Michael Jackson sung a deeply profound truth when he said – ‘I’m starting with that man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer, if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make that change.’
Do we want to make our world a better place?
Yes we cry! We just need to change our world. That’s not the gospel of Michael Jackson nor is it of Timothy Keller. He tweeted recently – “Revival occurs when those who think they already know the gospel discover they do not really or fully know it. This leads to repentance and change.”
The Apostle having told them to put off the immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talking and coarse joking now says put on thanksgiving.
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5 v 4
The word for thanksgiving is eucharistia where we get our Lord’s Supper/Eucharist from.
How many times have we taken communion but we have not been truly thankful?
An old man is on the pier feeding the seagulls, they land all around him, on his shoulders, his hat, feeding off what he had in his bag. Why is this man doing this? Why does he come here every week?
The man is Eddie Rickenbacher, a famous pilot in World War 2. His plane the “Flying Fortress” was shot down in 1942 and no one thought he would be rescued. He and eight passengers survived in 2 rafts for 30 days. They fought thirst, the sun and sharks some of which were 9 feet long. But what nearly killed them was starvation, within 8 days they had no more food left.
But in these rafts they would have a daily devotion to God. One day after a devotion Rickenbacher leaned back with his hat over his eyes to get some sleep. Within a few moments he felt something land on his hat. He knew in an instant it was a seagull. They were hundreds of miles from land, where had it come from? In an instant he grabbed the seagull. They all ate the bird and the intestines they used as fish bait. Rickenbacher never forgot that sacrifice. Every week he went to the pier to feed the seagulls, to say thank you.
We have no choice but to bring thanksgiving, it comes from the sacrifice. His sacrifice of love forces such a response.
When you know you are saved you are thankful.
Thankfulness is missing
- When we are arguing over what we feel is rightfully ours.
- When we do not like our circumstances.
- When we devalue people because we hold them responsible for our circumstances.
- When we are dismissive of people as not helpful to the change of our circumstances.
- When the gospel story is not played out in our lives.
Today give thanks, say it, to God, to someone, to you.
Missions Paul 