Enrobed in Thankfulness
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesDate written: November 19th, 2004
Scripture ref: Col. 3:15
SUBJECT: Thanksgiving
TITLE: Enrobed in Thankfulness
PROPOSITION: The Christian can be enrobed in thankfulness by 1) engaging in prayer 2) elevating his mind 3) exemplifying kindness.
OBJECTIVES: That each would examine and consider the time they devote to being thankful each day.
AIM: To aid each mind in an effort to stimulate thankfulness.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Col. 3:15
2. About the Text:
1) Colossians 3:1-4 discusses the mindset that the Christian ought to have toward heavenly things.
2) In Col. 3:5-11 emphasizes the things the Christian ought to put away.
3) Col. 3:12-17 discuss the things in which the Christian ought to be enrobed.
4) It is in the midst of this context that Paul writes, “And be ye thankful.”
5) The Christian ought to be enrobed in thankfulness.
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION: How can the Christian be enrobed in thankfulness?
I. Engaging in Prayer
1. Prayer is the first step to being thankful.
1) They say that acknowledgment of anything is the first step to recovery.
2) If we desire to be more thankful, then we must first acknowledge God as the source of all blessings.
3) Acts 14:17 says “And yet He left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
4) The blessings of the seasons testify to the existence of God and His goodness.
2. Thankfulness will acknowledge the blessings of God.
1) Truly God is the source of all blessings.
a. God blesses all mankind with some things (Matthew 5:45).
b. He blesses Christians with all spiritual things (Eph. 1:3).
2) The unthankful man
a. The unthankful man believes that he alone has provided.
b. The unthankful man doesn’t believe that any has blessed him, but that he has done it himself.
c. The unthankful man doesn’t believe that he owes a debt of sin.
d. The unthankful man doesn’t understand that God is the source of all blessings.
3) The thankful man, however,
a. Believes in the providence of God.
b. Believes in the blessing of God.
c. Believes in the debt of sin that he owes to God.
d. Understands that God is the source of all blessing.
3. We express thankfulness to God through prayer.
1) Col. 4:2 “Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;”
2) Phil. 4:6 “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
4. The fact that the Christian prays at all indicates his dependence and thankfulness to God, but let’s not leave our thankfulness unuttered!
5. We can be enrobed in thankfulness by engaging in prayer.
II. Elevating our mind.
1. Paul speaks concerning elevating our minds in Col. 3:1-4.
1) Have you ever noticed that the more you focus upon earthly things, the less thankful you get?
2) Consider the “Scrooge” character from Dickens “A Christmas Carol.”
a. His focus became entirely upon worldly treasures.
b. As a result, he believed in himself and no other.
c. Those around him had little, if no value to him.
d. He failed to elevate his mind and be thankful.
3) Consider king Saul
a. His jealousy of David led to an ungodly focus.
b. He ended up destroying his family and taking his own life.
c. He failed to elevate his mind to thankfulness.
4) If we set our minds upon heavenly things, our concern will not be with the earthly things.
a. By focusing upon the spiritual we recognize the true place of the physical.
b. This enables true thankfulness and gratitude.
2. When we elevate our mind to heavenly things, we will be thankful for earthly things.
1) 1 Thess. 5:18 “in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.”
2) Col. 1:12 “giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;”
3) Eph. 5:20 “giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father”
3. We enrobe ourselves in thankfulness when we elevate our mind.
III. Exemplify Kindness
1. If engaging in prayer is the avenue to express thankfulness toward God and elevating our minds is the avenue to engender thankfulness toward the personal blessings surrounding us, exemplifying kindness is what we do to express thankfulness toward our fellow man.
1) If you are thankful, don’t just say you are thankful, engage in thankful behavior.
2) Thankful behavior is acting in such a way so as to exemplify the thankfulness in our lives.
2. For example:
a. If we are thankful for our food, then buy or take food to someone else (James 2:15, 16).
b. If we are thankful for our jobs, then give to those who are less fortunate. Ephesians 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.”
c. If we are thankful for our friends, then go out and be a friend. (Proverbs 18:24 KJV)
d. If we are thankful for Jesus, then tell someone else about Jesus. (Acts 10:24)
e. The list could go on and on.
3. Our thankfulness to God and to our fellowman ought to display itself in godly works.
1) Certainly that includes saying the words “Thank you.” (Luke 17:11-19)
2) It also includes acting benevolently toward those around us. (2 Cor. 9:12).
4. We enrobe ourselves in thankfulness when we exemplify kindness.
CONCLUSION:
1. How do we enrobe ourselves in thankfulness?
1) Engaging in prayer.
2) Elevating our mind.
3) Exemplifying kindness.
2. Invitation
1) Have you expressed your thankfulness to God lately?
2) If you have not been doing so due to sin in your life then we stand ready to help you.
3) If you are not a Christian you cannot be properly thankful until you become one.