Why is Christian Thanksgiving So Important?

Thanksgiving and Prayer

-- Colossians 1:1-14 – Amplified--

What is thanksgiving all about? We have an entire day set aside for Thanksgiving here in the United States every November. But do we truly understand the depth and breadth of this observance? Also, is it something we do only once a year, or should it be an ongoing part of our lives? And how does prayer fit into it? Is it just a time to buy, prepare, and clean up the dishes? Is it just a time to pig out and sit around watching sports while others clean up your dirty dishes?

Where did our annual tradition of thanksgiving come from, and why? The Pilgrims declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America’s first Thanksgiving Festival. http://christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g007.html . Nearly 200 years later we managed to kill or move our Indian “friends” to land nobody wanted. And after that the majority of the United States seems to be more interested in overindulging on food and sports that in giving thanks to the one who made it all possible. All this being true, what is real thanksgiving all about, and how should it be done?

After his introduction in the first two verses, Paul’s letter to the Colossians starts out with the issue of thanksgiving and prayer; therefore it must be a pretty important:

1.       The apostle Paul establishes that he and Timothy are both brothers in Christ.

Col 1:1 PAUL, AN apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the will of God, and Timothy [our] brother,

a.       Paul establishes his authority to the Colossians from the very beginning as an “apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah)”

b.       He also states that Timothy, who was with him at the time, was a brother in Christ too.

2.       Paul then establishes that all believers; both male and female, are saints.

Col 1:2 To the saints (the consecrated people of God) and believing {and} faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace (spiritual favor and blessing) to you and [heart] peace from God our Father.

a.       Paul goes on to state that those he is writing to in Colossae are also “saints (the consecrated people of God)”. All believers; all those saved by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are saints. Both then, and now.

b.       The Greek word for brethren (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in Col. 4:15.

c.        Wishing “grace and peace from God our Father” was common in Paul’s day, but today unfortunately many people look at you strange if you say it. Saying “good luck” (may random chance smile on you and grant you accidental favor) is acceptable. But to say a quick prayer out loud asking God to bless someone from His never-ending supply, His unlimited power, and total love for them, for some reason, seems inappropriate today.

3.       Giving thanks to God the Father through prayer should be a continual part of our prayer life.

Col 1:3 We continually give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), as we are praying for you,

a.       Everything we have, every blessing, comes from God the Father alone. Therefore we owe thanks to Him.

b.       While it is not wrong to devote a special day to thanksgiving, it should not be restricted to just one day.

c.        Even if you do give thanksgiving to God only one day a year, it is important not to forget to do so.

d.       Thanksgiving should be a continual reflex. Every time we pray we should thank God for what He has done for us.

4.       Give thanks to God for any and every blessing, even if it came to someone else.

Col 1:4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God's consecrated ones),

a.       Whenever we hear of a believer or believers’ spiritual growth or special blessing from God we should thank God for it.

b.       Thanksgiving isn’t about any one individual’s successes or wealth, it’s about everyone’s favor with God due to their continual walk with Him.

c.        The unconditional love of God that we show, or that is shown to us not only by Him, but others as well, is also a great cause to give thanks.

5.       Because of the great riches we know God has laid up for us in Heaven, love and thanksgiving should be automatic.

Col 1:5 Because of the hope [of experiencing what is] laid up (reserved and waiting) for you in heaven. Of this [hope] you heard in the past in the message of the truth of the Gospel,

a.       Hope, in the Bible, means absolute certainty. It is faith in seed form and is based on a promise of God.

b.       Mark 10:21 and Matthew 6:20 are two of the gospels in which the treasures are promised to us by God.

c.        The wealth and riches we have here on Earth only scratch the surface of what God has provided for us.

6.       The Gospel of Christ is a living and active source of spiritual growth and change.

Col 1:6 Which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world [that Gospel] is bearing fruit {and} still is growing [by its own inherent power], even as it has done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know {and} understand the grace of God in truth. [You came to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it.]

a.       It was not only true 2000 years ago when Paul wrote this, it is still true today. The Gospel of Christ is still alive and growing. Indeed, the Word itself is alive (Heb. 4:12).

b.       It is impossible for anyone who exposes themselves to the living Word of God, with the desire to learn and grow from it, to come away unchanged in some way.

c.        The more time we spend reading and studying the Scriptures the more we grow and change into Christ-likeness.

7.       Spreading this truth about the spiritual power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ gives others cause for thanksgiving.

Col 1:7 You so learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ in our stead {and} as our representative {and} {yours}.

a.       After learning about it ourselves, we are to teach it to others.

b.       This is one of our responsibilities as Christians.

c.        Every Christian is a representative of Christ on the Earth today.

8.       Give some feedback to your mentors of how the Gospel has blessed others you have taught.

Col 1:8 Also he has informed us of your love in the [Holy] Spirit.

a.       Informing your mentors about the responses you have witnessed to your teachings about Christ’s Gospel gives them an opportunity for thanksgiving as well.

b.       Never take credit for yourself about the spiritual growth others experienced due to your instruction, the credit belongs to God alone.

9.       Thanksgiving to God and prayer for others should go hand in hand in every Christian’s life.

Col 1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray {and} make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding {and} discernment of spiritual things—

a.       As a mentor receiving feedback of your student’s blessings and successes in their own life and in the lives of others they have mentored,  you should not take credit for it either.

b.       Not only give thanks to God for the blessings and the Gospel’s success in those who have heard it, pray for their continued spiritual growth as well.

c.        This sets up a full circle of thanksgiving and prayer among all parties involved. All giving thanks to God and praying for each other.

10.    There is a threefold blessing connected to the growth to spiritual maturity of every Christian.

Col 1:10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him {and} desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing {and} increasing in {and} by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].

a.       The first blessing is that we will (walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord,)

b.       The second blessing is that we will be (fully pleasing to Him {and} desiring to please Him in all things)

c.        The third blessing is that we will be (bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing {and} increasing in {and} by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition])

11.    Let all you are praying for know you are praying for them so that they may give thanks to God as well.

Col 1:11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated {and} strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,

a.       Praying for God to bless others with the continued strength to grow to spiritual maturity not only identifies God as the only source of this strength, it removes all others from taking credit for it too.

b.       Growth to spiritual maturity always brings with it great joy, both in those who reach it and in those who helped guide others to it as well.

12.    God the Father alone is the source of all spiritual growth and blessing.

Col 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified {and} made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.

a.       The grace (free gift) of God has made it possible for us to know and grow to spiritual maturity.

b.       Along with grace, His unconditional love for us makes it available to all who desire it.

c.        Therefore we cannot take any credit for our ability to grow either; everything comes from God as a free gift, from His unconditional love, to us who do not deserve it in any way.

13.    As Christians, we have been transferred by God the Father out of satan’s kingdom and into His. This is a great cause for thanksgiving in itself.

Col 1:13 [The Father] has delivered {and} drawn us to Himself out of the control {and} the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

a.       All Christians at one time were hopeless members of satan’s kingdom of darkness until God the Father intervened.

b.       He drew us to Himself; we didn’t even have the ability to come to Him until He drew us.

c.        So even our ability to choose God’s kingdom of light and love, as an alternative to satan’s kingdom of darkness and hate, comes from God and is another thing we should thank Him for.

14.    Jesus Christ made all of this possible through His death on the cross and the forgiveness of our sins.

Col 1:14 In Whom we have our redemption {through His blood,} [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.

a.       We owe an eternal debt to Jesus Christ for what He did for us on the cross.

b.       This is a debt that can never be repaid.

c.        The supreme authority of Jesus Christ as both perfect man and perfect God in one person forever, is the reason we can grow to spiritual maturity and serve Him as Christians.

Conclusion and Summary: Thanksgiving and Prayer

All Christians, both male and female, are saints (set apart unto God), adopted brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ. As His children, we receive many blessings from Him. As a result, thanksgiving to God through prayer should be a regular part of our walk with Him. Any and every blessing from God, no matter how big or small, and no matter who receives it, is an opportunity for thanks to God.

Because God has blessed us so abundantly, both here now on Earth, and in the future in Heaven, our thanks to Him should be an automatic reflex. God’s living Word, the Bible, is the tool we can use to spread His blessings to anyone who will receive it. This not only spreads His blessings, it multiplies the opportunities for Him to receive thanks for them.

As students of God’s Word, giving feedback to our mentors of our growth and blessings can further multiply the thanks God receives. This means that thanksgiving and prayer, going hand in hand, is a mutually beneficial, interactive and dynamic exercise that blesses both God and man. And all of the credit belongs to God alone. His plan as the Father, His work on the cross as the Son, and His indwelling and empowering us as the Holy Spirit makes all of it possible. We owe a debt of gratitude to Him for all of this that can never be repaid. Our continued prayers and thanksgiving to Him and for others, coupled with undying devotion to the supreme authority of Jesus Christ, His Son, is the very least we can do in return for all He has done for us.