After World War II, two families were waiting in line after a church service to greet the pastor. The church was preparing to build a building at that time. The first family in line said, “Pastor, as you know, our son was killed in the war—we would like to give $200.00 as a memorial gift.”
The second family said, “Pastor we were going to give $200.00, but our son came home—we’ll give $500.00.” (Source: Unknown)
When a country goes through a time of war, there is much loss and uncertainty. This. Is. Hard. There’s no way around it. Let’s face it. Through the course of our lives here on this earth, we will have to walk through some brutally hard times. We suffer unexpected health crisis, the surprise of being laid off from work, the deep hurt of a broken marriage, the challenge of the addictions of a loved one, the struggles of COVID that so many have personally experienced, and the loss of loved ones are just examples of hardships that touch so many.
Last week, we began looking for the path to finding thankfulness in our heart when life is hard. We saw that “who our great God is” gives us cause for thankfulness. Remember, do not replace the picture of your great God for the picture of your circumstance.
Our salvation also motivates thankfulness!
Our Salvation – rehearse what God has done
In other words, thankfulness is motivated not only by who God is, but also by what God has done. Some will live as though they would say, “Yes, yes I know that God saved me and now I can go to heaven.” But could there be a lack of understanding on our part as to what God has truly done in saving our souls? Would a deeper understanding of God’s work on our behalf make way to a deeper thankfulness in our hearts?
We look at II Samuel 22 last week. Psalm 18 is a parallel passage. Take a look.
The Psalmist is addressing deliverance from physical destruction. King Saul had been pursuing David with the strength and might he had available to him as king. A king’s army and a king’s influence would be intensely powerful foes. Deliverance from physical destruction would be a source of great thanksgiving.
So, deliverance from eternal destruction would give cause for even greater thanksgiving! God has made it possible to be delivered from spiritual death, as well!
Do you see what God has done for us all?! John 3:36; 5:24; Rom. 10:13.
Do you see what God has saved us from! Matthew 25:31-34, 41.
1. Saved us from Eternal Separation from God
Saved from being separated from God! When you truly start to consider what it would mean to be separated from God, and yet we have been saved from that separation, it really stirs thankfulness!
I can remember a time when I was in a store wearing a large winter coat. I looked on the shelf for something, and then looked down to check on one of our children. The child was gone! I look around me. I started to nervously scan the store. I called the child’s name out – and then I heard the response, “I’m right here Daddy.” My large coat had blocked my vision of our child!
I’ll tell you for a moment I was in a state of panic. I had started to imagine someone took our child.
Separated from any loved one would be devastating; however, separated from God almighty would be far more devastating than I think we realize. When we realize all He is to us (our great God), and then the possibility of being separated from Him – we begin to consider the devastation that separation would bring! Remember, what we can have with God is not described as religion. We can have genuine relationship with the one true, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving creator God! In the present, when sin blocks that relationship, we come to understand with greater depth who God is because our relationship with Him is blocked by our own sin. Rehearse these important truths from last week:
o God is sovereign (Rom. 8:28)
o God is working (Jas. 1:1-5)
o God has not left you (Heb. 13:5)
o God knows your need (Ps. 147:5)
o God loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3)
o God’s way is perfect (II Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30)
o God is trustworthy (Prov. 29:25)
So, this relationship with God must be pursued, must be nurtured, and must be developed! Yet, it does not stop there. There is much more! We often focus in on the here and now, yet how the here and now impacts our lives for all eternity is a life-or-death matter! Eternal separation from God means we would NOT be partakers in the removal of pain, in the removal of disease, in the wiping away of our tears, in the streets of transparent gold, and in living life in the presence of the one true loving God! These are future life guarantees for those in heaven. If we are eternally separated from God, we are not in heaven!
2. Saved us from Eternal Condemnation in Hell
What has God done? He has saved us from eternal separation AND from eternal condemnation!
Read Matthew 25: 41-46; John 3:18-19.
God has made possible a salvation from eternal condemnation! The Bible says this eternal condemnation is an “everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41)! Verse 46 of the same chapter says it is an “everlasting punishment!” There is no end to this condemnation for the one who rejects Christ. But for the one who has accepted Christ for forgiveness of sin and eternal life in heaven – God has made possible this great deliverance! John 5:24.
3. Saved us from Continual Destruction
What has God done? He has saved us from eternal separation, from eternal condemnation, and also from continual destruction!
Left to our own way (separate from God’s way), we will destroy ourselves. Read Romans 7:18, 21 and Romans 6:23
A man was reading his Bible while the barber was giving him a haircut. The barber saw what his client was reading and boldly stated, “I don’t believe in God. I mean, just look at all the destruction and devastation in the world! If there was a loving God, we would not have to endure the destruction and devastation.”
The man getting the haircut did not know what to say, so he did not say anything. He paid for his haircut and left the barber shop. Just outside the barbershop there was a man with long matted hair. It was obvious he had not seen the inside of a barber shop in a very long time. So, the man turned around and went right back into the barbershop and announced to the barber, “I don’t believe in barbers!”
The barber said, “What are you talking about? I just cut your hair!”
The man said, “But look at that man outside your front window. His hair is long, matted, and very damaged. If there were barbers in the world, everyone’s hair would look good.”
The barber then said, “But that man has never come to me.”
The man quietly replied, “Exactly.”
We must choose to come to God. We are blessed with a will to choose or reject God. Yet,
…man apart from God will do illegal drugs until his mind or body are destroyed or view pornography until immorality is the norm in his mind
…man apart from God will be filled with unforgiveness and bitterness until he chooses to do harm to another
…man apart from God will rebel until his freedom and independence are destroyed.
Without God you and I would destroy ourselves in sin! With God, He makes us new creatures in Him, and His Holy Spirit indwells us. He then convinces us of truth and urges His children to yield to truth and not to the lies of Satan! With God, we find the true source of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, strength with humility, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).
The world is searching for love, joy, peace, gentleness, and goodness. These and much more are only found in Jesus.