Traits of Thanksgiving

Learn the characteristics of true thanksgiving. Seek these specific things of God that accompany gratitude with all your heart.

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Sermon Preview for Sunday, November 9, 2025

It is the will of the one who has received to bless and praise the one who that person is thankful for. When we know it is God who has given to us and therefore, it is God we are thankful to, it makes it even more essential that we praise, exalt, and worship Him. By doing so we put Him into the proper place and all other things follow suit. Along with praise, faithfulness accompanies thanksgiving in the heart of the one who is truly grateful. Indeed, from our heart of gratitude to the one who has worked on our behalf we have a deep desire to be found faithful in His eyes. This is not the same thing as trying to earn what we have been given, this pursuit is a waste of time because it is impossible from the beginning, but it is the motivation within our heart to honor and glorify the one who has given us our life through practicing the things that please Him. In light of all that we have received, how could we not be filled with the desire to be found faithful in the eyes of our Creator? As the Psalmist says, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High”. A characteristic of our Thanksgiving to the Lord is to be faithful in performing the vows we have made to Him. Furthermore, a characteristic of our worship and praise of God is performing the vows we have made to Him. If we are truly thankful to God this morning then let us all come before Him seeking to do faithfully all he commands, not as a way to earn anything God has given us, but out of a heart of thanksgiving and appreciation for what he has done for us that we could never repay Him for.  

Sermon Preview for Sunday, November 2, 2025

The traits of thanksgiving. What specifically does being thankful look like? I think we can all agree it is not as easy as uttering the words “thank you”, in the same way that we can agree that uttering the words “I’m sorry” does not make you genuinely remorseful. Much of what we have discussed over the past few months follows this same pattern. Genuine love, for example, is not as easy as saying the words I love you but is found in following 1 Corinthians 13. Genuine Christianity is not as easy as one calling themselves a Christian or participating in some Christian activities, but is found in truly loving Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. As Thanksgiving approaches, we remember, as we do every year, the one who truly deserves our gratitude is the one who has Created us and everything around us, left glory to die because of our sin, and gives us new life through faith in Him. The thankful heart is, and will always be, a rejoicing heart. It will be a praising heart that seeks to adore and exalt the one who is most worthy of adoration and exultation. A thankful heart magnifies the Lord! Even at great cost to ourselves we show our deep gratitude through singing, speaking, and living praises to His name. We celebrate this morning because Jesus Christ has accomplished great and mighty things. Oh Church, do not allow anything from this life, indeed the annoyances, the pain, the distractions, and the sorrow, rob us of our joy in rejoicing knowing Christ has died to give us life and set us free. Thank you, Lord!