Sermon for Thanksgiving Eve - Phil 4:6-20

 

Thanksgiving Eve

                                                                                       Phil 4:6-20

                                                                                      11/23/22

 

          When I hear the word “prison,” the word “thanksgiving” is not the first thing that comes mind. Nobody wants to be in prison. No one wants their freedom to be restricted.  It is not a setting in which we expect to find people giving thanks.

          And so, there is some irony in the fact that the epistle lesson for Thanksgiving is from Paul’s letter to the Philippians – a letter he wrote from prison.  In Bible class we are currently looking at the apostle’s letter to the Colossians – another letter that he wrote from prison. What we have said about Colossians is the same thing we can say about Philippians. We aren’t sure exactly where Paul was imprisoned when he wrote this letter. 

          While the letters to the Colossians and Philippians are similar in this way, they are very different when we compare the people to whom Paul was writing.  Paul had not founded the church at Colossae, and did not know them personally.  On the other hand, he knew the Philippians very well.  He had been the one who first preached the Gospel to them as they became believers in Jesus Christ. Paul had developed a very close relationship with the Philippians. 

          We hear this in the first verses of the letter as Paul gives thanks to God for them.  He writes, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

          Paul refers to their partnership in the Gospel.  And this isn’t just rhetoric meant to ingratiate him to the congregation.  The Philippians had supported Paul with money on several occasions – in fact they had been the only congregation to do this.  Paul says in our text, “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.”

          Now, the Philippians had done it again. And so, Paul gives thanks to them. He writes, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.”  Apparently, circumstances had not allowed the Philippians to send the support to Paul as they wanted.  However, now they had been able provide aid and so Paul says in our text: “I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”

          In this letter from prison, Paul gives thanks for the Philippians and their partnership in the work of the Gospel.  He gives thanks for the gift that they have sent to Paul in prison via Epaphroditus. And he also tells the Philippians that they should give thanks. He says in our text, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

          Paul tells the Philippians that they are not to be anxious and worried. Instead, they are to approach God in prayer and let their requests be made known. Yet he also says that this prayer is to include thanksgiving.  It is to include thanksgiving, because there is indeed much for which they should give thanks.

          Thanksgiving is the purpose of the holiday we are about to observe.  Yet if you pause to consider it, the manner in which we celebrate this time of thanksgiving raises some questions that are worth pondering.

          We all know what we can expect tomorrow to be like.  But what if, wherever you are going to have Thanksgiving dinner, you were told: “Well, this year we are going to have hot dogs and potato chips.”  What would your reaction be? I highly doubt that it would be one of thanksgiving.  We know what Thanksgiving dinner is supposed to be: turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes and gravy, and pie.  It is one of the most sumptuous meals of the year in which we eat until we are full, and then many of us fall asleep watching football.

          If we are honest, the holiday of Thanksgiving and the traditions associated with it are almost the antithesis of what thanksgiving should be about. We “give thanks” by gorging ourselves on a meal about which we have very specific expectations. We “give thanks” by eating a meal that if it is not what we expect – how about spaghetti for Thanksgiving? – leaves us feeling disappointed and let down.

          Now I have to be honest with you.  I find Thanksgiving to be the most difficult occasion for preaching. And the reason is that every year you already know exactly what I am going to say.  I am going to tell you that we have much for which we should be thankful. This is, of course, absolutely true. We are blessed with a standard of that living that billions of people would love to have. We do not lack for food and clean drinking water. We live in a setting where we have peace and security. We have the freedom to gather to worship our Lord Jesus and receive his gifts in the Divine Service.

          Then, I am going to tell you that we are not thankful as we should be. You also know that this is true. We all take for granted these many blessings. We just assume that they are part of life, and very often we forget that God is the source of all of them. He is the One who gives us clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, and all our possessions. He is the One who richly and daily provides us with all that we need to support this body and life.

          The world around us will celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow as well. It will do all the same things we do with the big expected meal.  No doubt there will be people who reflect upon all the good things they have, and they will give thanks.

          However, there is a statement in our text that distinguishes Christian thanksgiving from what the world does.  Immediately after telling the Philippians to let their requests be made known God with thanksgiving, Paul adds, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

          Paul says that peace that comes from God surpasses all understanding – it goes beyond anything we can imagine.  This peace guards our heart and minds in Christ Jesus. When Paul says “in Christ Jesus” he means the saving work of Christ into which we have been incorporated through baptism and faith.

          It is true that we fail to acknowledge God as the giver of every good gift.  We certainly fail to give thanks as we should.  In chapter two Paul had written that although Christ is God, he “made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

          Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God submitted himself to the shameful death of the cross in order to receive the punishment for our sin of thanklessness. Yet then, on the third day, God raised him from the dead.  Because of this we are forgiven before God.

          In the prior chapter St. Paul had described all of the reasons he had for confidence and pride as a Jew before he became a Christian. Yet he told the Philippians that now, “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

          Note that being found “in him” – being “in Christ” means having a righteous standing before God. It means that we look forward to sharing in the resurrection of the dead.  Here we find both forgiveness for thanklessness, and the ultimate reason to give thanks!  Our thanksgiving includes earthly blessings of this life, but it goes so far beyond that. Because of Jesus Christ it includes forgiveness, eternal life, and resurrection.

What is more, Paul says that when life is lived in Christ, we have the means by which we are content in all circumstances. And this contentment certainly includes thankfulness.  Paul writes in our text, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

Then Paul adds, “I am able with respect to all things through him who strengthens me.” Though this is commonly translated as “I can do all things through him who strengthens me,” this translation misses the point that the “things” to which Paul refers are the things he has just mentioned: being brought low and abounding; facing plenty and hunger; facing abundance and need. Paul means that he is able handle these things – both the good and the bad – through God who strengthens him as he is in Christ.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, the apostle Paul teaches us that the most important truth of our life is that we are in Christ. Through baptism and faith we have been joined to the saving death and resurrection of Jesus.  For this we give thanks. When this is the focus of our life, we are enabled by the Spirit to recognize the blessings God has given us and to give thanks for them. And we are also able to be content in all circumstances – both the good and the bad.  As those in Christ we are able with respect to all things through him who strengthens us.