THANKSGIVING IN JUNE?

PSALM 100:4                                                      

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

We are, for the most part, familiar with “Christmas in July,” which I am almost positive was a retailer’s idea to boost sales. Far more scriptural, as we shall see, is the idea of Thanksgiving in June. We celebrate Christmas in December (which, as we have shown numerous times, is not only tradition but is actually scripturally correct). We celebrate Thanksgiving the month previous so if we are going to tolerate Christmas in July, we should certainly honor Thanksgiving in June.

 

I. WE MUST REALIZE THAT WE AREN’T THANKFUL BY NATURE

 

Anything we have to be taught to do is NOT part of our nature. Fish swim because it is their nature to do so.

 

1. Belief in God is Inherent, Thankfulness is Not [Romans 1:21]

 

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

 

2. Heaven is Thankful that God is God, Earth is Not [Rev. 11:16-18]

 

And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

 

3. Unthankfulness is a Characteristic of the Last Days [2 Timothy 3:1-5]

 

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

II. WE MUST REALIZE THAT THANKFULNESS INVOLVES RECOGNITION

 

1. God’s Kindness is Not Always Realized [Luke 6:35]

 

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 

2. God’s Kindness is Not Always Remembered [Ps. 103:1-2]

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

 

3. God’s Kindness is Not Always Recognized [James 1:17]

 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

 

III. WE MUST REALIZE THAT THANKFULNESS IS AN ATTRIBUTE OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

 

1. The Person [Eph. 5:18-20]

 

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

 

2. The Purpose [Rm. 8:28]

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

3. The Pattern [1 Thessalonians 5:18] In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

Matthew Henry was once robbed of his wallet- he wrote in his journal that he was thankful for 4 things. “I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth because it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed.”