1. Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, October 30, 2016
Thankful
Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard
Sunday, October 30, 2016

2. No powerpoint for this one
Todays Sermon
Sorry,
No powerpoint for this one 

3. Just kidding, Peter.

4. Colossians 3:12-17
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

5. Colossians 3:12-17
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

6. “as those who have been chosen . . .”
Historical notions:
Those within the Church
Those who will be accepted into Heaven
Those who have been predestined to be “saved”
All of the above

7. My hunch (a little different . . .)
2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

8. Another voice
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

9. And One more . . .
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

10. Disciple and discipline
So similar in English!
So different in Greek . . .
Discipline comes from paideia, the kind of instruction you give a child
Disciple comes from mathetes, a follower, one who imitates a master

11. What did Jesus do?
He came to “destroy the works of the evil one”—I think this must include the idea of fighting for justice as well as practical help for those who need it
He came to show us that we were loved
He came to “seek and save that which was lost”—I think this shows God’s heart of compassion for suffering people
He came to give a new quality of life (zoe!)
He came to build a new community (everyone welcome this time!)

12. Side note: Luke 9:51-56
51 When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; 52 and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

13. Luke 9:51-56
55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.

14. Back to the original passage
Now read it with the understanding provided by my hunch
In this case it would be the way a small, crack-force of “commandos of love” ought to relate to each other
(Different weapons, though)

15. Image for this kind of “Guerilla”

16. Or maybe this

17. But our passage seems to focus on one idea
All 3 of the last verses mentions being thankful or giving thanks
What’s up with this? Why is it important?
The abbot Macarius said, “If we dwell upon the harms that have been wrought on us by men we amputate from our mind the power of dwelling upon God (Helen Waddell, The Desert Fathers)
Bitterness robs us; thanksgiving enriches us
This works the same in relationships!!!

18. If you want to be successful in your mission
(Or in your relationships, or in life in general . . .)
You will learn to cultivate a thankful heart
Be thankful for the glory of the task—it is no small thing to have a meaningful life
Be thankful for all you learn on the journey
Be thankful for your friends and enemies along the way
Be thankful when things go well and when they don’t

19. You will . . . Be happier Be more effective Be nicer to be with
Please God, yourself, and others
Increase the harmony in your community and in your own head

20. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
Rom. 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks . . .
C.S. Lewis on why God needs so much praise

21. Thomas à Kempis ( )
A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover, as the love of the giver.
You can be disappointed in gifts, especially your own, but in all circumstances you can rejoice in the love of God
You can also watch it grow as you cultivate a thankful heart