25-1130a - Detailed Summary

Preacher Steve greets the congregation and explains that although Thanksgiving Day has passed, he still wants to deliver the Thanksgiving sermon he prepared but was unable to give the previous Sunday. He openly states that the sermon is not original to him but one he found on the Internet that deeply impressed him. The central focus is that God created the heavens and the earth, sustains all life, and deserves our complete reverence and honor. Steve announces the sermon title: “Thanksgiving with Sacrifice: Honoring God Beyond Words.” He clarifies that the “sacrifice” spoken of is not animal sacrifice but the willing sacrifice of our time, energy, and service to please God.

Steve stresses that as children of God we are called to live lives of gratitude, and gratitude is a deliberate choice, not merely a feeling. He quotes Psalm 116:12-14 about taking the cup of salvation and paying vows publicly. In a fast-paced world people easily forget God and ask “What can I get from God?” instead of “What can I do for God?” Everything we have—talents, resources, life itself—is a gift from the Heavenly Father. True gratitude opens us to God’s presence while ingratitude leads to a shallow relationship with Him. The sermon will examine the essence of thanksgiving, the necessary role of sacrifice, biblical examples, practical application, and the serious consequences of ingratitude.

Thanksgiving is an attitude that recognizes God’s hand in every success and acknowledges that every good gift comes from above (James 1:17). Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 8 not to forget the Lord who gave them power to gain wealth. Key aspects include acknowledging God’s unchanging goodness and mercy, reflecting on His faithfulness (Psalm 103: “forget not all His benefits”), and demonstrating gratitude through concrete actions such as prayer, testimony, and kindness rather than words alone.

Sacrifice is inseparable from genuine thanksgiving. Psalm 50:14 calls believers to offer thanksgiving and pay vows to the Most High. Examples of sacrificial thanksgiving include cheerful financial giving (2 Corinthians 9:7), using time and talents to serve others (Romans 15:1), and generous sowing that leads to bountiful reaping (2 Corinthians 9:6). The benefits are clear: it demonstrates love and commitment to God, brings personal joy and fulfillment, and most importantly honors God by recognizing His sovereignty.

We must thank God because He is the ultimate source of every good gift (James 1:17), our Creator who made and sustains us daily (Psalm 100:3), and the One who continually blesses us far beyond what we deserve (Psalm 103:2). Thanking God acknowledges our dependence, deepens our relationship with Him, and is not merely a duty but a privilege that expresses love and appreciation for what He has done, is doing, and will yet do.

Ingratitude carries severe spiritual consequences: distance from God, weakened faith, and spiritual stagnation. Emotionally it produces bitterness, unhappiness, discontentment, stress, and anxiety. Relationally it strains connections, erodes trust, and breeds conflict and division. Biblical examples include the Israelites wandering forty years because of ingratitude and the nine healed lepers who never returned to give thanks to Jesus. To overcome ingratitude, believers must consciously focus on blessings, practice regular thanksgiving in prayer and toward others, and continually reflect on God’s past faithfulness, resulting in greater joy, peace, and fulfillment.

Steve brings the main body of the sermon to a close by reaffirming that thanksgiving with sacrifice is a powerful, active way to honor God and prove the sincerity of our gratitude. It is never enough to simply say “thank you”; true gratitude must be backed by tangible actions that reflect wholehearted commitment. When believers cultivate a grateful heart and practice sacrificial thanksgiving, they position themselves to experience more of God’s presence and continued blessings in daily life.

The preacher issues a clear call to action, urging the congregation to weave thanksgiving and sacrifice into everyday living. Specific practical steps are given: devote time each day to thank God in prayer for His blessings and provision; openly share personal testimonies of God’s faithfulness with others; show kindness to those in need; and give sacrificially—whether of time, talents, or finances—to support the work of God’s kingdom. Steve expresses his personal hope that the message impacted the hearers as deeply as it first impacted him when he discovered it.

Turning to the gospel invitation, Steve reminds the congregation that every relationship with God begins with God’s own initiative. God does not want anyone to perish but desires all to come to repentance. He reaches out to reconcile sinful humanity to Himself, offering adoption as His children and eternal life in heaven. Because sinlessness is required for righteousness, and no person can achieve it on their own, God provided the perfect sacrifice—Jesus—who died to take away our sins and credit us with His righteousness.

Jesus, before ascending to serve as our High Priest, commissioned His disciples to go into all the world, preaching the gospel and making disciples. The response God seeks is faith expressed through baptism for the remission of sins, rising to walk in newness of life as a child of God with Jesus as Savior and Lord. Steve extends an open invitation to anyone present who needs to accept God’s offer of salvation through baptism. The congregation is then asked to stand and sing the selected song of encouragement and invitation together as the service moves toward its close.