THANKSGIVING: An Attitude of Gratitude - Sermon outline for October 27, 2019 - (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church of Christ in Livonia, MI, on October 27, 2019)

THANKSGIVING: An Attitude of Gratitude - Thanksgiving for God's Refuge - October 27, 2019

Video - Worship countdown

Prayers

INTRODUCTION

Preparing for the Big Day -
Parades
Food prepped
Family coming over
Turkey Bowl
Buying two newspapers for Black Friday ads

Lordship, justice and righteousness

Modern approach to the divine is anthropocentric

God stands on top, not man.

Prayer

“Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands— if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe— then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high. Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts. My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day. If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.

Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7:1-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ (RPB #582)

I.  THANKSGIVING FOR HIS SALVATION (vv. 1-2)

A.  Our refuge
1.  Salvation
2.  Deliverance
B.  Our enemies
1.  Tear and rip to pieces
2.  Like a lion
C.  Our only hope of rescue

II.  THANKSGIVING FOR SELF-REFLECTION (vv. 3-5)

A.  "If I have"
B.  "Then let my enemy"
C.  Our ability to change

III.  THANKSGIVING FOR HIS JUSTICE (vv. 6-8)

A.  Inviting God's justice
B.  Judge me
1.  According to my righteousness
2.  According to my integrity

IV.  THANKSGIVING FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (vv. 9-13)

A.  Righteous God - actions
B.  Righteous shield - protection
C.  Righteous judge - discernment
D.  Righteous indignation - judgment

V.  THANKSGIVING FOR HIS PROVIDENCE (vv. 14-16)

A.  Not dertermined, but designed
B.  Recoiled trouble/self inflicted violence
C.  Arrogance and humility

VI.  THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE (v. 17)

In an uncertain world, we can be certain of His salvation, justice, righteousness and providence and give Him praise.  Without acknowledging who God is, how can we understand who we are?

CHALLENGE

Look back on your life where you feel abandoned or wronged by what God allowed to happen in your life.  How was God's justice or righteousness at play during that moment in your life?  Do you believe that God is just?  Do you believe that God is righteous?  How can your perspective on these issues change your outlook on life?  Take one event from your past where you felt God was unjust to you.  Pray for insight into God's justice and righteousness in that moment.  Speak to another person about this event and ask them how God showed his justice/righteousness.