Give thanks for everything
10th December - Mark Eddison
Ephesians 5 v 18-20 ‘give thanks for everything’
We were read Acts 27 v 9 to Acts 28 v 1, which is the story of Paul and fellow Roman prisoners being caught up in a storm and shipwrecked.
Mark challenged us to find the link between the Acts passage and the Ephesians passage.
After being given the subject of his talk, Mark was tested with problems on the trains for 3 days running. It's easy to give thanks when things are going well but harder when thing are not going well.
The trains tested Mark, what tests you – DIY, computers ...? Mark was once on a plane with Angolan airlines which left 3 passengers behind and had to turn around to fetch them!
But on one of the days with train problems, Mark met Jamie Featherby on the train. If the trains had not been problematic then they would not have bumped into each other.
We all have times of trial but what to do when the chips are really down, such as a place of near distress. When a ship sends out an SOS its not in stress, its in distress. We all get an 'annus horriblis' like the Queen, how did you cope with yours, was it possible for you to give thanks during it as well as after it was over? Perhaps you were able to give thanks for the things that were not happening rather than the things which were happening.
Are we being asked to give thanks for tragedy, death, illness? What about the tsunami last Christmas? What is the interpretation of Eph 5 v 20? It's also in 1 Thess 5 v 18 ‘in everything give thanks’.
The phrase 'all things' is referred to a lot in Ephesians eg chapter 1 v 10-11. ‘All things’ means 'creation'. Also Col 1 v 16-18. It doesn't mean ‘all events’ or ‘all circumstances’ but ‘all creation which God energises’. Give thanks for his power and creative ability.
We can thank God for his love for us despite the circumstances. In the circumstances he is with us and working on our behalf.
Eph 5 v 20 ‘all things’ is plural and refers to the transcendence of God
1 Thess 5 v 18 ‘everything’ is singular and refers to the immanence of God
A major stress factor is when we cannot control our circumstances, such as Paul’s shipwreck in Acts. Everything was up in the air, the ship was wrecked, the Romans wanted to kill all the prisoners which included Paul. However, Paul still got to
Rome , although by a circuitous route.
Who caused the storm? The devil trying to stop Paul getting to
Rome ? Or was it just chain of natural events and the captain's decisions about when & where to sail?
The wind of God’s purposes in history was blowing behind the storm wind, God's love for the Gentiles and his plan in using Paul to bring the good news to Gentiles.
Acts 27 v 10 Paul warned the crew not to sail at that time because he knew it was dangerous. Chapter 28 v 21 he admonishes the crew for not listening to his/God’s warning.
How did Paul handle the stress of the moment:-
1) He continued to make right choices. He spoke out to the captain even though he was still under guard.
2) He got his head above the storm like a plane rising above the clouds v 23. Somehow he managed to see heaven above the storm.
3) V 35 he gave thanks for the bread and ate. The giving thanks is in the context of the food, but it says he gave thanks, not that he gave thanks especially for the bread. Giving thanks is a good stress buster. A good habit to get into, it shows a good world view. It is positive that he verbalised it communally not just said it in his heart.
Words of knowledge, angelic visitation, opportuities for minstry. What would he have missed if the ship hadn't sailed. It's not all bad when things seem out of control.
Also helpful people, eg the centurion in his story (centurions are an intriguing people in the New Testament). And everyone was saved, no life was lost.
Three things to take away from this story:-
1) Continue to make good choices
2) Get with the greater wind which is blowing
3) Give thanks to God
v 17 greater wind, maybe get behind someone else’s vision for a season
v 18 in control, make sure God is in control. What else is in control of your life, could be all sorts of things
v 19 give thanks verbally and communally
Thanks gives us a foundation to handle trials and pressure
We were given a test of a half-full water jug, and asked: is the jug half empty or half full. If you think of it as half empty you might have un ungrateful heart, thinking why didn't the person fill it all up? Seeing what is not there rather than what is there.
Or do you see the blessing of even half a jug of water, focus on what you have received? The grateful person acknowledges where we've come from, we do not deserve much anyway, appreciate what has been provided.
What is your default position? Give thanks for the abundance of what we have all received in Jesus, do not be distracted by the world’s position which is to focus on what we haven't got.
Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
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