November 23, 2025 | Zach Schlegel
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
If you had a choice to spend an entire day with someone who is a grumbler or complainer or someone who is marked by thankfulness, 10 out of 10 times you would choose the thankful person. Gratitude is more than politeness; it is a matter of life and death.
After God’s deliverance and blessing to the children of Israel, they complained about many things including the possibility of conquering the land based on the report of the 10 spies. They thought it would be better to go back to slavery in Egypt. This complaining spirit threatened to derail them and deluded their minds to think that slavery would be better.
Thanksgiving is not just something that we do once a year. For the Christian, thanksgiving is something that you are called to do all of the time, in all circumstances. You may tend to think of complaining as benign because everyone does it. Yet complaining about God amounts to a rejection of God. In your pride, you think you can do something better. You honor God as you express thanks. It shows trust in God even in difficult times. How can you stand firm in your faith and not get derailed by complaining?
Paul wrote this letter to the church in Thessalonica to strengthen them and encourage them so that their faith in the midst of affliction is not derailed. He gave them three tools or weapons.
Sermon Outline
1. Rejoice always. Vs. 16
2. Give thanks. Vs. 18
3. Pray without ceasing. Vs. 17
