THANKFULNESS - "THE OUGHT OF OPPORTUNITY"

Happy Thanksgiving! My Thanksgiving message is inspired by the works of two men who have been inspired by God. Mark Pickerill, co-lead pastor of Christian Assembly Church, recently preached a sermon on "The Ought of Opportunity;" and Tommy Walker, worship leader, led the choir and congregation in a stirring rendition of "I Give Thanks," a song which Tommy wrote.

Every year before Thanksgiving, Mark reads Abraham Lincoln's 'Proclamation of Thanksgiving,' which was written in 1863. Historians believe the Proclamation was written by Secretary of State, William Seward. Abraham Lincoln was motivated to write the Proclamation because of a letter that "Sarah Joseph Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor wrote to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have 'the day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival.'"

Thanksgiving is a God-centered holiday. I wonder how many people in 2011 are aware of this fact?

"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." 

 

Mark Pickerill's Thanksgiving sermon distinguishes between the "ought of obligation," duty; and the "ought of opportunity," best interest. Mark highlighted two scriptures, 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Romans 1:18-32 and emphasized that "the absence of thanksgiving {on a daily basis}, not tending to, or caring for gratitude in your own life, is more far reaching than you could ever imagine." 

Romans 1:18-32 is the commentary of a reporter's observations on humankind. The reporter talks about God's "death penalty," how people are fully aware of God's wrath for those who "refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving." This refusal to worship the creator with thanksgiving is mind boggling to the reporter: "they have been given full access to the life that God offers to them, yet they reject it, they refuse to worship the Creator with thanksgiving. As a result, it creates a vacuum, a hole; and everything in the spiritual realm defies a vacuum. In other words, you will be filled with something. Something will be the object of your worship with gratitude."

The question is what do you want that hole to be filled with? Pickerill's thoughts on this question:

"Jesus said the goal is not to be just emptied of evil, but to be filled with goodness. Because, if what was removed is not replaced with God, then it opens up that person for an even greater darkness, than they were, in an earlier state. All of the spiritual realm defies a vacuum. They empty themselves of worship to the one true God with gratitude, thus they are filled with darkness and depravity; thereby losing a clear vision of God the creator and all that is created, and the hinge point upon which all of that turns, is they won't glorify God and be thankful. Thanklessness opens the door to all of that fallout. The absence of thanksgiving leaves a vacuum that will be filled with something, only you don't want to be filled with the something that will fill you."

"What do you say?" This is a favorite question asked to children by their parents. When we teach our kids to be thankful, we usually put it in the "ought of obligation." We know that it's important to emphasize thankfulness to our children, because "thanksgiving does not come naturally to any of us. Parents know if you don't raise a kid with gratitude, you will give birth to an adult who is a brat, you will raise a monster."

Gratitude is more than the "ought of obligation." "Ingratitude is always wrong." It is sinful, "it's a violation of a wholly and a good God. It is hard to work up much gratitude, if you think of it in only the 'ought of obligation;' I have to do it; I'm supposed to do it."

Pickerill quotes the Apostle Paul to hammer his point home: 

"No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 

"It is not that every circumstance is God's will, but it is, that to be grateful in every circumstance is God's will. Thanksgiving is not just the "ought of obligation," but it's the "ought of opportunity," because it's the best offer you will ever receive in your entire life."

Please take time to listen to Mark Pickerill's lesson on Thanksgiving. Just click on this link & it will lead you to "The Ought of Opportunity." If it doesn't show up, don't be discouraged, just scroll through the pictured themes and you'll find it.

At the conclusion of Mark's lesson, Tommy Walker led us in a beautiful rendition of his signature song, "I Give Thanks." Below, you will find the lyrics to the song, as well as a beautiful English/Japanese version (start at 1:30) that was performed at DCAT (Doing Church as a Team) Japan 2011. Sing along and be filled with God's presence and spirit. Be thankful, not just on Thanksgiving, but everyday, no matter your circumstances in life.

 "I Give Thanks" By Tommy Walker

For the first morning light, for the birds when they fly; For the clouds when they hang up so high in the sky; For Your glory I see in a sweet baby’s smile, I give thanks.

For those times when I’ve laughed with my family and friends; For the times when I’ve cried, sensed Your spirit again; For Your love that I find when Your praises I send, I give thanks, I give thanks

For my clothes and my bed, a roof over my head And a piping hot meal when our table is set; For a walk on the beach where Your beauty is seen, I give thanks

For the sound of the saints when they all join in And proclaim You are God, the forgiver of sin; For this hope in my heart that forever I’m Yours, I give thanks, I give thanks

Chorus
I give thanks to You, I give thanks oh Lord; For everything You give, for everything I have, I give thanks to You, I give thanks oh Lord; For all these perfect gifts, they have come from You, So I give thanks

For this breath that I breathe, for my eyes that can see; Beaming sunsets and stars, mountains, valleys and trees; For the years that You’ve shown only kindness to me, I give thanks

For the stripes that you bore so that I could be healed; For the crown that you wore, so that I could be free
For Your blood that You shed, given freely for me, I give thanks, I give thanks

Bridge
I give thanks, I give thanks
I give thanks, I give thanks