Give thanks with meekness and trust.

 

Sermon for Thanksgiving, November 22. 2023

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence.  Amen.

2 Samuel 7:18-22  ¹⁸Then King David went and sat before the Lord and said: Who am I, Lord God?  And what is my house that you have brought me to this point?  ¹⁹Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, Lord God.  You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future.  Is this the law for the man, Lord God?  ²⁰What more can David say to you?  You know your servant, Lord God.  ²¹Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it.  ²²Therefore, you are great, Lord God, because there is none like you.  There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears. (EHV)

Give thanks with meekness and trust.

Dear blessed ones in Christ Jesus,

            Sometimes, as you read the history of King David, it might seem like he could do anything he wanted, defeat any enemy, and have anything his heart desired.  Here, after years of battle with enemies all around, and with his kingdom finally at peace, David had his heart set on a new project—he decided to build a house—a temple—for the Lord.  David compared his own house to the ancient tabernacle that still served as God’s house, and David thought it wasn’t right for God’s dwelling place on earth to be so poor in comparison to his own magnificent home.

The prophet Nathan listened to David’s plan and encouraged him to do it.  However, one thing stopped David in his tracks; the Lord said “No!”  Now, imagine telling such a powerful ruler, “No!”  Most of our presidents, senators, congressmen, and governing officials do not appreciate hearing the word.  Perhaps, many of us don’t like hearing that rebuke either.  If we have seemingly done everything correctly and worked hard throughout the year, it can be hard to harvest a short crop with joy and thanksgiving.  If our plans haven’t worked out to our desire, we might find it hard to praise God for the blessings of the year. 

Now, most earthly rulers would have laughed at David’s situation.  More than a few would have suggested that David’s God either didn’t love him or David hadn’t satisfied his deity, or perhaps his God just didn’t care.  However, the God of David, the God of his forefathers, and our God also, didn’t just tell David no, but instead, He promised to build David’s house.  The prophet brought this message: “The Lord also declares to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you.  When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed, who will come from your own body.” (2 Samuel 7:11-12)  Furthermore, “Your house will stand firm, and your kingdom will endure forever before you.  Your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)

Thus, we see that when the Lord told David no, He gave him something so much better, something better for David, and Someone better for you and me.  Therefore, like King David, let us always Give thanks with meekness and trust.

After David received God’s promise, he went to the tabernacle courtyard and sat before the Lord.  With a sincere heart and humble confession David spoke his regard for God’s answer: “Who am I, Lord God?  And what is my house that you have brought me to this point?”  What an example for us!  Most earthly rulers would boast of their own glory.  Many people approach thanksgiving the same way.  We give thanks for whatever positives we can think of, but how many of us humbly realize that we deserve nothing from the Lord.  Rather, whatever we receive is purely out of God’s divine love and mercy.

This can be a hard lesson to learn.  When we work hard, we expect great returns.  When we suffer, we expect God to heal us, but sometimes that is not where He leads us.  St. Paul once asked God to remove some thorn in the flesh that gave Paul trouble, but God’s answer satisfied him, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)  Paul willingly accepted God’s answer, because he knew God’s grace for us not only provides everything we need for this life, but more importantly, it truly gives us all we need for eternal life.

David likewise realized what God was promising.  God promised David a descendant who would reign on his throne forever.  No human lives forever, so David rightly understood that the Lord of heaven and earth was promising a son of his lineage who would be the Savior Israel had long desired.  Most important of all, David understood that this Child would be his Savior too.  This is why Jesus could silence the Pharisees by quoting David, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool under your feet.”  “So David calls him ‘Lord.’  Then how is he his son?” (Luke 20:42-44)  David trusted that whether he got his way, or whether he was a success or failure, God would continue His plan to bless David and the world through his son.

At the same time, David confessed his faith in God’s omnipotence and love.  His prayer of thanks continues, “Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, Lord God.  You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future.”  Of all the blessings God had poured out upon David in his life, David trusted that God can and does do infinitely more.  Through good times and bad, God provides.  Through hardship and blessing, God trains His people to trust Him in all things, and through it all, faithful people Give thanks with meekness and trust.

David also trusts God’s omniscience; he said, “What more can David say to you?  You know your servant, Lord God.  Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it.”  David truly desired to honor God with a magnificent temple, but that wasn’t the Lord’s plan for David.  Rather, it was the Lord’s desire to save people from their sins through David’s house and give them a home of glory that will never end, where they will never again experience any trouble, sorrow, pain, death, or sin.  Consequently, God sent a Child who is the Son of God and also the Son of David through a young virgin in David’s line who married a man also of David’s line. 

This Child, known to us as Jesus, lived and died and rose again so that the Father in heaven could declare us innocent and credit us with the holiness His Son had lived on our behalf, and for His sacrifice, the Father in heaven made Jesus ruler over heaven and earth.  Quoting David’s psalms, the writer to the Hebrews explained, “What is man that you remember him, or the Son of Man that you look after him?  You made him lower than the angels for a little while.  You crowned him with glory and honor.  You put everything in subjection under his feet.” (Hebrews 2:6-8)

David recognized all that God had done for him through good times and bad, so he confessed what he knew by faith: “Therefore, you are great, Lord God, because there is none like you.  There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears.”  There is only one God with actual power to be God.  There is only one God who actually cares enough about you to give you exactly what you need at all times, even when you and I don’t appreciate it, or don’t desire it.

I am old enough now to have witnessed harvests in which the crop was large, but the price was small, and harvests where the prices were high, but the crop was tiny, and sometimes when both were pretty low.  We have had years of good health and lots of years in which the medical bills made our eyes water.  Some years, we had profits, and a few brought large losses.  Not once did the Lord allow us go hungry.  Not once did we lack a place to sleep.  Not once did the Lord abandon my family.  Yet, even if the Lord had allowed that worst-case scenario, we are assured by His word “that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

By God’s grace, through the work and power of the Holy Spirit, He has worked this faith in me, and I trust the same is true for all of you.  Paul wrote, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly cannot take anything out.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be satisfied.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8)  Therefore, this Thanksgiving Day, let us not lament about anything we might lack, but let us rather give thanks with joy and confidence for all that God has given us, that He has given food for our bodies, and homes and clothing, but most important, food for our souls, food that lasts into eternity for it connects us with Jesus, the living Bread, who gives true life to all who believe and trust in Him.  Today, tomorrow, and every day, walk with the Lord who has loved you eternally and will never forget or leave you.  To the Lord of glory, the King of kings, Give thanks with meekness and trust.  Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, forevermore.  Amen.