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Let's go to Luke chapter six and let's talk a little bit about Thanksgiving this evening. So Thanksgiving is coming up and I know there's a lot of you know, I don't know do they even teach the Thanksgiving story anymore about the pilgrims and the Indians, you know being thankful for each other and things like that. There's nothing wrong with that. But let's look at thankfulness in the Bible. Look at Luke chapter six before we get into thankfulness and things that we should be thankful for this evening. Let's talk about unthankfulness in the Bible because it's a pretty big deal to be unthankful in the Bible. Look at Luke chapter 6. Let's look at just a few examples of this Luke chapter 6. Look at verse 31. Look what the Bible says. And as you would that men should do to you do you also to them likewise. That's the golden rule right there for if you love them, which love you what thank have you for sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same and even if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much gain but love your enemies and do good and land hoping for nothing again. And your reward shall be great and you shall be the children of the highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. So the Lord here is telling us Jesus here is telling us that you know, we should do good and love those people that even don't do good and love us, you know, because that's the hard thing. He's saying look if everyone loves you and you love them back. He's like that's not anything great. If you borrow somebody money hoping to get you know money back from them and hoping to get good from them. He's like that's no big deal. It's like when you do things and you know, you're going to get nothing in return is like that is what you should do in even to the point of your enemies. He says here at the end and then he says in the last part of verse 35. He says for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. So here we see this word unthankful used. It's used a few times in the New Testament and in this part it is lumped in with evil people. So unthankful people are lumped in with evil people turn to Romans chapter 1. So to be unthankful is you know, it's not like a small thing that you're going to see when you look at the New Testament and the places in the New Testament that this word is used. It's talking about people that are unthankful. Look at Romans chapter 1 and verse number 21. Romans chapter 1 of course talking about people who have been given over, you know people that were given up by God people whose minds have just been rejected and they turned into unnatural people and we've looked at this many times but look at one of the main causes of this happening in verse 21. It says because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God, you know, one of the kids asked me the the other day they said, you know, what do do reprobates do people that you know, can't get saved that have been rejected by God. Do they all know God? The answer is yes. They all know who he is because that is the path. That's where the path began for them becoming rejected by God in verse 21. It says that they knew God and they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened and we know it goes into the rest of Romans chapter 1 not really the point but the point is is that these people these people were not thankful for God you say well, you know who needs to be thankful to God, you know, well, here's the thing whosoever, you know in Romans 3 16 the Bible says that Jesus came to save whosoever. That means everybody Jesus came to be the sacrifice for everybody in the world for the sacrifice for every individual sins in the entire world anyone that was ever born that ever will be born. That is the whosoever but some people are unthankful. So if you ever run into people out soul-winning that say God never did anything for me. That's a lie from the pit of hell literally because God sent his son to die literally for everybody but some people were unthankful some people didn't appreciate it. They rejected it. They knew God but they were just like whatever we don't want that. So the whosoever's some of the whosoever's were unthankful they rejected God and then the rest of Romans 1 happens, you know with this so this is literally talking about people who are unthankful who are reprobates who are rejected by the Lord turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 3. So again, you know unthankful being a place that is very very bad in the Bible. It's not a small thing in the Bible to be unthankful. Look at 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and look at verse number 1 2nd Timothy chapter 3 in verse number 1. Look what the Bible says here. It says this know also that in the last days perilous time shall come for men shall be lovers of them own selves. So here we're talking about the context of what's about to come here is the last days. Things are so bad that you know, things are getting perilous in the last days for men shall be lovers of them owns their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy and then look at verse number 3 kind of matches up with Romans chapter 1, you know, these people that are unthankful they're unholy. They're also without natural affection. This is talking about people again that have been given over to that type of mind and they've lost that naturalness they become unnatural people. So I mean the Bible here is talking about being unthankful in the terms of how it's going to be in the end times. Now, you know, the end times is going to be the Great Tribulation, you know tribulation like has never been seen before and we can compare that to tribulation. We know has already happened to people knowing that the Great Tribulation is going to be terrible. It's gonna be the most terrible thing. We could probably even imagine and the Bible lumps unthankful in with these people. So I mean look being unthankful all that to say this being unthankful is not a small thing in the Bible. We don't want to I mean look and here's the thing. It's a huge problem today of people just being unthankful. You know all this. I mean, how many times have we talked about this where people just think that they're owed something people think that they deserve everything, you know, it's all it is. Look all it is is unthankfulness is all that boils down to and here's the thing. If you find somebody like this if you find somebody I'm sure we all know people like this that feel like they just got a chip on their shoulder. Somebody owes me something. I didn't get what the other guy got everybody's got something better than me. This type of person. Look this type of person is not only unthankful but it matches the Bible's description of unthankful because these people are miserable people. These are miserable people. These people are just unthankful. They're miserable people. So look all that to say this that we don't want to be anywhere near that. We don't want to be anywhere near this definition of unthankful. So first of all, I'm just going to show you you know, three things in the order that you should be thankful for them tonight to be a pretty simple sermon, but we have a lot to be thankful for in our lives. We have a lot to be thankful for no matter what's going on in your life. No matter what you're going through right now. You have a lot to be thankful for everyone that can hear my voice right now. The first thing the first thing that you have to be thankful for is of course God. You have thank you can be thankful for the Lord tonight. Not only look of course you're saved tonight, but not only just because you're saved but you have an opportunity to serve the Lord with your life. I mean, look you have an opportunity to raise your families in a godly home. I mean you have a good church. You have good friends. You have brothers and sisters in this church. What this is already something that most people don't have right just the things that I've already listed. You know, most people are not saved most people, you know, if they're not saved they're never going to do anything with their life. That is important to the Lord, you know, they all starts with salvation. It all starts with salvation. So I was telling a couple of you the other night don't argue doctrine with somebody that's not even saved. I mean talk about you know, you know, just a waste of time, but look at 1st Samuel chapter 12 1st Samuel chapter 12. I mean most people most people not only are they not saved, but most people, you know, they're doing nothing with their lives. Even if people are saved most people aren't even doing anything with that 1st Samuel chapter 12 Samuel is you know, he's an old man now and the children of Israel have just gotten a king and he's kind of he's kind of lecturing them. He's lecturing them on what they need to do. And if you look at verse number 24, look at 1st Samuel chapter 12 and verse number 24 and look what Samuel says. I mean he's going through this big long monologue to them about you know, what they you know need to do going forward but look at verse number 24 that kind of wraps it up. He says only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for that means that means because for how consider how great things he had done for you. What Samuel is saying turn to Colossians chapter 3 if you want to see a New Testament version of this, but what Samuel is saying in verse number 24. He's like hey if you are thankful for the Lord just serve him serve him. That's what he is saying. He's like fear the Lord and serve him with all your heart because of what he's done just be thankful is what Samuel is saying now look at Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3 look at verse 17. This is the New Testament version of what Samuel told the children of Israel in 1st Samuel chapter 12. Colossians chapter 3 look at verse 17. Look what the Bible says and whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him. So the Bible here is saying is like in your word and deed, you know be thankful to the Lord is what the Bible is saying. So this is really what I want to focus on this evening is you know, what are the actions of thankfulness? You know notice how Samuel doesn't say to the children of Israel, you know, you should feel thankful to the Lord. You should you should you should say thank you to the Lord. Isn't that what we teach our kids? That's kind of a you know, kind of a miss if you're sitting there and you're teaching your kids that every time that they receive something or somebody does something nice look it's not that they shouldn't do this, but the kids just say, you know, you had a teacher kid know did you say thank you and they're like, thank you, you know, they said thank you but are they thankful is the question, you know, what are the actions of thankfulness, you know, I mean so you get all these kids that go around and they say thank you but what does that even mean? That's not what Samuel said to do. He didn't say say thank you to God. He said no he said serve God with all your heart. So if you're thankful to God you'll serve him and look at the opposite of that in verse number 25. It says but if he shall do wickedly you shall be consumed both ye and your king because in verse number 25, he's saying look this verse number 25 is the unthankful people because if the people don't serve the Lord with all their heart, you know what God takes that as unthankfulness. Oh, but I said thank you who cares. It's what you do that matters. It's how you show your thankfulness. You know, he says only fear the Lord and serve him. That's what he says with all truth with all your heart. Look if you're truly thankful you will serve the Lord. If you're truly thankful for the Lord, so show it that is what Samuel is telling the people and that's what we see in the New Testament as well. So I mean you thankful for your church do something about it. You know, you're thankful once you get this action of thankfulness figured out. It'll just carry forward in your life. You'll carry forward it'll carry into other things as well. Not just the Lord think about this. How about this now you're thankful for the Lord. How about this are you thankful for your family tonight? Are you thankful for your wife? Are you thankful for your husband? Are you thankful for your children this evening? You know be thankful children be thankful for your parents tonight, you know, they sacrifice for you. They sacrifice for you. They train you they feed you they support you they clothe you. I mean think about your parents kids be thankful for them. So what does that mean? Thanks dad. Thanks mom. No obey them. Follow them respect them as the Bible says don't just don't just say thank you kids be a good son. Be a good daughter. That's how you show your thankfulness to your parents show it show your thankfulness. So what we also should be thankful for our church family as well. Look I'm thankful for all of you. But how do we do that? We show our thankfulness to each other by serving one another by doing things for one another when somebody needs something we are there for those for our church family. So look thankfulness is not just saying thank you even in the case of our relationships with one another that needs to be this is just like that. This is just like the definition of love that the world is messed up. Love is not this feeling of butterflies in my stomach love is actually going and doing something love is action love is sacrifice. That's what biblical love is the same thing with thankfulness. Thankfulness has action attached to it true. Thankfulness. How about this one? How about this one tonight? Be thankful for your country. You say what? You say what I mean with all the problems in this country and look we talk about all the problems in this country all the time and that's fine. All the godlessness in this country all the perversion in this country. But look I'm telling you be thankful for your country tonight. You say you say I mean can you I mean here's a question for you. Can you be a Bible believing Christian and be patriotic at the same time? Is it possible? Is it possible with such a wicked nation that we live in but here's the thing I think so. I think so a lot of people might not agree with me on that. But here's how here's how I hear I'll give you my explanation on this. First of all, you know, the framework is good. The framework is good turn to Revelation chapter 20 a lot of people talk about, you know, a lot of people talk about and a lot of leaders and a lot of the greatest minds in history have talked about the perfect government. Everybody's searching for the perfect government. Isn't that what's going on? Isn't that what's going on over the last several thousand years? Is everybody's trying to figure out the perfect government in this world? You know how to do this thing, right? Everyone's looking for this but here's the thing. The Bible tells us what the perfect government is in the Old Testament. It was pretty easy. God was in charge. That's it. God was in charge then he you know, God was still in charge and he started appointing judges and then the people demanded and demanded how God should change the government and this is where it all goes downhill right here. And we're starting to see that in First Samuel chapter 12 where the people demand a man a king to rule over them. Samuel warns them God warns them everybody warns them like no, we want a king because look at all these other nations around us. They all have Kings and it just goes downhill from there. But in the Old Testament God was just in charge. Before all that God was in charge. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Here's how it'll be, you know in the end times or at the end of the world. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Look at verse number 4. The Bible says and I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshiped the Beast. Neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and rained with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that is part in the first resurrection. That's you by the way on such the second death hath no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. So Jesus Christ is going to reign during the millennial reign for a thousand years on this earth. How will he rule? What kind of ruler will he be? Well, the Bible tells us that to look at Revelation chapter 2. I mean, what kind of what kind of deal is he going to set up here? I mean, is he going to be you know, just this really light guy that just kind of lets everything go. I mean look at Revelation chapter 2 and look at verse number 26 Revelation chapter 2 in verse number 26. So the Bible here is telling us in Revelation chapter 20 in verse number 4 that you know, we're going to get to rule and reign with Christ, you know, so we're going to be part of this government. We're going to be helping him. He's going to be in charge. Look at verse number 26 of Revelation chapter 2 and he that overcometh and keepeth my works into the end to him. Why give power over the nation's and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a powder. They shall be broken to shivers even as I received of my father. So this is basically telling you that Jesus is not going to put up with any evil. Okay, Jesus is basically going to do what the New Testament says that a government should do that a ruler should do in Romans chapter 13. A ruler should be a terror to the evil and Jesus is going to do that with a rod of iron the Bible says. So look, I mean, here's the thing. The Bible is telling us here that the perfect government, the best government is actually a monarchy is what is telling us but really it's not that simple. You can't really say that just as a blanket statement because this is where people throughout history they go wrong. Everybody's looking for the perfect form of government. Everybody's looking for the perfect form of government. Even the communists even communists today say well communism is the best form of government. It's just that Stalin they did it wrong. They messed it up, you know, I mean we have an example of you know, just a hundred years ago or less than you know, 50 years ago, 60 years ago, where communism literally killed over a hundred million people in this world and there's still people today that say communism is the best form of government because because it just wasn't implemented right. It was just implemented too harshly, you know, and it's see if people that go down that road people say fascism is the is the you know, the best form of government which is basically very similar to communism. It's the state over individuals. The state is God again. It's very similar to socialism, but they all think they have the right answer. They all think they have the right answer. But here's the problem. Here's the problem. You can't just go and say, you know, this is the best form of government because you must take the ruler himself into account in that question. And that's the beauty of the United States is the United States when it was founded. It took the rulers into account and that's why the men that founded our country. They just they just put all these limitations on the power of man. In the country that was formed the United States the country that we were born in the country that I'm thankful for this evening was literally formed knowing that man is the problem. That's the beauty of it. And it was it was formed with the with the specific overarching goal of limiting the corrupt power of man. Because they knew who the problem was. Is it the perfect form? No, a monarchy is the perfect form, but you can't just say a monarchy is the perfect form. You must say a monarchy is the perfect form as long as Jesus is the king. Then you can say a monarchy is the perfect form. I don't want a monarchy unless Jesus is the king. You give me a monarchy with Jesus is the king. I'm in sign me up monarchy is the best. You must take the ruler into account for the answer and that's why people get so confused. So here we are Jesus isn't King Jesus isn't he's not electable right now. He's not here right now. So we had to come up with a pragmatic solution. We had to come up with a solution and as far as until Jesus takes the reins on this thing, you know, we needed a pragmatic solution as far as ideas are out there are the ideas that I've known about that I've read about. I think that the way that this country was founded was a pretty good idea. It's the best one I've heard of yet. Is it messed up? Yeah, it's messed up. We're messing it up every single day every single year, but guess what? It's us that are messing it up. It's the people of this country that are messing it up. So can you be patriotic? I believe so but thankful is a better word. Thankful is a better word. You know, look, I'm glad I am extremely thankful that I was born here. I'm extremely thankful that my children are going to be raised here. But there's a reason that people are trying to get here. There's a reason that people from all over the world are constantly trying to get here because as messed up as we are is still the best place. And look, you know, we may have taken this well-designed vehicle and we may have put square wheels on it and we may have ripped out some spark plugs, but it's still better than walking right now. It's still better than being chained to a wall right now. And look, if you've been to other places in the world, you know what I'm saying is true. And if you got yourself to the point where you think this is the worst place ever, you need to go visit some places. See, other countries, at least we can sit here and as we complain about what our wicked rulers are doing, at least we can sit here and say, you know what, because they're going against the framework. They're going against the framework. At least we have the framework. You know, other countries, other countries even like Canada and Mexico, they don't have that framework. They don't have any, they literally don't have any rights. That they could use the law to protect them. I'm not saying that our rulers are following laws or that they're following that framework like they should, but at least we have it. At least it's there. So look, we have a lot of problems, but it's still sort of a free country. You know, I get it. I get all the problems. That's not what I'm saying, but I'm thankful that we're here and I'm thankful for the life that I've had. I'm thankful for this country for, I'm thankful my kids were born here. I mean, so the question is, with our country, how do we show our thankfulness? How do we show that? You know, should I go out? Should I go out and join the military and go fight an unjust war or two? Is that what I should do as a Christian? To show my thankfulness? Here's the action. Here's the action. You know, think about what the problems are in this country. The problems are what? The problem's not the framework. Framework's pretty good. Framework was a good idea. I look at it and the more you read about it and read about it and learn about it, you're just like, wow, I can't believe they thought of all that. We're just breaking it. The problem's with the people. So here's what you can do. Here's what you can do to show you that you're thankful for your country. Be a soul winner. That's what you can do to be thankful for your country. Look, soul winning is the original grassroots movement. I mean, you want to talk about how to actually be thankful for your country, go out and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those people out there that know nothing about it, one door at a time. That's how you can show your thankfulness. Look, here's another one. Be a contributor. Be a contributor in this country. I had somebody a couple months ago that doesn't work. This guy didn't work. He was just like a serial person that just doesn't work. And he came up to me and he was complaining to me about how this is a communist country. And I'm just sitting here and I'm just like, man, are you serious? I mean, I agree with you, but you're a communist. What are you talking about? You're part of the problem. Here's what you can do. If you're thankful for your country, work hard. That's what you can do. Raise moral children that do the same. Look, that's easier said than done, raising moral children. It's one of the main goals of the Bible and teaching us how to do this and how to raise a next generation that'll be soul winners, that'll be hard workers, that'll be decent Christians that follow what the Bible says. But be part of the solution. Be part of the solution, not people that are helping break the framework that was built, not part of the anchor that's dragging us down. That's what you can do if you're thankful for your country. Notice now how I listed three things. I listed God, family, and country. You're to be thankful for things and you're to show your thankfulness in that order. God, family, and country. It's designed, and here's the funny thing. Here's the funny thing. It's designed to be in that order because the answer on how to show your thankfulness always points to the first one on that list. Think about that. Think about that. Think about that. You're thankful for the Lord. What does Samuel say you're supposed to do? I'm so thankful for the Lord, what am I supposed to do? Say thank you? No, I'm supposed to serve him with all my heart. I'm supposed to take my life that he's given me and serve the Lord with my life. I'm thankful for my family. What am I supposed to do? Tell them thank you? No, I'm supposed to raise them according to the Bible. I'm supposed to serve the Lord with my life. But here's the thing. If I'm thankful for my family, nothing will help them more than serving the Lord with my life. Isn't it funny how it always points back to that first one? Serving the Lord with my life will show thankfulness to my family. And here's the thing, you're thankful for your country. You're thankful for your country. What should you do? Serve the Lord with your life. And that will help your country. Serving the Lord with your life, the answer to showing thankfulness to the Lord will show thankfulness to your family, will show thankfulness to your friends, will show thankfulness to your brothers and sisters in Christ, will show thankfulness to the country that you live in, will show thankfulness to your neighbors, which is your country. I mean, nothing will show your thankfulness to everything that you should be thankful for than doing what Samuel told you to do in verse 24, which is serving the Lord with your life. That's it, with all your heart. I mean, especially your country. That's what's missing. That's why we're heading down this road in this country, because there's not enough people that are serving the Lord with their life. That's the answer to the whole thing. I mean, when people forget the Lord is when tyrants forge their chains. It's true. So be thankful for everything that you should be thankful in your life. Kids, you be thankful for your parents. How do you do that? How do you be thankful to your parents? You learn the Bible. You sit down in church and you listen to the preaching in church. You understand what God wants for you for the future in your life. You young people, you have everything ahead of you. And as far as serving the Lord with your life, there's nobody that has more that they can do with that than you. But that'll show your parents that you're thankful to them. You say serve the Lord and show my, yes. You serve the Lord and you show your thankfulness to your parents because they brought you to this point where you have the ability to serve the Lord. Don't waste it, don't throw it away. Everything benefits and all your thankfulness will be shown just by serving the Lord with your life, with all your heart. That's the answer. It's very simple. I don't know why more people don't get it right. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.