God Gives Grace, We Give Thanks, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ… God gives grace.

He said that's what I get. He sent for by grace you have been saved through faith that is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God says the same thing again.

He said you don't believe me you don't become quite clear enough. Let me say in verse nine not as a result of works is no minor things you are ever justified before God is a grace by God.

God gives grace. That's what he says over and over.

As a matter fact in the book of acts. Paul calls the gospel. He says the gospel of the grace of God. The good news of Christ is the gospel of the grace it's a gift it's off joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work will in Massachusetts on December 11, 1620 20 was supposed to be there. They were supposed to end up in New York City. What we call New York City. The Hudson River in a mist hundred and two passengers took 66 days to come from England to the United States when they got there in the middle of winter. Most of them decided to stay on board the ship didn't help much. About half of them died by spring and then the following year, November 16, 21, after a successful harvest Gov. William Bradford organized a celebration feast. We call that in our first Thanksgiving in America. One of the pilgrims. Edward Winslow wrote this he said harvest being gotten in our governor sent four men hunting so that we might have a after a special manner rejoice together and after we had gathered the fruits of our labors.

The four men had that day had killed for file as with little help. Beside he said.

And this file served us for about a week.

He said many of the Indians coming among us and among the rest of them was even there greatest king Massasoit.

He said, with 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted and then they went out and killed five deer and they brought it to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and although it was not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us. He says yet, by the grace of God we are so far from want the next Thanksgiving. By the way, wasn't until 1676 in the colony of Massachusetts.

The third one was in 17 7600 years later and that was because we beat the British and at the battle of Sarasota so they want to give thanks and in 1789, George Washington, after we had won our independence, so there should be a national day of Thanksgiving. Not much happened without after that and am Abraham Lincoln decided that the last Thursday of November would be the day of Thanksgiving here in the United States and you think what he was because Washington and Lincoln was not a day is wonderful, magnificent as Thanksgiving is more attributed to a woman into a man of the woman's name by the way, is Sarah Hale. She called the mother of Thanksgiving is a prolific editor and writer and all of that and for 40 years for 40 years she labored trying to get Thanksgiving to be a national holiday in the United States.

She was a magazine at a editor and you probably know her for her writings. She wrote one of your favorite stories of all time. Mary had a Little Lamb as she wrote that and I and so when ends up happening is that in 1941 Congress finally decided to make Thanksgiving. The last Sunday of November national day of Thanksgiving, but what I want to talk about is what the Puritan said when Edward Winslow said he said get by the grace of God we are so far from want. If there's one day in our calendar that reveals the nature of God and should reveal. I think the nature of man, it's Thanksgiving.

That's what life is in a nutshell Thanksgiving should reflect this. Just two important statements. God gives grace man gives thanks.

That's pretty much the whole Bible, God gives grace man gives thanks.

That's the way they should work God's glory is revealed when he gives grace to go with me to Psalm 136 Psalm 136 Sir a microcosm of the whole message the day but I we will be here very long Psalm 136. The psalmist writing and he says in the first verse give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his lovingkindness is everlasting know that sounds great but what what does this goes on.

I give thanks to the God of gods. His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords for his lovingkindness is everlasting to him alone does great wonders. His lovingkindness is everlasting. He who made the heavens with skills. Lovingkindness is everlasting.

You notice a theme here.

Every single one of these. His lovingkindness is everlasting that were lovingkindness as you heard me say in the past is probably the greatest single word in the Old Testament, and yet it's one word we really can't define. It's the Hebrew word has.

There is no English word that's equivalent to it and there's no great work that's equivalent to it and so the new American Standard translators use the term lovingkindness. It means so much more than that lovingkindness doesn't really say much. It could be loyal love.

It could be infinite grace, mercy, forgiveness patients.

All those things are in this word has it, and he's keep saying over and over again. His lovingkindness is everlasting. You'll notice he starts and he says in verse six. To him who spread out the earth above the waters is lovingkindness. He talks about creation. I won't go through the whole thing is a little redundant but I'll go to the end of it to verse 23 and notice what he says there it gets personal. He said who remembered us in our low estate. First, lovingkindness is everlasting. He says and is rescued us from our adversaries. His lovingkindness is everlasting who gives food to all flesh. First, lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to God of heaven is lovingkindness is everlasting because of the fall. The only thing that could save man and everything he could save this creation was the grace of God, and God continues to bestow grace on everybody all the time. Michelle you how it reveals his glory. Go with me to John the gospel of John chapter 1, the gospel of John chapter 1. Now this great chapter starts out in the beginning was the word word was with God and the Word was God's amazing chapter from a philosophical point of view, but on the verse 14 he says in the word became flesh and dwelt among us. That's Christmas get that in about a month.

You see, that's the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father notice full of grace and truth, full of grace and truth. What does grace look like. It looks just like Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of the grace of God. Now Paul said that through to Titus when he wrote to me said for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.

That's the grace of God, the unmerited favor of God.

God's plan is a plan of grace go with me now to Romans chapter 3 Romans chapter 3 in verse 23 Paul makes his case against all human beings in Romans one, two, and part of three and he basically says something is kind of surprising to us. The first thing he says is by the way, he said really sinful people are separated from God and we would all say amen that's true, absolutely any snow. By the way in all moral people are separated from God. And thirdly, all religious, moral, people are separated from God at this conclusion.

All of them are separated from God.

There's no one who is not. While while what you mean by that. When notice what he says in verse 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Everyone is included in that for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified. That means declared righteous. How do you get declared righteous by God are being justified, being justified as a gift by his grace redundancy there.

The words of the same if you were gift is the word grace in the word grace is the word gift. It's the same thing. He said being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. In other words, he says if man's going to be justified. He's going to have to receive a gift that's just the way this works. And that's the grace of God. Now you have to receive it through faith. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2, and again Paul writing in verses eight and nine. Very famous versus Paul says the church of Ephesus, he said, for by grace you have been saved. So how we saved by grace what is grace the unmerited favor of God. It's a gift that's what God does. God gives grace. He said that's what I do.

He said, for by grace you have been saved through faith that is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God says the same thing again. He said that if you don't believe me you don't become quite clear enough. Let me say in verse nine not as a result of works, so no one could boast you can't work your way toward there's no minor things are going to do that are ever going to justify you before God. It's a grace by God. God gives grace. That's what he says over and over as a matter fact in the book of acts. Paul calls the gospel. He says the gospel of the grace of God. The good news of Christ is the gospel of the grace of God. It's a gift that's offered. And so God's plan is revealed by grace. That's the way it works. There's more to it though. Go with me to first Corinthians 1510 first Corinthians 1510 the great chapter on the resurrection is conclusion in this chapter, by the way Jesus Christ was not raising the dead. None of us have any hope of ever going to heaven and we all are to be pitied a set of all people, we should be the most pitied anyone who believes in Christianity without a resurrected Christ should be pitied is no point in arrest in Christianity without the resurrection. And so that's how he starts out he says I make known to you brother in the gospel which I preach to you which you also received what you also stand he said, by which you are also saved, if you hold fast the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. And then he goes on. He says that Christ raising the dead just like the Scripture said he would, he appeared. He said he appeared to the 12 and deceive us. He appeared to more than 500 verse seven he said he appeared to James and the other apostles and last a voice that he appeared to me is that I'm the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God the grace of God which is everyone here is Paul who is the enemy of Christ. Paul was the one who ordered the execution of Stephen in the first martyr.

The church parcel 100 non-Christians and incarcerated them and then Paul received the gift of salvation.

That's why says is the least. And then he says in verse 10, but by the grace of God I am what I am when it is a credible statement by the grace of God I am what I am you realize is true about you, me, by the grace of God, you are what you are. This is tough for us unknown on I know, by the grace of God, you are what you are. You see we stand in grace all of us every one of us stand in the grace of God, you are what you are because of of that. Let me ask your question to givers using the term used to give her think of yourself in a lot of ways is a self-made person you see that I am who I am because I'm self-made and I'd be mistaken. Now there's a lot of circumstances and with it, and we naturally important.

We all live in the real world right and it's not important what you know it's important what you know that's how you get it is who you know is to begin going back for remember what Jesus said to Peter, he said to Peter, Satan desires to sift you like wheat but I pray for you.

In other words, if you're a child of God. There's only one reason you're grace of God wasn't for the grace of God, you would be to be with the Lord. But you one beer you see almost everything in my life is the basis of the grace of God when I was born where I was born was my family or my friends.

How was I educated. What's my IQ, so the grace of God such as EI Bristol grace on everything and not only just bestow on you. I bestow common grace on everyone humankind. After the fall would've been without the grace of God, extinct. They needed the grace of God gotchas. That's what I do I give grace.

Paul said to the Romans in chapter 5 he said we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.

He sees not just grace, how you become a Christian. It's grace because you are Christian you see how I live the Christian life. By the grace of God. Had I become a Christian, by the grace of God. You seek God bestows grace on us over and over again.

It's interesting though, but what about the hard stuff when he seems to be withholding. I go with me to second Corinthians chapter 12 second Corinthians chapter 12 and if you're honest with yourself.

If you ever been suffering in such a way and you're praying that it would go away you know and and it doesn't implement a thought like I think God forgot me and I think that the somehow he's withholding grace for me.

See, we think along those terms. Paul was interesting. This is the famous passage of the form in the flesh by Paul but notice in verse eight. Paul says this he said concerning this. I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

Paul prayed his heart freedom.

At times he said, Lord, I can go on with this is just too painful for me.

This is really a struggle and he probably rationalize like you and I did I could serve you better if I wasn't suffering so much. You see, we all do that. That's what we think, and so Paul implored him three times. That's what we do we pray and then he said, and he said to me notice my grace is sufficient for you while you seek his grace is sufficient for everything, even in the midst of the worst times.

He said my grace is sufficient for you, and it just Paul little insight he doesn't give us. He said, for power is perfected in weakness. That's the principle. He said most gladly therefore I'd rather boast of my weaknesses, so the power of Christ may dwell in me. Also, would you please take away the thorn God said no I want take away the thorn I just give you grace. He said because Paul I know the forms good for you. How many people of the thorn in the flesh think it's good. None of us to.

He said, but Paul whenever your week. You're much more dependent on me to see so he said I'm not removing the Paul was a Pharisee.

He probably struggled with pride and God said, I'll see to it that you don't struggle with it. So Paul says most gladly see most gladly. He said I would do this. He said I received my weakness I understand it, but it's only grace. Now go with me to Hebrews chapter 4 we get a model. Here he book of Hebrews chapter 4 in verse 16.

So what happens when were suffering.

What happens when were in difficult circumstances have a make a big choice. What happens when were terrified of a conversation we might have are somewhat what we do as believers.

Well, here's what the writer of Hebrews says in verse 16 he said, therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Let us draw near with confidence to wear the throne of God. You think he doesn't say that doesn't really going throne of what grace the unmerited favor of God.

He said let us go with confidence to the throne of grace. King James says let's go boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find what grace in time of need. God's is when you have a need. Guess what I have for you. I've grace is that what you want. Not necessarily is it I don't know if I want grace I want my answer. See that's what I want I want the answer I want when I want to give you grace your Seo give you grace because you came into this world because of the grace of God you been sustained in as well because of the grace of God you came to Christ because of the grace of God, your child of God because of the grace of God and everything that happens in your life. God says all bestow my grace on everything because God gives grace.

That's his part. He said that's what I do love God gives grace that leaves us when we do we give thanks that was made to web Psalm nine Psalm nine. This may seem odd to you, but the more I study this over the last few weeks. More come to this conclusion in your relationship with God the absolute most important aspect that you have control over in your relationship with God is the you give thanks and I don't mean with thanksgiving you give thanks everyday, every single day. You give thanks to you. Give thanks from the heart.

You give thanks to that's God's is the many give you everything that's grace it's unmerited, it's not because of you it's because of me. What I want from you is just to thank me. Notice how though.

In verse one of chapter 9. David says I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart I will tell of your wonders.

I will he said, be glad and exalting you and I will sing praise to your name on most time.

He said I thank you with all my heart. You can fake thinking okay I know you want to hear how many you have seen so many times you got a four-year-old somebody does numb nice foreman gives him something and and he does what any four-year-old. He ignores everyone to start planning so that the parent always comes in. Hey hey what do you say thanks that Mary said it don't say that to God and we do that, don't say it. He knows what. Thanks. I mean come on he said no you give thanks with all your heart. Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength. Your neighbors are so all your heart.

This heart is yet to be, then you have to become thankful Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember the good a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as well have Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible.

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