Would you turn with me to Romans
chapter one? While you're turning there, we're
going to observe the Lord's table together tonight. Romans chapter one. I'd like
to read the eighth verse of Romans chapter one. First. Now, first means first
in time, place, order, and importance. So he's dealing with what comes
first now in this epistle to the Romans. First, I thank my
God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken
of throughout the whole world. I have entitled this message,
The Doctrine of Thanksgiving. Now, I'm going to have to continue
it tonight or preach two hours this morning, which you want. The Doctrine of Thanksgiving. First, Paul says, and I believe
he means all of those things, first in time, place, order,
and importance, First, I thank my God. And I love the way he
says this. First, I thank my God through
Jesus Christ. I realize that my thanksgiving
is no good. It has to be through Jesus Christ.
Even my thanksgiving has to be mediated through the person of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord said, I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. And my thanksgiving won't get
to the Father but by the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving. You know, a Pharisee
can thank God. One did. Remember, God, I thank
thee that I'm not as other men are. I'm not an extortioner,
unjust, adulterer, or even as this publican. I fast twice in
the week. I give tithes of all that I possess."
He thanked God, but his thanksgiving to God was obnoxious. Two reasons it was obnoxious. First, it was not through Christ,
and second, it was hypocritical, his thanksgiving. But that being
said, Psalm 92.1 says, it's a good thing to give thanks unto the
Lord. and to sing praise unto thy name,
O Most High. And the Lord Jesus frequently
gave thanks to his Father. There's something so powerful
about him thanking his Father. I thank thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from
the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes, even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight. Do you remember in Luke
17 when the Lord Jesus healed 10 lepers? Now you think of being
a real leper and really being healed. He healed 10 lepers and
only one returned. And with a loud voice glorified
God and fell down at his feet giving him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. He wasn't
a Jew. He was a Samaritan. And Jesus
answering said, were there not 10 cleansed, where are the nine? They've not returned to give
glory to God. And that's what the giving of
thanks is. It's giving glory to God. This is not some trite,
I couldn't be dealing with anything more important. This thing from
our heart, through the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God.
They've not returned to give thanks, to glorify God, save
this one Samaritan. Now, I want to be him, don't
you? I don't want to be one of the
nine. I want to be this man. Now, thankfulness, the giving
of thanks, ought to be our continual employment. Let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually. Note that word continually. That is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to his name. Now, not being thankful, not
being thankful has as its roots a dislike of and a hatred for
God. That's what it's all about. Look
in Romans chapter one, verse 19. Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them for God has showed it to them for
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse
because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful. Now, when he describes the reprobate,
and that's who he's describing in the rest of Romans chapter
one. This is their description. Even though they knew the truth
regarding God, that he created the world, they glorified him
not as God, neither were thankful. Unthankfulness is hatred of God. It's a discontentment with God.
It's a failure to trust God. Unthankfulness is a failure to
submit to his will. Unthankfulness is criticism of
his providence. Being unthankful is being unbelieving.
That's the long and short of it. Oh, I want to be a thankful
person, don't you? I want to be someone who truly
is thankful to the Lord. Unthankfulness is evil. It's a sense of entitlement.
It's born of self-righteousness. And it's ugly. Oh, I want to
be a thankful person. Now, the believer is thankful.
Every believer is thankful. Thankful that God is God, that
he is as he is, and he does as he does. Now, if you know God,
you're thankful. He is, He is, He is. He is as
He's revealed in the scriptures, the true and living God. You're
thankful all of His attributes, all of His characteristics, who
He is as He's revealed in the scripture. You're thankful for
who He is and what He does. And right now, as I speak to
you, I realize that there are parts of me that, oh, I hate
the way things are. You know, I wish it wasn't this
way. But I am thankful. I'm thankful that God is as he
is and that God does as he does. And the psalmist said, give thanks
at the remembrance of his holiness. Now, can you thank God for his
holiness? And the only way you can is if you believe the gospel,
because you'd be scared to death of his holiness if it wasn't
for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. But because of the gospel,
I can thank him for his holiness. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord,
the psalmist said, for he's good, for his mercy endureth forever. Aren't you thankful that salvation
is by the mercy of God, not by works and that it endures forever? In Revelation 11, 17, we read
where the 24 elders representing the church said, we give thanks,
O Lord God Almighty, which art and was and are to come, because
thou has taken to thee thy great power and has reigned. Now there
the church thanks God for three of his glorious attributes, his
omnipotence, his sovereignty, and his immutability. I thanked
Him for the fact that He doesn't change. He was, He is, and He
is to come. He never changes. Are you thankful
that God never changes? That He's always the same? With
Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He's always
the same, utterly immeasurable. I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob, are
not consumed. The only reason I'm not consumed
and thrown into hell is because He doesn't change. Is that something
you can thank Him for? What about His power? Thou hast
taken to thee thy great power, Lord God Almighty. Oh, the power
of God, whatever He wills, He has the power to cause it to
come to pass. Aren't you thankful for that?
You've taken to thee that great power and reign. That's talking
about his sovereignty. That's God's sovereign. That's
who he is. He's the first cause behind everything. Praise his name for that. I'm
thankful for the sovereignty of my heavenly father. Now, what
I want us to do is look at what he was thanked for in the word. I'm going to have to continue
this message tonight because there's not enough time to cover
it effectively. And it's my prayer that after this message, we will
be more thankful people. My first desire is that we'll
be believing people. And being believing people will
be more thankful people. Now, listen to this. A thankful
person is a humble, happy person. Isn't that so? A thankful person
is a humble, happy person. An unthankful person is an arrogant,
unhappy person. A thankful person is a beautiful
person. An unthankful person is an ugly
person. A thankful person is a positive
person. An unthankful person is a critical
person. A thankful person is an encouraging
person. Don't you like to be around thankful
people? And an unthankful person is a jerk. Tedious to be around. You'd rather
not be around them. Okay, would you turn with me
to 2 Corinthians chapter 9. We'll look at five or six scriptures
this morning and then continue it tonight where we actually
read of the giving of thanks. Verse 15 of 2 Corinthians 9,
Paul said, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Now for two chapters, Paul had
been dealing with the subject of giving. That's what 2 Corinthians
chapter 8 and 9 is all about. If you want to know what the
New Testament teaches regarding this subject of giving, read
those two chapters. And he ends his speaking on this
subject with this statement, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift. Now it's a joy to give, verse
7. Every man of chapter nine, every man as he purposes in his
heart, so let him give not grudgingly or necessity for God loveth a
cheerful giver. But the strongest reason to give
is not just because it's a joy to give, but because of God's
unspeakable gift. And I think it's very interesting.
I didn't know how to say this, but Paul is speaking under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. and even speaking under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, there's no human word adequate to describe
this gift. Isn't that amazing? Thanks be
unto God for His unspeakable indescribable gift that he would
give his son. That transcends human language. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift. I love the way John says here
in his love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and
sent His Son to be the propitiation, and that word means the covering,
the covering. covers a transgression. Now what
a gift this is that he sent his son to be the propitiation, the
covering of our sins. Now, understand this too. When
God covers something, it's not like when we covered something.
When we cover something, it's still there. But when he covers something,
it's gone. And that's what he did about
my sin. What an unspeakable gift that he gave his son. Thanks be unto God. for his unspeakable
gift. I turn to 2 Thessalonians 2.
Verse 13. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. But we are bound We are under solemn obligation
to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Now, I've got to admit that I
have a problem when I hear preachers look at the congregation and
say, I thank you for being here. Now I'm glad you're here. I really
am. I'm glad you're here. I'm glad I'm here. It's by the
grace of God, but I'm not going to thank somebody for coming
to hear the gospel. I mean, in the sense that, thank
you for being here. Well, no, I thank God you're
here. I thank God you're, I thank God I'm here. But this thing
of, what does he thank God here for? He says, I thank God for
you. I thank God for you because God had from the beginning, chosen
you to salvation. You know what he's thanking God
for here? Divine election. Do you know that divine election
is a doctrine of thanksgiving and a doctrine of praise? I thank God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen
you to salvation. through sanctification of the
spirit and belief of the truth. We thank God for election. Now, most of what goes on under
the name of Christianity either does not believe election or
they relegate it to the scrap heap of doctrines of secondary
importance. How important is election to
God? Now first, what do I mean and what does the Bible mean
by election? Well, it means that God hath from the beginning,
before time began. If you're a believer, it means
before time began, God chose you to salvation. And if he chose
you to salvation, you must be saved. makes us understand what our
Lord was doing on the cross. When he was on the cross, he
wasn't simply making salvation available for men if they accept
him as their personal savior. No, nothing like that at all.
Election says that when Christ died on the cross, he died for
his people, those the father gave him before time began and
accomplished their salvation. You can't preach the gospel.
Now listen to me. You cannot preach the gospel and not preach
election. Someone who does not preach election
does not preach the gospel. Election is salvation by grace. Election glorifies God. It gives
God all the glory in salvation. And we thank God for election. Now let's see how important election
is to God. Look in Exodus chapter 33. Now this is Moses praying for
the children of Israel after the issue of the golden calf.
And during the midst of this prayer, he says in verse 18,
and he said, I beseech thee. Show me thy glory. Now, don't
forget what all Moses had already seen. He'd seen the parting of
the Red Sea. He'd seen the 10 plagues. He'd seen manna come
down from heaven. He'd seen water come out of the
rock. He'd seen the giving of the law. He'd seen all this. And yet he says in seeing all
that, I've not seen your glory. What is your glory? Now, look how the Lord answers. Verse 19, and he said, I'll make
all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name
of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious. That's called election. That's
what Paul used in Romans chapter nine. He quoted this as For the
children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand. Not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger as it's written. Jacob
have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. He sayeth to Moses,
I'll be gracious to whom I will be gracious. And I'll show mercy
to whom I will show mercy. God calls election his glory. Now, is election something that
I thank God for? Do you thank God for election?
Yes, I do. And here's why I thank God for
it. Selfish motive here. Because
it lets me know that salvation is not by works. Because if salvation
is by works, it's over for me. I won't be saved. Election says
salvation is by grace. For the children being not yet
born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, none of works. Don't you love that? None of
works. but of him that calleth. From the depths of my heart,
I thank God for electing grace. Don't anybody here think that
election prevents anybody from being saved? It doesn't. If you
come to Christ and ask for mercy, he'll save you and you'll find
out you're one of his elect. You see, election doesn't prevent
people from being saved who perhaps otherwise would have been. It
saves people who would have for sure have been damned. Thank
God for election. It's a positive doctrine. It's
a doctrine of divine praise. One time, somebody wrote a tract
that they entitled, The Hated Doctrine of Election. And they
gave it to Barner, Rolf Barner, the preacher from years ago.
And he said, I want you to tell me what you think about this.
They said, take it and burn it. and write another one called
The Beloved Doctrine of Election. It's beloved to God's people,
isn't it? Thank God for election. Can you do that? Can you and
your, from the, Lord, thank you that you elected a people freely,
without works. That reminds us that salvation
is by grace. And I've said this numerous times,
but I love what that one lady said to Spurgeon. She said, I'm
glad the Lord loved us and chose us before we were born, because
if he did it afterwards, he couldn't have loved who chose me. And
every believer feels thank God for election. Now turn to Colossians
chapter one. Verse. Twelve, giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet, fit, sufficient to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light. Right now, there are millions
of people in heaven. That's a wonderful thing to think
about, isn't it? And they're called the saints in light. What light they enjoy. We're
floundering right now, seeing through a glass darkly, aren't
we? Paul said that. We see through a glass darkly.
But there is a glorious, large group in heaven called the saints
in light. place where there's no sin, no
sorrow, indescribable joy. And this is their inheritance,
the inheritance of the saints in light. They didn't earn this. It was given to them by him who
earned it for them. And they are joint heirs with
the Lord Jesus Christ. the inheritance of the saints
in light. And Paul said, we give thanks
unto God, which not will make us, doesn't say that, does it?
Hath made us fit. All I need to bring me into heaven,
I already have. I am fit for that holy place. fit for the inheritance of the
saints in life. Nothing else is needed for me. Somebody says, I was sure for
heaven as if I was already there. I'm more sure than that. I am
already there in Christ. If the head's there, the body's
there too. Ephesians 2, 6 says he's made
us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, our Lord. More happy but not more secure
are the glorified spirits in heaven. Now, I am right now fit,
fit, nothing lacking, nothing else needed. I'm fit for the
inheritance of the saints in light. Now, is that something
to thank God for? Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry
about. Be brought into glory by what
he did. Now, big question is how can
that be? How can that be? It is. Paul
said, you've already been made fit for the inheritance of the
saints in light. How can that be? Well, turn with
me to Luke chapter 22. And this is what we're going
to be doing tonight when we observe the Lord's table. Luke 22 verse 17. And he took the cup. Let's start in verse 15. And
he said unto them, with desire have I desired to eat this Passover
with you before I suffer? He knew he was the Passover.
For I say unto you, I will not eat any more thereof until it
be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup and
gave thanks and said, take this and divide it among yourselves.
For I say unto you, I'll not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread and gave
thanks and break it. He gave thanks and break it and
said unto them, gave unto them saying, this is my body, which
is given for you. This do in remembrance of me.
Likewise, also the cup after supper saying, this cup is the
New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Now he were
giving thanks for the broken body. and the shed blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. That's what we're giving thanks
for. This is why I was elected because I was viewed in the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. The Lord never saw
me independent of Christ crucified. The reason that I'm fit for the
kingdom of heaven, the reason I'm fit, sufficient for the inheritance
of the saints and light, is because of the shed blood and the broken
body of the Lord Jesus Christ. That which would have made me
not fit has been done away with. My sin has been taken away. all taken away by his broken
body and shed blood. Can't you give thanks for the
broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that actually
makes me fit for the inheritance of the saints in light. Romans
7. Romans 7. Verse 24, Paul said, Oh, wretched
man, that I am not that I was, but that I am. He's speaking
in the present tense. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? I thank God. Through. Jesus Christ. Our Lord. Now, while we've been made fit
for the inheritance of the saints in light, there's something we're
still dealing with. Let's be honest. It's called
the flesh. Paul was honest here. Let's look
what Paul said. I would to God that you and I
could be honest. I've been amazed at looking at
this passage of scripture. I mean, even people said, well,
this was Paul before he was saved. No. No, this is Paul after he
was saved. Before he was saved, he was a
stranger to this kind of thinking. He didn't have any idea what
any of this meant. But when God saved him, you see,
when God saves a man, you know what he finds out? He finds out
God is God, and he finds out that he's a sinner. And that's
what Paul found out about himself. Now look, beginning in verse
14 of Romans chapter seven, for we know that the law is spiritual,
but I am carnal, sold under sin, a slave to sin. He's talking
about his fallen human nature, a slave to sin. For that which I do, I allow
not. I don't approve of it. What I
would, what I desire to do, I don't do. But what I hate, what in
my heart I hate, disobedience to God, sin, that do I. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Oh, the law is good.
Now it's no more I that do it. It's not the new man, but the
old man, the sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me
that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. For to will is
present with me. I desire to never sin again. I desire to be perfectly obedient
in word, thought, and deed. That's the very desire of my
heart. I would never sin again. These things I write unto you
that you sin not. I would. The good that I would, I do not,
but the, well for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth
no good thing, for to will is present with me. But look what,
but how to perform that which is good, I find not. He doesn't say I mess up sometimes
and make mistakes, he says I don't find it. I don't find it at all. For the good that I would, I
do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that
which I would not, it's no more I that do it. But sin that dwelleth
in me, I find then a law, a principle, that when I would do good, evil
is present with me. For I delight in the law of God
after the inward man, God's holy law, I delight in it. But I see
another law in my members, warrants. against the law of my mind and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my
members. Oh, wretched man that I not was,
but am. Who shall deliver me from this
body of death? I remember talking to a lady
once about this and she said, it's time to get out of Romans 7 and
into Romans 8. You ain't never been in Romans
7 and you know nothing about Romans 8. How does Paul answer this? I
thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind
I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of
sin. One of these days we're not going to have to deal with
this anymore. Now, two things I'd like to say to you about
Roman 7. Number one, or three things. Number one is true, isn't
it? Don't you find that true to your experience, Romans chapter
7? It's true. Number two, if you didn't have
this, how quickly you'd forget Christ? How quickly? Number three, the
time's coming when you're not going to have to deal with it
anymore. Isn't that wonderful? The time is coming when you'll
never have to deal with it again. You know, when we're in glory,
We're not even going to remember what it's like to be a sinner.
We won't remember our sins. We won't remember what it's like
to feel guilt, shame. We'll be without sin, perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ, but we're still going to see
his wounds on his body. And we're going to know that
the only reason we're there and the only reason we're that way
is because of him. We'll be sure of that. Now, second
Corinthians chapter two, Got two more, 2 Corinthians 2. Verse 14. Now, thanks be unto
God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. and maketh manifest the savor
of his knowledge by us in every place. Now, do you hear what
that verse of scripture said? Thanks be unto God, which always
causes us to triumph in Christ. I've heard of people living a
defeated Christian life. You've heard that phrase too.
They're living a defeated Christian life. And I imagine I can see
where that thinking comes from because believers can act so
much like unbelievers and live so far below what they ought
to live. You know that, don't you? And
I can see where people could think something like that, but
we ought not ever say it because what does the scripture say?
Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. There's no such thing as a defeated
Christian life, because we are more than conquerors through
him that loved us. And so no matter what is going
on, you know, I think it's funny when you see in movies people
say, I'm a winner. I'm a winner. You know, even when everything's
bad, I'm a winner. You convince yourself you're a winner. I'm
a winner. I'm not a loser. I'm a winner. Well, no, you're a loser. Face
it. But in Christ, in Christ, I always
triumph. Always. Can you thank God from the bottom
of your heart for that? Last one we're going to look
at is in 1 Corinthians 15. Now, these bodies of ours are
going to die. We're going to die. I don't know,
we might have 20 years, might have 50 years, might have a week.
Maybe just a couple of days, I don't know, but we're going
to die. And there isn't anybody that doesn't have a bit of uncertainty
regarding that. And if you're young, particularly,
you're young, you think, well, there's all kinds of things I
want to experience before I die. And I understand that, but it
ain't that big a deal, let me tell you. It's not. I mean, you
know, you think of all this stuff, well, you know, it's... But everybody,
no matter who they are, you know, there's a certain fear of death. Hebrews 2.14 says, He delivered
them who through fear of death all their lifetime were subject
to bondage. There's a certain fear of death. I mean, for the
unknown of it, I've not experienced dying. And maybe for the twins
of, what if I'm deceived? What if I think I'm a believer
and I find out then I'm not? I remember when I preached, not
that long ago out of Matthew 7 on, not everyone that sayeth
to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he
that doeth the will of my Father in heaven. Many shall say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name
and all that? And I don't know how many people came up to me
and said, I'm afraid I'm not saved. And when I read that passage
of scripture, that's the first thing that comes to my mind.
What if I'm not saved? What if I've deceived myself?
And I understand, I think that at some point, I don't know how
to explain this, but I have full assurance of faith And every
day I think, what if I'm not saved? If you can explain that
to me, please do. I have full assurance of faith.
I know I'm one of the Lord's elect. I know I'm a believer.
I believe on Christ. And yet there's not a time that
goes, there's not a day that goes by when I'll think something,
do something, feel something, think, how could a believer do
that? So we're all to some extent afraid of death, but listen to
scripture in verse 50. Now this I say, brethren, 1 Corinthians
15. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God, this fallen human nature, neither does corruption
inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery,
something we could never know unless God was pleased to make
it known. We shall not all sleep. But we
shall all, every one of God's elect, all those for whom Christ
died, all who believe, we shall all be changed in a moment. In the twinkling of an eye at
the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible. And we shall be changed, for
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death
is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. That's
the cause of death. And the strength of sin is the
law. You know what proves that you
and I are sinners? The law. The law. That's the strength
of sin. And you put somebody under the
law, trying to restrain sin, all it's going to do is make
them worse. Every time. That's the nature of things.
But thank God, the sting has been taken away because the sin
has been taken away. And the law has been satisfied
and done away with. The strength of death is sin
and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor
is not vain in the Lord. Death is a homecoming. You know,
I love the way When the Lord talks about entering into heaven,
he says, when you enter into life, when you enter into life, this
is not life. It's not life. When you enter
into life. I'm sorry. I've got to continue
it tonight, but there's no way I could get all those scriptures
in one morning. And I understand some people
drive far and can't make it back, but we're going to continue this
thought tonight. Let's pray together.