Title 「Enjoy the happiness of gratitude」
Contents
Enjoy the happiness of gratitude.
Col 3:15-17
2009.11.15
Thanksgiving Day
“Oh, by the grace of God”
Today is Thanksgiving Day. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. Gratitude and happiness are directly proportional. It is said that how happy a person is depends on the depth of their gratitude. Gratitude is not only a measure of happiness, it is also a measure of faith.
In the words of Colossians 3:15-17, the Apostle Paul commanded us to give thanks three times over and over again. There is good reason for the emphasis on gratitude in the Bible: ‘Be a grateful person’, ‘Praise God with a grateful heart’, and ‘Give thanks to God the Father’.
The word ‘thank you’ (eucharisteo) has two meanings. One is to ‘give glory to God’. The other is to ‘enjoy the grace of God’. Therefore, the grateful person can never be unhappy. Those who give thanks glorify God and have no choice but to become happy people who enjoy God's grace. Let's take a closer look at the biblical text. I hope that you will enjoy the happiness of thanksgiving while preaching and listening to the Word.
1. Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts
Let's look at Colossians 3:15. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for in one body you were called to peace, so be thankful.”
'Be a person of thanksgiving' The fact that the person who is grateful has no choice but to become a happy person who glorifies God and enjoys God's grace will dominate the heart of Christ and maintain peace with those who are called as one body. because of. Here, “the peace of Christ” means the peace that Christ, who is the peace itself, gives. And let the peace of Christ 'claim' your heart (Brabuette) means 'to rule, to control, to decide'. With the peace that Christ gives, you not only control your anxiety and anguish, but also Conflicts or disagreements that arise in interpersonal relationships must also be controlled. That's right. The grateful person has the peace of Christ in his heart. And those who are grateful maintain peace in their relationships with others. Therefore, we believe that those who are grateful will enjoy the happiness of gratitude by controlling their anxiety and discord and living a peaceful life ruled by the peace of Christ.
These are the words of John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I give you not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” John 16:33 “I tell you these things so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” Amen
Beloved saints, by giving thanks, let the peace of Christ rule your hearts and relationships. So, in the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord to give glory to God and to become a happy person of thanksgiving who enjoys God's grace.
2. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Let's look at Colossians 3:16. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, singing praises and spiritual songs to one another with all wisdom, praising God with thanksgiving.”
This is the story of the couple, performance planner Lee Min-wook and vocalist Yang Jae-hee. Instead of a wedding in April last year, they held a praise concert and donated the entire amount of 20 million won as a donation for the construction of a church in Sombo, Cambodia. The international relief organization Hunger Measures completed the construction of the church by adding external resources to their donations and named it ‘ssumbo wedding church’. At the wedding last year, Lee Min-wook said, “I had a dream of having a wedding as a praise concert and building a church in a poor country with congratulatory money. expression,” he said.
The couple, who could not attend the entrance service due to circumstances, said, “I thank God for the beautiful and well-built church and pray that it will be used preciously by the local church.” “We will visit a wedding church as soon as possible and hold a praise meeting with missionaries and residents. I want to,” he said.
The word of Christ is bound to dwell abundantly in those who have their wedding ceremony as a praise concert and donate their congratulatory money as a building offering. I believe that such a person will have the happiness of gratitude and the grace of praise will be abundant.
These are the words of John 15:7. “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
These are the words of John 14:23. “Jesus answered and said, If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.”
Dear brothers and sisters, by giving thanks, may the word of Christ dwell in you richly. So, in the name of the Lord, I pray in the name of the Lord that you may become a happy person of thanksgiving who glorifies God and enjoys God's grace.
3. Let the name of Christ be the basis of your words and deeds.
Let's look at Colossians 3:17. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
“Give thanks to God the Father.” Those who give thanks glorify God and become happy people who enjoy God's grace because they live in the name of Christ and through Christ. Here, “in the name of Christ” means “in the name of Christ”. And the word ‘through Christ’ also means ‘by the mediation of Christ’. That's right. Those who give thanks should live as a representative of Christ, ‘whatever they do, in word or deed,’ that is, in all their words and deeds, based on the name of Christ. And those who give thanks should also give thanks through Christ. Therefore, those who are grateful live a Christ-centered life by letting the name of Christ govern all their words and deeds. And I believe that through Christ, we will enjoy the happiness of thanksgiving by living a life of thanksgiving to God the Father.
After the meeting that day, he returned home and opened the Bible. The words that came to my eyes were, “I will add fifteen years to your days” (2 Kings 20:6). In an instant, he was convinced that he could live another fifteen years. But 40 years have passed since then.
Those who were stricken with a mortal disease and were resurrected in the name of Christ have no choice but to be thankful. Even those who have fallen into mortal sin and have been saved in the name of Christ have no choice but to be thankful. Those who are grateful enough to move God base their words and actions on the name of Christ. For such a person, I believe that Christ is the goal and everything of life.
This is Acts 2:21. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This is Acts 3:6. “Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I give to you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” said Peter.
Beloved saints, by giving thanks, may the name of Christ be the basis of all your words and deeds. So, in the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may become a happy person of thanksgiving who glorifies God and enjoys the grace of God.
In Psalm 50:23 God said, “He who offers sacrifices of thanksgiving glorifies me.” That's right. A sacrifice that glorifies God is a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Dear brothers and sisters, I hope you will overflow with thanksgiving on this blessed Thanksgiving Day. So, in the name of the Lord, I earnestly pray in the name of the Lord that you will glorify God with all your heart, with all your heart, and with all your might, and become a happy person of thanksgiving who enjoys God's grace. Amen!
“For the glory of God only”