Calvary Road Baptist Church
“THANKFULNESS AT THANKSGIVING FOR SUFFERING”
First Thessalonians 5.18 and Romans 8.28
What made the first Thanksgiving celebrations that took place hundreds of years ago tomorrow memorable? Though we celebrate tomorrow as Thanksgiving, we are told by one historian that “The first Thanksgiving in the Bay Colony happened on 22 February 1630-31, after provision ships arrived just in time to prevent starvation.”[1] But let’s not quibble about dates because other historians make rival claims as early as 1619 in Virginia.
We have more important considerations than dates. What was so special about giving thanks in so memorable a way that it became an annual celebration in our country, also spreading to other countries? Was it that things had gone so good for the observers of Thanksgiving, or because things had gone so badly?
Both. The Virginia givers of thanks celebrated a good harvest. The Pilgrim givers of thanks in what is today New England benefited from their native American neighbor’s willingness to teach them survival skills and share food with them, culminating in a grand celebration that included both groups.[2]
Although the Virginians and the New England Pilgrims both came here as contractors in business ventures, those who began the Thanksgiving tradition in New England were men and women of God who journeyed to this continent because they felt the work of the Reformation undone in England and Europe. They came here to obey God in a grand experiment that eventually produced this country we live in. Once here, they suffered terribly, lost many of their numbers to disease the first year, but survived by God’s provision of a native American who spoke English, knew the basics of the Christian faith, and was willing to help them.[3] That is the source of the Thanksgiving tradition most memorable to American citizens.
Let us learn from their example to be thankful, understanding that their gratitude was a conscious decision to obey God’s Word amid suffering.
To accomplish this, we resort to the Word of God. Concerning thanksgiving, the giving of thanks to God, let me bring to your attention three considerations:
First, CONSIDER THE COMMAND OF GOD
The Christian life is guided by God’s Word, which conveys to us the command of God regarding thanksgiving. There are two features in this regard:
The first feature has to do with the activity required by God, expressed by the Apostle Paul to the new Christians in Thessalonica. Ponder what he wrote in First Thessalonians 5.18:
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Christian? You and I are commanded by God to give thanks for everything. Period.
The second feature has to do with the attitude which is required by God, presented by Paul to the Christians in the Philippian congregation and written to them from Roman imprisonment! Philippians 4.4:
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
The command to give thanks is easier to obey if you already obey the command to rejoice. Right attitudes more readily allow for right actions in a Christian’s life.
Next, CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCES OF EXISTENCE
Suffering is a part of everyone’s existence, but suffering is only meaningful in the experiences of a believer in Jesus Christ. Two passages in Scripture reveal to us God’s plan for our lives involving suffering:
First, there is suffering for Christ’s sake, First Peter 4.12-19; 5.10:
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
5.10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
It is clearly seen that God’s plan for His people involves suffering for doing right, as a means used by God to mature us, establish us in the faith, strengthen us spiritually, and settle us. Thus, suffering is used by God to accomplish wonderful things in His children’s lives.
As well, there is Christian suffering for sin’s sake, Hebrews 12.1-17:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Then, it is well-established that God’s plan for His people also involves suffering for doing wrong as a corrective. Thus, with suffering that is intrinsic to the Christian life and suffering that is a direct consequence of a Christian’s sins, suffering is used by God for our benefit.
Finally, THERE IS THE CAUSE OF COMFORT
Comfort, genuine comfort in suffering, comes from other than you. Two examples show this:
First, the Person of God, Second Corinthians 1.1-12:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
God comforts that one who will be comforted, as Paul’s own experience testifies. But He works this wonder amidst suffering only in the life of His child, the believer in Jesus Christ.
Next, there is the Providence of God, Romans 8.28:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Take comfort from the seven providential benefits accruing to you who love God from your sufferings.
#1 Humility is produced by suffering. Is it not a fact that trying and adverse events promote humility? First Peter 5.5:
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
#2 Prayer is produced by suffering. It is by adverse experiences that we are furnished with matter for persistent and pressing prayer. Hebrews 4.16:
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
#3 Promises are made precious by suffering. It is by adverse experiences that the truths and promises of God are made more interesting and desirable to our souls. Second Peter 1.3:
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”
#4 Experiences are increased in suffering. Adverse experiences work for our good in that they enlarge the stock of our experience. Romans 5.3-5:
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
#5 Worldliness is weakened by suffering. Adverse experiences work for our good as they wean us from the world and make us more heavenly-minded. First Thessalonians 1.6:
“And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”
#6 Unity is promoted by suffering. Adverse experiences do us good as they fit us for greater usefulness to one another. Philippians 1.29-2.2:
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
#7 Spirituality is refined in suffering. Adverse experiences work for our good as they lead us to a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Second Corinthians 4.7-18:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
There is no denying that suffering is painful, and suffering is undeniably unpleasant. But, for the child of God, suffering can be incredibly beneficial to developing Christ-likeness and spiritual maturity.
No wonder we are commanded to express thanks to God and be joyful when even the unpleasant experiences of the Christian’s life produce benefit and blessing.
May this be the best Thanksgiving you have ever had.
__________
[1] David Hackett Fischer, Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways In America, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), page 165.
[2] Michael Medved, The American Miracle: Divine Providence In The Rise Of The Republic (New York: Crown Forum, 2016), pages 31, 44, 47.
[3] Ibid, pages 34, 41-47.
Would you like to contact Dr. Waldrip about this sermon? Please contact him by clicking on the link below. Please do not change the subject within your email message. Thank you.
Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church