2. True thankfulness should be a mark of God’s community.
Look at the way of life exhibited by the early church:
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 46-47)
How many times have we overlooked the “glad and sincere hearts” mentioned in the Scripture? Happiness is not a duty required by God, it’s the result of new life in Christ! You don’t have to get very far into the fruit of the Spirit to see the role of thankfulness in producing love, joy and peace.
3. A good defense against holiday stress is a good Thanksgiving sermon.
For example, you can refer to this excellent article from WebMD, Boost Your Health With a Dose of Gratitude. The title of this secular article could be the title of a Thanksgiving sermon! It’s no surprise that God’s way is the good way. Preach the benefits of a thankful heart to both body and soul, even for the simple everyday things around us. Remind your flock: It doesn’t matter if you repeat yourself some days—some things are worth giving thanks for every single day. God’s people should be a thankful people.
A thankful heart is a heart awake to God’s goodness. It lives in the constant wonder of his first judgment about the world: “It is good.” Let the world overflow with thanksgiving. The thankful heart speaks the language of heaven.
You can capture your congregation’s attention by preaching a deep thanksgiving semon. By doing so, you will serve them well, and maybe even make December a happier, and more godly, place around your church.
