Title: The Fourfold Gratitude of Jesus
The Fourfold Gratitude of Jesus - Let's give thanks in everything
Luke 22:14-20
2008. 3. 2, morning
It is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Lent is a season to meditate on the sufferings and life of Jesus Christ. Let's do this year's motto together. Today, for the 6th time, I would like to speak under the theme of 'Let's be thankful for everything'. We will talk about the 5th evangelism next week.
Jesus, who came down as a human body to save this world, demonstrated what gratitude is in His brief time. Jesus lived a life of gratitude, bearing the pain and death that you did not need to go through, without a single word of complaint, despite the fact that Jesus deserves thanks. In the life of the Lord, who practiced gratitude throughout his life, I can learn four major things of gratitude. These four thanksgivings of Jesus come to us in a beautiful melody like a chamber music quartet.
1. Give thanks for what you have (John 6:1-13)
The Oh Byeong-Ear incident is well known to everyone. Jesus asked, “Where shall we buy food to feed these people?” (John 6:5). And Andrew said, “Jesus, this little boy has five barley loaves and two fish. What are you going to do with them? He reacted negatively as if there was no other way.
It was impossible to feed so many people with a children's lunch box, five barley loaves and two fish. But what was Jesus' response in such an embarrassing situation?
Although it was a small amount of food, Jesus first saw what was there and gave thanks for what he had. Jesus didn't even ask, "Is there any more?" First of all, thank you for everything, even though it was a small amount.
When Jesus gave thanks for the little things, a wonderful miracle happened. There was a miracle that even after 5,000 male adults ate, there were 12 baskets left.
People don't see what they have and only see what others have, so they don't appreciate it, and they become unhappy when they compare. We only see the big things, the good things, and the many things, but we don't see the small things, the trivial things, the ordinary things.
You will learn from the gratitude of Jesus that the fruits of gratitude can be produced from the heart that appreciates and values small things.
2. Gratitude in failure (Matthew 11:25-26)
Jesus had a taste of failure on his missionary journey. He preached the gospel diligently, but all he returned was humiliation and contempt. The fruits were too shabby compared to the results of the hard work. When the villagers, whom Jesus worked so hard to evangelize, did not accept Jesus but rejected him, he said, “Woe to you, Korazin, Bethsaida, if all the mighty works that you did in Tire and Sidon had been performed in Tire and Sidon, they would have already been clothed in linen and sitting on ashes. He would have repented” (Matt 11:21), and there were times when he lamented.
But even in this situation, Jesus eventually returned to thanksgiving.
“…Father, we thank you that you hide these things from the wise and prudent and reveal them to little children, yes, for this is your will” (Matthew 11:25, 26).
The adults rejected Jesus, but the children accepted Him because of their gratitude. It was heartbreaking that the hard work didn't go as planned, but it was a condition of gratitude that the children accepted the gospel with the grace of crumbs.
And he acknowledged everything as the Father's will. “That’s right. It is the will of the Father.”
Sometimes we too face great failures, and when things don't go the way we want, we get angry, frustrated, and discouraged. However, if you find something to be thankful for even in the midst of failure and suffering, God will surely give you double the grace.
3. Giving thanks even in the place of sorrow (John 11:38-44)
Another thanksgiving of Jesus was in front of the tomb of Lazarus. Because of his busy ministry, the Lord did not arrive at the tomb four days after Lazarus died. Lazarus' body was already smelling. The Lord mourned his death and shed tears of sorrow.
For people, death meant despair that everything was already over. The stone gate blocking the tomb was the wall separating the living from the dead, and meant an eternal bridge that could never be lived. In a place full of sorrow and mourning, we cannot find words to say, but only carefully convey our consolation. But in this situation, Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus and said, “Remove the stone” (John 11:39), and he offered an unexpected prayer.
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me” (John 11:41).
Leaving behind the tragic circumstances of his death, Jesus prayed, starting with “Thank God!” Jesus' thanksgiving was beyond common sense. You did not hesitate to use the word ‘thank you’, which is taboo in the portrait book.
Jesus knew that there is resurrection after death, eternal life after death, and that there is nothing to be sad about because God exists after death.
4. Thanksgiving on the Cross (Luke 22:14-20)
Jesus also gave thanks at the Last Supper right before he was crucified. The thought of dying at the age of 33 is dizzying and heartbreaking. If you knew your own death, there would be no way to be grateful in such a situation. Even accepting the fact of death is not easy.
How would you feel if we were to die in 15 hours? If they were to suffer the crucifixion that sinners were subjected to, would it be possible to say thanksgiving? Perhaps you will shudder at the word of the death penalty.
Even Jesus prayed all night long, filled with fear and emotions in the face of death. However, he did not turn away from the cross that saved mankind, and he gave thanks at the Last Supper just before his death.
“He took the cup and gave thanks…and took bread and gave thanks” (Luke 22:17, 19).
At the solemn celebration of the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus gave thanks and thanksgiving by sharing bread and wine, which symbolize the body and blood of the Lord.
“This is my body. take it and eat it this is my blood Take it and drink it.”
The Lord gave thanks in front of the cross at the hour of death. You gave up your body and offered a prayer of thanks.
The Lord's thanks for giving thanks at the Last Supper just before he died at the age of 33 is a profound thanks, and it can be called thanksgiving among thanksgiving. Giving thanks before death can only be given to those who have the sure hope of eternal life and the hope of resurrection. Jesus linked every relationship in life with gratitude. Jesus always looked up to heaven and gave thanks.
Giving thanks by looking at flowers is thanks to God who made them, and giving thanks by looking at trees is thanks to God who made trees. Looking up at the sky and examining it is thanks to God who made it. It is the law of faith that only those who sow the seeds of gratitude will reap greater fruits of gratitude, and Jesus showed it with his life. A universal audit is a success story.