Thankfulness
Pastor Allen gave a sermon series in February on A.C.T.S.
Adoration / Confession / Thanksgiving / Service
I would like to speak about thankfulness and was planning to use some of the points he made, unfortunately I'm not a great note taker, so I'll have to make something up.
Before we get the the scripture he used I would like to start in left field and come around to it...Let us read
>>> Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
An Inspiring Heart
A story told by Major Dalton
From a very young age Konrad Reuland was showing signs of exceptional energy. At age four, he jumped out of the grocery cart. His mom could not keep up with him. When she finally did, he was hiding in a frozen food cooler. So the Reuland family chose to harness that energy by enrolling him in youth sport leagues. He played basketball, football, and baseball. Then, at age 11, Konrad had an experience that would change his life forever. Hall of Famer Rod Carew visited his school to meet and encourage the children. The Los Angeles infield, who had bore the number 29 throughout his career, had been Rookie of the Year in 1967 and an All-Star for 18 consecutive seasons. He was 1977 American League MVP and the winner of seven batting titles. He was a legend in the LA area.
Konrad met him personally. His mom remembers that the encounter was all Konrad could talk about when she picked him up from school that day:
And I remember him getting into the car when I went to pick him up, and he says, ‘Mommy! Mom! Mom! I met Rod Carew today!’ And, ‘You know, he was a pro athlete!’ And, ‘You know, I want to be a pro athlete!’ And the whole rest of the day just resonated with him talking about his meeting Rod Carew. And it sure left an impression on young Konrad.
Later, in college, Konrad played football two years for Notre Dame and two years at Stanford. He then played for the New York Jets where he caught 11 passes during his first year. He was just beginning to be recognized as a rising star when a knee injury knocked him out of the sport he loved. When he finally recovered, NFL teams were reluctant to take a chance on him. But this didn’t stop Konrad from preparing for the shot he was sure would be right around the corner. He was, by all accounts, in the best shape of his life.
One day, while in the gym, Konrad climbed onto a treadmill. He had been lifting weights and was finishing up with some cardio. He had a headache. As he began to jog, Konrad felt something click behind his right eye. Paramedics had to be called. By the time he was admitted to UCLA Medical Center, EMS had diagnosed him with a major aneurysm.
The next day his mother, who had went to the cafeteria to pick-up some coffee for her son, sent him an encouraging message. Konrad replied: ”I’m about to kick this thing’s butt, with the help of God. He had something big in store for me.” That was the last conversation she would have with her son. Shortly after, the aneurysm burst, and Konrad never regained consciousness. On Dec. 12, 2016, Konrad Reuland was declared brain dead at the age of 29.
Some months earlier, while completing out a motor vehicle form, Konrad had checked a little box indicating his willingness to be an organ donor in the event of his death. Now, his heart, that powerful, healthy organ of a major league sport athlete would save the life of another individual. His mother remembers speaking with a member of the transplant organization: ”’Whoever gets his heart, we would like to meet them.’ And then the next thing I said was, ‘And whoever gets his heart better deserve it, because it’s a good one.”’
No long after, somewhere across town, a call went out to the recipient at the top of the organ transplant list. That recipient, in the providence of God, just happened to be Rod Carew, the same MLB hall of famer who had been so instrumental in encouraging a young Konrad Reuland 18 years earlier. The heart Carew had inspired would now be the heart that saved his life.
After his diagnosis, Carew had started a foundation to further awareness and research for heart disease. The name of this foundation, the Heart of 29.
In any community, whether it is a city of millions or a church of hundreds, we are frequently encouraged by those we have encouraged. And we are helped by those we have helped. Occasionally, God gives us a glimpse of this machinery of creation. When he does, we can clearly see what is known to be true, what Jesus shared with his disciples: ”With the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus here is just finishing up a lesson. You will remember it as the "sermon on the mount" or the "beattitudes". This is his big clincher to wrap up his points.
"With the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
He's talked about being blessed becuase of suffering, he's talked about doing good and loving an enemy, and he's just threw in that about not judging others.
>>> Luke 6:23-35
"Rejoice on that day and jump for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For their fathers used to treat the prophets the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all the people speak well of you; for their fathers used to treat the false prophets the same way. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people."
Do you see the thread of pearls that runs through suffering and blessings and how our sufferings lead to blessings and rewards. When faced with suffering and unfairness and evil, we are to return blessings, not evil. And inherent in the turning from cursings to blessings we will have thankfullness. Earlier verse 23 says that we are to be glad in that day; we are to jump and holler!
Now let's return to Pastor Allens scripture from February:
>>>1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
"See the no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
We are to be thankful, but we aren't. We're rich; we're well fed; we're well respected.
Jesus said "woe to you", and we miss it. We think being thankful is announcing the good things that happen to us. We sit quietly trying to come up with a good thing that is good enough to be thankful for. We are looking for the rewards and not the blessings.
The reward is in heaven; not here. the reward is God himself accepting us and choosing us. The blessing that we are to be thankful for is the suffering. The blessing is when you are reviled because of Christ. The blessing is when you are picked on and shamed because we don't look successful like the world thinks it should be. We confound the world with our giving and doing good to our enemies.
When we suffer and then we turn around and give a blessing to them. That's where we can increase our reward in heaven; by using a bigger scoop. Give more to the unfortunate, give more to the lost, give more to those that despise you, and God rewards according to your measure.
Let us not repay evil with more evil; but instead be thankful of that suffering and hurtful moment.
Be thankful that that guy at work cracks jokes at you - go complement him.
Be thankful about the waitress that is short and cross with you - go bless her with a tip.
Be thankful about when others take advantage of you and don't appreciate you - go each day to forgive them and encourage them.
This is tough for me. Maybe it's tough for everyone, but I struggle here. I want things to be fair. I want for other's to treat me like I treat them...
But that isn't what Jesus said. You go treat others with blessing instead of cursings. You go forgive others and be thankful for suffering.
So why. Why be thankful for suffering?
Because they treated the prophets the same way.
>>> Matthew 10:40-42
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a phophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truely I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."
