Ephesians 5 Series
#4
"FRAME OF MIND!"
TEXT:
Eph. 5:3-4, 20; Col. 3:17; 1 Thess. 5:18; Luke 17:11-19; Dan. 6:10; 1
Chron. 23:30; Luke 22:14-20; Psalm 100:4; Psalm 107:1-2, 22, 42-43 Acts
16:25-34; Dan. 4
INTRO: When you build a
house you first pick a design ... then construct a "FRAME" around which the
shape and finish work of the house will be done. Once the framework is up the shape of
the house is determined!
In a psychological sense we do this also with our
children, we become for them a design or pattern, then we construct the
framework of their living conditions and attitudes through a series of reward
and punishment reactions, as well as by our example; they then build the finish
work around this frame of reference or they tear it down and build their
own.
ILLUS: A mother took
her three children to a restaurant to eat breakfast one morning. The smallest of the three children sat at
the very end of the row. She saw
other people being served and eating right away without stopping to say thanks.
It surprised her. When the food was served to her, she
shouted out to her mother: "Mommy, don't people ask the blessing in this place?"
You can well imagine the
embarrassment of those present. Her
mother tried to hush her. But, the
waitress said to little Mary, "Yes, we do, sister! You give thanks!" Amazingly, at that very moment everybody
else also bowed their heads and offered thanks. Embarrass them and maybe you will bring
them to their senses to say "Thank you, God." -- Source Unknown
Unthankful parents will usually produce unthankful
children ... because the framework their parent's give them is one of everybody
owes them something instead of their having a giving spirit. Give a child everything including their
demands all the time and you will raise a spoiled tyrant who believes the world
revolves around his/her existence! This is why we have to teach our children
to be polite and thankful, it is not a part of human nature we are born with, a
baby only knows it's own needs and screams when they are not
met!
ILLUS: A man was
watching his eighty-year-old neighbor planting a small peach tree. He inquired of him as follows: "You don't
expect to eat peaches from that tree, do you?" The old man rested on his spade. He said, "No, at my age I know I won't.
But all my life I've enjoyed
peaches -- never from a tree I planted myself. I'm just trying to pay the other fellows
who planted the trees for me." -- James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton:
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 259.
PROP. SENT: Being born again doesn't
necessarily make you a wonderfully caring thankful person, this is something
that must be learned and disciplined in your new walk with God ... thus
developing a thankful frame of mind!
I. CONDITIONAL? Eph. 5:3-4,20; Col. 3:17; 1 Thess. 5:18; Acts 16:25-34; Luke
17:11-19
A.
Classifications: Eph. 5:3-4,20; Col. 3:17; 1 Thess.
5:18
1.
Notice in all these verses there are no qualifying remarks that give
exemption to a believer so they don't have to give
thanks!
2. We
are to learn a "thankful" spirit during the "GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE
UGLY"
3. It is interesting to note in 1 THESS.
a.
There is little guess work left here ... it is always God's will
to have a thankful heart!
b.
Nothing is more rude than for someone to be unthankful, especially when
you gave up your life for them!!
c.
One of the jobs of parenting is teaching your children "MANNERS," to be
polite and thankful when others do things for them or give them
something.
4. We
have received so much from God's goodness that we have far greater reasons to
give thanks than to complain!
ILLUS: Be thankful for
your problems. For if they were less difficult, someone with less ability would
have your job. Look backward with
gratitude and forward with confidence. -- Vern McLellan, The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs
and Wacky Wit (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
1996).
5.
Unthankfulness will yield bumper
crops:
a.
Bitterness
b.
Resentment
c.
Anger
d. Discouragement
e.
Retaliation
6.
Thankfulness however also yields bumper
crops:
a.
Joy
b.
Appreciation
c.
Caring for others
d.
Love
e.
Emotional stability
f.
Spiritual power and maturity
B.
Caution!! Luke 17:11-19; Acts
16:25-34
1.
Luke 17:11-19 tells the story of 10
lepers who sought out Jesus for healing: Jesus heals them all - BUT
only one returned to give thanks! Jesus records for us His disappointment
in the other 9 who were unthankful ... they were so overcome with their own
need being met they forgot their manners!
ILLUS: A godly farmer
was asked to dine with a well-known gentleman. While there, he asked a blessing at the
table as he was accustomed to do at home. His host said jeeringly, "That is old
fashioned; it is not customary nowadays for well-educated people to pray before
they eat." The farmer answered that
with him it was customary, but that some of those on his farm never prayed over
their food. "Ah, then," said the
gentleman, "They are sensible and enlightened. Who are they?" "My pigs," the farmer
answered.
-- Source Unknown
a. I
wonder how many times we have failed to give thanks unto God for the many
wonderful things He has done for us ... and forgotten to say thanks when the
answers come!
b. It
hurts when people don't even say THANKS!
2. In
Acts 16:25-31 Paul and Silas were in prison
though innocent of any real charges ... and in their THANKFULNESS to God;
though chained, in maximum security, in darkness, during an earthquake, and not
taking advantage of an open jail because of the earthquake, their attitude of
THANKFULNESS demonstrated by their singing led to the conversion of an entire
family!
a.
Such moments when things are going heavily against us produce the
greatest opportunities to show
thankfulness!
b.
Some of the greatest moments of witnessing are created out of the ugliest
situations in our lives ... IF THEY ARE CONNECTED TO A THANKFUL FRAME OF
MIND!
II. CONDITIONED!!! Dan. 6:10; 1 Chron. 23:30; Luke 22: 15-20; Psm. 100:4; Psm.
107:1-2,22,42-13
A.
Controlled! Dan. 6:10; 1 Chron. 23:30; Psm.
100:4
1. Daniel was the object of jealousy
and hate, and was about to be closed in on by some evil people because of his
consistent prayer life. It is
interesting to note in Dan.
a.
Thankfulness helped him stay under
control!
ILLUS: Charles Dickens
said that we are somewhat mixed up here in
b. It
forces out of the heart the bitterness that otherwise would creep
in.
c. He
didn't need to lash out against anyone ... he just reached out to God with a
thankful heart!
2.
Another person who showed the same heart was Joseph ... he kept a
thankful heart even when he was the object MANY times of other peoples
evil schemes!
a.
His attitude of thankfulness took him to the top of
power!
b.
His attitude of thankfulness allowed him to joyfully forgive his
brothers!
c.
His attitude of thankfulness set the stage for God's mighty work in
building a nation for Himself!
d. He
was always under control ... BECAUSE of his frame of mind, a thankful
one!
B.
Compassion Luke
22:14-20
1.
Jesus, prior to his greatest moments of pain uttered these words, "I have eagerly
desired to eat this Passover with you" ... after taking the cup, HE GAVE
THANKS!"
a.
Jesus' frame of mind was always THANKFUL, and He was filled with
compassion because of it!
b.
When you are THANKFUL, you are THOUGHTFUL! You will think of others even when you
are in the midst of a struggle!
ILLUS: A mother and
her two little children were destitute. In the depth of winter they were nearly
frozen, and the mother took the cellar door off the hinges and set it up in
front of the corner where they crouched down to sleep so that some of the draft
and cold might be kept from them. One of the children whispered to her,
"Mother, what do those poor children do who have no cellar door to put up in
front of them?" -- Source Unknown
2.
Jesus saw the greater picture ... and so gave thanks before the Passover
celebration which would include his own
death!
3.
Joseph saw the greater picture also, "What you meant
for evil, God Intended for good" ... compassion flows from the
grateful heart!
C.
Commitment! Psm.
107:1-2,22,42-43
1.
Note the sense of command in the verse: "GIVE
THANKS..."
2.
Then an interesting statement "LET THE REDEEMED
OF THE LORD SAY SO!"
a.
The point being to get into the habit of thinking, and even saying "THE LORD IS
GOOD, HIS LOVES ENDURES
FOREVER!"
b.
The Psalmist suggests to the redeemed to "SAY
SO!"
ILLUS: One year when
Christmas Day came on a Sunday, a farmer decided to go to church. (Like some people, he thought he was
fulfilling his religious obligation by going to church twice a year-at Christmas
and Easter!) The sermon that day
was preached from the text, "The ox
knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but
c.
Perhaps we could learn something here ... to get into the habit of
reminding our self and others that "GOD IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES
FOREVER!"
d.
(perhaps everyone who is now saved should say
so!!!)
3.
Note Psm. 107:22, it is called here a "SACRIFICE OF
THANKS" ... the point being made is probably that of setting one's
mind and resources to make the commitment to give thanks in spite of negative
influences in life!
4.
Just like the commitment it takes to teach our children to say, "Thank
you" as a habit and mean it, we too must learn to make the commitment
to be a thankful person!
5.
God give us a THANKFUL FRAME OF MIND!!! It will literally frame the very
existence and structure of our lives!
a.
Note in Psm. 107:42-43 that the "WISE will heed
these things;" ironically you are one of the biggest benefactors of
having a thankful heart, it will keep from you all kinds of evil thoughts and
motives!
b. It
is like "casting your bread upon the water, after many days it will
return to you."
c.
Thankful people are appreciated by other people - and are strong
people!
CONCLUSION: A "Thankful" frame of mind
is both a "MUST" for the believer, and
something that "MUST BE PRACTICED" by the
believer! The thankful spirit
creates the "frame of mind" that we build upon throughout
our lifetime ... what kind of "dwelling" are you building, one with a good frame
or one that will topple easily when storms
come?