Thank God For 2020 - Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word, Pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. See, what ends up happening to Christians often, and I hear it often, that no matter what is going on, whenever you get what you want, you usually say to me, Pastor, isn't God great? I thank Him for it.

Is this great? I got the promotion. I got it. Wow. Yeah, I did. And I got the diagnosis.

It's benign. I'm going to thank Him for that. Not too many of you came and said, boy, I am so thankful that the economy slowed the election the way it did and COVID is still out there. I haven't heard you say that.

But you should. You see, because we don't give thanks for the circumstances. We give thanks beyond the circumstances. We give thanks to God for being God. Thank you for joining us today on this edition of Fellowship in the Word with Pastor Bill Gebhardt.

Fellowship in the Word is the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now as once again he shows us how God's Word meets our world. Thanksgiving is upon us. The best way I can put it. And does it feel the same to you this year? Does it feel like Thanksgiving to you? In fact, around the country, you keep getting the idea that, no, it really doesn't. When I watch the news, you hear about all the restrictions for travel, et cetera, et cetera, and how different it's going to be this year. But there's one particular thing that I hear on all the newscasts. And it might be something that you say as well.

But here's what the newscasts say over and over and over again. You need to realize that Thanksgiving is about family. It's not. Thanksgiving is not about family. Family reunions are about family. Thanksgiving, it's right there in the title, is about giving thanks to someone. That's what it is. And for us as believers in Jesus Christ, we know it's about giving thanks to God.

Well. I think a lot of us say, yeah, that may be true, but not this year. I mean, what do we have to be thankful for? How do you give thanks in the middle of all of the things that we're trying to adjust to? How could we possibly be giving thanks to that?

Well, let me give you a little reminder. Open your Bibles to Daniel Chapter six. Daniel Chapter six. In Daniel six, remember, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and many others were brought into captivity, into Babylon.

They were taken out of Judah and Jerusalem and they were taken to Babylon as teenagers. Daniel had already gained quite a bit of notoriety. And also quite a bit of jealousy from the native Persians and Medes. And so in verse four of Chapter six, the other commissioners, Daniel was one of them. The other commissioners got together and they tried to fool Darius. They tried to fool the king. First of all, they kissed up to him and told him he was wonderful and great. Kings love to hear that stuff. And then they told him that you need we need to also you need to sign an edict that no one could pray to anybody. Other than you.

No one could ask anything of their God or of any man except for you. And so Darius was more than happy to sign this. Now, the reason for it was these commissioners were extremely jealous of Daniel and they realized he did business so well, no corruption, nothing, just deficiency. They had nothing on him.

So they thought they'd get him that way. So it says in verse nine, therefore, King Darius signed the document that is the injunction. Now, watch what happens. Now, when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house. Now, in his roof chamber, he had windows opened toward Jerusalem and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been previously doing. Daniel hears about it. And he does what he always has done. He goes up, he opens the window so all can see toward Jerusalem.

Notices posture. It says he's kneeling. Now, by the way, can't we all just pray just driving our car, standing in line? I mean, can't you just pray? And no one else would know you're praying, right? But if you're kneeling, what do you think most people think? Well, that person's praying. Daniel wanted them to know that. I am praying. What's interesting about it, though, is notice what he's doing.

It says kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks. Why? He's an exile in Babylon. He's a slave. He has lost all rights. Now, how many of you this year, by the way, one of the reasons this year is so hard on you is you had to become a slave this year? Somebody bought you this year and they now own you, right?

Well, oh, yeah, it's true. Being a slave wouldn't be very good, would it? Well, he's also an exile, so he's far, far from Judah and Jerusalem. He's also a stranger living in a strange land and a land that's totally controlled by pagans.

Completely controlled by pagans. So what is he doing? He's giving thanks. He's giving thanks out in the open for everyone to see. So it is possible to give thanks when circumstances aren't exactly the way you'd like them to be. Now, you know, the rest of the story, Darius finds out he doesn't want to do it, but he throws him in the lion's den.

And how does that work out? Pretty well, God delivers him from the lion's den and the rest of the book, he's even more blessed than he was before. The reason this story is in here, I think one of the major points is this. God is willing to bless us if we thank him despite our circumstances and sorrows. In fact, let me put it this way. This year might be the most important year you've ever had and I've ever had as a Christian to be thankful.

Because the circumstances are a little more difficult. You see, what ends up happening to Christians often, and I hear it often, that no matter what is going on, whenever you get what you want, you usually say to me, Pastor, isn't God great? I thanked him for, is this great? I got the promotion. I got it. Wow. Yeah, I did. And I got the diagnosis.

It's benign. I'm going to thank him for that. Not too many of you came and said, boy, I am so thankful that the economy slow, the election went the way it did and COVID still out there. I haven't heard you say that.

But you should. You see, because we don't give thanks for the circumstances. We give thanks beyond the circumstances. We give thanks to God for being God. That becomes absolutely the most important part of this.

See, I think for many of us, even this Thanksgiving, if I can't be with my extended family, what would I be thankful for? Well, let me just give you a few reminders. Go with me to Ephesians chapter one, the book of Ephesians chapter one, verse three. And from verse three to verse 14, in the Greek text, English text can't do it because English doesn't work this way. It's only one sentence in Greek. Paul just writes one sentence. It's the longest sentence in Greek in the New Testament. And so he writes this one sentence. And it's a remarkable sentence.

And I want you to understand something you might have forgotten. Where is Paul when he writes this? He's in prison. Anybody been in prison this year? Would you be thankful if you were? You see, his circumstances, not only is he in prison, but the point would be for Paul is that if it's decided that he'll die, he's going to be executed.

And there'll be a decision whether he's executed or lives. And Paul writes these prison epistles. The Philippians is full of joy and gratitude.

Circumstances have nothing to do with thankfulness. It has everything to do with God. Now, here's what he says in verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Talking about us. He says that you and I have been blessed by God. Notice the first time, there's three different words here for blessed, all the same root word. The first word is blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Eulogothos is the Greek word. It's always used eight times in the New Testament, always refers to God, each and every time. It's praising God. It's a praise item. So he says, praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us. That word blessed is Eulogosos. And it means you are the object of blessing.

You get increase or success. And the last one, he says, with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Eulogii. And it means something given to someone for their benefit. So the first thing Paul says is, you and I are blessed, but he says more to it than that. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. How many spiritual blessings do you think are in heaven? I mean, what's the limit of the spiritual blessings of heaven? God, right?

So what's the limit? Paul says you have every single blessing, every blessing, and God has. He's given to you, each and every one of us. So then he goes on and he says, let me explain.

I'll give you some of them on a list. He says, just as he chose us and him before the foundation of the world, that we would be a holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us to the adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved. In him, we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.

He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to the kind intention which he purposed in him, with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of times. That is the summing up of all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth. In him, you also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his purpose, who works all things after the counsel of his will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of his glory. In him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

He said, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory? Wow. Now, here's the problem. When you're reading that, you start thinking, oh, it looks like a lot of stuff.

Do you have any idea what that is? I mean, here's what he has said, just in those verses. He chose us before the foundation of the world. We are holy and blameless before him.

He predestined us to the adoption of sons. He freely bestows his grace on us. He redeemed, he purchased us with the death of his son. He's forgiven us according to the riches of his grace. He has lavished his grace upon us. He has made known to us the mystery of his will. He has given us an inheritance. He has given us a certain hope. He has given our lives purpose to the praise of his glory.

And he has forever sealed us by the indwelling of his Holy Spirit. Every one of those things that I read were free, and they're all irrevocable. God gave you all those free, and they're all irrevocable. Now, let me ask you something. How many times have you read this passage and thanked God for each one of those?

Ask yourself that. How many times do you thank God? We thank God that our child got into college. We thank God that we got an advancement. How do those things compare with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies? How do they compare?

There's no comparison at all. Let me try it from a little different perspective. How often do we thank God that we got a good diagnosis or a good treatment from our health point of view? Right? Okay. And you may have had those, and that's wonderful, and you should thank God for those.

But let me explain something. You're going to die. Every one of you are going to die.

So when you were healed, and you were, and that's a wonderful thing, it's just temporal. We're all going to die. How many of you thank God for your spouse? No hands, please, because somebody will feel pressure. I've got to put my hand up now.

You see, we thank them, right? Well, let me explain something. Your marriage is going to end. It is.

It's the way it works. Now, you will be married to Christ in heaven, so will your spouse. But the point of it is, that ends.

Why? That's a wonderful physical blessing, but I'm talking about blessings on the spiritual aspect. You could be extremely financially secure, right? Thank God for that, and you should. But guess what? When you die, you'll be penniless.

You don't take that with you. You could be famous, and everybody wants your autograph and wants to talk to you and all that, but when you die, you're going to die alone, because the spiritual aspect of your life is, gigantically, a larger portion of truth than your physical life. It is so much more important what happens to us spiritually than what happens to us physically. That's the point of Jesus Christ.

That's what he was able to do. All God wants us to say is, thank you. Thank you for all these spiritual blessings.

William Law, centuries ago, he wrote this. Would you like to know who is the greatest saint in the world? It isn't him who prays the most or fasts the most. It isn't he who gives the most, but it is he or she who always is thankful to God, who receives everything as an instrument of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to thank God for his benefits. The greatest saint is the one who is thankful to God. Do you realize how important this is to God?

It's an amazing thing. We talk about grace. Grace is God's unmerited favor, and we say grace is a gift from God to you. By the way, in grace, so is your life, so is your career, so is your IQ, so is your spouse.

All those things are gifts from God, and he gives you life through grace. Now, when someone gives you all those good things, well, let me ask it this way. When you have a child, and someone gives him a nice gift, and he doesn't say anything, what do you say to your child? What do you say to the man? Now, what do you say?

And usually little Johnny will go, thank you. Thanks. Why? Well, they gave you something. You should be thankful. What did God give you? Everything you have. Not everything just on the temple, but everything you'll have forever as a gift. What did you do to earn it? Nothing.

God gave it. You know what God's expectation is from you and me? Thank you.

Thank you. See, that's such an important part of who we are and how this works. You see, if you don't say thanks, it says something about you.

If you're not grateful and thankful, it says something about you. For example, look in Ephesians 5 with me, verse 18. Ephesians 5 and verse 18. Paul writes, and do not get drunk with wine, for that's just stupid. That's my paraphrase. Because it is stupid, but dissipation is a word that means nothing to us. It means kind of pointless or meaningless, the Greek word does. But he says, don't get drunk, don't let alcohol control you.

That's just stupid. He says, but be controlled or filled with the Spirit of God. Don't be controlled by drugs or alcohol.

Be controlled by the Spirit of God. He said, when you are speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, when you do that, you walk around every day worshiping God. I don't mean just on Sunday morning in a church service. I mean every day you're worshiping God. You've got a melody in your heart.

Now notice the next verse then. Always going what? Giving thanks. Then the words we hate. For all things. Giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.

Do you do that? You give thanks for all things. Now you might say, but all things aren't good. No, he doesn't mean it that way. He means it from a little bit different perspective.

The circumstances of life change. We're sinful people. We live on a cursed planet. A lot of bad stuff happens. The whole idea of being God is God says, I've taken care of that. I redeem everything that's bad. I can turn everything to good.

In fact, the same phrase all things, pantes, is the word all. All things. Paul writes to the Romans and says, all things work together for what? The good. He didn't say all things are good. All things work together for the good.

How did that happen? God says, I make that happen. I can take anything and turn it for good. That's my business. That's what I'm about. That's how I work.

So when you're in the middle of all things, he said, how about thanking me? You mean COVID? Yes, I mean COVID. Isn't it part of all things?

Well, the economy is sagging. OK, thank me. Well, I won't be able to get together with 71 relatives on Thursday. That's OK. Thank me. He said, you give thanks in all things. When you aren't thankful in your spirit, you're not controlled by the Spirit of God. You're controlled by your flesh.

You see, that's what he's saying. We are the most thankful people on earth. You've been listening to Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the Radio Ministry of Fellowship in the Word. If you ever miss one of our broadcasts, or maybe you would just like to listen to the message one more time, remember that you can go to a great website called oneplace.com. That's oneplace.com, and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online.

At that website, you will find not only today's broadcast, but also many of our previous audio programs as well. At Fellowship in the Word, we are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help this radio ministry continue its broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly or with just a one-time gift. Support for our ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word, 4600 Clearview Parkway, Metairie, Louisiana 7006. If you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format, that is as a sermon that Pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible Church, then you should visit our website, fbcnola.org.

That's fbcnola.org. At our website, you will find hundreds of Pastor Bill's sermons. You can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you are looking for, or you can search by title. Once you find the message you are looking for, you can listen online, or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own convenience. And remember, you can do all of this absolutely free of charge. Once again, our website is fbcnola.org. For Pastor Bill Gebhardt, I'm Jason Gebhardt, thanking you for listening to Fellowship in the Word.