A Heart of Gratitude – Psalm 100
Last week, Paul’s short but powerful letter to Philemon reminds us about the profoundly Christ-centered concepts of freedom, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
This week is our celebration of Thanksgiving; in a message titled “A Heart of Gratitude, daily,” we will absorb Psalm 100 on 937 of your Pew Bibles.
Introduction:
Thanksgiving is a time when many of us gather with friends and family, enjoy good food, and reflect on the blessed Thanksgiving season. It’s a day set aside to express our gratitude, but true thanksgiving—the kind that goes beyond a single day and shapes our daily lives. Thanksgiving is something we are called to embody year-round. Psalm 100 is a short, yet powerful passage that captures the essence of this kind of heartfelt gratitude toward God. Today, we’ll walk through this Psalm together and unpack what it means to live with a heart of thanksgiving.
Problem Statement:
We live in a world where gratitude often gets lost. Life’s challenges, stress, and busyness can distract us from focusing on the blessings we have. Sometimes, we focus more on what’s missing rather than what we already possess. As Christians, we are called to live differently. We’re called to live in a constant state of thankfulness, not just for what God has done but for who He is.
Reading Psalm 100:1-5 (NLT):
1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Main Points: (Bulletin Insert)
The psalm opens with a call for everyone to shout joyfully to the Lord. This isn’t just for a select few—it’s a universal call for all the earth! It’s a reminder that worship isn’t just something we do out of duty or obligation, but it should flow out of a heart full of joy.
Illustration: Imagine a little child who runs to greet their father after he comes home from work. They don’t just walk quietly to him—they run, they shout, and they jump into his arms with excitement. That’s the kind of joyful worship God desires from us. He wants us to come to Him like children, filled with joy and awe.
Memorable Point:
Thankful hearts lead to joyful worship. When we’re truly aware of God’s goodness, our natural response is to worship Him with gladness, not out of a sense of duty, but out of sheer delight.
True thanksgiving...
