Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Jim Rickard

Thanksgiving 2008Thanksgiving 2008

This is a time when we This is a time when we pause to give thanks to pause to give thanks to

our Lord for the our Lord for the tremendous grace He has tremendous grace He has

bestowed on us, our bestowed on us, our families and our great families and our great

nation.nation.

* Fall 1621 surviving Pilgrims give thanks to God * Fall 1621 surviving Pilgrims give thanks to God for his logistical grace over the previous year.for his logistical grace over the previous year.

* June 29 1676 declared a day of thanks.* June 29 1676 declared a day of thanks.

* Fall 1789 Pres. Washington declares Nov. 26, “be * Fall 1789 Pres. Washington declares Nov. 26, “be devoted as a day of sincere and humble thanks”.devoted as a day of sincere and humble thanks”.

* Pres. Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a Federal * Pres. Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a Federal holiday as a "prayerful day of Thanksgiving" on the holiday as a "prayerful day of Thanksgiving" on the last Thursday in November in 1863. last Thursday in November in 1863.

* President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date to the * President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date to the fourth Thursday of Nov. in 1939.fourth Thursday of Nov. in 1939.

History of ThanksgivingHistory of Thanksgiving

Biblical ThanksgivingBiblical Thanksgiving

Old Testament:Old Testament:Leviticus 7:11-21; 22:29, a special Leviticus 7:11-21; 22:29, a special offering to give thanks to God for offering to give thanks to God for

His provisions in deliverance, His provisions in deliverance, answering prayers, healing, etc. answering prayers, healing, etc.

Part of the “Peace Offering”.Part of the “Peace Offering”.

Peace - the removal of the Peace - the removal of the dividing barrier between dividing barrier between God and man, sin. Christ God and man, sin. Christ removed that barrier at removed that barrier at the Cross and there is the Cross and there is

peace between God and peace between God and the believer.the believer.

It was a communal It was a communal offering because of the offering because of the

shared meal that shared meal that crowned the sacrifice.crowned the sacrifice.

Deut 12:12, 18-19; 16:11; 27:7; 1 Deut 12:12, 18-19; 16:11; 27:7; 1 Kings 8:64-65; cf. 2 Chron 29:31; Kings 8:64-65; cf. 2 Chron 29:31; 33:16; Jer 17:26; Psa 56:12-13; 33:16; Jer 17:26; Psa 56:12-13;

107:22; 116:17-19; Jer 33:11107:22; 116:17-19; Jer 33:11

There are many passages There are many passages and hymns of and hymns of

thanksgiving found in the thanksgiving found in the Bible including Psa 100 Bible including Psa 100 and 1 Chron 16:8-36.and 1 Chron 16:8-36.

New TestamentNew Testament::

Just as when under the Just as when under the Law, thanksgiving is still Law, thanksgiving is still

a function of prayer, a function of prayer, praise, and song for the praise, and song for the Church Age believer.Church Age believer.

Eph 1:16, Eph 1:16, “I do not cease giving “I do not cease giving thanks for you, and I thanks for you, and I

make mention of you in make mention of you in my prayers.”my prayers.”

Col 1:3,Col 1:3,“We give thanks to God “We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying Jesus Christ, praying

always for you.”always for you.”

Col 4:2,Col 4:2,“Devote yourselves to “Devote yourselves to

prayer, keeping alert in it prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.”with thanksgiving.”

Phil 4:6,Phil 4:6,“Stop worrying about “Stop worrying about

anything, but in everything anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to requests be made known to

God.”God.”

Thanksgiving in the Thanksgiving in the Greek is the verb Greek is the verb

EUCHARISTEO. EUCHARISTEO. The noun The noun

EUCHARISTIA means EUCHARISTIA means thankfulness, giving of thankfulness, giving of thanks, and gratitude.thanks, and gratitude.

This is where we get our This is where we get our word for communion word for communion from, Eucharist, in from, Eucharist, in

1 Cor 11:23-26.1 Cor 11:23-26.

2 Cor 4:15,2 Cor 4:15,“For all things are for “For all things are for your sakes, so that the your sakes, so that the

grace which is spreading grace which is spreading to more and more people to more and more people may cause the giving of may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the thanks to abound to the

glory of God.”glory of God.”

2 Cor 9:15,2 Cor 9:15,“Thanks be to God for “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”His indescribable gift.”

Eph 5:20,Eph 5:20,“Always giving thanks “Always giving thanks

for all things in the name for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.”to God, even the Father.”

1 Thes 5:18,1 Thes 5:18,“In everything give “In everything give

thanks; for this is the will thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus of God in Christ Jesus

concerning you.”concerning you.”

Rev 7:12,Rev 7:12,“Amen, blessing and “Amen, blessing and

glory and wisdom and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor thanksgiving and honor and power and might, and power and might, bebe to our God forever and to our God forever and

ever. Amen."ever. Amen."

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchWednesday, November 25, 2008Wednesday, November 25, 2008

Tape # 08-086Tape # 08-086

Thanksgiving Special 2008Thanksgiving Special 2008

Lev 7:11-21; Psa 100; 1 Chron 16:8-36; 1 Cor 11:23-26Lev 7:11-21; Psa 100; 1 Chron 16:8-36; 1 Cor 11:23-26

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008