UNCOMMONLY THANKFUL
Thanksgiving Sunday
November 26, 2006

1 It is good to say thank you to the Lord, to sing praises to the God who is above all gods.    Psalms 92:1 (TLB)

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God, I’m healed!” 16 He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17:11-19 (NLT)

45 “Those who suffer from any contagious skin disease must tear their clothing and allow their hair to hang loose. Then, as they go from place to place, they must cover their mouth and call out, `Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 As long as the disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean and must live in isolation outside the camp.   Leviticus 13:45-46 (NLT)

12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he fell to the ground, face down in the dust, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you want to, you can make me well again.” 13 Jesus reached out and touched the man. “I want to,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 14 Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go right to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy, so everyone will have proof of your healing.”   Luke 5:12-14 (NLT)

FOUR BENEFITS OF BEING UNCOMMONLY THANKFUL:

1. SPIRIUTAL HEALING.

19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17:19 (NLT)

2. RELATIONAL HEALTH.

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  Acts 2:46-47 (NIV)

3. RIGHT PERSPECTIVE.

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;  Psalms 24:1 (NIV)

4. HUMBLE SPIRIT.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God, I’m healed!” 16 He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16 (NLT)

How Can We Demonstrate Thankfulness?

a. Music.

1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.   Psalms 33:1-3 (NIV)

b. Prayer.

c. Obedience.

16 Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! 17 Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.  Colossians 3:16-17 (MSG)

d. Testimony.

11 Sing your songs to Zion-dwelling God, tell his stories to everyone you meet:  Psalms 9:11 (MSG)