“Gratitude”
(Jn.21:15-17)
10-11-2009
Grace => Covenant => Blessing => Gratitude =>
C Worship
C Service
C Obedience
Grace - Rom.5:15-19
Covenant - Heb.8:6-7,13; 1Cor.11:25
Blessing - Rom.10:12
Gratitude - Col.3:15-17 (16)
Motivators = fear? Necessity? Anger? Vengeance? Hatred? Love?
John 3:16-18 The giving = the sending
John 7:16-17 Jesus sent His message from the Sender
John 14:23-24 Aif any one loves me, he will obey my..@
The 2 highest teachings to be obeyed are: (Mat.22:37-40)
1. Love the Lord
2. Love fellow mankind
What prompts us to love? (He first loved us) 1Jn.4:19
To obey, to choose to do God=s will depends on Loving God and loving Jesus and Love is the greatest of all motivators.
Love, Faith, and Gratitude are not passive words; they are words of great movement. They are words of great action. A good example of the power of gratitude when prompted by love and spawned by Faith is the following record of Jesus in Lk.7:36-50 =>
The sinful woman (39)
The Story - (41-42)
The Question - which loves more? (42)
The Answer - (43) - the one forgiven more
The Question - (44) – “do you see this woman?”
The truth of the story and the situation - (44-46) acts of love
(47) she loved much \ he loved little. She was forgiven much He was forgiven little. (50) faith saved her (Heb.11:6)
Rev.2:2-5 Aforsaken first love@ lost the power of motivation
1Cor.13 (4-7) Love as portrayed here by Paul demonstrates that it is a word of power and motion.
Heb.10:24 A...spur one another on toward love and good deeds.@
God has given a precious gift - a grace undeserved. When you accept that gift you enter into a covenant of mercy. From within that covenant He pours out His blessings. From the overflow of your gratitude flows your worship and praise. From that same gratitude comes the energy and power of your service. Also from the well spring of gratitude flows your love for the Lord and out of that love the purity of your obedience.
Do you love Jesus?
Feed his sheep!
Do you truly love Jesus?
Feed his sheep!!
Do you really and truly love Jesus?
Feed his sheep!!!