“Gratitude!” (Thanksgiving Eve)

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

How thankful are we really in life? Not just at Thanksgiving time, but all of the time? Yes, we’re thankful for family and friends, we’re thankful for Christian fellowship, we’re thankful for the Lord’s presence in the world, and for God’s love. But how deep do we really go in expressing our gratitude to the Lord?

Paul’s letters all seem to convey a pretty deep understanding of the difference between what he deserves, and what he has received. As Saul, he was totally focused on who he was and on what he could do to please his Jehovah God. In Philippians 3:2-11, he writes of all the pride and confidence he once had in himself. But he concludes with the thought that it is all worthless, that whatever he once held as glory has now become “rubbish” when compared to what Christ has gained for him. Once he trusted in his own abilities and understanding, but now he places his entire trust and hope in Jesus.

Read 1 Timothy 1:12-14

Paul is very intentional in describing all that he is thankful for in Christ Jesus. So on this night before Thanksgiving, which President George Washington declared to be the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America, to be held on November 26, 1789, that it was to be "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God". And I think that Paul would agree.

But Paul was a little more specific in our text for this evening, so let’s see what he was especially thankful for.

Strength (v. 12) – From a worldly standpoint, Saul had been mighty in faith as well as in his zealous fervor to destroy all heretical (by his definition!) thought. But how well did his human strength serve him when he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus? (Acts 9:3-9) He was thrown to the ground, blinded for 3 days, and rendered totally helpless and had to be led by the hand into the city, and it wasn’t until a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ placed his hands on the Persecutor and prayed for his healing that Paul was restored in life and service in the name of his Almighty Lord.
Worldly power is only effective in worldly ways, and during worldly life. Divine strength will see us throughout this life and into eternity.

Faithfulness and Service (v. 12) – Saul thought that he was being faithful to his Jehovah God in his violent attacks on Jesus’ people. But again, his basis for “truth” and “purpose” was centered in the Law of Moses, and not in the law of God. Trust in the Lord Jesus refocuses our thoughts, and establishes the foundation for our faith, and gives us direction for our service that rests squarely in Christ and his way.
Worldly ways and direction will always get us into trouble, but Godly way and guidance will lead us back into righteousness.

Mercy and grace (v. 13-14) – Divine mercy brings the Lord’s compassion and forgiveness into our lives – it is the power of God at work within us. Grace brings God’s unmerited hope, his help, and a worthy approval for our lives. Mercy is our blessed release from the penalty of sinful death, while grace is the blessing of growth and newness that comes through sanctification.
The world might show mercy to criminals and others who have wronged us, but it’s rare, and they have nothing to offer that even comes close to God’s grace.

Faith and Love (v. 14) – Faithful service is one thing, but faithful love is a totally different issue. Service is something that we do to help others, while love is the gift that completes our service. Consider Jesus’ efforts in these two areas – he served people through his healing, and teaching, and feeding, as well as in many other ways. He loved people in his restorative forgiveness and his care for their salvation.
The world’s love is nearly always conditional – “if you agree with me, then I will love you, but otherwise, forget it!” Jesus’ love is always offered to all people, without exception, and it begins to bless us when we accept it.

Read 1 Timothy 1:15-17

Finally, the apostle comes to the overall reason for all that he has already mentioned – salvation. “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners”. Without the Lord Jesus, there is no salvation. The Law of Moses was all about what we do and how we live this life, with the goal being the gaining of perfection, and through that, to earn a deserved place in heaven. Unfortunately, we can never even come even close to that kind of perfection – our only chance is to “fully accept” the mission that the perfect Son of God, and the perfect Son of Man, Jesus Christ, took on to gain salvation for us.

Paul claims, and confesses, that he is the worst of sinners, and therefore the least deserving of Christ’s great gift of eternal life. The truth of the matter is that sin is never relative – one little, minor sin (at least in our own eyes!) is just a bad as a lifetime of murder, abuse, hatred, blasphemy, and anything else that God’s law would condemn.
The truth is that we are all the worst of sinners, saved by the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

And the last thought that this redeemed sinner offers for our consideration is his acknowledgement of just who this Redeemer of his life is – eternal, immortal, invisible, singular, and deserving of our honor, and praise, and our obedience.

And this is Paul’s offer of thanksgiving to his Lord and Savior, and is a pretty good way for each of us to begin, too.

AMEN!