JESUS SAID, “THANK YOU”

Two of the most gracious words in any language are “Thank You.” Good parents teach their children as soon as they learn to talk to say “Thank You” when they are helped or given something. As children of God, we ought to constantly thank our Heavenly Father for all His benefits. The psalmist declared, “Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and praise His Name” (Ps. 100:4). Our “Thank You” list to God and our praise to Him could be endless. Make sure, especially during this time of the year, that we find a quiet moment to count our blessings, and thank the One who makes them possible. James said, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James. 1:17). Our greatest gift is eternal life through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. As Paul said, “thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, but He was also a thankful person. When He walked this earth, He expressed words of thanksgiving to His Father. 1. JESUS GAVE THANKS FOR FOOD, Matthew 15:35-37a. 2. JESUS GAVE THANKS FOR ANSWERED PRAYER, John 11:39. 3. JESUS GAVE THANKS FOR CALVARY’S CROSS, Lk. 22:14-20. Matthew 15:35-37 says that before feeding the 4,000, “He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when He had given thanks, He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied.” Our Lord knew that the grain for the bread came from fertile soil, renewing rain, and sunshine, which brought about God’s harvest time. The Master knew the fish came from the water God had given through bubbled out of the earth. Jesus knew the necessary nourishment for the body was in the loaves and the fish. Jesus use these limited resources — seven loaves and a few small fish — to feed a multitude. So filled with an attitude of gratitude, He became the Source behind the substance. Then when He gave thanks the hand of God was revealed. After He blessed the food they had received, He gave it to the disciples and they gave to the crowd. It is to be assumed that as the disciples broke off bread and passed it that the miracle kept happening in their hands; the bread continued to be present. The Father provided the food through whatever channels open to Him to do so. So we see that Jesus gave thanks to God before He ate.NOT ALL PEOPLE GIVE THANKS A godly farmer was asked to dine with a well-known gentleman. He asked to say a blessing at the table as he was accustomed to do at home. His host laughed, “That’s old fashioned; it is not customary nowadays for well-educated people to pray before they eat.” The farmer responded that with him it was customary, but that some of those on his farm never prayed over their food. “Oh,” said the gentleman, “They are sensible and enlightened. Who are they?” “My pigs,” the farmer answered. JESUS SAID “THANK YOU” FOR ANSWERED PRAYER. John 11:38-42; Jesus stood with a tear stained face before the tomb of His friend, Lazarus, and told the people to “take away the stone”(John 11:39). With the gravestone taken away, the tension mounted. What would Jesus do? Jesus then lifted up is eyes to overlook all the difficulties around Him, so that He might fixed His eyes upon divine omnipotence, instead of on unbelieving man; He directed His love and faith heavenward to His Father from whom His power and hope. John 11:41-42; continues to describe the scene. “Then Jesus looked up and said ‘Father I thank You that You have heard Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me.'” His thanksgiving expressed the unshaken assurance that God heard and answered Jesus’ prayer. Prayer is a privilege, but answered prayer is a blessing. God said, “Call on Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). Stop for a moment and thank the Father for prayers He has answered in your life…. God has certainly rolled away some stones for me also. JESUS SAID THANK YOU FOR CALVARY’S CROSS. LUKE 22:14-20. At the Lord’s Table, Jesus gave thanks twice. He gave thanks before breaking the bread and before drinking the cup. The bread and wine symbolized His crucified body and His shed blood. Our Savior thanked His Father for His saving death. What is bread? Grain that has been ground up and baked in the oven. Jesus, the Bread of Life, was ground up by the religious system and the sin of humanity. He was baked in the oven of adversity and absorbed the very fire of hell for you and me. What is wine? Grapes that have been crushed. Jesus was crushed by the sin of the world, by our sin. When the soldier thrust the spear into Jesus’ side, the blood and water that flowed indicate that when Jesus died on the Cross, He died from a broken heart. Communion actually has a three-fold aspect: It looks back in faith as it remembers the Cross. It looks ahead in hope as it waits for the day we will eat with the Lord in the kingdom. It looks around in love as we see Christians all around the globe and down the tunnel of history eating of the same loaf and drinking of the same cup. We may never agree on end times, the work of the Spirit, or all points of doctrine. But we find unity at the Lord’s Table, at the foot of the Cross. Concerning Communion, Jesus didn’t say, “Talk about it.” He didn’t say, “Think about it.” He said, “Do this.” When He instituted the Lord’s Table, Jesus gave thanks twice. He gave thanks before breaking the bread and before drinking the cup. The bread and wine symbolized His crucified body and His shed blood. Our Savior thanked His Father for His saving death. Paul explained to the church at Corinth that the night Jesus was betrayed He “took bread, & when He had given thanks, He broke it & said, ‘this is My body, which is for you: do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor 11:23- 24). He did the same with the cup. The Lamb thanked God that He could be the sacrifice for the sins of the world! Have you recently thanked Jesus for dying on the cross in your place for your sin and shedding His precious blood for your forgiveness? Do it now! CONCLUSION Our best example for all of life is Jesus Christ. He was grateful. Therefore we too must be a people of gratitude. We can start by expressing thanks for food, answered prayer and Christ’s death on the cross. Have you ever prayed a prayer of Thankfulness? If you haven’t then we need to thank Jesus for this Thanksgiving Day.