_|_ | C O P | N E T THANKSGIVING A Sunday School Lesson College Level Introduction: ------------ - In today's world "nobody" is happy; everybody complains about these bad times that we are living in; everybody talks about those "good old times", and wish they come back. - But this is not only happening these days; it has been going on all the time; it is very old in history. - Does that mean that the times kept going worse and worse since the beginning? Can that be possibly true? - There must be a problem somewhere in our understanding of "good times", then! - Times are always bad for some people because they always complain, and they are always good for those who give thanks to God. Examples of non-thanksgiving ---------------------------- - It is very old.. Since the Old Testament: Israel and the manna twice: once when they had nothing, and then when they had the manna. - Exodus 16:1-35: (Exo 16:2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. (Exo 16:8) for that the Lord heareth your murmurings and which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. (Exo 16:12) I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: ... (Exo 16:14) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon he face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. - Numbers 11:1-35: (Num 11:1) And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. (Num 11:10) Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the doors of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. (Num 11:18-20) .. for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? (Num 11:33) And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibroth hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. - Numbers 14:26-45: (Num 14:27-30) How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein. "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Rom 1:21) - There is nothing worse than wanting something but getting it. When do we grumble? ------------------ - Do we ever grouch/complain/gripe/murmur/mutter? - Do we grumble when: - we fail an exam, - we are offered food that we do not like, - the weather is bad, - we fall sick, - somebody is boring us, - the store is "unexpectedly" closed, - etc. Do we thank God otherwise? - Do we give thanks to God, when this is not the case? - Do we praise/hail/glorify/exalt/worship the Lord? - Do we give thanks when: - our car starts quickly on a cold morning, - we rush down the stairs and we do not trip off, - we enter your home after a day's work, - we celebrate our birthday, - we hear from a long-lost friend, - the weather is bad here; it must be better somewhere else, - etc. "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." (Jam 5:13) Why should we thank God? ----------------------- - In the Thanksgiving Prayer of the Coptic Orthodox Book of Prayers we say: O Master, Lord, God the Pantocrator, the Father of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we thank Thee for everything, concerning everything, and in everything. For Thou hast: * covered us, * helped us, * guarded us, * accepted us to Thee, * spared us, * supported us, and * hast brought us to this hour. - Check the Liturgy of Saint Gregory the Theologian. O Thou Who art, Master, Lord, True God of True God; Who has manifested unto us the Light of the Father; Who has granted us the true knowledge of the Holy Spirit; Who has manifested unto us this great mystery of life; Who has established the rising of choirs of the incorporeal among men; Who has given unto the earthly the praising of the Seraphim - receive from us, also, our voices, together with the invisible. Count us with the heavenly hosts. Let us also say with those, having cast away from us all the thoughts of the evil imagination, and proclaim that which they utter, with incessant voices and unfailing lips, and praise Thy greatness. Holy, Holy, O Lord, art thou in everything, and most elect is the Light of Thy Essence. Unutterable is the power of Thy wisdom, and no manner of speech can measure the depth of Thy love toward mankind. Thou, as a Lover of mankind, hast created me, a man. Thou hadst no need of my servitude, but rather, I had need of Thy Lordship. Because of the multitude of Thy tender mercies, Thou broughtest me into being, whence I was not. Thou hast raised heaven as a roof for me, and established the earth for me to walk on. For my sake, Thou has bridled the sea. For my sake, Thou hast manifested the nature of animals. Thou hast subjected all things under my feet. Thou hast not left me in need of anything of the works of Thine Honour. Thou art He Who formed me, and put me in the image of Thine authority. Thou hast put the gift of speech in me, and opened unto me the Paradise to enjoy, and hast given me the learning of Thy knowledge. - Try to enumerate "some" of the good gifts God is giving us even when we do not ask for them; for each one of those, think how would it be if you did not have it: - faith, - church, - parents, - food, - shelter, - health, - etc. - We thank God for His vast heart and for not dealing with us as our sins deserve. - And above all, let us thank God for He is always willing to hear from us our grumbling, requests, etc. - We thank God for His extreme love without which we could have not known Him, for He loved us first when we were still sinners. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8) "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Cor 9:15) - We thank God for He suffered and was crucified to save us. Again in Saint Gregory's Liturgy Thou, Who art at all times, hast come unto us on earth... humbled Thyself, and took the form of a servant... and fulfilled Thy Law, on my behalf... Thou hast lifted the curse of the Law... Thou hast borne the oppression of the wicked. Thou hast given Thy back to the scourge, and Thy cheeks Thou hast left out to them who smite. For my sake, O my Master, Thou hast not hidden Thy face from the shame of spitting. Thou hast come to the slaughter as a lamb, even unto the Cross. Thou hast manifested the greatness of Thy care for me. Thou hast put away my sin by Thy burial. - We thank God for He continues to save us all the time. "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." (Psa 30:11-12) "Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped." (Psa 124:6,7) When should we thank God? ------------------------ - We give thanks to the Lord ALL the time: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thi 5:15-18) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Phi 4:6) - If you don't have all the things you want, thank God for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want. - If things turn up the way you want them to be, thank God for He has arranged your will to be according to His, and He made you see a glimpse of His Holy plan for you. If they don't seem to be what you really prefer them to be, still, thank God for He saved you from an evil unknown to you and He prevented you from facing a harm that was awaiting you and you were not aware of. - We thank God before we ask him in our prayers: All the church services, all of them, begin with the "Prayer of the Lord", and then the "Prayer of Thanksgiving". Even when we pray for the soul of a deceased person. - Imagine the situation between a father with his unthankful child; would he be happy if the child never thanks him for his continuous gifts. How should we thank God? ----------------------- - We thank God by praise and songs: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts." (1Ch 16:8-9) "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." (Psa 69:30) "Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psa 95:2) "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." (Psa 7:17) "Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." (Psa 33:1) Even Jonah, from the fish's belly: "I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you." (Jon 2:9) Some of the wonderful pieces of praise in our church are: the Second Canticle of the Psalmody (Psalm 136), the Third Canticle of the Psalmody (the song of the three children), and the Fourth Canticle of the Psalmody (Psalms 148, 149, and 150). - We thank God in public "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." (Psa 35:18) Consider this. When someone asks you "How are you doing?", try to respond by "I give thanks to God!". In Egypt, simple people just do it all the time; it even becomes like a second nature. Conclusion ---------- - God's gifts are uncountable and endless; He pours them on us all the time, whether we thank Him or not. - It is appropriate to thank God for His wonderful gifts, not because we want more, but because that is what His great love deserves. - If you thank God for His tender mercies, He will pour even more of His blessings on you.