Thankful Hearts Giving Thanks
Colossians 3:15-17
November 22, 2020
Rudyard Kipling is one of the most well-known British writers from the 19th and 20th centuries. He penned many poems and such classic stories as How the Leopard Got His Spots and The Jungle Book. His writing made him famous and wealthy. A newspaper reporter approached him one day and said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over one hundred dollars a word.”
Seeking to humble Kipling, the reporter then reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill: “Here’s a one hundred dollar bill, Mr. Kipling. Now give me one of your hundred dollar words.”
Kipling took the bill, stuffed it into his pocket, and said — “Thanks.”
Thankfulness certainly is a one-hundred dollar attribute. Even unbelievers recognize it. And I am thankful that even our secular culture reminds us of the importance of giving thanks. I am more grateful that God gives us direction on how to be thankful in this secular culture. Here is what Paul will say about gratitude in Colossians 3 —
Christ is sanctifying us to be thankful.
Christ is sanctifying us by being thankful.
Thankfulness is one of the goals of our sanctification. We are re-created in Christ to be thankful. But we are also sanctified as we are thankful — thankfulness is a means of sanctifying us. So thankfulness is both the goal and the means of our sanctification.
In this passage Paul provides three admonitions for when and how to be thankful.
Context: A Transformed Life (vv. 1-14)
- Gratitude and Christ’s Peace (v. 15)
- Gratitude and Christ’s Word (v. 16)
- Gratitude and Christ’s Commission (v. 17)
Download the rest of this sermon on Colossians 3:15-17.
The audio will be posted on the GBC website by tomorrow.
Words of Grace 