 Let's go to Luke chapter 6 and let's talk a little bit about Thanksgiving this evening. So Thanksgiving is coming up and I know there's a lot of, you know, I don't know, do they even teach the Thanksgiving story anymore about the pilgrims and the Indians, you know, being thankful for each other and things like that. There's nothing wrong with that, but let's look at thankfulness in the Bible. Look at Luke chapter 6. Before we get into thankfulness and things that we should be thankful for this evening, let's talk about unthankfulness in the Bible because it's a pretty big deal to be unthankful in the Bible. Look at Luke chapter 6. Let's look at just a few examples of this. Luke chapter 6, look at verse 31. Look what the Bible says, and as you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise? That's the golden rule right there. For if ye love them, which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them, which do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even the same. And even if you lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? For sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much gain. But love your enemies and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great. And ye shall be the children of the highest, for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. So the Lord here is telling us, Jesus here is telling us that we should do good and love those people that even don't do good and love us. Because that's the hard thing. He's saying, look, if everyone loves you and you love them back, he's like, that's not anything great. If you borrow somebody money, hoping to get money back from them and hoping to get good from them, he's like, that's no big deal. When you do things and you know you're going to get nothing in return, he's like, that is what you should do, even to the point of your enemies. He says here at the end. Then he says in the last part of verse 35, he says, for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. So here we see this word unthankful used. It's used a few times in the New Testament. And in this part, it is lumped in with evil people. So unthankful people are lumped in with evil people. Turn to Romans chapter one. So to be unthankful is, you know, it's not like a small thing that you're going to see when you look at the New Testament and the places in the New Testament that this word is used. It's talking about people that are unthankful. Look at Romans chapter one and verse number 21. Romans chapter one, of course, talking about people who have been given over, you know, people that were given up by God, people whose minds have just been rejected and they turned into unnatural people. We've looked at this many times. But look at one of the main causes of this happening in verse 21. It says because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. You know, one of the kids asked me the other day, they said, you know, do reprobates, do people that, you know, can't get saved that have been rejected by God, do they all know God? The answer is yes. They all know who He is because that is the path, that's where the path began for them becoming rejected by God. In verse 21, it says that they knew God and they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. And we know it goes into the rest of Romans chapter one, not really the point, but the point is, is that these people, these people were not thankful for God. You say, well, you know, who needs to be thankful to God? You know, well, here's the thing, whosoever. You know, in Romans 3.16, the Bible says that Jesus came to save whosoever. That means everybody. Jesus came to be the sacrifice for everybody in the world, for the sacrifice for every individual's sins in the entire world. Anyone that was ever born, that ever will be born, that is the whosoever, but some people are unthankful. So if you ever run into people out soul winning that say, God never did anything for me, that's a lie from the pit of hell, literally. Because God sent His Son to die literally for everybody, but some people were unthankful. Some people didn't appreciate it. They rejected it. They knew God, but they were just like whatever, we don't want that. So the whosoever, some of the whosoever's were unthankful, they rejected God, and then the rest of Romans 1 happens. So this is literally talking about people who are unthankful, who are reprobates, who are rejected by the Lord. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter 3. So again, unthankful being a place that is very, very bad in the Bible. It's not a small thing in the Bible to be unthankful. Look at 2 Timothy chapter 3 and look at verse number 1. 2 Timothy chapter 3 in verse number 1. Look what the Bible says here. It says, this know also that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of them own selves. So here we're talking about the context of what's about to come here is the last days, things are so bad that things are getting perilous in the last days. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. And then look at verse number 3, kind of matches up with Romans chapter 1. You know, these people that are unthankful, they're unholy, they're also without natural affection. This is talking about people, again, that have been given over to that type of mind and they've lost that naturalness, they become unnatural people. So, I mean, the Bible here is talking about being unthankful in the terms of how it's going to be in the end times now. You know, the end times are going to be the great tribulation. You know, tribulation like has never been seen before. And we can compare that to tribulation we know has already happened to people knowing that the great tribulation is going to be terrible. It's going to be the most terrible thing we could probably even imagine. And the Bible lumps unthankful in with these people. So, I mean, look, being unthankful, all that to say this, being unthankful is not a small thing in the Bible. We don't want to, I mean, look, and here's the thing, it's a huge problem today of people just being unthankful. You know, all this, I mean, how many times have we talked about this where people just think that they're owed something, people think that they deserve everything? You know, it's all it is, look, all it is is unthankfulness, is all that boils down to. And here's the thing, if you find somebody like this, if you find somebody, I'm sure we all know people like this, that feel like they've just got a chip on their shoulder, somebody owes me something, I didn't get what the other guy got, everybody's got something better than me, this type of person, look, this type of person is not only unthankful, but it matches the Bible's description of unthankful because these people are miserable people. These are miserable people, these people are just unthankful, they're miserable people. So look, all that to say this, that we don't want to be anywhere near that. We don't want to be anywhere near this definition of unthankful. So first of all, I'm just going to show you, you know, three things in the order that you should be thankful for them tonight, it'd be a pretty simple sermon, but we have a lot to be thankful for in our lives. We have a lot to be thankful for, no matter what's going on in your life, no matter what you're going through right now, you have a lot to be thankful for everyone that can hear my voice right now. The first thing, the first thing that you have to be thankful for is of course, God. You can be thankful for the Lord tonight. Not only, look, of course you're saved tonight, but not only just because you're saved, but you have an opportunity to serve the Lord with your life. I mean, look, you have an opportunity to raise your families in a godly home. I mean, you have a good church. You have good friends. You have brothers and sisters in this church. Look, this is already something that most people don't have, right? Just the things that I've already listed. You know, most people are not saved. Most people, you know, if they're not saved, they're never going to do anything with their life that is important to the Lord. You know, it all starts with salvation. It all starts with salvation. So I was telling a couple of you the other night, don't argue doctrine with somebody that's not even saved. I mean, talk about, you know, just a waste of time, but look at 1 Samuel chapter 12. 1 Samuel chapter 12. I mean, most people, most people not only are they not saved, but most people, you know, they're doing nothing with their lives. Even if people are saved, most people aren't even doing anything with that. 1 Samuel chapter 12, Samuel is, you know, he's an old man now and the children of Israel have just gotten a king. And he's kind of lecturing them. He's lecturing them on what they need to do. And if you look at verse number 24, look at 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse number 24. And look what Samuel says. I mean, he's going through this big, long monologue to them about, you know, what they, you know, need to do going forward. But look at verse number 24, that kind of wraps it up. He says, only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart. Four, that means, that means because. Four, how, consider how great things he had done for you. What Samuel is saying, turn to Colossians chapter three if you want to see a New Testament version of this. But what Samuel is saying in verse number 24, he's like, hey, if you are thankful for the Lord, just serve him, serve him. That's what he is saying. He's like, fear the Lord and serve him with all your heart because of what he's done. Be thankful is what Samuel is saying. Now look at Colossians chapter three. Colossians chapter three, look at verse 17. This is the New Testament version of what Samuel told the children of Israel in 1 Samuel chapter 12. Colossians chapter three, look at verse 17. Look what the Bible says. And what's whoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him. So the Bible here is saying is like, in your word and deed, be thankful to the Lord is what the Bible is saying. So this is really what I want to focus on this evening is what are the actions of thankfulness? Notice how Samuel doesn't say to the children of Israel, you should feel thankful to the Lord. You should say thank you to the Lord. Isn't that what we teach our kids? That's kind of a, you know, kind of a miss. If you're sitting there and you're teaching your kids that every time that they receive something or somebody does something nice, it's not that they shouldn't do this, but the kids just say, you know, you had a teacher kid, no, did you say thank you? And they're like, thank you. You know, they said thank you, but are they thankful is the question. You know, what are the actions of thankfulness? You know, I mean, so you get all these kids that go around and they say thank you, but what does that even mean? That's not what Samuel said to do. He didn't say, say thank you to God. He said, no, he said serve God with all your heart. So if you're thankful to God, you'll serve him. And look at the opposite of that in verse number 25. It says, but if he shall do wickedly, he shall be consumed, both ye and your king. Because in verse number 25, he's saying, look, this verse number 25 is the unthankful people. Because if the people don't serve the Lord with all their heart, you know what God takes that as? Unthankfulness. Oh, but I said thank you, who cares? It's what you do that matters. It's how you show your thankfulness. You know, he says only fear the Lord and serve him. That's what he says, with all truth, with all your heart. Look, if you're truly thankful, you will serve the Lord. If you're truly thankful for the Lord. So show it. That is what Samuel is telling the people, and that's what we see in the New Testament as well. So I mean, you're thankful for your church. Do something about it. You know, you're thankful. Once you get this action of thankfulness figured out, it'll just carry forward in your life. It'll carry forward. It'll carry into other things as well, not just the Lord. Think about this. How about this now? You're thankful for the Lord? How about this? Are you thankful for your family tonight? Are you thankful for your wife? Are you thankful for your husband? Are you thankful for your children this evening? You know, be thankful, children. Be thankful for your parents tonight. You know, they sacrifice for you. They sacrifice for you. They train you. They feed you. They support you. They clothe you. I mean, think about your parents, kids. Be thankful for them. So what does that mean? Thanks, dad. Thanks, mom. No, obey them. Follow them. Respect them. As the Bible says, don't just say thank you, kids. Be a good son. Be a good daughter. That's how you show your thankfulness to your parents. Show it. Show your thankfulness. So look, we also should be thankful for our church family as well. Look, I'm thankful for all of you. But how do we do that? We show our thankfulness to each other by serving one another, by doing things for one another. When somebody needs something, we are there for our church family. So look, thankfulness is not just saying thank you, even in the case of our relationships with one another. There needs to be. This is just like the definition of love, that the world is messed up. Love is not this feeling of butterflies in my stomach. Love is actually going and doing something. Love is action. Love is sacrifice. That's what biblical love is. The same thing with thankfulness. Thankfulness has action attached to it. True thankfulness. How about this one? How about this one tonight? Be thankful for your country. You say what? You say what? I mean, with all of the problems in this country, and look, we talk about all the problems in this country all the time, and that's fine. All the godlessness in this country, all the perversion in this country. But look, I'm telling you, be thankful for your country tonight. You say, I mean, here's a question for you. Can you be a Bible-believing Christian and be patriotic at the same time? Is it possible? Is it possible with such a wicked nation that we live in? But here's the thing, I think so. I think so. A lot of people might not agree with me on that, but here's how. Here's how I'll give you my explanation on this. First of all, you know, the framework is good. The framework is good. Turn to Revelation chapter 20. A lot of people talk about, you know, a lot of people talk about, and a lot of leaders, and a lot of the greatest minds in history have talked about the perfect government. Everybody's searching for the perfect government. Isn't that what's going on? Isn't that what's going on over the last several thousand years? Is everybody's trying to figure out the perfect government in this world? You know, how to do this thing right? Everyone's looking for this. But here's the thing. The Bible tells us what the perfect government is. In the Old Testament, it was pretty easy. God was in charge. That's it. God was in charge. Then he, you know, God was still in charge, and he started appointing judges. And then the people demanded and demanded how God should change the government. And this is where it all goes downhill right here. And we're starting to see that in 1 Samuel chapter 12, where the people demand a man, a king to rule over them. Samuel warns them. God warns them. Everybody warns them. They're like, no, we want a king because look at all these other nations around us. They all have kings. And it just goes downhill from there. But in the Old Testament, God was just in charge. Before all that, God was in charge. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Here's how it'll be in the end times or at the end of the world. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Look at verse number four. The Bible says, And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast. Neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that is part in the first resurrection. That's you, by the way, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. So Jesus Christ is going to reign during the millennial reign for a thousand years on this earth. How will he rule? What kind of ruler will he be? Well, the Bible tells us that too. Look at Revelation chapter two. I mean, what kind of deal is he going to set up here? I mean, is he going to be just this really light guy that just kind of lets everything go? I mean, look at Revelation chapter two and look at verse number 26. Revelation chapter two and verse number 26. So the Bible here is telling us in Revelation chapter 20 and verse number four that we're going to get to rule and reign with Christ. So we're going to be part of this government. We're going to be helping him. He's going to be in charge. Look at verse number 26 of Revelation chapter two. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works into the end to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a powder, they shall be broken to shivers even as I receive of my father. So this is basically telling you that Jesus is not going to put up with any evil. Okay, Jesus is basically going to do what the New Testament says that a government should do that a ruler should do in Romans chapter 13. A ruler should be a terror to the evil. And Jesus is going to do that with a rod of iron. The Bible says. So look, I mean, here's the thing. The Bible is telling us here that the perfect government the best government is actually a monarchy is what is telling us. But really it's not that simple. You can't really say that just as a blanket statement because this is where people throughout history they go wrong. Everybody's looking for the perfect form of government. Everybody's looking for the perfect form of government even the communists, even communists today say, well, communism is the best form of government. It's just that Stalin, they did it wrong. They messed it up. You know, I mean, we have an example of just 100 years ago or less than 50 years ago or 60 years ago where communism literally killed over a hundred million people in this world. And there's still people today that say, communism is the best form of government because it just wasn't implemented right. It was just implemented too harshly, you know? And it's, see people that go down that road people say fascism is the, you know, the best form of government which is basically very similar to communism. It's the state over individuals. The state is God again. It's very similar to socialism but they all think they have the right answer. They all think they have the right answer but here's the problem. Here's the problem. You can't just go and say, you know, this is the best form of government because you must take the ruler himself into account in that question. And that's the beauty of the United States is the United States when it was founded it took the rulers into account and that's why the men that founded our country they just put all these limitations on the power of man in the country that was formed. The United States, the country that we were born in the country that I'm thankful for this evening was literally formed knowing that man is the problem. That's the beauty of it. And it was formed with the specific overarching goal of limiting the corrupt power of man because they knew who the problem was. Is it the perfect form? No. A monarchy is the perfect form but you can't just say a monarchy is the perfect form. You must say a monarchy is the perfect form as long as Jesus is the king. Then you can say a monarchy is the perfect form. I don't want a monarchy unless Jesus is the king. You give me a monarchy with Jesus as the king I'm in, sign me up. Monarchy is the best. You must take the ruler into account for the answer and that's why people get so confused. So, here we are. Jesus isn't king. Jesus isn't, he's not electable right now. He's not here right now. So we had to come up with a pragmatic solution. We had to come up with a solution and as far as until Jesus takes the reins on this thing. You know, we needed a pragmatic solution. As far as ideas are out there are the ideas that I've known about that I've read about. I think that the way that this country was founded was a pretty good idea. It's the best one I've heard of yet. Is it messed up? Yeah, it's messed up. We're messing it up every single day, every single year, but guess what? It's us that are messing it up. It's the people of this country that are messing it up. So, can you be patriotic? I believe so, but thankful is a better word. Thankful is a better word. You know, look, I'm glad I am extremely thankful that I was born here. I'm extremely thankful that my children are gonna be raised here. Look, there's a reason that people are trying to get here. There's a reason that people from all over the world are constantly trying to get here because as messed up as we are, it's still the best place. And look, you know, we may have taken this well-designed vehicle and we may have put square wheels on it and we may have ripped out some spark plugs, but it's still better than walking right now. It's still better than being chained to a wall right now. And look, if you've been to other places in the world, you know what I'm saying is true. And if you've got yourself to the point where you think this is the worst place ever, you need to go visit some places. Other, see, other countries, at least we can sit here and as we complain about what our wicked rulers are doing, at least we can sit here and say, you know what, because they're going against the framework. They're going against the framework. At least we have the framework. You know, other countries, other countries even like Canada and Mexico, they don't have that framework. They don't have any, they literally don't have any rights. That they could use the law to protect them. And I'm not saying that our rulers are following laws or that they're following that framework like they should, but at least we have it. At least it's there. So look, we have a lot of problems, but it's still sort of a free country. You know, I get it. I get all the problems. That's not what I'm saying, but I'm thankful that we're here. And I'm thankful for the life that I've had. I'm thankful for this country for, I'm thankful my kids were born here. I mean, so the question is with our country, how do we show our thankfulness? How do we show that? You know, should I go out? Should I go out and join the military and go fight an unjust war or two? Is that what I should do as a Christian? To show my thankfulness? Here's the action. Here's the action. You know, think about what the problems are in this country. The problems are what? What do we just, the problem's not the framework. Framework's pretty good. Framework was a good idea. I look at it and the more you read about it and read about it and learn about it, you're just like, wow, I can't believe they thought of all that. We're just breaking it. The problem's with the people. So here's what you could do. Here's what you could do to show you that you're thankful for your country. Be a soul winner. That's what you can do to be thankful for your country. Look, soul winning is the original grassroots movement. I mean, you wanna talk about how to actually be thankful for your country, go out and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those people out there that know nothing about it. One door at a time. That's how you can show your thankfulness. Here's another one, be a contributor. Be a contributor in this country. I had somebody a couple months ago that doesn't work. This guy didn't work. He was just like a serial person that just doesn't work. And he came up to me and he was complaining to me about how this is a communist country. And I'm just sitting here and I'm just like, man, are you serious? I mean, I agree with you, but you're a communist. I'm like, what are you talking about? You're part of the problem. Here's what you can do. If you're thankful for your country, work hard. That's what you can do. Raise moral children that do the same. Look, that's easier said than done. Raising moral children, it's one of the main goals of the Bible and teaching us how to do this and how to raise a next generation that'll be soul winners, that'll be hard workers, that'll be decent Christians that follow what the Bible says. But, you know, be part of the solution. Be part of the solution, not people that are helping break the framework that was built. You know, not part of the anchor that's dragging us down. That's what you can do if you're thankful for your country. Notice now, notice now how I listed three things. I listed God, family, and country. You know, you're to be thankful for things and you're to show your thankfulness in that order. God, family, and country. It's designed, and here's the funny thing. Here's the funny thing, it's designed to be in that order because the answer on how to show your thankfulness always points to the first one on that list. Think about that, think about that. You're thankful for the Lord. What does Samuel say you're supposed to do? You're thankful, I'm so thankful for the Lord, what am I supposed to do? Say thank you? No, I'm supposed to serve him with all my heart. I'm supposed to take my life that he's given me and serve the Lord with my life. I'm thankful for my family. What am I supposed to do? Tell them thank you? No, I'm supposed to raise them according to the Bible. I'm supposed to serve the Lord with my life, but here's the thing, if I'm thankful for my family, nothing will help them more than serving the Lord with my life. Isn't it funny how it always points back to that first one? Serving the Lord with my life will show thankfulness to my family. And here's the thing, you're thankful for your country. You're thankful for your country, what should you do? Serve the Lord with your life. And that will help your country. Serving the Lord with your life, the answer to showing thankfulness to the Lord will show thankfulness to your family, will show thankfulness to your friends, will show thankfulness to your brothers and sisters in Christ, will show thankfulness to the country that you live in. Will show thankfulness to your neighbors, which is your country. I mean, nothing will show your thankfulness to everything that you should be thankful for than doing what Samuel told you to do in verse 24, which is serving the Lord with your life. That's it, with all your heart. I mean, especially your country. That's what's missing. That's why we're heading down this road in this country, because there's not enough people that are serving the Lord with their life. That's the answer to the whole thing. I mean, when people forget the Lord is when tyrants forge their chains. It's true. So be thankful for everything that you should be thankful in your life. Kids, you be thankful for your parents. How do you do that? How do you be thankful to your parents? You learn the Bible. You sit down at church and you listen to the preaching in church. You understand what God wants for you for the future in your life. You young people, you have everything ahead of you. And as far as serving the Lord with your life, there's nobody that has more that they can do with that than you. But that'll show your parents that you're thankful to them. You say, serve the Lord and show my, yes. You serve the Lord and you show your thankfulness to your parents. Because they brought you to this point where you have the ability to serve the Lord. Don't waste it. Don't throw it away. Everything benefits and all your thankfulness will be shown just by serving the Lord with your life, with all your heart. That's the answer. It's very simple. I don't know why more people don't get it right. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.