Kent Crockett wrote, “The attitude of gratitude is important for several reasons: Thankfulness acknowledges that God is our provider. Thankfulness prevents a complaining spirit. Thankfulness creates a positive outlook on life. Thankfulness invites joy to dwell in our hearts.” (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, pp. 161)

Transition

The verses in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 describe Paul’s thankfulness. They also give us three tips to improve our thankfulness.

The first tip is that thankfulness should be . . .

Directed Toward God (1:2)

  1. God is the reason for our thankfulness
    1. We do God a great injustice when we use the words “luck” or “lucky”. These words imply that the pleasurable event we experienced was nothing but a nice accident. Or worse yet, they may imply that some force (other than God) brought the pleasurable event into our life. If you use the word “lucky” you need to ask God to remove it from your vocabulary. It is not a God-honouring word.
    2. Paul realized that God made it possible for him to be thankful, thus, he directed his thanks to God. God had saved Paul from a life of sin. God called him into the ministry. God had led Paul to Thessalonica. God had done a work in hearts and saved some in Thessalonica.
    3. Because of the word “we” it is clear that Silas and Timothy also saw God as the reason for thankfulness.
  2. Prayer is the way that we thank God
    1. These three missionaries thanked God for the Thessalonian saints in their prayers. Our prayers ought not to be self-centred, mechanical, memorised, repeated religious phrases. We ought to talk to God just as we talk to a close friend. Prayer is the privilege of every true Christian.
    2. They always gave thanks to God. Every time they thought about Thessalonica, they gave thanks to God.
    3. They were not just thankful for a few of the believers, but for all of them.
    4. No one was forcing them to do this, they made mention (remembrance) of the saints of their own desire (middle voice). True thankfulness must come from one’s heart.
      ☆ We ought to be thankful people. God has done much for us. When a thought of thankfulness comes to your mind, express it first to the Lord. He is the source of all that is good.
      The second tip is that thankfulness should be . . .

Motivated by Positive Memories (1:3)

  1. We must focus on positive memories
    1. Mark Dunagan in his commentary reminds us that, “Unfortunately, at times we tend to ‘unceasingly’ remember the short-comings or imperfections of our brethren, instead of remembering their achievements.”
    2. I don’t know about you, but I find it easier to see people’s faults than their good qualities. Someone has said we ought to make ten positive comments for every negative one. When you catch yourself thinking negative thought about your spouse, your children, your boss, or anyone else, stop and make a list of their positive qualities.
    3. When Paul thought of Thessalonica, he could have thought about those who opposed his preaching. He could have focused on the enemies of the Gospel who ran him out of town and fined Jason and the other Christians. However, he chose instead to focus on positive memories.
  2. Paul focused on three positive memories
    Paul unceasingly remembered positive memories about the Thessalonians. He made this is continual focus.

    1. He thanked God for their work of faith.
      1. Their faith in Christ included faith that Jesus was God in the flesh and faith that Christ died to pay for the sin debt of humanity and rose again to provide eternal life for believers. Their faith gave them new life when they repented and received Christ’s payment for their sin.
      2. True faith always produces works. We read this in (Ephesians 2:10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. We are not saved by works, but saved to work. Good works that should result from faith in Christ include following the Lord in believer’s baptism, a desire to read the Bible, prayer, faithful church attendance, telling others how Christ saved us, turning from former sins and seeking to live godly.
      3. When Christ saves a person, He changes his life. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. If you claim to be saved but God has not changed your life, you very well may not be saved. You need to examine your salvation (2Co 13:5).
      4. Paul, Silas, and Timothy thanked God every time they thought about the good works that resulted from the faith of the Thessalonian believers.
    2. Next, Paul thanked God for their labour of love.
      1. The word “labour” is more intense than work. It describes sweat-producing hard work.
      2. The Thessalonians displayed this kind of labour and it was motivated by love. Was this love God’s love for them or their love for God? Probably both! After all that Christ had done for them, they were willing to endure great hardships for Him. They were happy to sacrifice for Christ. They were willing to suffer persecution for the Lord. God’s love stirred them.
      3. God’s love ought to stir us to labour for Him. Consider God’s love described in the words of Frederick M. Lehman’s hymn called “The Love of God”.
        ² Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.
    3. Thirdly, Paul thanked God for their patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
      1. In the NT, the word “hope” does not describe a wishful desire but rather a confident expectation. The blessed hope of Christians is the confident expectation of being RESURRECTED to righteousness, glory, heaven and eternal life (Ac 23:6; Ro 5:2; Col 1:27; Gal 5:5; Col 1:5; Tit 1:2; 3:7).
      2. Paul had taught them of this blessed hope. They now were patiently enduring any trial that came their way while they waited, knowing that death is not the end. One day they would be gloriously resurrected.
      3. Having this hope gives courage and patience to face the hardships of life.
        The third tip is that thankfulness should be . . .

Shared to Encourage Others (1:4)

  1. Private thanks limits its influence
    1. Paul did not keep his thanks private.
    2. He and his co-workers did not limit their thanks to their private little prayer group either.
  2. Public thanks builds up others
    1. In these verses, Paul told the Thessalonians that he had been thanking God for them. By letting them know, he was encouraging their hearts. I am greatly encouraged any time a person lets me know that they are thanking God for something I have done to help them. Sharing your thanks can be a HUGE encouragement to others.
    2. Paul here calls the believers “brethren beloved” by God. God loved them dearly and Paul was letting them know.
    3. Paul also knew from the time that they had professed faith in Christ that they were part of God’s elect. When they trusted Christ as Saviour, they became part of God’s chosen family. Paul was thankful for this as well.

Conclusion

If you are like me, you need to be more thankful. We ought to direct our thankfulness to God. Positive memories ought to motivate our thankfulness. And we ought to share our thankfulness with others. Let’s ask God to make us thankful people who express our thanks to Him and share it with others. Let’s be THANKFUL!

Song: Thank You Lord – 221
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Thankfulness
17 January 2016 AM – 1Thes 1:2-4 – 1Th2016 – Scott Childs