“O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 107:1

God has given us many bountiful blessings that we can be thankful for. Besides the greatest blessing, His love in giving His Son to die for our sins, He provides us with the marvelous works of His creation, His watchful care over us, and our daily bread. Even waking from sleep every morning is a blessing from God. In gratitude for all that He has given us, we give Him thanks. There are many different ways in which we can give thanks.

In the time of the Israelites, the people gave thanks to the Lord by singing praises to Him. They also thanked God by bringing a thank offering to the temple. All that we have comes from God. Therefore, it is good to thank Him. Not only in words, but by presenting offerings and gifts to Him.

We look at the example of Solomon, whose offering was accepted by God. “And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto Him, Ask what I shall give thee.” 1 Chronicles 1:6–7. Because the Lord was pleased with Solomon’s offering, He told Solomon to ask of Him whatever he wished.

But, there is yet a better way to give thanks than through offerings. What could that be? What does God ask us to do to show our thanks to Him for all that He has done for us? Let us read this in the following Bible verses:

“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. . . . Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil.” Isaiah 1:11, 16

“Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:6–8

The many sacrifices performed by the Jewish people to atone for their sins, while lacking repentance, was displeasing to God. What is the better way to give thanks, more so than by a multitude of burnt offerings? To obey is better than sacrifice. Costly gifts cannot win the favour of God if we do not come to Him with a humble and contrite spirit, confessing our sins and obeying His word.

“But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:8–11

Here we see the end result for the two classes of people on this earth. To those who do not obey, they will suffer for the deeds they have done. The righteous will receive the favour of God and will be blessed for their good deeds.

Paul tells us in Romans that we are servants to the one to whom we obey. We are either servants to sin, the result being eternal death. Or for those who are obedient to God, they are the servants of righteousness, having the reward of eternal life (Romans 6:16–18).

If we want to please God for all His bountiful blessings, we will show our thanksgiving to Him by rendering obedience to Him.

Adam and Eve obeyed the serpent instead of God and now the whole world is under the curse of sin because of their disobedience. Cain brought a thanks offering to God, but he did not obey God. In the end, he killed his brother, Abel.

Can we do this? Can we bring an offering to God in prayer, praise Him in song, give of our means? And then kill our brother by speaking evil of him, kill his reputation? Are we not like Cain when we do this?

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life in him.” 1 John 3:14–15

When we have love for our brethren, this is evidence that we have passed from the death of sin unto life eternal. If there is someone that you do not love, you remain under the death of sin. Hatred towards someone is shown in evil speaking, in unkind criticism, and in hurting another’s feelings. In this we are counted as murderers before God and all our thanksgiving and praise to God will be of no value.

Balaam took his journey to meet King Balak, who requested of him to curse Israel. God had already told Balaam that he was not to go. Despite Balaam’s initial misgivings, it seemed like a profitable business trip to gain gold and silver and great honour. But, was it the way of God or was it his own way? He disobeyed God and chose his own way. Many men go their own way and do their own will because of the potential to gain money. For example, many people work on Sabbath in order to earn more money. Judas went his own way because it was a profitable business to make 30 pieces of silver for the little work he was asked to do.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

There are very few who can see the wisdom in God’s way. When the rich young man approached Jesus, to ask what he must do to gain eternal life, Jesus said to him, go and sell all that you have and give your money to the poor. Despite his boast to Jesus that he had kept all the commandments from his youth up, he went away from Jesus sorrowful because his love of money was keeping him from total obedience to God’s law of love. Man’s way is to hold onto his riches; he has worked hard for his money. God’s way is to give of our money to help others.

Man’s way is to seek revenge, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. God’s way is to love your enemies, do good to them that hate you.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

A very common saying today is, “I don’t feel like it.” This is man’s way. “I don’t feel like going to do missionary work today.” Did Abraham say to God, “I don’t feel like sacrificing my son?” What if Jesus had said, “I don’t feel like giving my life for sinners?” Many decisions are made based on feelings and emotions. Are they dependable? Can we trust them to guide us?”

All men are given a chance to learn of God. And if by chance they might feel after God, we show them a wonderful picture of our God, of Jesus, of salvation, trying to arouse the feelings of the people after God. “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” Acts 17:27

When people find God, they are interested in following Him; they feel like having peace, happiness, they like heaven, eternal life. They feel good about this all. Then along comes commandment-keeping, obedience, tithe

paying, Sabbath-keeping, a healthy diet. And the people do not feel so great about this religion any more, and many turn away. Their feelings went against obedience to God.

Often people say, “I don’t like this church. I don’t like that other church. I don’t like these people.” Whom do they then obey? Not God. Not the Bible. But their own feelings and emotions. And what can these lead to?

“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” Jude 12–13

“For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:6

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:27

What are these floods, rains, and winds mentioned in the above verses? These are the trials, difficulties, affliction, and offenses that will come upon us. And those who are not firmly secured to the Rock, which is Jesus Christ, will rely on their own feelings to guide them. However, our feelings and emotions can deceive us and lead us away from God. Human wisdom is not able to understand truth. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14

Jesus said, I thank Thee Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent (Luke 10:21). Human wisdom says that man cannot walk on the water. God’s wisdom says you can, and Peter did. Man’s wisdom says that the world evolved over billions of years. God’s wisdom says that God spoke and the earth was made. Man’s wisdom says, no one can be made perfect. God’s wisdom says, be ye perfect, now, today.

There is a group of people, the 144,000, who do not follow their own intelligence, feelings, or emotions. Whom do they follow? “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” Revelation 4:14. The 144,000 follow the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

In order to be with Christ, you may need to be in the company of those who are like Judas who betrayed Jesus, like doubting Thomas, like Peter who denied his Lord, or with the Sons of Thunder—John and James. We are told in Psalms, “I will declare Thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.” Psalm 22:22

Let us not give the Lord only lip service. Let us give the offering of obedience. Then our songs of praise will be accepted by our God. Children, if you want to thank your parents for all they have done for you, obey them, honour them. This is the best gift you can ever give them. In the same way, we honour God for all that He has done for us by our obedience. Amen.

Sermon by Timo Martin

Adapted from a sermon by Timo Martin