Give Thanks

Give Thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1. The Context - We believe this may be Paul’s first letter. Acts 17 - After around a month of ministry in Thessaloniki, many believed in Jesus and a church was planted. The enemies of the Gospel spread lies that the Christians were planning to overthrow Caesar. This brought a persecution that forced Paul and his team to escape the city to save their lives. - Paul was concerned about the young church, but Timothy brought a report that they were doing great, so Paul wrote this letter. - Paul celebrates their faithfulness and addresses their common suffering. Persecution did not stop them. - Paul encourages them to holy living - hard work, generosity, love for one another - He reminds them that Jesus is returning and we will be with Him forever. - There are 3 prayers for the church emphasizing the importance of prayer in the life of the church. - Here is the most important factor to consider when looking at this verse: Paul modeled a life of Gratitude in extremely difficult circumstances!!!
 2. The Command In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. - In -This is instruction for us during our time of suffering. Not after when we can see how it worked out for good. - He does not say “For” - In suffering we give thanks - - What can we give thanks for in suffering? Inside of each circumstance, we need to realize some overarching truths that define our reality! No matter how bad life gets, we can hold onto Hope that: - God is in control - Isaiah 14:24 The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, - There is a purpose - Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - Suffering is temporary - 2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, - There will be justice - Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. - It will result in our good - Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - God will be glorified. - Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. - Paul is speaking to brand new Christians in 1 Thessalonians, one of his first letters. He instructs them about the importance of giving thanks IN every thing. In Ephesians, Paul adds to this thought of giving thanks IN everything. Paul spent over 2 years in Ephesus and he wrote back to the church at the end of his ministry to mature Christians. (It is one of his last letters) He tells them Give thanks FOR every thing - Eph. 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
When you have walked with God, you can look back and thank Him for bad things that happened because you can see the good they brought in your life. 
 - every thing - In Romans 8 Paul gives a list of all the things the early church endured for the cause of Christ: - Tribulation (2347) (thlipsis from thlibo = to crush, press together, squash, hem in, compress, squeeze in turn derived from thláo = to break) originally expressed sheer, physical pressure on a man. It refers to troubles pressing upon someone from without, such as persecution, affliction, or tribulation. Thlipsis is a strong term which does not refer to minor inconveniences, but to real hardships. - Distress (4730) (stenochoria [word study] from stenos = narrow + chôra = place) is literally a narrow space and figuratively describes the "tight places" believers have to go through. Stenochoria has in view the distress which arises from within (usually caused by thlipsis), such as anguish or discomfort. The picture is of a person finding themselves in a tight corner without the possibility of escape, this severe confinement or constriction causing anguish or severe distress. - Persecution (1375) (diogmos from dioko = to pursue) means to put to flight or to pursue with repeated acts of enmity. Intentional act of our enemy. 
 - Famine (3042)(limos from leipo = destitute) means to fall short, be destitute or be in need) can refer to a literal hunger or famine, and in a metaphoric sense one’s mind might be said to be “hungry, starved.” Starved of peace, love, joy… - Nakedness (1132) (gumnótes from gumnos  = naked) means to be destitute of convenient or decent clothing suggests indecency on parade. Embarrassment, humiliation Slaughter (4967)(sphage from  sphazo = to slay) literally means to slaughter) by cutting or slashing the throat. - Death (2288) (thanatos from thnesko = to die) literally describes the physical separation of the soul (the spiritual part) from the body (the material part), the latter ceasing to function and turning to dust (but one day to be glorified). - Life (2222) (zoe) is the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body. But life! Ah, life is so much more difficult than death!- life with its burdens, its bitternesses, its disappointments, its uncertainties; often with its physical miseries, -as Job said, "My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than these my bones.” - Angels (32) (aggelos/angelos) - Principalities (746) (arche [word study]) means the first ones, preeminent one or leaders. - Things present (1764) (enistemi from en = in, with + hístemi = to stand, to set, to place) - Things to come (3195) (mello) to be about to or about to be. - Height (5313) (hupsoma) Freiberg adds that hupsoma can refer to "the (created) sphere above the earth in which supernatural powers rule (the) height, world on high. - Depth (899) (bathos) literally indicates a deep place. - Created thing (2937) (ktisis from ktizo = create, form or found) - The context of these descriptions of the “things” we face is found in Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - None of the “things” we face can separate us from God’s love for us or our love for Him if we are His children. 
 - give thanks - - The word gratitude comes from the same root word as grace (charis). If we have experienced the grace of God, then we ought to be grateful for what God brings to us. 
Thank and think also come from the same root word. If we would think more, we would thank more. - The Hebrew word for Thanks - Yada - Cast Praise - To Confess or admit - Thanks is simply admitting the truth that God is good no matter what our circumstances. That He has a plan. That He is in control. That His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. That His promises are true. - (to God) - Over 30 times Paul addresses thanks to God! - All good things come from God. - He is the God of all grace.
 - for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. - We are told it is God’s will for us to give thanks in all things, to suffer, to Love God and others, to be sanctified (holy, set apart), to avoid the works of the flesh. - Ultimately God reveals His will for our lives in Scripture. - Our focus should not be on the secret or hidden will of God… that matters, but our focus should be on the revealed will of God. - If we are not giving thanks, why would we obey God’s will in another area of our lives even if God revealed it to us? Application: Our Faith, not feeling, drives our gratitude. We have a choice to make. And this choice has the power to alter our experience: We can focus on what we Lack
 OR We can focus on what we Have When we focus on what we lack, we feel: Inferior: Overwhelmed: Depressed: Contrary: Victimized: When we focus on what we have, we feel: Satisfied: Confident: Happy: Positive Blessed: When we give thanks, we admit that we have so much better than we deserve and we trust God to supply our needs. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.