November 24 - Colossians 1:3-14 - "Giving Thanks"

MPC 24th November 2019.

Phil Campbell

Did you know that complaining rewires your brain for negativity? It's no surprise I guess. But research from Stanford University shows that most people complain once a minute during a typical conversation. Because when you do it. It actually feels good. The neurones fire in a familiar way that makes it easier every time.

And eventually, according to Stanford research, complaining shrinks the hippocampus. Which controls problem solving. And intelligent thought.

CONTAGIOUS

At the same time when you complain your body releases cortisol. The stress hormone. That shifts you into fight or flight mode. And raises your blood pressure. Which eventually kills you. plus. It gets worse. Plus, because we're designed to be social our brains start to mimic the people around us. So if you spend time with other people who love to complain... it's contagious. Soon you'll start too.

GRATITUDE

The solution. According to an online article by Travis Bradberry is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. When you feel like complaining. Shift your attention to something you're grateful for. Which apparently, according to the University of California this time, drops your cortisol level by 23%.

And fixes everything. Well, maybe not quite everything.

Sometimes, when you get cold fries at McDonalds, maybe you do need to complain. But the article says even then, make sure you start with something positive. The burger is delicious. And use what's called solution-oriented complaining. How are we going to fix the fries?

Now. I'm not telling you all that stuff because I think we're a bunch of complainers. By and large I think we're not.

I'm telling you that stuff because as with a lot of things, you don't need university studies to tell you things that are just plain obvious when you open a bible.

Particularly because when you're dealing with a central gospel message that's a gospel of the good news of God's grace, that the natural flip-side of that kind of generosity from God is gratitude from us. And so it's no surprise that the call to thanksgiving is popping out all over.

UN-VISION SUNDAY

Let me say one thing more. Most years around this time we've held what we call vision Sunday. A day for looking forward, for making plans, for getting clear on our focus. And then look at some of the practicalities, like agreeing on our budget and electing people to make stuff happen.

Which is beaut.

This coming year. We want to be different. In a way that's maybe surprising. Look, let's face it, anyone who's even half into the vision casting business, in organisational leadership, in management, in churches. They've all been hanging out for exactly this moment. So they can launch their... drumroll... fanfare... 20-20 vision. I mean, such a good play on words. It's an opportunity too good to miss.

And so. First example I found online. St Barnabas Ingleburn Anglican Church in Sydney.

By 2020 under God, we are praying and working towards being a church with a regular membership of 1,500 people, meeting in multiple locations and all working hard together to glorify God by extending his kingdom.

Which sounds great. And I hope under God they pull it off.

But here at MPC... as a teaching team, we thought... sometimes the best option is to give the obvious... a break.

And in the year we're under God hoping and praying towards a brand new building... in the year we're planning to knock things down and move off site with morning church in one direction and Latechurch in another... two thoughts.

Thought number 1. We wouldn't want anyone to think that a building is our vision. Not even our grand sounding 2020 vision. Because it's not.

NOT OUR VISION

Our vision is all about growing more and more people as followers of Jesus. Inviting them to follow Jesus with us. Seeing them grow more like Jesus as they hear his word. Loving one another with servant hearts. And then sending them. To grow more.

Which a building can help. But it's only ever a means to an end. That's point one.

Our vision is not a building. It's not an end in itself but the means to an end.

SURVIVAL VISION

Point number 2. And it's related. I've gotta say for the life of me when it comes to a dream for next year, when it comes to anything visionary... I reckon we need to aim really really low. And say it would just be fantastic if we can go off site for six months. And still stick together so we come back at the other end.

Survival. Which isn't as easy as it sounds.

I heard about a church in Sydney, they were renovating their building, they moved off site 10 minutes to the north. And a whole bunch of people just stopped coming. Because it was too far to drive. And when the building was finished. Most of them didn't come back.

Friends, that's enough to give someone like me nightmares. And it would be a tragedy, wouldn't it, if this was just an excuse to scatter what God has been bringing together.

So gee, in terms of grand 2020 vision I'd be aiming for something like "making it through to 2021." And I hope you'll join me in that.

Point number 1. Our vision is not a building. It's people following Jesus together.

Point number 2. Our goal is to make it to the end of next year still loving each other enough to come back!

Which is why the teaching team, in our limited wisdom, thought we'd be smarter this year, instead of having vision Sunday, we'd have Thanksgiving Sunday. As a reminder of the things we're called to be thankful for. And at the same time to cheer us all up. Because as part of a loving Jesus centred church we've got every reason to be thankful.

As we're reminded in Colossians. Chapter 1, verses 1 to 14. Where Paul sets the tone in verse 3 with his own example as he says he and Timothy, who are writing the letter together, that he and Timothy always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when they pray. For the Colossian church.

So thankful to God. For the fact that the Colossians have put their faith in Christ Jesus. And that because of that they love one another.

And friends, can I say if you've experienced anything of that. Of that same faith in the lives of other people today... and of a church of people who love one another. You should remember to be thankful too.

As I know so many are. If you've been here the last few weeks, you'll know we've asked everyone to fill out a thanksgiving card. What you're thankful for.

And there were loads of people who said basically exactly that. So thankful. For:

... our supportive, loving and encouraging church family.

... for families that love other families in Jesus.

... for kindness and friendship in the church, and others willing to give their time to help me with the gospel.

Now can I say you might take that for granted. Of course there's faith in Jesus in a church. Of course there's love.

The apostle Paul doesn't take it for granted at all. He's constantly thankful. Read again. Verse 3 to 5.

3 we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people- the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.

A total of 23 thanksgiving cards made the same point. Plus another 13 who said the same thing in the context of their growth group. Not just the sort of love that comes from your neighbourhood or your workmates. But that comes from a shared faith in the lord Jesus and the future hope we have because of him. In the gospel.

GOSPEL GROWING

And so Paul's excited in verse 6. Because already he sees that same gospel bearing fruit and growing through the whole world as more and more people understand God's grace.

I reckon he'd be incredibly thankful if today, as a result of that, he could see us. Bearing fruit the same way. loving one another. In the Spirit.

And so Paul says, he keeps praying. Asking, in verse 9, for God to keep growing them. In wisdom and understanding. So they'd live worthy fruitful lives. Full of good works. And endurance. And patience. Lives full of joyful thankfulness. Verse 12. For the privilege of being joined with God's people in the kingdom of light.

Because that, in a nutshell, is what the Christian life should look like. Giving joyful thanks to the Father who has qualified you. To share in the inheritance of his holy people in the Kingdom of light.

Qualified you. It's not that you've qualified yourself. It's not that you've done the study and sat the exams and sweated on the results. Here's why we're thankful. It's all a gift. Rather than a right. Or a wage. It's all grace. God counting you qualified to be one of his people. Because Jesus has covered for you. Has redeemed you. Has forgiven your sins. Your sins have been paid for. At the cross. By Jesus. No more to pay.

As you might have said on your thanksgiving card. If this was you, thankful to God for saving us from sin. Thankful. For his grace, mercy and forgiveness.

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

That's why we're qualified. And no other reason.

Friends, if you've been joined with God's people in the Kingdom of light. If you've been redeemed and forgiven. That's something about you that should stand out as significantly different from the people around you. Does it?

Chapter 2, Paul makes the same point again.

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Not a glass half empty person or a glass half full person. Overflowing.

Challenging, isn't it, when you're swamped by life's circumstances? By worries. By heatlh concerns and family concerns and swamped by the busyness of work; so worried for your teenage kids or your grand-kids.

Paul says... go a level deeper. And be thankful. For the standing you've got before God. Because of Jesus.

Set your mind on things above - Colossians 3. And be at peace with one another.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Friends, we should be very thankful for the unity we enjoy as a church family. And we should cherish it.

And sing, says Paul. Songs about Jesus. Songs from the Spirit. And our attitude as we do. Colossians 3 verse 16...

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Thankfulness. Gratitude. Songs full of it.

And look, lots of people it turns out are actually thankful for how we do that as a church. And the people who help make it happen. On the stage. In the control room.

Thankful. The the people helping us be thankful. So be thankful in song.

And finally, be thankful in prayer. Which maybe sometimes is what we're missing, if you're inclined to pray shopping list prayers. Colossians 4. Verse 2.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Watchful for open doors for the gospel message. Wise in the way we're acting and answering. But always praying with thanksgiving.

An inclination of heart that looks at our blessings. Before it looks at what's missing. That considers who we are and what we're given in the gospel.Before our list of grievances and desires and wants.

Elizabeth was telling me the other day about their walking holiday in New Zealand. Nine days, walking with a bunch of other tourists from all over the world. Enjoying the laid back beauty of New Zealand. And she said, it really made us realise when we got home that we Australians complain a lot. The media. The way we talk. She said, "As a culture, we're just so negative."

Sometimes it hangs in the air like bushfire smoke. But it shouldn't be us.

Paul is thankful. For the love he sees among the Colossians. Because of their faith in Christ Jesus. Who gave everything. To include us in his family.

And so he calls us to be thankful too. Prayers of thanks. Songs of thanks. An attitude of gratitude.

Which is a great way to focus our year. So many things to be thankful for.

Whether it's our serving teams in the kitchen. In the control room. In our music teams. Whether it's our leadership teams. The staff. Our elders. Our management committee. People who serve. Working hard behind the scenes just so we can be here. Whether it's our growth group leaders and our growth groups. So many people thankful for those.

The real love and care in our welcoming community. People thankful for those.

The kids' ministry. And youth ministry. Dana, Louise, Pete. So many parents and grandparents. Thankful for the fact we're a church where everywhere you look, the bible is being taught. In a way that changes and shapes lives. Built around the gospel of grace.

Sometimes it's hard, isn't it, to be thankful when there's so much tough stuff going on for you?

Or when your brain's already been rewired by the people around you and maybe habits of always looking at the downside. Let's not. As Paul says, let's look to the Lord Jesus. Understand God's grace. And be thankful.

Table of Contents

CONTAGIOUS

GRATITUDE

UN-VISION SUNDAY

NOT OUR VISION

SURVIVAL VISION

GOSPEL GROWING