3/27/13

From Gary V. Womack... Thankfulness



Thankfulness

TEXT:  Lk. 17:11-19

Thanks An expression of gratitude. Grateful acknowledgment of something received by or done for one.

ALL HAD A NEED

Rom. 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the 
                  glory of God."

Eph. 2:11-13 WE WERE ONCE WITHOUT GOD & 
                     WITHOUT HOPE.

Jas. 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is 
                from above, and comes down from the 
                Father of lights, with whom there is no 
                variation or shadow of turning."

ALL ASKED FOR HELP (MERCY) - 
We should ASK for our needs - it is an expression
of trust on our part to ASK.

Ja. 4:2-3 "You lust and do not have. You murder 
              and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and 
              war. Yet you do not have because you do 
              not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, 
              because you ask amiss, that you may 
              spend it on your pleasures."

Mt. 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and 
               you will find; knock, and it will be opened. 
               (8) For everyone who asks receives, and 
               he who seeks finds, and to him who  
               knocks it will be opened."

ALL OBEYED HIS COMMAND - He tested their faith by telling them to go to the priest before they were healed.

Jas. 1:2-3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you 
                 fall into various trials, (3) knowing that 
                 the testing of your faith produces 
                 patience."

Mt. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, 
               Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 
               but he who does the will of My Father in 
               heaven."

OBEDIENCE IS THE CONDITION OF ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN

Rev. 22:14 "Blessed are those who do His 
                  commandments, that they may have
                  the right to the tree of life, and may 
                  enter through the gates into the city."

ONE WAS THANKFUL - 9 of them were 
                                      not thankful.

2 Tim. 3:1-5
                   "In the last days, some would be 
                   unthankful

NOTICE the sins that unthankfulness is listed with.

Rom. 1:21 "because, although they knew God, they 
                 did not glorify Him as God, nor were 
                 thankful, but became futile in their 
                 thoughts, and their foolish hearts were 
                 darkened."

HOW HE EXPRESSED HIS THANKS:

HE RETURNED - "Gratitude goes out of its way to express itself." (gvw)

HE GLORIFIED GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE

Rev. 4:9-11 In heaven, God is glorified in 
                   thanksgiving and praise. Will there be 
                   any room for the unthankful in Heaven?

HE FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET - Humility. NOTICE again in:

2 Tim. 3:2 the boastful and the proud are 
                 unthankful. Do we fall down at His feet in 
                 prayer to thank Him - or do we let days 
                 go by without speaking to Him.?

HE THANKED HIM "There is no thankfulness where it is not expressed." (gvw)

Col. 3:17 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do 
                all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving 
                thanks to God."

Psm. 100:1-ff "...enter into His gates with 
                          thanksgiving..."



INVITATION

To refuse God's generous offer of His Son is to express unthankfulness

To believe and obey is the greatest expression of thankfulness there is:

Acts 16:30-34
Notice the thankfulness of the Philippian jailer -
He believed the gospel & was baptized He served those he had imprisoned He rejoiced in believing