Luke 17:11-18

Holidays can bring out the worst in people.

1. A time to be stressed out.

   1. Back in 1990, Scott Nelson, age 33, was charged with assaulting his wife. Apparently he became enraged that his Thanksgiving turkey was not defrosted. So he went out in the parking lot of their apartment complex and threw the frozen bird and a pie on the pavement.
      It gets worse. When his wife, Jackie, gathered up her child to flee, he hurled the frozen bird at the car, breaking the windshield. Scott ended up spending part of Thanksgiving in jail.

   2. Others will violate the spirit of Thanksgiving in a more subtle way. In one episode of the TV cartoon show, "The Simpsons," the young brat, Bart, is asked to say grace. He prays, "Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing."

2. Ingratitude to God is nothing new.

   1. Healing of Ten lepers. Luke 17:11-18

      1. Done from a distance.

      2. They had enough faith to go.

      3. Healing occurred on the way.

      4. Only one comes back to say, "Thanks."

      5. And he was a foreigner, to boot.

   2. Many experience God's blessings, but only a few show gratitude.

3. We're not like that.

   1. I am confident no one here will hurl a frozen turkey.

   2. I am certain you won't thank God "for nothing" at the family grace.

   3. Pagans don't acknowledge God or give thanks to him. Romans 1:21

      1. But are you really going to be thankful?

      2. In a way that honors God?

How Jesus showed gratitude.

1. For common necessities of life. John 6:11,23

   1. Feeding of 5,000. Thanks emphasized, twice.

      1. It is easy to take the common things in life for granted.

      2. We usually don't appreciate them till they're taken away from us.

   2. Note that Jesus gave his thanks publicly, not in a corner.

      1. Thanks should be audible.

      2. He was not ashamed to acknowledge the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

   3. For answered prayer. John 11:41

      1. At raising of Lazarus.

      2. Pray more, and thank God for prayer.

   4. For his death. Matthew 26:27

      1. He thanked God for cup that represented his own blood.

      2. "All the agonies He was to experience in those awful hours, as He hung a bleeding victim on Calvary, were represented by the cup He held in his blessed hand, and He thanked God."

      3. He could see beyond the pain to the glory of salvation.

2. Thank God even for hard things.

   1. [Church family's] garage and four cars destroyed by fire (on top of two other cars wrecked this year).

      1. Family's perspective - no one was hurt.

      2. 1 Thessalonians 5:18- "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will you in Christ Jesus.”

   2. Be thankful for what hasn't happened.

The beauty of gratitude.

1. Thanksgiving focuses us beyond our own selfishness.

   1. God expects us to praise him.

      1. Last note in Psalms. Psalm 150:6

      2. It is not only owed to him, but enabled by him.

      3. God's grace should flow in a cycle. 2 Corinthians 4:15

         1. God is good to us.

         2. We show good to others.

         3. They send praise back to God.

Best way to give gratitude.

1. Believe in Jesus as your Savior.

   1. Ten men were touched by the healing power of Jesus.

      1. Only one realized that what had happened deserved a personal, heartfelt response to the Savior.

      2. Have you ever publicly responded to Jesus?

      3. Or are you ashamed to acknowledge him?

      4. Perhaps the problem is not with Jesus, but your lack of genuineness.

2. Live as if Jesus is your Lord.

   1. Gratitude is best shown by actions, not words.

      1. We almost emphasize faith and grace too much.

      2. Genuine faith bears good fruit.

   2. Commit every area of your life to him.

      1. Christ's victory over sin and death is our greatest cause for thanks.
         1 Corinthians 15:57

      2. Do everything in name of Jesus.
         Colossians 3:17

   3. Trust in him, even through calamity.

   4. Gratitude is shown in our OBEDIENCE.

This outline was adapted from a lost source. If this is your work, let me know and you will be given credit.