Thanksgiving (Rev. John Audu) 09-11-2014

Annual Thanksgiving Service 

★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) 

Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

9th November, 2014 

 

* Guest Speaker: Rev. John Audu

* Topic: Thanksgiving

* Service Leader: Mr Igwe Augustine

* Text: Luke 17:11-19

 

* Thanksgiving begins by admitting that God is a great God

 

* If you want to understand and offer unto the Lord thanksgiving, you must begin with a reflection about yourself

 

* You must learn to reflect upon the goodness of God to your life and you must count your blessings

 

* Think about how far God has brought you

 

* If not for God, you will not become what or who you are today

 

* If you forget your roots, you will fail to give thanks to God

 

* The best way of celebrating harvest thanksgiving is to reflect on your roots and on God's faithfulness

 

* It grieves God when we fail to come back and give Him thanks (v.17)

* Assignment: Read this Psalm 136 and reflect upon it as a family at least once every month

 

* Do not wait for when an annual thanksgiving Programme is organized in Church before you give God His due honour

 

* Thanksgiving Should be a way of life on a daily basis

 

* If Christians can learn to thank God in all circumstances, we will experience His power

 

* Daniel 6:10 - "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."

 

* There is power in thanksgiving

 

* Today, most Christian's prayer is full of complaints & petitions

 

* Don't spend all your time going from one prayer house to another seeking for miracles  - You are a child of God & you have direct access to the throne of Mercy

 

* The Benefits of Thanksgiving for the Healed Leper:

1. The distance between Jesus & the Samaritans was closed

- When you begin to reap the dividends of thanksgiving, you are drawn closely to God

 

2. He was completely healed (v.19)

 

3. He enjoyed a hand of friendship & forgiveness of sins (v.19) 

- Our relationship with God is not possible where there is sin

- We must always thank God for Salvation & the forgiveness of our sins

- Remember that You were saved by grace

 

* NOTE: God complained that His people were thankless & do not fulfil their vows 

→ Psalm 50:14 - "Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfil your vows to the Most High"

 

* NOTE: A vow is voluntary & when you make it, you must fulfil it.

 

*Two examples of people who fulfilled their vows even when it was difficult to do so:

⇒ Hannah  (1st Samuel 1:11; 27- 28)

⇒ Jephthah (Judges 11:30-31; 34, 39)

 

* God is honoured when you make a vow and you fulfil it.

 

★ God is always ready to bless you especially, when you show Him that you are grateful for all He has done for you and you fulfil your vows