As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
(ESV)
Psalm 66… “Think of the many ways in which God has been good to His people. Review His kindnesses to your church. Recall the kindnesses that He has shown specifically to you, and then share these blessings” - David Huffstutler
“Rather than falsely maligning that first Thanksgiving, we should look at it as a model of how things should have been and by God’s grace one day will be.” - Breakpoint
“A 2020 Lifeway Research study found 67% of U.S. adults say they typically give thanks to God at Thanksgiving.” - Lifeway
“Giving thanks provides perspective. Gratitude humbles us. It crushes pride and sweeps away entitlement.” - TGC
While we are not certain of the exact date, we do know that this year marks the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving celebration in Plymouth.1
In the fall of 1621, “the 53 surviving Pilgrims and Chief Massasoit with his 90 Indian braves”2 (of the Wampanoag Tribe) came together to mark the bounty of their harvest and to give praise to God for graciously preserving them and providing for them.
“400 years of American history, coupled with the full history of the church worldwide, provides us with plenty of preaching quotes for Thanksgiving. Here is a small sampling of preaching quotes” - C.Leaders
“Listen, listen, listen. Perhaps more good evangelism than we realize starts not with speaking but with good listening. Getting to know someone well, and specifically applying the gospel to them, is huge in witness. Relationship matters.” - C.Leaders
“…if we are to be grateful (and we are), to whom should we be grateful, exactly? Karlamangla never specifies…. Maybe thanking no one in particular isn’t really gratitude.” - Breakpoint
“Brad, the pilgrim: I give thanks to the Lord that I survived, though my wife did not. The fatality rate among our party this year was 44%. Only fifty-seven of us survived until the feast day.” - Rooted Thinking
Discussion