Sunday 11/23/25 – Adams Village Baptist Church
Sermon Title: “Giving Thanks” (“A
Thankful & Giving Thanksgiving” - Sermon Series: Part 4 of 4) – Colossians
3:15-17, Psalm 107:1
This morning, we are completing our four-week sermon series
called “A Thankful and Giving Thanksgiving.” With Thanksgiving being this
Thursday, and this being the month of November, this month is in part known for
the holiday of Thanksgiving. Due to this, we have been talking about different
aspects of Thankfulness, receiving, giving, hope, and today “Giving Thanks.”
This made me think of the 1978 song “Give Thanks.” In this song it says:
… Give thanks with a
grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ, His Son
(https://genius.com/Don-moen-give-thanks-lyrics).
I never knew the
history of this song, so I looked it up. What I learned in preparing for this
sermon on “Giving Thanks” about the song “Give Thanks,” was amazing! Here is
what I learned:
"Give Thanks with a Grateful
Heart" was written in 1978 by Henry Smith. The song was his only published
worship song out of 300 unpublished compositions. It was written after Smith
had trouble finding work after graduating from university. He also suffered
from a degenerative condition that eventually left him legally blind.
While at his church in Williamsburg, Virginia, his pastor
inspired him with a reference to how Jesus made himself
poor to make others rich through him. When Smith started performing the song in
church, a visiting United States Military officer took
the song to Europe, from where its popularity spread.
In 1986, Integrity
Music published the song on their Hosanna!
Music audio cassette but credited it as "author
unknown". Later that year, Don Moen released
the song on his Give Thanks album. Smith contacted
Integrity to inform them of his authorship, and they said that they had been
attempting to track him down. As a result, Smith signed a writer-publisher
agreement with Integrity for distribution
rights to the song.
The lyrics have been erroneously
credited to Moen rather than Smith in some media reports. In the United States,
the song was used by a Catholic news website to focus on returning a Christian
focus to Thanksgiving celebrations. The song has
also been cited by Christian authors to be used for thanksgiving and
giving thanks to God. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Thanks_with_a_Grateful_Heart#:~:text=The%20song%20was%20his%20only,eventually%20left%20him%20legally%20blind).
I found it amazing that God just gave me
that song, which is in our Celebration Hymnal. I had no idea that song “Give
Thanks” was and is often centered on Thanksgiving celebrations. As I am
preaching on “Giving Thanks,” this history of the song “Give Thanks” is exactly
how God calls us to be, not only on Thanksgiving, but in general. Sometimes it
can be hard for us to be thankful, or to “Give Thanks,” even though the Bible
calls us to do so. Here is a question for us all to consider this morning, what
can we “Give Thanks” for today. Here is another question for us all to consider
this morning, what are we struggling to “Give Thanks” for today?
Every year many of us have this feast called Thanksgiving
dinner, and for those that have nowhere to go, many people often invite folks
over, or meals are delivered to people who cannot get out or have nowhere to
go. Since all of this is true, and since such efforts will go into this great
holiday that we are celebrating this Thursday, will we “Give Thanks” to God? It
can be hard if we have experienced a loss, or our lives have changed radically.
Yet, God is the same today, yesterday, and forever. Melissa and I are blessed
to have Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday with my mother and stepfather, and
her parents. I “Give Thanks” for that, because my parents live in Wisconsin,
and Melissa’s parents are often busy on their farm. Who knows when the next
time all of us will be able to do this again? Who knows if my mother Susan will
finally call it “Pulaski,” and not “Pulaaaski”?
When I was a little boy, I loved Thanksgiving and
Christmas, and I had all of my grandparents, and most of family. As I got older
though, God called some of these family members home, and all my grandparents
are now with the Lord. This reminds me that our time on this earth is so quick,
and I do not want to waste the opportunity to “Give Thanks.” We do not know for
certain who will be with us or not for Thanksgiving 2026, and we are called to
“Give Thanks”.
In our scripture reading from Colossians 3:15-17 for this
morning, we hear once again:
15 And let the peace
of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.
And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude
in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And
whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col. 3:15-17, NRSV).
Now this, I am sure is what we should all strive for
everyday, as God’s word tells us, but life happens to us. We love Jesus, but
sometimes we have the loss of loved one or something else. Yet, we are called
to “Give Thanks,” for God is so good. What I love about Adams Village Baptist
Church, is that we are a family. We are called to love each other, pray for
each other, to bear one another’s burdens. Sometimes we are even called to tell
each other to get our acts together if needed. This has not happened to me yet,
but I am sure it is coming. The church of Jesus Christ our Lord, is an
extension of our biological family, and as a result you all are my extended
family. Since this is true, we have even more reason to “Give Thanks” to God.
Further, if we are honest, who does not like Thanksgiving dinner? We probably
all have memories of grandpa or that old uncle snoozing in the recliner after
dinner, and I still have memories of sitting at the kid’s table. Thanksgiving
is one of the ways that God calls together.
The other scripture that I picked for this morning is Psalm
107:1, which says once again:
1 O give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever (Ps. 107:1,
NRSV).
Sometimes in our lives some of us find this easier to do
than others, yet God is always with us, and we are called to “Give Thanks.” One
of the hopes that I have as your new called pastor here at Adams Village
Baptist Church is to have new ministries. Why? Not so that Pastor Paul will
work 100 hours a week, but because we need each other. Imagine we had an in
person or online weekly women’s prayer meeting? Imagine we had a weekly prayer
meeting right here in the sanctuary. Imagine small groups here or in people’s
homes? Imagine the church having enough ministries that you could be connected
to brothers and sisters throughout the week?
I think I might have told you this before, but a man that
joined a church I was pastoring once told me that he would join on the
condition that we were not “A Sunday only Church.” Adams Village Baptist Church
is not a Sunday only church, but some potential new ministries can lift us up,
give us strength, and help us to “Give Thanks.” Imagine a ministry for single
mothers. Imagine a ministry for those who have or are experiencing grief? The
Thanksgiving holiday reminds us that we need each other. The church is our extended
family.
As I was praying about this sermon for this morning, I
wanted to tell a story about “Giving Thanks.” Melissa and I met at Potsdam
College, and I have loved Saint Lawrence County ever since. It was only a few
years ago that I heard about martyrdom of the original Saint Lawrence, that
Saint Lawrence County was named after. When I read this story, my heart was
warm, and I “Gave Thanks.” Here is the story of martyrdom of Saint Lawrence:
Saint Lawrence was a Christian
martyr whose unwavering faith and incredible courage left an indelible mark on
Christian history.
Saint Lawrence was born in Huesca,
Spain, in the third century AD, when the Roman Empire was vehemently
persecuting Christians. He grew up in a devout Christian family and felt a
strong calling to serve the Church. Lawrence eventually journeyed to Rome and
became one of the seven deacons of the city’s Christian community.
In 258 AD, the Roman Emperor
Valerian issued a decree ordering the persecution of Christians, and the Church
faced increased scrutiny and danger. The Roman authorities targeted Christian
leaders, and Lawrence, one of the deacons, was among those they sought to
apprehend.
One day, the Roman Prefect demanded
that Lawrence hand over the Church’s treasures, believing that the Christians
had accumulated great wealth. Lawrence asked for a few days to gather these
treasures. Instead of collecting riches, Lawrence worked diligently to
distribute the Church’s resources to the poor, widows, and orphans of Rome.
When the appointed day arrived,
Lawrence and a group of impoverished Christians presented themselves before the
Prefect. He boldly declared that these were the treasures of the Church.
Enraged by this act of defiance, the Prefect ordered Lawrence to be tortured
mercilessly.
Lawrence endured unimaginable pain
with incredible fortitude while refusing to renounce his faith. Legend says
that during his torment, he cheerfully exclaimed, “Turn me over; I am well done
on this side!” This display of unwavering faith and his willingness to endure
suffering for the sake of Christ moved those who witnessed it.
Ultimately, Lawrence was sentenced
to a gruesome death by roasting on a gridiron. As he lay dying over the hot
coals, he is said to have prayed for the conversion of Rome, sealing his
martyrdom with a profound act of love for both God and his fellow believers.
Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom inspired
many during his time and continues to inspire Christians today (https://persecution.org/2023/10/31/faith-under-fire-the-life-and-martyrdom-of-saint-lawrence/).
“Giving Thanks” is this is one probably the many reasons
that we have a county called “Saint Lawrence” County. This level of faith and
this level of “Giving Thanks” is something that we should all aspire to. Not
seeking martyrdom necessarily, but “Giving Thanks” under all circumstances. Are
we thankful? If we are thankful, what do we “Give Thanks” for? Is it possible
to “Give Thanks” in all circumstances? Regardless of what is going on in our
lives, we have Jesus, and we have each other. Jesus gave us the church, not just
to come to worship on Sunday, but to be a community, a family, that loves,
prays, and lives out our faith together. When we have family, and when we have
the extended family of the church, we have so much. So much that it is much
easier to “Give Thanks.” I “Give Thanks” to God for my family, for my friends,
for my cute little dog, and for my church family. If we feel like we are alone,
we are not alone. When Jesus created this thing we call church, He knew exactly
what he was doing.
He is another good story about “Gratitude” or “Giving
Thanks.” This is a story about a blind boy. Here is how it goes:
A blind boy sat on the steps of a
building with a hat by, his feet. He held up a sign which read, “I am blind,
please help.”
There were only a few coins in the
hat – spare change from folks as they hurried past.
A man was walking by. He took a few
coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign,
turned it around, and wrote some words. Then he put the sign back in the boy’s
hand so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A
lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had
changed the sign returned to see how things were. The boy recognized his
footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What
did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the
truth. I said what you said but in a different way.”
I wrote, “Today is a beautiful day,
but I cannot see it.”
Both signs spoke, the truth. But
the first sign simply said the boy was blind, while the second sign conveyed to
everyone walking by how grateful they should be to see…
When your life seems full of
troubles, it seems difficult to maintain an attitude of gratitude, doesn’t
it? All we see are our problems, like a blackened storm cloud casting a
dark shadow over our lives.
And the times when everything just
seems to be going smoothly? We often take these precious moments for granted
too, don’t we? Caught up in the bliss, comfort, and familiarity of it all,
we can simply forget to be thankful.
So, what, then, is gratitude?
Simply put, gratitude is a habit.
It’s a way of looking at the world and all the good things in it with a feeling
of appreciation, regardless of whether or not your current situation is to your
liking.
Gratitude is a heart-centered
approach to being at peace with yourself and with all you have. When you
practice this feeling of gratitude, it attracts even MORE things into your life
for which to be grateful.
In the song “Give Thanks,” it says
once again:
… Give thanks with a
grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ, His Son
(https://genius.com/Don-moen-give-thanks-lyrics).
So once again, what we are talking about is not always easy, but at the ripe old age for forty-four this is what I know, we will never be here on Sunday November 20, 2025 again. If we are honest, we have all wasted time being worried, stressed, or even lost sleep. Of all the things that we can regain in this world, time is generally speaking not one of those things. We have an opportunity this Thanksgiving and in general, to be present, to love, and to “Give Thanks.” I hope I, and I hope that we will take this opportunity to be all that Jesus has called us to be. May we “Give Thanks” of this Thanksgiving, and in general. Amen.
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