Our message this evening bears the silly but appropriate title: “How to Kill Thanksgiving.” It has nothing to do with killing the thanksgiving turkey. And in that regard, why have “turkey” and “thanksgiving” become synonyms? Why do some people call Thanksgiving “Turkey Day?” There are a lot of people who don’t eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and that seems to be the trend especially with the sky-rocketing price of turkey. I don’t know whether or laugh, cry or ignore the salutation: “Have a happy Turkey Day.” Since for some people that is all that tomorrow is, perhaps this sermon title is appropriate.
One of these days, we’re going to have a lesson on the subject of our “post-Christian” society. Today’s Thanksgiving is one illustration that America has moved past its former Christian mind-set – when at least one day a year was dedicated to giving thanks to God for His bounty and political peace. That day is gone. Our society has become 98% secular and God has been kicked out of Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is simply the day when the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks play football and millions of overstuffed Americans fall asleep on their lazy boys, sofas and chesterfields. Tomorrow is a day when millions of Americans drag themselves off to bed early, so they can get up at 4:00 AM or earlier to buy some bargain the moment ungodly Target opens their door on Friday.
Nevertheless, the calendar tells us that tomorrow is “Thanksgiving Day” – the one day year set aside for a 15 second thankful pause – just before the hot rolls are buttered… they cool so quickly. But a single, yearly “Thanksgiving Day” is a silly thing – especially for the Christian. The real Christian has been commissioned to rejoice and be thankful ever more – I Thessalonians 5:16. And yet, I wonder how many of us have used the words “thank you” since we got out of bed today. Of course today isn’t officially “Thanksgiving Day” – so perhaps it doesn’t matter. But how many have praised God for His saving grace today? How many have thanked their spouse for marrying them? For cooking supper or taking out the trash? How many children have hugged their parents and thanked them for their Christian love? How many have thanked God for anything today? Thankfulness ought to be as regular as our heartbeat, and yet it is as rare as a Big Mac on the moon. I think I’ve mentioned a woman who got on a bus; when a man got up and gave her his seat – she fainted. When he came to herself she thanked the man – then he fainted.
Why aren’t Americans thankful people? I asked myself that question, coming up with 5 generalities.
An obvious one, taken from our scripture, is our PREOCCUPATION with OURSELVES.
On one of Christ Jesus’ journeys through southern Galilee and Samaria He was met by ten dying men – lepers. With one accord they began to plead for the Lord’s miraculous grace. “Be merciful, be merciful.” They had no other place to turn but to God; no physician could heal their malady; no government agency could intervene on their behalf. Christ graciously responded, telling them to report to the priests, as the Old Testament required. In that day, before the deification of the medical establishment, it wasn’t the job of a doctor to determine and certify that a leper had been healed. That was the job of one of God’s men. So off they hobbled, and at some point along the road, the miraculous became manifest. Feelings long dead began return; skin which was black or white turned pink as blood returned. Immediately one of them stopped, turned around, returned to Christ and fell on face at feet of his Saviour.
The question is: Why didn’t the others stop and return as well? One of them might have said – “That man, Jesus, told us to go the priests, so I was just being obedient. I am not going to jeopardize my future health with even a hint of disobedience. Besides there will plenty of time to return and thank him later.” But there is not a hint in all the Word of God that any of the nine men ever did return.
I may be sticking my neck out just a little, but I think that there is always room – and time – for godly praise. It doesn’t matter what the Lord has asked you do, or even commanded you to do. He will not only forgive you for a momentary delay for praise, but I think He will bless you for it. It’s like the kiss of a son on the cheek of his mother who has asked him to do something for her. Has the Lord asked you to die on streets of Bagdad preaching the gospel? Praise the Lord and go. Has He asked you to clean the church? Thank him that you’re not cleaning Solomon’s Temple and do it. Has He commanded you to give to missions? Praise Him for something with which to give, and thank Him that He hasn’t demanded as much as the IRS, then reach for your wallet.
Praise is always appropriate, just as a clean face always acceptable. And what is more, service to God WITHOUT thanksgiving is NEVER appropriate. “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
If one those nine men had said, “I can’t stop to thank the Lord, because He has commanded me to go,” you’ve found a man making an excuse for his own depraved selfishness. His primary concern is getting that healing, and nothing is going to stop him. Nothing – not worship, not praise, not even the Lord Himself.
Why is it at a restaurant that some “saints” can never offer a word of thanks before stuffing the mouths with food? Sometimes, it is because their only concern is their empty stomach, and sometimes it is fear or embarrassment. They are like the dog who smelled smoke in middle night – he grabbed his food dish and ran out the doggy door before he came back and woke up his master. Why is it so hard to get children to say “thank you?” – It is because they are children. Children are as sinful and depraved as all the rest of us; only they have less veneer covering their sins. Children have to be trained to think of others before they think of selves. Why are so many adults unthankful? Because in character they remain children. Someone has said that a major part of a good attitude is gratitude. If by White House decree “Thanksgiving Day” was moved to Sunday, would the church attendance on that day be greater or smaller than usual? My guess would be a smaller attendance nation-wide, because so many people would rather be with their families than seeking the Lord.
A very closely related second wound in the heart of Thanksgiving is COVETOUSNESS.
Money is the grease which keeps the wheels of modern, fallen society moving. As most are aware, Friday will be one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Why it is called “Black Friday” mystifies me – you’d think that most retailers would call it “Golden Friday.” Perhaps the reason is because, no matter how big and successful that day is, it will never be as big and successful as the retailers would like it to be.
Sadly, some retailers are trying to expand Black Friday by creating a bleak Thursday. How many stores will be open tomorrow on “Thanksgiving Day?” And those which are will be open for what reason? Money of course. Greed. Covetousness. They want to cash in on the Black Friday feeding frenzy a day early. Greed is killing thanksgiving. Brethren, “take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Truly, these are the last days – II Timothy 3:1-2 – “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy….”
Another weapon used to murder thanksgiving is something called “VAIN IMAGINATION.”
Romans 1:18-21 – “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
These verses teach that sinful men substitute corrupt thoughts for godly thankfulness. In other words, they imagine themselves more highly of themselves than to thank the Lord for anything. Unlike those ancient Puritans, we have done away with God, and don’t need to thank Him for anything. An ax may kill the thanksgiving turkey, but pride has killed Thanksgiving. The despotic dictator never says “thank you.” He doesn’t have to. He feels that there is no call for it, because he is pinnacle of his society. And often times we think the same way, picturing ourselves as the ruler of our little world. Remember Christian – we are nothing without the Lord and without others bringing us God’s blessings. No honest thinking person can deny Jehovah’s authorship of the universe and all that is in it. God deserves more than a little recognition for all those good gifts and perfect gifts which He gives us. “The ox knoweth his owner; and the ass master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”
Turn on your minds and look about you to see the grace of God. As I have told you before, the origin of the word “thank,” as a good dictionary will tell you, is “think.” It comes from a word which means “the moving of the mind or feelings.” Thankful people are “thinkful.” You lepers didn’t deserve Jesus’ miraculous cleansing; you are debtors now. Fall on your faces before the Lord who has so richly blessed you.
May I suggest another weapon used against thanks – REJECTION of the REDEEMER.
Why didn’t those nine lepers return to Christ? Does verse 13 suggest an answer? They said, “Jesus, Master.” Can you see what is missing? They acknowledged that Jesus was the master of miracles, diseases – and in their case – leprosy. But they didn’t go any farther than that. They didn’t call him “Lord,” “Christ,” “Saviour” or any other divine or respectful term. There is good reason to believe that all ten of these men were Samaritans. Samaritans often enjoyed the fact that the Jews had no dealings with them, and vise versa. Sure, take those other people for what you can, sell them your goods and rob them of theirs. But then after Thanksgiving, have no further association with them.
These ten lepers eventually were physically healed. Now they were even more obligated to the Redeemer. But apparently they didn’t want to believe that He was supposed to be the Lord of their lives. They wanted a healer, but not a personal deity. They may not have returned, because they didn’t want His rule over lives.
And one other thing –
Some people aren’t thankful because they THINK that they HAVE LITTLE for which to be THANKFUL.
But the truth is: we all have oodles of blessings which should elicit our praise and thanksgiving. The town grouch heard a sermon on thanksgiving and still said that he had no good reason to be thankful. A little boy heard him and said, “Mister, you could thank God He didn’t put your nose upside down. If it was upside down it would be really hard to blow, and when it rained you might drown.” Another man said, ”I can’t be thankful – I owe too much money, and I can’t pay it.” He was told that he should be thankful that he wasn’t his creditor. We all should be thankful that only you and God know all of your faults and sins.
And if you can’t praise the Lord for what you have, then praise Him for what you have escaped. Maybe you don’t have money, but you don’t have leprosy either. I don’t care if you are Mormon, Mohammedan or Methodist – even they all have reason for praise. If for nothing more – for sun, rain, and snow, and, in some cases, their sanity. We have so much cause for thanksgiving. There shouldn’t be just one Thanksgiving Day in a year, there should be 364. Perhaps we should leave one day for grumbling, complaining and moaning.
Sadly, there is one other thing to remember – for some people – for many people – eventually Thanksgiving Day will be a thing of the past. There is a day coming when God’s judgment will supercede thanksgiving. For those who are not children of God, there is a day coming when there will no longer be any reason for them to ever be thankful again. There will be a day, beginning an eternity, when they will despise the day they were born. There will be no thanks for even the hope of a future day of release from sin. There will be no praise for even a single drop of cool water to cool their tongue or to ease their torment. There will be a bitter snarl on those miserable faces – for all eternity.
The greatest reason for the praise of the Lord is the sacrifice Jesus Christ for our sins. I can’t say for sure, because the Bible doesn’t say, but of those ten lepers, I think that one of them began to praise the Lord that day, and he is still praising Christ today. I would like to think that the man who returned thanking and praising God is also praising God as one of the Lord’s children. We should be just like him.