1 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:08,920 December 8th, two Sundays from today, 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,720 we are gonna have a Springhouse Christmas party 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,640 and it's gonna be great and we want you to be here, okay? 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,060 So here's what's going on. 5 00:00:16,060 --> 00:00:17,880 We are gonna have regular service. 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:19,080 It's actually gonna be the 12. 7 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:20,200 The 12 is gonna move in here, 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,840 but it'll be a regular service in the nine o'clock hour. 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,440 And then at 1030, we have a special guest 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,280 who's gonna come and do some things for us 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,240 that you won't wanna miss in the 1030 gathering. 12 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,400 And then immediately following that from 12 to two, 13 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,520 we're gonna feed you lunch, we've got games, prizes, 14 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,120 all types of things in store for you. 15 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,340 A rock climb, it's gonna be really great. 16 00:00:39,340 --> 00:00:41,480 It's time for us to fellowship and hang out 17 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:42,620 and be together. 18 00:00:42,620 --> 00:00:44,840 One of the reasons we do this is because 19 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,840 who loves to be so busy during this season? 20 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:48,460 Anybody just love packing their calendar 21 00:00:48,460 --> 00:00:50,260 and every night being full, right? 22 00:00:50,260 --> 00:00:52,080 One of the reasons, that was a big laugh. 23 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:53,440 Was that Vonda? 24 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,320 Okay, it was, she has not ashamed, right? 25 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:57,360 Here's the thing. 26 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,320 I know Vonda doesn't like packing her calendar out. 27 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,240 But what we do is instead of having 28 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,000 42 different Christmas parties 29 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:05,760 for all the ministries you're connected to, 30 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,160 we just do it all in one day and we all do it together. 31 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:09,380 And we have a great time. 32 00:01:09,380 --> 00:01:10,680 Does that sound good? 33 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,440 So December 8th, bring a friend, 34 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:13,320 we're gonna have plenty of food. 35 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:14,560 It's gonna be a great time. 36 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,640 I want you to be a part of that. 37 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,880 And then our annual Carols by Candlelight 38 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,880 is going to be on Friday, December 22nd, 20th. 39 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,860 It's on a Friday this year. 40 00:01:25,860 --> 00:01:27,260 We traditionally do it on Wednesday. 41 00:01:27,260 --> 00:01:28,760 It's moving to a Friday this year. 42 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,800 Make plans to be a part of that. 43 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,360 Man, it just, it's part of the year 44 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,220 that really sets in getting slot in to Christmas Day. 45 00:01:37,220 --> 00:01:40,420 All right, so with no further ado, 46 00:01:40,420 --> 00:01:43,600 I want to, we're gonna, Thanksgiving is Thursday. 47 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,100 I think that's happening, right? 48 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:47,420 And Pastor Will Sevier is gonna come 49 00:01:47,420 --> 00:01:48,280 bring the word this morning. 50 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,120 Would you guys welcome Pastor Will? 51 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,040 What a day! 52 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:58,960 It's good to be up here. 53 00:01:58,960 --> 00:01:59,800 So praise the Lord. 54 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,260 Would you stand? 55 00:02:01,260 --> 00:02:05,040 Stretch your feet, get ready to vocalize. 56 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,220 This is, you might be surprised to know, 57 00:02:07,220 --> 00:02:12,220 this is my favorite part of the service each week. 58 00:02:12,220 --> 00:02:14,100 When I was a kid, I have memories 59 00:02:14,100 --> 00:02:16,500 of reading scripture together and also singing together 60 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:18,900 when there's not a sound system 61 00:02:18,900 --> 00:02:20,280 and you can hear all the voices 62 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,060 and there's something powerful about that. 63 00:02:22,060 --> 00:02:24,020 And that's what I love about getting 64 00:02:24,020 --> 00:02:25,580 to read God's word together. 65 00:02:25,580 --> 00:02:27,880 God's word, there's a lot of things that I might say today 66 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,660 that are finite and some of them might even be problematic. 67 00:02:31,660 --> 00:02:34,300 You can just let those go. 68 00:02:34,300 --> 00:02:37,740 But you know, God's word cannot return void. 69 00:02:37,740 --> 00:02:39,000 So let's read together. 70 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,420 We're gonna read from, where's my little, 71 00:02:42,420 --> 00:02:43,260 I knew I had it. 72 00:02:43,260 --> 00:02:45,060 Also, I'm new at this. 73 00:02:45,060 --> 00:02:48,500 So if I make a fool of myself trying to click the next thing 74 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:49,780 all the others are so good at it. 75 00:02:49,780 --> 00:02:52,820 They're like ahead of time and they're making it happen. 76 00:02:52,820 --> 00:02:55,680 But we're gonna read together from Matthew, 77 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,100 from Matthew's gospel. 78 00:02:57,100 --> 00:03:01,420 And then following that up, we will read a short section 79 00:03:01,420 --> 00:03:06,420 from Paul's first epistle to the church at Thessalonica. 80 00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:08,380 So read with me. 81 00:03:08,380 --> 00:03:14,220 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. 82 00:03:14,220 --> 00:03:18,380 Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 83 00:03:18,380 --> 00:03:20,900 Great crowds came to him, 84 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:24,300 bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, 85 00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:28,740 the mute and many others and laid them at his feet. 86 00:03:28,740 --> 00:03:30,540 And he healed them. 87 00:03:30,540 --> 00:03:34,660 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, 88 00:03:34,660 --> 00:03:37,860 the crippled made well, the lame walking 89 00:03:37,860 --> 00:03:39,860 and the blind seeing. 90 00:03:39,860 --> 00:03:43,300 And they praised the God of Israel. 91 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:46,900 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 92 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:49,780 "I have compassion for these people. 93 00:03:49,780 --> 00:03:52,800 They have already been with me three days 94 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,780 and have nothing to eat. 95 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:58,040 I do not want to send them away hungry 96 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,620 or they may collapse on the way." 97 00:04:00,620 --> 00:04:05,340 His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread 98 00:04:05,340 --> 00:04:09,600 in this remote place to feed such a crowd? 99 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,220 How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. 100 00:04:13,220 --> 00:04:17,900 "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish." 101 00:04:17,900 --> 00:04:21,460 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 102 00:04:21,460 --> 00:04:24,940 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish. 103 00:04:24,940 --> 00:04:27,300 And when he had given thanks, 104 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:31,020 he broke them and gave them to the disciples. 105 00:04:31,020 --> 00:04:33,740 And they in turn to the people, 106 00:04:33,740 --> 00:04:37,000 they all ate and were satisfied. 107 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,340 Afterward, the disciples picked up seven basketfuls 108 00:04:41,340 --> 00:04:44,220 of broken pieces that were left over. 109 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,840 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, 110 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:53,740 warn those who are idle and disruptive. 111 00:04:53,740 --> 00:04:56,060 Encourage the disheartened. 112 00:04:56,060 --> 00:04:57,620 Help the weak. 113 00:04:57,620 --> 00:04:59,800 Be patient with everyone. 114 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:04,540 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, 115 00:05:04,540 --> 00:05:08,580 but always strive to do what is good for each other 116 00:05:08,580 --> 00:05:10,640 and for everyone else. 117 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,180 Rejoice always, pray continually, 118 00:05:14,180 --> 00:05:16,960 give thanks in all circumstances, 119 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,760 for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 120 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:23,920 Father, I thank you for your word. 121 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,880 It has power. 122 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,740 It brings about change in our lives. 123 00:05:29,740 --> 00:05:31,700 And Lord, I ask that you speak to us 124 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:34,340 and that we would be not just hearers, 125 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:35,480 but hearers and doers, 126 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,540 hearers in allowing your word to take a deep root in us. 127 00:05:39,540 --> 00:05:41,140 In Jesus' name, amen. 128 00:05:41,140 --> 00:05:42,080 You may be seated. 129 00:05:44,140 --> 00:05:44,980 Amen. 130 00:05:44,980 --> 00:05:49,740 Does this hurt anything if I move a little closer? 131 00:05:49,740 --> 00:05:51,540 Is that okay? 132 00:05:51,540 --> 00:05:53,700 All right, I kind of want the Bible in front of me. 133 00:05:53,700 --> 00:05:57,360 So who in here remembers what Pastor Justin said 134 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,580 about bringing a physical Bible to church 135 00:05:59,580 --> 00:06:00,820 and how he likes it? 136 00:06:00,820 --> 00:06:02,540 He likes to bring a physical Bible. 137 00:06:02,540 --> 00:06:04,760 Did that resonate with anybody else? 138 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,340 This is not a shame thing. 139 00:06:06,340 --> 00:06:08,840 But if you brought your Bible, can we see it? 140 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:11,160 Yeah, this is pretty cool. 141 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:12,820 Let's go is right. 142 00:06:12,820 --> 00:06:14,420 Come on, Pastor. 143 00:06:14,420 --> 00:06:15,580 Yeah, this is cool. 144 00:06:15,580 --> 00:06:17,740 So it's not to shame anybody. 145 00:06:17,740 --> 00:06:19,980 It was just a challenge. 146 00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:21,300 Challenges are good. 147 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:23,440 We should be challenged. 148 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,320 If you're not being challenged on a regular basis, 149 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:27,620 maybe you're not listening. 150 00:06:27,620 --> 00:06:32,220 Yeah, especially if you take a challenge 151 00:06:32,220 --> 00:06:35,500 and you study and pray about it on your own, 152 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:38,180 and then you'll find that the Holy Spirit does the rest. 153 00:06:38,180 --> 00:06:41,220 Here I am again, late pushing the button. 154 00:06:41,940 --> 00:06:42,900 (laughs) 155 00:06:42,900 --> 00:06:45,340 And I'm not at all saying if you use your phone 156 00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:48,020 and the app on your phone or an app on a tablet is bad, 157 00:06:48,020 --> 00:06:49,080 it's really not bad at all. 158 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,640 In fact, it's a really good thing if you read it. 159 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,380 But there's a nostalgia for me 160 00:06:55,380 --> 00:06:57,740 about going to church with my dad. 161 00:06:57,740 --> 00:07:00,740 And my dad was like, when I was young, a hero to me. 162 00:07:00,740 --> 00:07:06,100 And so I remember lots of naps during the sermon 163 00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:07,540 laying my head on his leather. 164 00:07:07,540 --> 00:07:10,540 And my dad gave me this Bible cover, 165 00:07:10,540 --> 00:07:13,460 and it's very similar to the one he used to have. 166 00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:16,320 So that makes me, that's like a connection for me. 167 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,580 Anyway, some of our most faithful brothers and sisters 168 00:07:20,580 --> 00:07:23,660 use the app on the phone. 169 00:07:23,660 --> 00:07:25,460 I do it quite a lot. 170 00:07:25,460 --> 00:07:26,660 And there's no judgment there. 171 00:07:26,660 --> 00:07:29,140 And it's just a challenge for you right now 172 00:07:29,140 --> 00:07:31,060 to dig into the Word on your own. 173 00:07:31,060 --> 00:07:33,680 And if you're too busy to dig into the Word, 174 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,180 you should lay something down. 175 00:07:35,180 --> 00:07:39,140 It's Thanksgiving week. 176 00:07:39,140 --> 00:07:40,180 Anybody else excited? 177 00:07:40,180 --> 00:07:41,700 I'm excited. 178 00:07:41,700 --> 00:07:44,340 This holiday is not a surprise to most of you. 179 00:07:44,340 --> 00:07:47,080 You're ready for Thursday or you wanna be ready. 180 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:48,500 If you're the one cooking, 181 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,460 raise your hand if you're the one cooking. 182 00:07:50,460 --> 00:07:52,300 Yeah, there's a lot to do, right? 183 00:07:52,300 --> 00:07:53,260 There's a lot to do. 184 00:07:53,260 --> 00:07:55,860 But I tell you, for everyone, 185 00:07:55,860 --> 00:07:58,260 we're looking forward to the food and I am with you. 186 00:07:58,260 --> 00:08:03,220 There's lots of Thanksgiving scenes and tropes 187 00:08:03,220 --> 00:08:05,740 or different things that we have in our mind 188 00:08:05,740 --> 00:08:06,680 when it comes to Thanksgiving, 189 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,680 the memories and depictions of Thanksgiving meals. 190 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,320 But it always involves the food. 191 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:14,440 Isn't it great? 192 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,600 And then gathering around a table or a series of tables, 193 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,360 spending time with your family, the food. 194 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,480 Did I say the food? 195 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,080 Visiting with loved ones. 196 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:30,600 Yeah, this is my family. 197 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,140 The Severes Thanksgiving from last year, 198 00:08:35,140 --> 00:08:37,660 which, yeah, you can tell which one's me, 199 00:08:37,660 --> 00:08:39,700 but there's quite a few of us. 200 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:40,940 If you looked really close, 201 00:08:40,940 --> 00:08:43,620 you'd recognize some other people that are in this room. 202 00:08:43,620 --> 00:08:44,660 But I love my family. 203 00:08:44,660 --> 00:08:45,960 I won't be able to be there this year 204 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,000 because what happens with family? 205 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,100 Sometimes you're in Tennessee 206 00:08:50,100 --> 00:08:52,180 and this week we're gonna be in South Carolina. 207 00:08:52,180 --> 00:08:54,980 So that's just part of life and family. 208 00:08:54,980 --> 00:08:56,100 So this is my family. 209 00:08:56,100 --> 00:09:00,060 But trying not to talk about politics at the table 210 00:09:00,060 --> 00:09:03,400 and then finding yourself talking about politics 211 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:04,240 at the table. 212 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:06,480 The food. 213 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,460 You know, I am a vegetarian. 214 00:09:10,460 --> 00:09:12,380 Yeah, I know. 215 00:09:12,380 --> 00:09:13,280 I know. 216 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:14,560 We're gonna leave that. 217 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:16,220 You guys can talk about it later. 218 00:09:16,220 --> 00:09:22,400 But turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, anybody, 219 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:23,780 all the pies. 220 00:09:23,780 --> 00:09:27,120 Having to share a meal 221 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,320 with that one interesting family member 222 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,700 that is kind of strange and you don't love so much. 223 00:09:33,660 --> 00:09:35,920 Of course, if you don't have somebody like that 224 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:37,600 in your family, it might be you. 225 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:42,360 Listen, I asked my family, 226 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,080 I learned a long time ago that I was the weird one. 227 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,160 And yeah, and I just embrace it 228 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,360 and then it doesn't hurt my feelings one bit. 229 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:54,020 Let me give you a few interesting and quirky facts 230 00:09:54,020 --> 00:09:57,680 about the US holiday of Thanksgiving. 231 00:09:57,680 --> 00:09:59,480 Much of what we know of the first 232 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,320 of what we call Thanksgiving as a meal 233 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,640 on this continent would have been between the pilgrims 234 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:09,220 and the natives after the first harvest in 1621. 235 00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:14,220 Now, this is a relatively recent thing. 236 00:10:14,220 --> 00:10:16,320 When we read the stories in scripture, 237 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:22,900 they're between 2,000 and 6,000 or more years old. 238 00:10:22,900 --> 00:10:25,180 I mean, it happened a while ago. 239 00:10:25,180 --> 00:10:29,040 And this first Thanksgiving meal 240 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:30,740 that we call it on this continent, 241 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,220 that's only 403 years ago. 242 00:10:33,220 --> 00:10:34,760 That's compared comparatively. 243 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,040 It's kind of a, you know, it's not that long ago. 244 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,240 The information about this first Thanksgiving 245 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:41,880 has grown into legend. 246 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,240 That's not a bad thing, but sometimes we kind of, 247 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,400 you know, when you tell a story 248 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,440 and sometimes by the time you've told it three or four times 249 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,480 I'm like this, Tisha gives me a hard time. 250 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,080 That's Tisha right there. 251 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:53,860 She's my favorite human. 252 00:10:53,860 --> 00:10:55,000 I'm embarrassing her. 253 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,800 I love you very much. 254 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,280 But yeah, she gives me a hard time about embellishment. 255 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,840 I get it from my mother and she's amazing. 256 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,000 So why is that a bad thing? 257 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,920 But when we tell stories, sometimes they grow a little bit 258 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:10,080 and it's not on purpose. 259 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:11,320 It just is. 260 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:15,160 So what we're fairly sure of from this first, 261 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,420 it was a harvest and they were grateful for what they had. 262 00:11:18,420 --> 00:11:22,120 And they gave, they gave what they had 263 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,360 when they ate together and they gave thanks to God. 264 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,260 And apparently they did not eat turkey. 265 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,400 President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving 266 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,840 a national holiday in 1863. 267 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,880 Think about what was happening during that time. 268 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,320 There are four towns in the United States 269 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:40,820 that are named Turkey. 270 00:11:40,820 --> 00:11:43,880 Yeah, yeah. 271 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,080 And apparently some of us are from not far from here 272 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,640 or have lived there and yeah, 273 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:55,480 Turkey Creek, Arizona, Turkey Creek, Louisiana, 274 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,140 Turkey, North Carolina. 275 00:11:57,140 --> 00:11:57,980 You ever been there? 276 00:11:57,980 --> 00:11:58,960 Haven't. 277 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,960 And the alliterative Turkey, Texas, 278 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,860 which Texas is kind of shaped like a turkey, right? 279 00:12:05,860 --> 00:12:06,700 The feathers and all that. 280 00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:08,340 It works. 281 00:12:08,340 --> 00:12:09,520 It works. 282 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,920 My friend Melanie always called her, 283 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,140 referred to her sons as turkeys when they were growing up. 284 00:12:15,140 --> 00:12:17,600 And she would, yeah, you've heard this, haven't you? 285 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,660 She would say he may be a turkey, but he's my turkey. 286 00:12:20,660 --> 00:12:22,560 Very funny. 287 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:27,380 The tradition of football on Thanksgiving day, 288 00:12:27,380 --> 00:12:31,680 it began only 13 years after Lincoln declared the holiday. 289 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:33,680 And they were collegiate games of course. 290 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:38,200 And professional football started in 1920 291 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,080 on Thanksgiving day. 292 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:41,520 It's kind of neat. 293 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:42,720 Most of us eat. 294 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,560 We spend time with those who are important to us. 295 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:47,840 We might even carry some gratitude in our heart, 296 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:48,720 but for the most part, 297 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,000 we don't actually observe Thanksgiving. 298 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,240 We get together and eat. 299 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,740 And most often we don't actually give thanks. 300 00:12:56,740 --> 00:12:58,280 So that's my challenge today. 301 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,900 I really thought I was going somewhere else 302 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:02,840 about halfway through the week. 303 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:07,120 And then the Lord kind of rocked the boat 304 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,480 and I'm going in this direction. 305 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,040 And I was going to focus a little bit on, you know, 306 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,080 how thankful we are for what we've walked through 307 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:15,940 as a family. 308 00:13:15,940 --> 00:13:20,600 And then I realized the story's not supposed to be about me 309 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:21,440 and about us. 310 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:22,520 It's supposed to be about the Lord 311 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:23,700 and his challenge for us today. 312 00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:24,900 So that's my challenge. 313 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,300 Sometimes we forget the giving part of Thanksgiving. 314 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:30,780 It's a word of action. 315 00:13:30,780 --> 00:13:35,120 It shouldn't be just a noun. 316 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:36,160 We should make it a verb. 317 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:37,720 Now, Ben, are you in the room? 318 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,260 Mr. Dudley, I do not teach grammar. 319 00:13:41,260 --> 00:13:42,780 Anybody else in here teach grammar? 320 00:13:42,780 --> 00:13:43,620 Anybody teach? 321 00:13:43,620 --> 00:13:44,800 I do not teach grammar. 322 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,320 But think about it like this. 323 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,400 If you change Thanksgiving from a noun to a verb, 324 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,340 it might add some nuance to your week. 325 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,260 Yesterday was the Pelphrey Thanksgiving in Calhoun, Georgia. 326 00:13:58,260 --> 00:14:01,880 And I can't help but think about Tisha's Pawpaw. 327 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,360 So I'm going to tell you a story. 328 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:04,920 And by the way, I have a story for everything. 329 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:05,960 So please forgive me. 330 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:10,680 Pawpaw's name was Bradley Pelphrey. 331 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:11,600 And he's with the Lord. 332 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,560 He's been deceased now for over 11 years. 333 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:16,680 But one Thanksgiving meal, 334 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:18,260 after I'd been in the family a little bit, 335 00:14:18,260 --> 00:14:19,280 Tisha knows this story 336 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,840 'cause I tell the same stories over and over again. 337 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,480 And she was there too. 338 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,040 He asked me to pray over the Thanksgiving meal. 339 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,640 And it was like, 340 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,520 it was like finally being accepted into the Pelphrey family. 341 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:34,840 It was amazing. 342 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:36,600 And so I wanted to do it right. 343 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,280 I wanted to bring, 344 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,080 Justin, I wanted to bring the prayer. 345 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,080 I wanted to, you know, come on. 346 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,800 So I prayed this elaborate prayer. 347 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,900 And when I got to the amen, he had this look. 348 00:14:48,900 --> 00:14:53,080 (congregation laughing) 349 00:14:53,780 --> 00:14:55,480 And he was like, we're ready to eat. 350 00:14:55,480 --> 00:15:00,220 So not all of us are gifted with short prayers. 351 00:15:00,220 --> 00:15:02,840 And Tisha's brother, Jason, 352 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,800 has given me a hard time about it ever since. 353 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:05,800 And it actually took a while 354 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:06,900 before they asked me to pray again. 355 00:15:06,900 --> 00:15:08,000 So that is the truth. 356 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:14,440 You might think that I'm an interesting choice 357 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,600 to speak to you this week on Thanksgiving. 358 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,560 And not just because of what Pastor Justin 359 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,920 has said about my stories. 360 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:24,080 And if you don't know this, 361 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,000 I have to tell it again because it's worth it. 362 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:27,860 Were we in the wings? 363 00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:29,400 I think we were in the wings. 364 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:30,440 And I'm trying to, and I said, 365 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,920 I was telling him a story and it was, I was in it. 366 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,040 You know, it had, you know, a story has a beginning, 367 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:37,480 a middle and an end. 368 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,140 And it has a, it's supposed to have a punch. 369 00:15:40,140 --> 00:15:41,200 It's supposed to get you somewhere. 370 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,760 And you're like, oh, that's why he told me the story. 371 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,640 And so I get all the way to the end 372 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:47,920 and I think, oh yeah, oh yeah. 373 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:49,480 And he looks at me and he goes, man, 374 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,300 that was a long walk for a short glass of water. 375 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:56,040 (congregation laughing) 376 00:15:56,040 --> 00:16:00,620 And that's a, listen, that's a really funny way of saying, 377 00:16:00,620 --> 00:16:02,380 I really wanted to listen to your story, 378 00:16:02,380 --> 00:16:04,780 but afterward I don't think it was worth my time. 379 00:16:04,780 --> 00:16:08,120 (congregation laughing) 380 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:13,420 I have, listen, I have served the local church, 381 00:16:13,420 --> 00:16:15,060 not just here, but other places. 382 00:16:15,060 --> 00:16:20,060 And I, for decades, and I studied the scriptures in school 383 00:16:20,060 --> 00:16:22,140 and I've studied ever since. 384 00:16:22,140 --> 00:16:26,460 And I do carry, you know, God's word in my heart, you know? 385 00:16:26,460 --> 00:16:30,020 And so maybe I'm not that strange of a person, 386 00:16:30,020 --> 00:16:31,760 but you don't see me up here that often. 387 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:33,760 So that's why it's a little strange. 388 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:38,760 But I worked in music ministry for 20 years. 389 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:40,040 And then for the last few years, 390 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,040 I've served as your arts outreach pastor. 391 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,940 But in those two decades, I was also for many years 392 00:16:46,940 --> 00:16:49,020 working on hundreds of productions in theater. 393 00:16:49,020 --> 00:16:51,620 And for over 50 of those productions, 394 00:16:51,620 --> 00:16:53,180 I was an actor on the stage. 395 00:16:53,180 --> 00:16:56,660 And those two parallel ministries, 396 00:16:56,660 --> 00:16:59,940 and I use that word with purpose, 397 00:16:59,940 --> 00:17:02,140 but those two parallel ministries 398 00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:04,560 is what brought me here to this appointment 399 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,140 as your arts outreach pastor. 400 00:17:06,140 --> 00:17:10,040 And I do so under the leadership of Pastor Kevin 401 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:11,860 and Pastor Barbie. 402 00:17:11,860 --> 00:17:15,100 And in 2016, Pastor Ronnie Meek asked me 403 00:17:15,100 --> 00:17:17,580 to pray about coming on staff. 404 00:17:17,580 --> 00:17:19,980 And so Tisha and I started praying about that. 405 00:17:19,980 --> 00:17:24,060 And some of you may not realize that Pastor Ronnie Meek 406 00:17:24,060 --> 00:17:29,020 is one of the finest actors around. 407 00:17:29,020 --> 00:17:31,760 And he's one of the finest actors I ever worked with. 408 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,540 And I've worked with Tony winners, 409 00:17:33,540 --> 00:17:35,660 Tony-nominated actors, Grammy winners. 410 00:17:35,660 --> 00:17:37,620 I've worked with some very talented people, 411 00:17:37,620 --> 00:17:41,180 and he is absolutely incredible. 412 00:17:41,180 --> 00:17:42,900 And I was talking to Michael Frazier 413 00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:44,500 not long after I came on staff, 414 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:47,620 and we were backstage and just discussing. 415 00:17:49,540 --> 00:17:52,220 And we were discussing a message that I saw online 416 00:17:52,220 --> 00:17:55,340 where this minister was sharing with his congregation. 417 00:17:55,340 --> 00:17:58,980 And I know sometimes when we take somebody's words 418 00:17:58,980 --> 00:18:01,340 out of context, we weren't in that room. 419 00:18:01,340 --> 00:18:04,020 I'm not, this is not degrading at all 420 00:18:04,020 --> 00:18:06,220 what this pastor said or anything, 421 00:18:06,220 --> 00:18:09,500 but this is what he said to his congregation. 422 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:13,180 And I was watching, and this minister said, 423 00:18:13,180 --> 00:18:16,940 "Your local pastors are not professional actors." 424 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,740 And I said, "Speak for your own church." 425 00:18:19,740 --> 00:18:22,700 (congregation laughing) 426 00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:26,900 Now, the point that teacher was saying is true. 427 00:18:26,900 --> 00:18:29,640 Your pastors are not pretending to believe in something 428 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:33,020 that they don't believe and hold dear deep within. 429 00:18:33,020 --> 00:18:35,160 And I've seen that over the past eight years, 430 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,500 seen different ones of your staff members 431 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:40,620 walking through very difficulties, 432 00:18:40,620 --> 00:18:42,940 very many difficult things, 433 00:18:42,940 --> 00:18:45,980 and still holding true and holding to the Lord. 434 00:18:45,980 --> 00:18:49,760 And I heard Kevin say one time, 435 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,180 "I don't know how people do it without the Lord." 436 00:18:52,180 --> 00:18:55,560 And I believe that, and I hold to that. 437 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:00,360 Today, I'll share with you what the Lord's dealing with me. 438 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:05,400 Some of my favorite pastors have all said, 439 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,900 had this in common, that they teach on what the Lord 440 00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:08,720 is teaching them. 441 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:13,440 So what that means for you is you're in for it. 442 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,700 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 443 00:19:17,700 --> 00:19:20,120 So I wanna share three main thoughts today, 444 00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:22,940 and they all kind of center around this one statement. 445 00:19:22,940 --> 00:19:26,900 We must learn to give thanks in all circumstances. 446 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:32,380 Now, naturally in the flesh, we're complainers. 447 00:19:32,380 --> 00:19:35,180 We get bitter. 448 00:19:35,180 --> 00:19:36,660 We get downhearted. 449 00:19:36,660 --> 00:19:38,560 We become self-absorbed. 450 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:41,380 We think that we are the center of our story. 451 00:19:43,180 --> 00:19:46,040 Like Justin said last week, you are not the center 452 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:46,920 of your story. 453 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:52,760 I love how Pastor Wayne gives us a direction 454 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,440 to touch your hand to your head like this and say, 455 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:56,260 "Engage." 456 00:19:56,260 --> 00:19:57,260 Remember that? 457 00:19:57,260 --> 00:20:01,060 I love that 'cause he wants us to think, 458 00:20:01,060 --> 00:20:03,820 and he wants us to allow the Lord to speak to us 459 00:20:03,820 --> 00:20:06,740 and bring our thoughts into alignment 460 00:20:06,740 --> 00:20:08,820 for what God wants to tell us. 461 00:20:08,820 --> 00:20:12,060 Well, to put it lightly, I'm not sure the material 462 00:20:12,060 --> 00:20:14,820 I have for you today is quite as heady as that. 463 00:20:14,820 --> 00:20:17,220 So if you'll put your hands over your heart, 464 00:20:17,220 --> 00:20:21,260 and if it's still beating, say, "Thank you, Lord." 465 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:27,220 We must learn to give thanks or we will become bitter. 466 00:20:27,220 --> 00:20:32,260 Bitterness, it doesn't seem to be able to hold 467 00:20:32,260 --> 00:20:36,860 the same place in us as thankfulness or gratitude. 468 00:20:36,860 --> 00:20:41,380 When one of them will choke the other one out. 469 00:20:42,380 --> 00:20:43,380 Does that make sense? 470 00:20:43,380 --> 00:20:50,220 Saying thanks or thank you can be a throwaway, a courtesy. 471 00:20:50,220 --> 00:20:52,260 Oh, thanks. 472 00:20:52,260 --> 00:20:54,500 You know, we don't even think about it. 473 00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:56,780 Many times it's sarcastic. 474 00:20:56,780 --> 00:21:01,540 I tell a story about when I was in high school, 475 00:21:01,540 --> 00:21:03,140 and John, John, are you here? 476 00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:07,100 John, my brother, who's one of my favorite people 477 00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:10,180 in the world, he finds the humor in everything. 478 00:21:10,180 --> 00:21:11,540 So I think he'll love this. 479 00:21:11,540 --> 00:21:15,260 If you don't know my brother John well enough to know, 480 00:21:15,260 --> 00:21:17,580 he is incredibly funny. 481 00:21:17,580 --> 00:21:21,220 Well, I was in high school and I found this dessert 482 00:21:21,220 --> 00:21:24,300 in the refrigerator that had the name Penny on it. 483 00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:29,780 Now, listen, my older sister had finished college. 484 00:21:29,780 --> 00:21:30,620 I'm in high school. 485 00:21:30,620 --> 00:21:33,220 She had finished college and she was back home 486 00:21:33,220 --> 00:21:35,220 maybe for a few days or for a few months 487 00:21:35,220 --> 00:21:37,900 just finding her footing and finding a job, 488 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:39,100 that kind of thing. 489 00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:44,100 And Penny would always write her name 490 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:45,700 on something that was hers. 491 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:47,860 She would write her name on her Mountain Dew. 492 00:21:47,860 --> 00:21:50,780 She would write her name on a dessert 493 00:21:50,780 --> 00:21:52,820 or something she saved for later. 494 00:21:52,820 --> 00:21:56,220 And I can neither confirm nor deny that it was I 495 00:21:56,220 --> 00:22:00,620 who ate that incredible and tasty dessert. 496 00:22:00,620 --> 00:22:05,140 But when she found it missing, she said, thanks a lot 497 00:22:05,140 --> 00:22:07,820 to the whole household 'cause she didn't, 498 00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:09,140 I wasn't gonna give up that information. 499 00:22:09,140 --> 00:22:10,380 Anyway, what information? 500 00:22:10,380 --> 00:22:19,060 But actually giving thanks is way more than a token phrase. 501 00:22:19,060 --> 00:22:25,740 With bitterness, it sets in deep. 502 00:22:25,740 --> 00:22:29,340 And how often in the flesh we lose sight 503 00:22:29,340 --> 00:22:32,380 of the blessings of the Lord and the favor of God 504 00:22:32,380 --> 00:22:35,560 only to see the negatives and to focus on that. 505 00:22:37,060 --> 00:22:38,460 I think about after the Exodus, 506 00:22:38,460 --> 00:22:42,900 how the Hebrews so quickly said, take us back to slavery 507 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:44,800 just 'cause they were missing a meal. 508 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,160 And the prophet Amos says this, 509 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,140 do horses run on rocky crags? 510 00:22:52,140 --> 00:22:54,920 Does one plow the sea with the oxen? 511 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,420 You've turned justice into poison 512 00:22:58,420 --> 00:23:00,780 and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness. 513 00:23:00,780 --> 00:23:04,300 We can do that if we allow it. 514 00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:08,700 We can change that bitterness. 515 00:23:08,700 --> 00:23:10,400 We can change. 516 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,680 Luke told us in a story in Acts, 517 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,620 and I believe we covered this earlier this year, 518 00:23:17,620 --> 00:23:19,780 Simon the sorcerer. 519 00:23:19,780 --> 00:23:23,060 Does anybody remember where the sorcerer saw that Peter 520 00:23:23,060 --> 00:23:28,060 had been performing miracles in Jesus' name? 521 00:23:28,060 --> 00:23:32,320 And he said, why don't I give you money 522 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,840 and you show me how to do those miracles? 523 00:23:35,820 --> 00:23:38,520 And Peter, have you ever gotten like righteous anger in you? 524 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,060 Like this, you can just picture Peter 525 00:23:41,060 --> 00:23:43,240 'cause the words he uses is just like out. 526 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,540 He just rebukes the guy like this, rebuke. 527 00:23:46,540 --> 00:23:48,500 Have you ever been rebuked? 528 00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:50,500 Ha ha, I have been rebuked. 529 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,000 She's smiling. 530 00:23:53,000 --> 00:24:01,500 Listen, it's not fun, but how you respond 531 00:24:01,500 --> 00:24:04,400 to the rebuke is so much more important 532 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,040 than what you said or how you stepped in it. 533 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,720 Is that, okay, all right. 534 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:10,980 So here's what Peter says to him. 535 00:24:10,980 --> 00:24:14,760 He says, may your money perish with you 536 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,160 because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. 537 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,120 You have no part or share in this ministry 538 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:25,020 because your heart is not right before God. 539 00:24:25,020 --> 00:24:28,440 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord 540 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,540 in the hope that he may forgive you 541 00:24:30,540 --> 00:24:32,660 for having such a thought in your heart. 542 00:24:33,660 --> 00:24:36,540 For I see that you are full of bitterness 543 00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:38,040 and captive to sin. 544 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:42,280 Can you picture Simon's eyes? 545 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:44,120 You know what he says? 546 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:47,800 He says, pray to the Lord for me 547 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:51,020 so that nothing you've just said will happen to me. 548 00:24:51,020 --> 00:24:57,460 If you have those Bibles, 549 00:24:57,460 --> 00:24:59,040 or even if you have an app or a tablet, 550 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:03,160 turn to Ephesians 4, 30 through 32. 551 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:08,160 Ephesians 4, lots of you can quote this. 552 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,240 It's fun to hear the pages turn. 553 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,300 All right, I'm gonna read it from the NIV. 554 00:25:16,300 --> 00:25:20,540 If you're there, say I'm there. 555 00:25:20,540 --> 00:25:24,680 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God 556 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,760 with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 557 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:32,520 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, 558 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:37,360 brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 559 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:40,380 Be kind and compassionate to one another, 560 00:25:40,380 --> 00:25:45,380 forgiving each other just as in Christ, God forgave you. 561 00:25:45,380 --> 00:25:52,000 What I find interesting in this set of verses 562 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:57,500 is that Paul makes a point to say, 563 00:25:57,500 --> 00:26:00,320 hey, let me tell you who I'm talking to right now. 564 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,200 I'm talking about the believers who are saved 565 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,280 and searching after and living for God, right? 566 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,600 I'm talking about with whom you were sealed 567 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,080 for the day of redemption. 568 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,800 You guys who are saved, true believers, right? 569 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:17,700 And then what does he say? 570 00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:19,000 Get rid of the bitterness. 571 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,600 So my question to that is, can you be a believer 572 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,300 and fallen after God and find yourself with bitterness? 573 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,720 Yeah, yeah you can. 574 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:32,480 It's right there in the scripture. 575 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:37,480 So yeah, this, excuse me, I just got off. 576 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,980 I fell off the horse, you'll have to bear with me. 577 00:26:40,980 --> 00:26:42,720 I'm gonna get back on there. 578 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,720 So yeah, bitterness, it can set in, right? 579 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:53,800 It's a daily thing that we have to lay down our flesh, 580 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,800 take up our cross and look to the Lord. 581 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,700 When I was a child, I was a terrible human. 582 00:27:00,700 --> 00:27:04,640 And I would often argue and instigate issues 583 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:05,980 with my siblings. 584 00:27:05,980 --> 00:27:09,240 So many times that my mother would quote this last verse 585 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,240 at the end of her rope, like she would like close her eyes 586 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,320 and put her hands up like this. 587 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,080 And she was quoting in the, yeah, you saw, 588 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:17,080 you've seen it, John. 589 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,020 And she's quoting from the King's English, okay? 590 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:24,780 King James version, she says, "Be ye kind one to another, 591 00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:29,120 tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, 592 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:31,740 for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you." 593 00:27:31,740 --> 00:27:35,000 And that's still in me just because of how many times 594 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:36,460 I heard her quoting. 595 00:27:36,460 --> 00:27:43,820 And I think about that, I'm like, maybe for those offspring 596 00:27:43,820 --> 00:27:46,260 I've got sitting back there with Tisha, 597 00:27:46,260 --> 00:27:48,980 maybe I should be quoting more scripture for them. 598 00:27:48,980 --> 00:27:50,800 Maybe they'll have it with them. 599 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,120 Makes me thankful for junior Bible quiz 600 00:27:55,120 --> 00:27:57,220 and teen Bible quiz. 601 00:27:57,220 --> 00:28:01,160 We have to learn to give thanks 602 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:02,780 or we will become disheartened. 603 00:28:02,780 --> 00:28:05,040 So the first one is we will become bitter 604 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,360 if we don't learn to give thanks. 605 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:09,460 And I'm convinced that the two things, 606 00:28:09,460 --> 00:28:10,760 one chokes the other one out. 607 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,840 So if we choose to give thanks in all circumstances, 608 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:15,300 the bitterness will go away. 609 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:17,240 Well, so will the disheartenment, okay? 610 00:28:18,140 --> 00:28:21,760 Have you ever known someone who has given up? 611 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:26,620 Pastor Kevin spoke on this just a few weeks ago. 612 00:28:26,620 --> 00:28:28,420 Remember the towels? 613 00:28:28,420 --> 00:28:29,560 Have you ever been there? 614 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:30,400 I have. 615 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:34,540 I remembered those moments when I held that towel up. 616 00:28:34,540 --> 00:28:37,900 And I know many of you have as well. 617 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:43,580 I'm not good at it, sorry, forgive me. 618 00:28:43,580 --> 00:28:46,680 Okay, so when you're disheartened, you don't care anymore. 619 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:52,080 You get cold, you lose your compassion, 620 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,680 you lose your heart for others. 621 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,480 Remember that story that Pastor Bruce shared with Kevin 622 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,440 about the water. 623 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,440 You have a water and the Holy Spirit has called you 624 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,160 to take that water to someone. 625 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:10,480 And when you go, there are people and needs all around 626 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,400 while you've been called to take the water to that person 627 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:14,600 and you take the water. 628 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,440 This is not what I'm talking about. 629 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,760 I'm talking about when God has given you water to give away 630 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:23,280 and you're not listening and you hold onto that water 631 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,480 and insert whatever. 632 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:31,480 Might I suggest that if you aren't doing something 633 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:33,640 for someone else on a regular basis, 634 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,080 then you're allowing yourself to become blind 635 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:37,460 to the needs around you. 636 00:29:37,460 --> 00:29:45,360 There's a story that I read about this week. 637 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:49,800 In the fall of 1929, this is the year 638 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,120 of the great stock market crash 639 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:54,560 that started the Great Depression. 640 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:58,920 And there were these pastors who met together 641 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,000 on a weekly basis and they were talking about 642 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,860 what do we, what can we do, 643 00:30:03,860 --> 00:30:07,840 how should we address Thanksgiving this year 644 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,680 with all of this financial devastation 645 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:12,180 and people losing everything? 646 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:18,140 And we do not, we're kind of pretty far removed 647 00:30:18,140 --> 00:30:19,320 from the Great Depression now. 648 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,480 We don't have an internal memory of that. 649 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,520 But all of us in this room, our grandparents 650 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,820 and great-grandparents had a connection 651 00:30:28,820 --> 00:30:30,580 to the Great Depression in some way. 652 00:30:30,580 --> 00:30:36,280 My granddaddy who lived through the Depression era, 653 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:41,200 he used to tell this story that gave us, 654 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,720 gave the children an idea of what the Great Depression 655 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:44,640 was like. 656 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,660 There was a man who was traveling through West Tennessee 657 00:30:47,660 --> 00:30:49,740 and it was in the 30s. 658 00:30:49,740 --> 00:30:52,740 So he had a car and it broke down. 659 00:30:52,740 --> 00:30:54,200 There's nothing you can do for a while. 660 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,040 You know, you have to get to a town. 661 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,120 And he was in between towns and he walked, 662 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,200 it was getting, starting to get dark. 663 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:01,960 He walked to the next farmhouse 664 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:03,320 and he knocked on the farmhouse 665 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,660 and the farmer came to the door and he said, 666 00:31:05,660 --> 00:31:08,720 "Listen, do you mind if I just stay the night in your barn? 667 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:10,760 My car broke down." 668 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,200 And the farmer would have none of it. 669 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:14,080 Invited him in, he said, 670 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,560 "Come in and wash up and eat with us." 671 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:21,460 And he sits down to eat and the farmer said, 672 00:31:21,460 --> 00:31:23,200 "Would you like some turnip greens?" 673 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,680 And he says, "No, thank you. 674 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,040 I don't care for turnip greens." 675 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,100 The farmer paused for a moment and said, 676 00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:33,820 "Would you like some salt and pepper?" 677 00:31:33,820 --> 00:31:38,380 That helped us. 678 00:31:38,380 --> 00:31:41,920 It helped us realize, oh, they had what they had. 679 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:43,600 You ate what you could get. 680 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:49,940 Okay, back to the pastor's meeting, 1929. 681 00:31:49,940 --> 00:31:51,700 So that was just a little insight, 682 00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:53,680 reminds you of the Great Depression. 683 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,160 Many of the pastors suggested that it would be an insult 684 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,440 to their congregations to focus on Thanksgiving 685 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,880 during such a difficult time. 686 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,680 One pastor opposed this notion 687 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:05,160 after many of the others had said, 688 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,760 "Well, let's just not even mention it." 689 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:11,180 And he said that this was the time 690 00:32:11,180 --> 00:32:13,540 to get into proper perspective 691 00:32:13,540 --> 00:32:16,880 and to give thanks for blessings that are always present, 692 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:18,760 blessings that seem to get suppressed 693 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:20,360 when we're in times of hardship. 694 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,460 And that resonated with the other pastors. 695 00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:27,360 The most intense moments of thankfulness 696 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,300 are not found in times of plenty. 697 00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:33,220 They're find when great difficulties abound. 698 00:32:33,220 --> 00:32:36,140 We must learn to give thanks 699 00:32:36,140 --> 00:32:38,260 or we will become self-centered. 700 00:32:38,260 --> 00:32:45,140 If you let yourself, you will be the center of your story. 701 00:32:45,140 --> 00:32:49,360 If you are the most important person in your story, 702 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:50,520 you've gotten it wrong. 703 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:54,720 How many times did Jesus warn us about that? 704 00:32:54,720 --> 00:33:00,300 Teaching us to be outward focused, do things for others. 705 00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:01,200 A little bit of homework. 706 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,320 Look through just the Sermon on the Mount 707 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,420 and count the amount of times that Jesus warns us 708 00:33:06,420 --> 00:33:09,080 to be outward focused. 709 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:12,200 Much of the Beatitudes are outward focused. 710 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:13,880 Whoever sets aside the least of these 711 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,080 is the least in the kingdom. 712 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,520 Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 713 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,480 Let your light so shine before others. 714 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:20,880 Love your enemies. 715 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:22,940 Pray for those who persecute you. 716 00:33:22,940 --> 00:33:25,140 Give to others in secret. 717 00:33:25,140 --> 00:33:26,100 Forgive others. 718 00:33:26,100 --> 00:33:30,180 And that's just from one sermon of our Lord. 719 00:33:30,180 --> 00:33:34,060 Think back to the story of the first Thanksgiving 720 00:33:34,060 --> 00:33:36,220 with the pilgrims and the natives. 721 00:33:36,220 --> 00:33:39,380 No matter how apocryphal some of those details may be, 722 00:33:39,380 --> 00:33:42,200 many of those details are quite dire. 723 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:43,740 The pilgrims had traveled here 724 00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:45,460 in search of religious freedom. 725 00:33:45,460 --> 00:33:48,380 And by that point, half of them had already died. 726 00:33:48,380 --> 00:33:50,900 So put yourself in the story. 727 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,820 Think of that first meager harvest. 728 00:33:54,820 --> 00:33:56,500 Half your family has died. 729 00:33:56,500 --> 00:33:59,780 There's no way to return to Europe, even if you wanted to. 730 00:33:59,780 --> 00:34:01,740 And things are so difficult 731 00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:02,960 that you don't know who's gonna live 732 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:04,480 through the coming winter. 733 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,220 And what did they do? 734 00:34:07,220 --> 00:34:08,620 They gave. 735 00:34:08,620 --> 00:34:09,980 They shared. 736 00:34:09,980 --> 00:34:10,820 They gave. 737 00:34:10,820 --> 00:34:13,380 They gave thanks. 738 00:34:13,380 --> 00:34:15,580 Thanks to God. 739 00:34:15,580 --> 00:34:18,220 Think of President Lincoln and the choice 740 00:34:18,220 --> 00:34:22,620 to declare the national holiday of Thanksgiving in 1863 741 00:34:22,620 --> 00:34:24,740 in the middle of the Civil War, 742 00:34:24,740 --> 00:34:26,360 when the country was in the middle of losing 743 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,360 over 600,000 men in battle, 744 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:30,960 which is more than the country lost 745 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,100 in World War I and II combined. 746 00:34:33,100 --> 00:34:36,540 In that conflict, he chose for the country 747 00:34:36,540 --> 00:34:38,140 to give thanks to God. 748 00:34:38,140 --> 00:34:39,900 Remember what Paul said, 749 00:34:39,900 --> 00:34:43,100 "Give thanks in all circumstances." 750 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:46,060 We typically give thanks quickly when things are good 751 00:34:46,060 --> 00:34:48,700 and when we have obvious blessings in favor. 752 00:34:48,700 --> 00:34:52,400 But what about the times when our circumstances are dire? 753 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,980 What about when those who are close to us pass away? 754 00:34:55,980 --> 00:34:58,020 What about when we share our faith 755 00:34:58,020 --> 00:35:00,420 with someone we love and it is rejected? 756 00:35:01,420 --> 00:35:03,020 What about when we lose our job? 757 00:35:03,020 --> 00:35:05,840 What about when we pray for healing 758 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,800 and the Lord chooses to walk us through that sickness? 759 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:12,080 What about when our surroundings aren't lining up 760 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,720 with our hopes and our dreams? 761 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:21,400 Perhaps the Apostle Paul is not saying to give thanks 762 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,080 for all your circumstances. 763 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:28,280 Perhaps he's saying to give thanks in all circumstances. 764 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,720 You can be a believer, saved, born-again Christian, 765 00:35:33,720 --> 00:35:36,800 and still walk around with a negative attitude, 766 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,640 with bitterness, complaining, 767 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,640 thinking you're the center of the story. 768 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:46,000 And when I say this, I'm saying this to all of us, 769 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:50,240 myself included, but I just want you to know 770 00:35:50,240 --> 00:35:52,460 some of us walk around with blinders on. 771 00:35:52,460 --> 00:35:55,500 It's a blind spot. 772 00:35:57,240 --> 00:35:59,560 And we're thinking of the other people 773 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,700 that Will must be talking about and not ourselves. 774 00:36:02,700 --> 00:36:09,160 It's actually up to you. 775 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:14,840 I really like what Justin said last week. 776 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:16,400 We're not the center of the story. 777 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:17,240 He is. 778 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:19,720 We're grafted into his family because of his great love. 779 00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:20,680 The choice is yours. 780 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:22,820 My mother would say, she's a coach, 781 00:36:22,820 --> 00:36:24,340 the ball is in your court. 782 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:27,600 You need to allow the Spirit of God 783 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:29,520 to change you from the inside out. 784 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:34,880 Your life in the kingdom begins when you believe, right? 785 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,520 When you make that choice. 786 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:38,640 And then you remain here in the land of the living 787 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,120 for whatever amount of time, 788 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,640 but eternity for you has begun. 789 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,500 So you can choose to walk in anger and hatred 790 00:36:46,500 --> 00:36:49,180 and bigotry and complaining, 791 00:36:49,180 --> 00:36:52,460 or you can choose to live a life of giving thanks. 792 00:36:54,540 --> 00:36:58,580 Now, how does this happen? 793 00:36:58,580 --> 00:37:01,540 What do we do about this? 794 00:37:01,540 --> 00:37:03,860 And I'm gonna say some things 795 00:37:03,860 --> 00:37:06,980 that are gonna sound pretty duh, 796 00:37:06,980 --> 00:37:11,100 but we call them spiritual disciplines. 797 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:13,700 It's how you grow as an eternal being 798 00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:15,620 while you're right here in the land of the living. 799 00:37:15,620 --> 00:37:17,040 Spiritual disciplines. 800 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:18,180 I'll list three. 801 00:37:18,180 --> 00:37:21,620 Spending time reading God's word. 802 00:37:21,620 --> 00:37:24,040 Spending time in prayer. 803 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:25,840 At the feet. 804 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:30,020 Spending time in fellowship with other believers. 805 00:37:30,020 --> 00:37:34,740 Now, what's the recurring theme? 806 00:37:34,740 --> 00:37:36,700 It takes time. 807 00:37:36,700 --> 00:37:40,700 If you ever tell yourself, 808 00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:42,820 oh, I don't have time for that, 809 00:37:42,820 --> 00:37:44,360 you need to lay something down. 810 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,920 I lost one of my best friends last year, 811 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,600 and Danny taught me a lot. 812 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:50,560 Yeah, you guys come on out. 813 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:52,140 Oh, you're already out, okay. 814 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:54,600 I'm so good at this. 815 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:58,600 And losing Danny was tough, 816 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,400 but in this last year plus, 817 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:03,820 as I remember the things that he told me over the years, 818 00:38:03,820 --> 00:38:08,220 one time afterward, he had been running the lyrics, 819 00:38:08,220 --> 00:38:09,780 and he came down after the service. 820 00:38:09,780 --> 00:38:11,940 I went over there and I was talking to him, 821 00:38:11,940 --> 00:38:14,440 and I said, man, I meant to call you back during the week, 822 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,240 but I had so much going on, I didn't have time. 823 00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:19,880 And he said, well, you make time for what's important. 824 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:24,100 (gentle music) 825 00:38:24,100 --> 00:38:28,080 If these three things aren't a core of who you are, 826 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:31,280 then you're being discipled by something or someone else. 827 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,360 The enemy is sly. 828 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,500 'Cause you are being discipled, 829 00:38:36,500 --> 00:38:38,220 even if you don't realize it. 830 00:38:38,220 --> 00:38:40,460 And only godly spiritual disciplines 831 00:38:40,460 --> 00:38:42,400 will change who you are for the better. 832 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:47,540 I'm asking you to be challenged 833 00:38:48,740 --> 00:38:51,020 with the giving part of Thanksgiving. 834 00:38:51,020 --> 00:38:53,360 I want you to pray about it. 835 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,900 I'm not telling you exactly what it means for you. 836 00:38:55,900 --> 00:38:58,260 I want you to pray about it. 837 00:38:58,260 --> 00:39:02,620 In the feeding of the 4,000 that we read, 838 00:39:02,620 --> 00:39:04,820 Jesus gave thanks. 839 00:39:04,820 --> 00:39:06,700 And in giving thanks for what, 840 00:39:06,700 --> 00:39:10,320 in giving thanks for what we have been blessed with, 841 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,640 God takes it and multiplies it 842 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:14,560 to go so much further than it would have been 843 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,220 if we had kept it for ourselves. 844 00:39:17,700 --> 00:39:19,440 If you remember one thing from today, 845 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,360 I want you to remember this quote from Dr. Timothy Keller. 846 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:26,820 And it's one thing to be grateful, 847 00:39:26,820 --> 00:39:28,580 it's another to give thanks. 848 00:39:28,580 --> 00:39:31,440 Gratitude is what you feel. 849 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:34,100 Thanksgiving is what you do. 850 00:39:34,100 --> 00:39:36,160 Would you stand? 851 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:46,660 It's less of an altar call type situation. 852 00:39:46,660 --> 00:39:49,620 It's more of a you've been challenged, you have homework. 853 00:39:49,620 --> 00:39:53,340 This is a go home and do things, okay? 854 00:39:53,340 --> 00:39:56,340 But if you have prayer needs this morning, 855 00:39:56,340 --> 00:39:59,220 there are elders in the room who are gonna come forward, 856 00:39:59,220 --> 00:40:00,620 are able to pray for you. 857 00:40:00,620 --> 00:40:07,740 It's very important that we're there 858 00:40:07,740 --> 00:40:09,400 for each other spiritually. 859 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:13,820 So these that are here that are ready to pray with you 860 00:40:15,300 --> 00:40:17,900 will stand there with you and pray with you. 861 00:40:17,900 --> 00:40:19,640 If you're going through a difficult time, 862 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:20,640 please come forward.