2016.11.24                   Thanksgiving

Many of us are celebrating Thanksgiving this week….. My mom loved this time of year….. Having her family together for the holidays was so important….

We have so much to be Thankful for…. Family…. Friends….. health…… When things are good it´s pretty easy to be thankful….. Today we´ve gathered here to worship and thank the LORD for his goodness to us….

But what about when times are not so good ?

What do we do then?

The Bible is full of good solid advice about what we should do…….. When we have good times and when we have bad times…. We are told to give thanks…. To be thankful in all circumstances……Let´s remind ourselves of a verse that we all know very well….1 Thess 5:16- 18…..

I Thes. 5:16-18      NLT

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

I Thes. 5:16-18       Neues Leben

16 Seid immer fröhlich.17 Hört nicht auf zu beten.18 Was immer auch geschieht, seid dankbar, denn das ist Gottes Wille für euch, die ihr Christus Jesus gehört.

Verse 18 is clear….. in the greek it says…. All circumstances….. all means all…..

Good times….. easy….. bad times….. not so easy…. Maybe Impossible…..

Some of us who are here today are going through very hard times……. Even for believers…. Life sometimes doesn´t make sense… We don´t understand what has happened… We find ourselves asking… Why Lord? Where are you Lord?

We can feel totally abandoned by God…… It´s difficult…… We as believers are sometimes very disappointed in the way the LORD is handling our lives…. We suffer loss and doubt we lose loved ones….. or we get cancer…… We simply don´t understand it all….

Give thanks for all things…… How? Only with the Lord´s help can we find peace and comfort in the storms of life….

How do we make through the hard times….? What tools has God given us? Here are a few….

1 We have His Word…. Which is full of His promises and shows us over and over His CHESED….. His unfailing love…..

2 We have the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts…..

reminding us of all that He has said in His Word….. reminding us of all that the Lord has already done for us……

3 We have each other…

We are here in the Body of Christ so that we can bear each others burdens….. Galatians 6:1,2

Jesus…… said ….. man ought always to pray and not give up…… But I know that some of you want to give up…….. We´re hanging on to Jesus but we are losing our grip……. Jesus words ring down thru the centuries….. Don´t give up….. Don´t lose heart……

Luke 18: 1     NKJV   Schlachter 2000

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart

1 Er sagte ihnen aber auch ein Gleichnis, um ihnen zu zeigen, daß es nötig ist, allezeit zu beten und nicht nachlässig zu werden;

I don´t know how many of you know the story of the first two Thanksgivings in America…….But I want to tell you about them this morning…. It is the story of a small group of believers who hung on to Jesus through very difficult times…. They suffered persecution and sickness…..and much more…

The Separatists (Pilgrims) were forced out of England….. They wanted to live their Christianity based only upon the Bible...... They went to Holland to live in religious freedom….. But life was very hard there…….. They thought that the Mennonites were too liberal with their children…… Their desire was to build a new home where they could serve the LORD God……… and raise their children to know and love Him.......

As time went on they asked the King of England to allow them to go to America and found a colony…….

William Bradford and Edward Winslow and the other Pilgrims… Were true Christians… They were full of Deep and lasting faith… They kept their eyes on Jesus… They stood firmly on the word of God!!!

In July, 1620, Brewster led a group of Separatists (Puritans) back to England……. After 3 years of planning and preparations…… And many problems…..Then in September, 1620, they set sail for America in the Mayflower.....

The Mayflower sailed alone from Plymouth, England, with 102 passengers, including women and children........ It was a very rough journey of 65 days…….

They believed that God had called them to this great mission........ they thought of themselves as strangers and Pilgrims..... coming to a new land of religious freedom and opportunity....

They had survived a very difficult trip across the Atlantic in the late fall.....They knew that the Lord had spared their lives........

Even though they were tired and weary, they also knew that winter would come soon……They were forced to take refuge on an island in Plymouth Harbor during a blinding snowstorm......

Then on December 21 1620, they landed at Plymouth....... There they found a stream with clear pure water...... They found some cleared land…… and a high hill that could be fortified...... Cleared land.... but no inhabitants.....The Puritans decided this would be their new home.......there wasn´t time to build homes before winter...so they spent the winter on board the Ship....

First winter on board ship

The dying times......

The first year in the new land was extremely difficult for the Puritans...... Poor and inadequate food, strenuous work, and changeable weather made the settlers susceptible to sickness...... Bradford called these times the dying times...... It was a terrible and difficult time….. so bad that only three adult married women survived.....

The Pilgrims’ daily existence was a life-or-death battle to overcome constant hunger and sickness…

Every meal was portioned out meticulously... The number of dead men and women rose steadily..... At one point only five men were well enough to care for the sick....They were also sick... each day the one who was the least sick..... took care of the worst... and buried the Dead.......at sea.....

March brought warmer weather and the health of the Pilgrims improved… but many had died during the long winter... Of the 110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less than 50 survived the first winter…

Despite their very difficult lives..... the Pilgrims thanked the Lord every day..... begging Him for help……..

Samoset and Squanto

On an early spring Sunday morning in 1621...... during an ordinary Sunday worship service.........an Indian walked into the little village and introduced himself to the startled people as Samoset...... an Algonquin Indian chief......

The Lord had sent proof that He had heard their prayers....... God had sent help…. An Indian who spoke English!!..... Samoset didn´t know much English…… But he knew how to ask for something…… He first words were…… Do you have beer….

Samoset wanted to help them….. He returned 2 weeks later with another Indian named Squanto........

The Pilgrims were astonished by their new friends’ eagerness to provide much-needed assistance.....God had taught these two Indians to speak English.... and sent them to help the Pilgrims.....

Squanto told the Pilgrims of his voyages across the ocean and his visits to England and Spain....... It was in England where he had learned English.....

God had prepared Squanto for a very special mission..... Just like Joseph was sent to Egypt to save the Children of Israel.... Squanto was taken to Europe twice as a slave….  He did not know that it was to prepare him to rescue the Pilgrims..... As a slave He was separated from his entire family…… He suffered greatly…. And when he returned to his village …. It was empty….. totally wiped out by disease….. But even in his sorrow…. he was beginning to understand God´s gracious hand at work in his hard times….. He had become a believer….. He was now able to help…. The Pilgrims….

Squanto's importance to the Pilgrims was enormous…. it can be said that they would not have survived without his help....... It was Squanto who taught the Pilgrims how to make maple syrup…..  He taught them which plants were poisonous and which had medicinal powers...... He taught them how to plant the Indian corn by heaping the earth into low mounds with several seeds and fish in each mound...... The decaying fish fertilized the corn....... He also taught them to plant other crops with the corn. .....

These two Indians introduced the Puritans to Massasoit……. The powerful chief of the Wampanoag tribe….. He controlled all southeastern Massachusetts at that time......

Governor Carver and the chief exchanged gifts and arranged a treaty of peace..... Shortly afterward, the Mayflower and its crew sailed back to England…….. leaving the Puritans on their own……….. Then Governor Carver died, and William Bradford became governor of the colony……

That summer of 1621 was beautiful……. Much work went into the building of new dwellings……   and that fall's harvest provided more than enough corn to see them through their second winter…….

The pilgrims were brimming over with gratitude…… not only to Squanto and the Wampanoags who had been so friendly…… but to God…….. In Him they had trusted…… and He had honored their obedience beyond their dreams……. So, Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving, to be held in October……

Chief Massasoit was invited…… and unexpectedly arrived a day early-with 90 Indians!

The Pilgrims had learned to pray in all circumstances….. They applied the words of Jesus from Luke 18…v1….. always pray and don´t lose hope…

They had learned one very important thing through their trials…… it was to trust God…. No matter what their circumstances….

If only we could learn to trust God even in the hard times……

As it turned out, the Indians were not arriving empty-handed…… Massasoit had commanded his braves to hunt for the occasion…… and they arrived with no less than five dressed deer….. and more than a dozen fat wild turkeys! And they helped cook too…..

The Indians showed the Pilgrims a special delicacy: how to roast corn kernels in an earthen pot until they popped, fluffy and white - POPCORN!........

Things went so well….. that Thanksgiving Day was extended for three days..........

One month later……. in November……. a full year after their arrival……. the first ship from home dropped anchor in the harbor bringing thirty-five more colonists……. In the air of celebration that followed……. no one stopped to think that these newcomers had brought nothing with them….. not one bit of equipment with them-no food, no clothing, no tools, no bedding........

In the cold light of the following morning……

Bradford, Brewster, and Winslow realized that the new arrivals were going to use up their food…….. and a grim decision was reached…… they would all have to go on half-rations through the winter……. to ensure enough food to see them into the summer season, when fish and game would be plentiful......... Another trial….. more hard times….

5 grains of corn

That winter they entered into a time of starving.....

With all the extra people to feed and shelter they were ultimately reduced to a daily ration of Five Kernels of corn a piece........ the people of the Plymouth colony cried out to the Lord Jesus…….. and not one of them died of starvation.......

When spring finally arrived (1623), They were well aware that they needed at least twice as much corn as their first harvest……. The first planting would be for common use while the second planting would be for private use…….

After the first planting……. a dry spell set in that turned into a 12 week drought…… The crops withered - along with the hopes of the pilgrims......

They gathered together and again they cried out to God for help…….. God himself was their only hope….

    On the next morning distilled such soft, sweet, and moderate showers of rain, continuing some fourteen days [!] and mixed with such seasonable weather, as it was hard to say whether our withered corn or drooping affections were most quickened or revived, such was the bounty and goodness of our God!" .......

The yield that year was so abundant that the Pilgrims ended up with a surplus of corn....... which they were able to use in trading that winter with northern Indians…. who had not had a good growing season......

That fall a second Day of Thanksgiving was planned........ and Massasoit was again the guest of honor…… and this time he brought his principal wife…… three other sachems  (Indian chiefs) and 120 braves!..... Fortunately he again brought venison and turkey, as well........

The first course that was served……. on an empty plate in front of each person were five kernels of corn ... lest anyone should forget.......

The Pilgrims’ humble response to their affliction is demonstrated by their deeply thankful hearts...... We can learn countless lessons about genuine thankfulness from their example......

God commands us to live a life of gratitude and thanksgiving......

There are five points that I would like to take out of this story.....

Five lessons on Thankfulness

1) Being thankful in all circumstances……. motivates us to look for His purpose……. We look to the LORD when we have bad times…..

2) A grateful heart reminds us of our constant dependence upon God.....

3) Gratitude increases our trust in God.......

4) A thankful spirit teaches us to rejoice in every situation.......

5) Thankfulness transforms our anxiety into the peace of God........

Thankfulness can help us to trust the Lord in good times and in bad times….. It affects every area of our lives......

1) Being thankful motivates us to look for His purpose in our circumstances.

When we consider the Pilgrims’ story, we can see God’s hand directing their course all the way from England to the New World. We can see how He strengthened them and enabled them to settle a new land. If we’re perceptive and truly thankful we can see His guiding hand shaping our own lives in the same manner.......

2) A grateful heart reminds us of our constant dependence upon God.....

It changes our attitude toward life. When the Pilgrims thanked the Lord regardless of their destitution and entreated Him to supply their needs, they were able to respond positively to daunting situations and overcome great obstacles. When we thank Him for everything, big and small, we begin to realize that there is nothing we possess that we have not been given.

3) Gratitude increases our trust in God.......

When the Pilgrims set sail for America, they couldn’t see the new land. They had to trust The Mayflower’s compass implicitly...... Likewise, when they arrived at Plymouth Rock they had no foreknowledge of what would sustain their lives from then on...... They had to trust God for everything from food and shelter to a secure future for their families..... When we’re thankful for His constant provision, trusting Him with our lives becomes easier......

4) A thankful spirit teaches us to rejoice in every situation.......

Rejoice in every situation?

The apostle Paul suffered so very much........... nevertheless he wrote,

2 Cor. 4:15-18              NLT

 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Cor. 4:15-18                 Neues Leben

15 Das alles ist zu eurem Besten. Und wenn Gottes Gnade immer mehr Menschen zu Christus führt, wird auch der Chor derer, die ihm danken, immer lauter, und Gott wird immer mehr Ehre erwiesen.

16 Deshalb geben wir nie auf. Unser Körper mag sterben, doch unser Geist wird jeden Tag erneuert.

17 Denn unsere jetzigen Sorgen und Schwierigkeiten sind nur gering und von kurzer Dauer, doch sie bewirken in uns eine unermesslich große Herrlichkeit, die ewig andauern wird!

18 So sind wir nicht auf das Schwere fixiert, das wir jetzt sehen, sondern blicken nach vorn auf das, was wir noch nicht gesehen haben. Denn die Sorgen, die wir jetzt vor uns sehen, werden bald vorüber sein, aber die Freude, die wir noch nicht gesehen haben, wird ewig dauern.

v 15... All of this is for your benefit..... trials?.... yes..... loss?.... yes....

v 16....We Never give up...... Can you say that?..... I have times when I am ready to give up.....but time and again.....sometimes at the last minute......God steps in to our circumstances and pours grace out on our lives......He often uses the believers to bless and care for each other.....

v17.....For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.....glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

v18... don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.......

The Pilgrims lived out these verses in a real living trial of death and loss.....Like Joseph In Egypt….. God sent a special servant to them Squanto.... Thru him….. God showed them His grace and Mercy....

God demonstrated His CHESED..... His unfailing love....time and again.... He does the same for us too.....The question is do we see it..... We have to pray and not lose heart……. When we hang on to Jesus in the hard times……. He helps us thru them…. And He prepares us for service…….. Strengthening us and teaching us….. and comforting us…… Deut 8….. 2 Cor 1…… 

5) Thankfulness transforms our anxiety into the peace of God........

The Pilgrims had many reasons to fear for their lives...... Thanking God in good times and in bad times……. helped them to celebrate His faithfulness to them…

He filled their hearts with peace.... the peace that passes understanding.... turn with me to Philippians 4……

Phil. 4: 6                NLT

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Phil. 4: 6                Neues Leben

6 Sorgt euch um nichts, sondern betet um alles. Sagt Gott, was ihr braucht, und dankt ihm.

We must learn to thank God for all that He has done for us…… even when we don´t understand what is happening…..

By teaching our children to have grateful hearts…… we can prepare them to respond in faith and trust in the middle of life’s trials…… instead of fear and anger…….

When we focus our attention on God’s provision for us........ His blessing and protection..... We begin to see the world through Jesus´ eyes…......... It helps us to accept whatever the LORD puts into our lives........

Thanksgiving — the word only has meaning when we can attach it to behavior demonstrated in real life...... The Pilgrims gave us their blessed holiday so we could remember how God answered their prayers with rich abundance...... But we can experience the benefits of true thankfulness for ourselves as we trust in God´s unfailing love and mercy….. no matter what happens in our lives…....... When we meditate on God’s wondrous provision for us..... We can be thankful…… It is He who gives us every breath......

By focusing our attention on God…….. and what He is teaching us throughout life, we can……. like the Pilgrims, be thankful for even the most simple things......

Close

All true thanksgiving is based on….

1 knowing the Lord Jesus as LORD and Savior……

2 knowing the Word of God..... He always keeps His promises….

3 Hiding His word in our hearts……

He uses His word to comfort us and help us face the hard times……

In other words….

All true happiness is based on the knowledge and application of the Word of God..... to our lives…… It has nothing to do with our circumstances…….. circumstances change……… The Lord our God does not change…… he is always faithful…….

We need to make a greater effort than we ever have before........ to be consistent in our learning of the Word of God....... in our reading of the Word of God...... and in our application of the Word of God to our own lives....... It will help us thru the worst of times….as we remember all that the LORD has already done for us……

We´ve been forgiven….. We ´ve been transferred into His kingdom….

And if we desire true happiness and true contentment in this life..... we must learn to be thankful in all things..... trusting God to take care of us..... to help us........ and to bring all things together for our good and His Glory......