tested.
a. Spoke five words to them.
b. Only way to test truth was to obey.
1. Christianity today not subject to test tube experimentation.
c. Imagine debate and arguments that must have ensued.
C. True cause is spiritual.
II. THE CHARACTER OF TRUE THANKSGIVING.
A. Attitude that calls for action.
1. Attitude comes from realization of what has been done.
2. In the story before us only one took proper action.
a. He was a Samaritan un-orthodox.
b. Prostrated himself before the Lord.
1. The person not the miracle became most important.
3. Where are the nine?
a. Value Christ places on gratitude and misses it when it is not
expressed.
b. Pure praise almost lost art.
1. Most hymns of praise merge into thanksgiving which is less.
a. Thanksgiving is the expression of gladness because
God is good to us.
b. Praise is worship and adoration - our sense of
God's goodness and glory.
III. CONSEQUENCE OF TRUE THANKSGIVING.
A. "Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole."
1. Not only cleansed physically but spiritually.
2. Miracle of grace within soul.
Sermon Outline
- The Cause of True Thanksgiving
- A points: - His gift of love - Our victory through Christ - Forgiveness - peace - hope - Material blessings - Deeper causes of thanksgiving
- B points: - The case of the lepers - Leprous type of sin - The lepers' faith tested
- True cause is spiritual
Key Quotes
“Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.” — Chuck Smith
“The lepers stood afar off and cried.” — Chuck Smith
“He was a Samaritan un-orthodox.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- Express gratitude to God for His goodness and glory in our lives.
- Recognize the deeper causes of thanksgiving, including His gift of love, our victory through Christ, and forgiveness, peace, and hope.
- Let our attitude of thanksgiving be an action that calls for obedience and worship.