Giving Thanks In Difficult Circumstances

Thanksgiving Series

Giving Thanks In Difficult Circumstances

Memory Verse: (Phil 4:19 NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 

 INTRODUCTION:

The Miracle of the feeding of the 5000 and the Resurrection of Jesus are the only two miracles that appeared in all 4 gospels-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Text:  (John 6:1-14 NIV)  Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), {2} and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. {3} Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. {4} The Jewish Passover Feast was near. {5} When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" {6} He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. {7} Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" {8} Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, {9} "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" {10} Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. {11} Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. {12} When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." {13} So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. {14} After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."

NOW THANK WE ALL OUR God

Written by Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran Minister in Eilenburg, Saxony

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

 (Gen 18:14 NIV) Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."

 (Luke 1:37 NIV) For nothing is impossible with God."

 (Phil 4:19 NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

How to Thank God in Difficult Circumstances

1. Do not be Perturbed about Your Needs

(John 6:1-6 NIV)  Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), {2} and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. {3} Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. {4} The Jewish Passover Feast was near. {5} When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" {6} He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

 (Psa 37:25 NIV)  I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

 (Psa 147:4-5 NIV)  He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. {5} Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

2. Do Not Pretend to Know the Answer

(John 6:7-9 NIV)  Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" {8} Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, {9} "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

 “bite” Greek “braxus” -- short, small, and little.

 (2 Ki 4:42 NIV)  A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said.

 (Rom 1:21-23 NIV)  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. {22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools {23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

 (Prov 3:5-6 NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

3. Present Your Impossibilities to Jesus, the Impossibility Specialist

(John 6:10-14 NIV)  Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. {11} Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. {12} When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." {13} So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. {14} After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."

Greek eucharisteo --to be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks, and express gratitude and to be thankful.

eu --well

charizomai --to give freely

Appear 39 times in the New Testament

11 times about Lord’s Supper.

28 Times about giving Praise to God

1 Cor 11:24 NIV) and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."

 (Mat 14:21 NIV)  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 (John 6:11 NIV)  Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 “Let nothing be wasted.”

(John 6:23 NIV)  Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

Conclusion:

(Rom 10:13 NIV)  for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."