GRATITUDE

Introduction

1. Ingratitude is selfish and ugly.

2. The right disposition is displayed in a Psalm 100, which in the Hebrew text is entitled as a “Psalm of Thanksgiving”:

Shout joyfully to Yahweh, all the earth! 2 Serve Yahweh with gladness. Come before him with singing. 3 Know that Yahweh, he is God. He made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless his name, 5 for Yahweh is good, his kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness is from generation to generation.

Body

1. One of several animal sacrifices by the Israelites was the thank-offering, a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12).

2. One of David’s seven daily prayers was a midnight prayer of thanksgiving (Psalm 119:62, 164).

3. Daniel, in far away Babylon, at his window facing Jerusalem, gave thanks to God three times each day (6:10). Once he offered a special prayer of thanksgiving because God had answered his prayer (2:17-23).

4. Jesus offered thanks to his Father, including thanksgiving for food (Matthew 11:25; 15:36).

5. A Samaritan was more thankful than nine Jews (Luke 17:11-19).

6. Christians are commanded to give thanks “for all things”--something easier said than done (Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

7. Christians not only pray for blessings, but they are commanded to do it “with thanksgiving” for blessings already received (Philippians 4:6).

Conclusion

After death it is too late to be thankful: “in the grave, who praises you?” (Psalm 6:5).