welcome to Grace City<\/p>\n
my name is Tim<\/p>\n
uh<\/p>\n
and if you are visiting with us tonight<\/p>\n
we are really glad that you're here<\/p>\n
tonight we are going to be starting a<\/p>\n
new series<\/p>\n
so if you're just visiting tonight you<\/p>\n
get to be here for the start of it<\/p>\n
[Music]<\/p>\n
we want to share a little bit about our<\/p>\n
community<\/p>\n
foreign<\/p>\n
and we want to live out that gospel of<\/p>\n
grace with our friends our neighbors our<\/p>\n
colleagues<\/p>\n
as a community we want to love and care<\/p>\n
for this city with the hope that comes<\/p>\n
through Jesus Christ<\/p>\n
we we live here we study here we work<\/p>\n
here we play here and we desire to do<\/p>\n
all of this out of a collective Heart of<\/p>\n
Worship and of service<\/p>\n
so the series we're beginning tonight<\/p>\n
it's entitled fruit of the spirit<\/p>\n
[Applause]<\/p>\n
and when I say that you're probably<\/p>\n
thinking already of a few of those<\/p>\n
attributes a few of those fruits that<\/p>\n
the spirit brings in our life<\/p>\n
the Bible speaks fruit of the spirit it<\/p>\n
uses this term in Galatians<\/p>\n
in the fifth chapter we read this but<\/p>\n
the fruit of the spirit is love it's joy<\/p>\n
peace patience kindness goodness<\/p>\n
faithfulness gentleness self-control<\/p>\n
against such things there is no lawsuit<\/p>\n
but we're also going to look at some<\/p>\n
other characteristics that God builds<\/p>\n
into the life of the Christians<\/p>\n
we're going to talk about Holiness and<\/p>\n
contentment and humility<\/p>\n
and tonight we're going to look at focus<\/p>\n
on gratitude or thankfulness<\/p>\n
what does it mean<\/p>\n
to be thankful<\/p>\n
to have a thankful heart a heart of<\/p>\n
gratitude<\/p>\n
what does the Bible say what does it<\/p>\n
teach about being thankful<\/p>\n
today we'll be reading from the book of<\/p>\n
Colossians it's a letter from the<\/p>\n
Apostle Paul to the church in colossi<\/p>\n
um<\/p>\n
if you want to open to chapter 3 we'll<\/p>\n
read that now hello<\/p>\n
put on then<\/p>\n
as God's chosen ones holy and beloved<\/p>\n
compassionate hearts<\/p>\n
kindness<\/p>\n
humility<\/p>\n
meekness<\/p>\n
and patience<\/p>\n
bearing with one another and if one has<\/p>\n
a complaint against another<\/p>\n
forgiving each other<\/p>\n
as the Lord has forgiven you so you also<\/p>\n
must forgive<\/p>\n
and above all these put on love<\/p>\n
which binds everything together in<\/p>\n
Perfect Harmony<\/p>\n
and Let the Peace of Christ rule in your<\/p>\n
hearts<\/p>\n
to which indeed you were called in one<\/p>\n
body<\/p>\n
and be thankful<\/p>\n
let the word of Christ dwell in you<\/p>\n
richly teaching and admonishing one<\/p>\n
another in all wisdom<\/p>\n
singing Psalms and hymns and spiritual<\/p>\n
songs with thankfulness in your hearts<\/p>\n
to God<\/p>\n
and whatever you do<\/p>\n
in word or In Deed<\/p>\n
do everything<\/p>\n
in the name of the Lord Jesus<\/p>\n
giving thanks<\/p>\n
to God the Father through him<\/p>\n
let's pray together<\/p>\n
God we thank you for the reading of your<\/p>\n
word the Bible<\/p>\n
we believe it to be true and we're<\/p>\n
grateful that we can even read it aloud<\/p>\n
today<\/p>\n
we ask that you would Reveal Your Truth<\/p>\n
in these passages to us<\/p>\n
we pray that the words we've read they<\/p>\n
would speak to our hearts at a deeper<\/p>\n
level and lead us in our faith in you<\/p>\n
know<\/p>\n
we ask and pray this in your Holy Name<\/p>\n
Lord Jesus amen<\/p>\n
in 2005<\/p>\n
17 year old Kanita<\/p>\n
her nickname is mint Maybe<\/p>\n
was she was the winner mint was the<\/p>\n
winner of a pageant here in Thailand<\/p>\n
and what got the attention of news<\/p>\n
outlets around the world was not the<\/p>\n
dress that she wore<\/p>\n
La cow<\/p>\n
and it wasn't her answers to the<\/p>\n
questions during the pageant<\/p>\n
instead what got the attention of the<\/p>\n
world was a simple yet profound Act of<\/p>\n
and a show of Honor that she<\/p>\n
demonstrated to her mother<\/p>\n
you see uh Kun mint and her mother who<\/p>\n
raised her alone<\/p>\n
they actually make a living uh<\/p>\n
collecting and recycling trash<\/p>\n
and after the pageant when she won she<\/p>\n
went back to her home and she got down<\/p>\n
on her knees for this photo shoot and<\/p>\n
she showed great honor and respect and<\/p>\n
thankfulness to her mother<\/p>\n
and she was quoted as saying this<\/p>\n
what I have today<\/p>\n
is because of my mother<\/p>\n
she and I make a living doing honest<\/p>\n
work<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
so there's no reason why I should feel<\/p>\n
inferior<\/p>\n
and this picture resonates with our<\/p>\n
yeah<\/p>\n
what had stood out to so many was the<\/p>\n
juxtaposition of a beauty queen<\/p>\n
and her family's background in a humble<\/p>\n
occupation<\/p>\n
yeah and Kun Min had used this photo<\/p>\n
shoot as an opportunity to express great<\/p>\n
thankfulness to her mother and the<\/p>\n
images they touched many around the<\/p>\n
world<\/p>\n
what about you today<\/p>\n
you know I think if we took a moment and<\/p>\n
we passed the microphone around<\/p>\n
I think we would all have many things we<\/p>\n
could be thankful for um<\/p>\n
could be family or friends or education<\/p>\n
opportunities abilities<\/p>\n
maybe we would share about the things<\/p>\n
that that make life special like<\/p>\n
laughter or Smiles or nature or stories<\/p>\n
or children<\/p>\n
and maybe you're already doing this but<\/p>\n
I want you to take a moment now<\/p>\n
and think about something that you are<\/p>\n
very thankful for eign<\/p>\n
now while you have that thought in your<\/p>\n
mind I want you to think about<\/p>\n
what or who you attribute that feeling<\/p>\n
of gratitude of thankfulness towards you<\/p>\n
it was a gratefulness to her mother for<\/p>\n
raising her despite difficulties<\/p>\n
so maybe you're thinking of of someone<\/p>\n
in your life that you're thankful<\/p>\n
towards in this regard or maybe it's<\/p>\n
towards God for giving you or allowing<\/p>\n
you to have whatever it is you're<\/p>\n
thinking of in your life Christian<\/p>\n
let's look at Paul's at this portion of<\/p>\n
Paul's letter tonight<\/p>\n
put on he writes put on<\/p>\n
it's like it's like clothing where we're<\/p>\n
putting on clothing<\/p>\n
you know the the Christian is one that<\/p>\n
God adorns with new life<\/p>\n
it's a person that has been renewed by<\/p>\n
the truth and the saving power of Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ<\/p>\n
there's been what's what we call a<\/p>\n
repentance a turning away from something<\/p>\n
and towards God<\/p>\n
turning away from trying to be our own<\/p>\n
savior our own God and turning towards<\/p>\n
the one true God<\/p>\n
in second Corinthians chapter 5 we read<\/p>\n
this<\/p>\n
therefore if anyone<\/p>\n
anyone<\/p>\n
is in Christ<\/p>\n
he or she this person is a new creation<\/p>\n
the old has passed away behold<\/p>\n
the new has come<\/p>\n
from<\/p>\n
in the Christian gospel<\/p>\n
God Saves the repentance Center<\/p>\n
and then clothes her<\/p>\n
clothes him<\/p>\n
with these attributes compassion<\/p>\n
humility meekness patience<\/p>\n
is<\/p>\n
but a a watching world may honestly say<\/p>\n
or perhaps you're someone who doesn't<\/p>\n
profess to be a Christian but you know<\/p>\n
Christians and you think and you say wow<\/p>\n
the Christians I know aren't like that<\/p>\n
Christian Community<\/p>\n
and it's true you know<\/p>\n
the the process of sanctification is a<\/p>\n
journey for us<\/p>\n
the good news is that when someone<\/p>\n
believes in Jesus they believe him as<\/p>\n
Lord they follow him in that we're<\/p>\n
Justified before God but the process of<\/p>\n
our hearts changing takes time<\/p>\n
and when Paul addresses<\/p>\n
at the beginning of this letter that<\/p>\n
this portion of the letter<\/p>\n
when he says<\/p>\n
that they are holy and beloved<\/p>\n
we need to know that this Holiness this<\/p>\n
righteousness is from Jesus it does not<\/p>\n
come from us on<\/p>\n
what's<\/p>\n
up and<\/p>\n
we do desire to see growth in these<\/p>\n
areas of our lives but we need God to do<\/p>\n
the initial work in us and the continued<\/p>\n
work in US<\/p>\n
alone<\/p>\n
above all put on love Paul writes<\/p>\n
it binds everything together<\/p>\n
where<\/p>\n
me<\/p>\n
do you see the plural s their hearts<\/p>\n
this is for the church this is for the<\/p>\n
people of God the body of Christ Jesus<\/p>\n
you were called in one body Paul writes<\/p>\n
and for all this Paul says<\/p>\n
be thankful<\/p>\n
Lord<\/p>\n
but the word of Christ dwell<\/p>\n
in you richly<\/p>\n
teaching and admonishing one another in<\/p>\n
all wisdom singing Psalms and hymns and<\/p>\n
spiritual songs with thankfulness in<\/p>\n
your hearts to God don't hey<\/p>\n
when we think about Grace City when we<\/p>\n
think about our family here<\/p>\n
I like him<\/p>\n
we are becoming<\/p>\n
in deeper and deeper ways a community<\/p>\n
that is led by the word of Christ<\/p>\n
as we get to know one another and we<\/p>\n
live life together<\/p>\n
we want this let the word of Christ<\/p>\n
dwell in US among us<\/p>\n
we wanted to teach us to instruct us to<\/p>\n
admonish us<\/p>\n
you know that word admonish it means to<\/p>\n
warn someone or to reprimand them<\/p>\n
when we think of the word reprimand we<\/p>\n
don't like that<\/p>\n
you know to to warn someone of something<\/p>\n
that you see in their life or for them<\/p>\n
to tell you what's going on or ask you<\/p>\n
questions what's going on in your heart<\/p>\n
it's hard to do let me think yeah<\/p>\n
but as Believers in community we have a<\/p>\n
sacred responsibility to care for one<\/p>\n
another in Christ<\/p>\n
so yes to to warn one another if we see<\/p>\n
some challenge in the life of a brother<\/p>\n
or sister or to receive that from<\/p>\n
someone and say thank you for caring<\/p>\n
about me<\/p>\n
and that's when you know someone really<\/p>\n
cares about you is when they share<\/p>\n
something that is difficult for them to<\/p>\n
share because they love you<\/p>\n
and so Paul writes again<\/p>\n
do these things everything we've been<\/p>\n
talking about do this with thankfulness<\/p>\n
in your hearts yeah<\/p>\n
and this is a thankfulness that is<\/p>\n
directed toward God<\/p>\n
and you see how it incorporates even all<\/p>\n
of our worship of God Paul writes<\/p>\n
singing Psalms hymns spiritual songs<\/p>\n
that's what we were just doing together<\/p>\n
as a church<\/p>\n
so we want our hearts to be punctuated<\/p>\n
with this praise towards God yeah<\/p>\n
and whatever you do in verse 17 whatever<\/p>\n
you do in word or D do everything in the<\/p>\n
name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to<\/p>\n
God the Father through him let me<\/p>\n
concept it let me what happened<\/p>\n
so<\/p>\n
whatever<\/p>\n
you do there's a totality there all of<\/p>\n
life whatever you do<\/p>\n
it all do everything<\/p>\n
what do you think it means to do<\/p>\n
something in the name of Jesus what do<\/p>\n
you think that means so<\/p>\n
I think it means that we desire and we<\/p>\n
do we try to discern<\/p>\n
what Jesus would do and we live in that<\/p>\n
way<\/p>\n
and so we understand by reading the<\/p>\n
gospels and reading the scriptures and<\/p>\n
understanding life in community we begin<\/p>\n
to understand more and more<\/p>\n
the character of Jesus<\/p>\n
and we understand what he would do and<\/p>\n
we follow him<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
Paul finishes that verse with again<\/p>\n
giving thanks to God the Father through<\/p>\n
Jesus<\/p>\n
so the theme of gratitude of<\/p>\n
thankfulness it actually is woven<\/p>\n
through just this very short Passage<\/p>\n
three different times Paul writes about<\/p>\n
being grateful being thankful<\/p>\n
gratitude is an integral part of the<\/p>\n
Christian faith Christian<\/p>\n
now thinking back to earlier when you<\/p>\n
were thinking of something you were<\/p>\n
thankful for if you were thinking of one<\/p>\n
thing perhaps many things but think of<\/p>\n
of one thing right now foreign<\/p>\n
now I'm almost positive that you were<\/p>\n
thinking of something good in your life<\/p>\n
right<\/p>\n
that's naturally what we think of I'm<\/p>\n
thankful for this and it's something<\/p>\n
good<\/p>\n
in another uh one of Paul's letters this<\/p>\n
one actually to the church in<\/p>\n
thessalonica first Thessalonians<\/p>\n
we read this Rejoice always<\/p>\n
pray without ceasing<\/p>\n
give thanks in all circumstances<\/p>\n
for this is the will of God in Jesus<\/p>\n
for you<\/p>\n
possible<\/p>\n
what does it mean to be able to give<\/p>\n
thanks to God even in the midst of of<\/p>\n
hard things foreign<\/p>\n
you know some of you maybe be really<\/p>\n
going through difficult time in your<\/p>\n
life right now<\/p>\n
and maybe it's really difficult for you<\/p>\n
to find something to be thankful for<\/p>\n
like yeah<\/p>\n
and that would be a really honest reply<\/p>\n
from you God<\/p>\n
and you might hear this from the Bible<\/p>\n
and think am I to give thanks in the<\/p>\n
midst of that difficulty that hardship<\/p>\n
I think that this next Passage<\/p>\n
May reveal some truth in the light of of<\/p>\n
those questions those are really good<\/p>\n
questions and those are honest questions<\/p>\n
what<\/p>\n
Psalm 69 verses 29 and 30. let me read<\/p>\n
these to us<\/p>\n
but I am afflicted<\/p>\n
and in pain<\/p>\n
let your salvation o god Set me on high<\/p>\n
I will praise the name of God with a<\/p>\n
song I will<\/p>\n
Magnify Him with Thanksgiving<\/p>\n
to<\/p>\n
this Psalm is actually one of King<\/p>\n
David's Psalms<\/p>\n
and we know that King David suffered in<\/p>\n
his life and he also caused Great<\/p>\n
suffering<\/p>\n
if you know the story of King David he<\/p>\n
committed adultery with a woman who was<\/p>\n
was not his wife Bathsheba<\/p>\n
okay<\/p>\n
and to cover up his sin he actually had<\/p>\n
her husband who was a a soldier moved to<\/p>\n
the front line of battle where it was<\/p>\n
dangerous and he was killed<\/p>\n
because I<\/p>\n
you know he essentially<\/p>\n
murdered he was complicit in uriah's<\/p>\n
Murder gob<\/p>\n
Lin<\/p>\n
and we know that David suffered greatly<\/p>\n
too uh<\/p>\n
because of this and other sins<\/p>\n
and in the Psalms in the Bible we see<\/p>\n
great honesty<\/p>\n
and David is writing this Psalm from a<\/p>\n
broken heart from a suffering heart<\/p>\n
and he says in the midst of that he says<\/p>\n
God let your salvation set me on high<\/p>\n
so David he understands<\/p>\n
the suffering of this life<\/p>\n
he would acknowledge the suffering that<\/p>\n
he caused and he would acknowledge the<\/p>\n
suffering that he's experiencing when he<\/p>\n
writes this<\/p>\n
but in this place of Brokenness he looks<\/p>\n
to God and he looks at the Salvation<\/p>\n
that God brings<\/p>\n
and that<\/p>\n
is what saves him<\/p>\n
that is what truly saves him and that he<\/p>\n
says it sets me on high<\/p>\n
there is another<\/p>\n
who understands<\/p>\n
the suffering<\/p>\n
of this world<\/p>\n
and he understands it to its fullness to<\/p>\n
its depth<\/p>\n
because at the core at the middle of the<\/p>\n
Christian faith is the belief that God<\/p>\n
came<\/p>\n
down as Christ and lived Among Us<\/p>\n
he came and he suffered in fact the<\/p>\n
Bible says that he bore he carried he<\/p>\n
took on our sin<\/p>\n
he was crucified he was broken for us<\/p>\n
relax<\/p>\n
and he rose from the dead actually we<\/p>\n
believe conquering death itself<\/p>\n
so the Christian the follower of Jesus<\/p>\n
is one that can say whatever happens in<\/p>\n
this life<\/p>\n
you are God<\/p>\n
and it is my salvation in you that is<\/p>\n
the ultimate issue the Pinnacle the top<\/p>\n
of whatever may happen to me<\/p>\n
when one comes to believe in the truth<\/p>\n
of Jesus Christ<\/p>\n
and understands and really believes the<\/p>\n
great love of God<\/p>\n
that God gave himself for them<\/p>\n
then they can say along with David I<\/p>\n
will praise the name of God<\/p>\n
again<\/p>\n
you know the Psalms are songs<\/p>\n
so think about King David in his broken<\/p>\n
State singing this to God hello<\/p>\n
and when we understand what Jesus has<\/p>\n
done for us we can sing along with David<\/p>\n
the name of God with a song I will<\/p>\n
and that friends is a thankfulness that<\/p>\n
is rooted in all that God has done for<\/p>\n
us through Jesus Christ<\/p>\n
so yes thankfulness gratitude is a is a<\/p>\n
wonderful part our lives in Christ<\/p>\n
we can praise and thank God for the good<\/p>\n
things and even in the midst of<\/p>\n
suffering Laos<\/p>\n
even in the midst of suffering we can<\/p>\n
thank him<\/p>\n
for the ultimate show of love and<\/p>\n
sending<\/p>\n
his son to rescue us<\/p>\n
yes thanks be to God for all that he has<\/p>\n
done<\/p>\n
thanks be to God for his good plan to<\/p>\n
redeem and to save this world<\/p>\n
let's pray together as we close<\/p>\n
God we do indeed thank you<\/p>\n
we thank you<\/p>\n
for your plan to rescue this world that<\/p>\n
you created<\/p>\n
this world<\/p>\n
this world that rebelled and spiraled<\/p>\n
out of control<\/p>\n
we don't have to look far to know that<\/p>\n
this world still struggles under the<\/p>\n
weight of its Brokenness<\/p>\n
we see it around us and we see it in US<\/p>\n
and yet<\/p>\n
we have hope<\/p>\n
we thank you that you did not leave us<\/p>\n
to ourselves but you came to save us<\/p>\n
you came to bring healing and<\/p>\n
restoration and renewal<\/p>\n
God help us to live with thankful hearts<\/p>\n
and to love and care for those around us<\/p>\n
in the truth of your gospel song<\/p>\n
foreign we pray this in your holy name<\/p>\n
amen amen<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20230530","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dGzkYnjsfr4","video_id":"dGzkYnjsfr4","video_duration":"40:34","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=649"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":650,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649\/revisions\/650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}