Embracing Thanksgiving Through Storytelling and Peace

Devotional

Day 1: The Peace of Jesus

Jesus offers a peace that surpasses all understanding, a spiritual peace that calms our hearts in chaos and strengthens us in sickness. This peace is symbolized in the bread and the cup, representing His body and blood sacrificed for our sins. Reflecting on these symbols helps us appreciate the depth of Jesus' sacrifice and the peace He brings. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a profound sense of well-being and wholeness that comes from being in right relationship with God. It is a peace that can sustain us through life's most challenging moments, offering hope and comfort when we need it most. [34:01]

John 14:27 (ESV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Reflection: Think of a current situation in your life that is causing you stress or anxiety. How can you invite Jesus' peace into this situation today?

Day 2: The Power of Storytelling

Stories resonate deeply with us and are powerful tools for sharing our faith. The BLESS paradigm—Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, and Share your story—emphasizes the importance of personal experiences in witnessing to others. Our stories of God's work in our lives can be simple yet profoundly impactful. By sharing our personal experiences, we can connect with others on a deeper level and demonstrate the transformative power of God's love. This approach encourages us to be intentional in our interactions, seeking opportunities to share our faith in a natural and relatable way. [48:49]

Psalm 78:4 (ESV): "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done."

Reflection: Think of a recent experience where you felt God's presence or saw His work in your life. How can you share this story with someone this week?

Day 3: Simplicity in Testimony

The story of the blind man healed by Jesus in John 9 teaches us that our testimonies don't need to be complex. The man's simple declaration, "I was blind, but now I see," was a powerful testament to Jesus' work. Our personal experiences with Jesus are compelling enough to share with others. This simplicity can often be more relatable and impactful than elaborate theological explanations. It reminds us that our faith is not just about intellectual understanding but about real, lived experiences of God's grace and power. [59:57]

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect."

Reflection: Reflect on a simple yet significant way Jesus has impacted your life. How can you share this testimony with someone who may need encouragement?

Day 4: Becoming Story Collectors

To be effective storytellers, we must first become story collectors. By noting daily instances of God's work, refining one story each week, and asking God for one person to bless each month, we can cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving and become more aware of God's presence in our lives. This practice helps us to be more intentional in recognizing and remembering God's faithfulness. It also equips us to share these stories with others, providing tangible examples of God's love and power at work in our lives. [01:11:15]

Deuteronomy 4:9 (ESV): "Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children."

Reflection: Start a journal to record daily instances of God's work in your life. What is one story you can refine and share this week?

Day 5: The Transformative Power of Thanksgiving

Focusing on good things and giving thanks can transform our outlook on life. Paul, under house arrest, encouraged the persecuted church in Philippi to rejoice and give thanks. This practice can change our perspective and positively impact those around us. By cultivating a habit of thanksgiving, we can shift our focus from our problems to God's blessings, fostering a more positive and hopeful attitude. This not only benefits our own mental and emotional well-being but also serves as a powerful witness to others of the joy and peace that come from a grateful heart. [01:09:41]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Reflection: Identify three things you are grateful for today. How can you express your gratitude to God and others in a tangible way?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we explored the profound significance of thanksgiving in our lives and how it shapes our communication about God. We began by reflecting on the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where the crowd celebrated Him as a king who would bring peace. However, Jesus offered a peace far greater than political liberation—a spiritual peace that transcends all understanding. This peace is symbolized in the bread and the cup, representing His body and blood sacrificed for our sins.

We then delved into the importance of storytelling in our faith journey. Stories are powerful tools that resonate deeply with us, often more than mere facts or doctrines. We discussed the paradigm of BLESS—Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, and Share your story. Sharing our stories of God's work in our lives can be a simple yet profound way to witness to others. We don't need deep theological knowledge; our personal experiences with Jesus are compelling enough.

We examined the story of the blind man healed by Jesus in John 9. Despite the Pharisees' attempts to discredit Jesus, the man's simple testimony—"I was blind, but now I see"—was irrefutable. This teaches us that our stories, no matter how simple, are powerful testimonies of God's work in our lives.

Finally, we were encouraged to become story collectors. By noting daily instances of God's work, refining one story each week, and asking God for one person to bless each month, we can become effective storytellers. This practice not only helps us share our faith but also cultivates a spirit of thanksgiving, transforming our outlook on life.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Peace of Jesus: Jesus offers a peace that surpasses all understanding, a spiritual peace that calms our hearts in chaos and strengthens us in sickness. This peace is symbolized in the bread and the cup, representing His body and blood sacrificed for our sins. Reflecting on these symbols helps us appreciate the depth of Jesus' sacrifice and the peace He brings. [34:01]
2. The Power of Storytelling: Stories resonate deeply with us and are powerful tools for sharing our faith. The BLESS paradigm—Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, and Share your story—emphasizes the importance of personal experiences in witnessing to others. Our stories of God's work in our lives can be simple yet profoundly impactful. [48:49]
3. Simplicity in Testimony: The story of the blind man healed by Jesus in John 9 teaches us that our testimonies don't need to be complex. The man's simple declaration, "I was blind, but now I see," was a powerful testament to Jesus' work. Our personal experiences with Jesus are compelling enough to share with others. [59:57]
4. Becoming Story Collectors: To be effective storytellers, we must first become story collectors. By noting daily instances of God's work, refining one story each week, and asking God for one person to bless each month, we can cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving and become more aware of God's presence in our lives. [71:15]
5. The Transformative Power of Thanksgiving: Focusing on good things and giving thanks can transform our outlook on life. Paul, under house arrest, encouraged the persecuted church in Philippi to rejoice and give thanks. This practice can change our perspective and positively impact those around us. [01:09:41]
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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:43] - Introduction and Announcements
[30:32] - Prayer and Worship
[31:12] - Jesus' Triumphal Entry
[32:56] - The Peace Jesus Brings
[34:01] - Symbols of Peace: Bread and Cup
[42:33] - The Power of Storytelling
[48:49] - BLESS Paradigm
[50:14] - Sharing Your Jesus Story
[53:00] - John 9: Healing of the Blind Man
[59:57] - Simplicity in Testimony
[61:28] - Overcoming Fear in Witnessing
[64:02] - Becoming Story Collectors
[69:41] - The Transformative Power of Thanksgiving
[71:15] - Practical Steps for Story Collecting
[77:56] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
[79:53] - Upcoming Events and Announcements
[84:35] - Closing Remarks and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What did Jesus do to heal the blind man in John 9, and what was the man's response? [54:30]
How did the crowd react to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem according to Luke 19? [31:44]
What does Paul instruct the church in Philippi to do in Philippians 4:4-7, and why is this significant? [01:09:41]
What is the BLESS paradigm mentioned in the sermon, and what does each letter stand for? [48:49]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose to heal the blind man in such an unconventional way (using mud and saliva)? What might this teach us about God's methods? [54:30]
How does the peace that Jesus offers differ from the peace that the crowd expected during His entry into Jerusalem? [32:22]
In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul emphasizes thanksgiving even in difficult circumstances. How can this practice transform our outlook on life? [01:09:41]
The sermon suggests that our personal stories of faith are powerful tools for witnessing. Why might personal testimonies be more impactful than theological arguments? [59:57]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you experienced the peace of Jesus in a chaotic situation. How did this peace impact your response to the situation? [34:01]
Think about a personal story of God's work in your life. How can you share this story with someone this week using the BLESS paradigm? [48:49]
The blind man's simple testimony, "I was blind, but now I see," was powerful. What is a simple yet impactful testimony you can share about your faith journey? [59:57]
How can you become a story collector in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to note instances of God's work and refine your stories? [01:11:15]
Paul encourages us to rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances. Identify one challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you practice thanksgiving in this situation? [01:09:41]
The sermon mentioned the importance of overcoming fear in witnessing. What fears do you have about sharing your faith, and how can you address them? [01:01:28]
How can you intentionally bless one person this month as suggested in the sermon? What specific actions will you take to show God's love to them? [01:11:15]

Sermon Clips

1. "The peace that he brought to the Jews did more than free them from the corruption of Rome. Jesus offers all people a spiritual peace more enduring than any government can deliver. It is a peace that calms our hearts in every chaos, a peace that strengthens our spirit during every sickness. Jesus's peace, transcends culture and language and encompasses the entire universe." [34:01] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "In order to complete this, in order to be a storyteller, you have to become a story collector. And there's side benefits. It's not just for those of you that want to be able to share good experiences with others or help people come to know Jesus. This is even good for those of you that are like, I don't even know this Jesus, dude. I don't even know why I came to church this morning. Because when we begin to collect stories, we begin to become more thankful." [48:49] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Sharing your story doesn't require deep theological knowledge or insight. Because when people push back on it, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure that's what it was. You don't think it was just a coincidence. Guess what? All you have to say is, all I know is where I was and where I am now. You can argue with the experience as much as you want, but all I know is this was happening. I reached out to God and this started happening." [59:57] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We need to become people who collect stories about what's happening in our life, in other people's lives. It's okay. If you witness it, write it down. And I'm not saying that you have to be a master. You don't need to do the next spinoff of Seinfeld. You don't need to do the next take on Seinfeld, okay? You don't need to be the next person that does Friends or whatever other sitcom from the 90s, 80s, whatever, that we want to talk about. But we need to take time to record." [01:08:28] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Each day, note anywhere you saw God at work, no matter how small. I'm literally talking about like a bullet point, just enough to help you remember. Each week, refine one Jesus story. Take one of those bullet points and flesh it out. Which one was most impactful? Just build that out so you can remember and work through it. This is literally something. Take five minutes each day, 15 minutes each week." [01:11:15] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We just need to bless people. We just need to share our story. We just need to make friends with people that need Jesus and genuinely make friends because we like them. Make friends because we want to be their friends and give God, opportunities to use us to change the world that we live in. Because God knows this world needs to turn around. This world needs hope. It needs help. It needs peace. The peace that Jesus gives, that he brings." [01:11:15] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Jesus offers all people a spiritual peace more enduring than any government can deliver. It is a peace that calms our hearts in every chaos, a peace that strengthens our spirit during every sickness. Jesus's peace, transcends culture and language and encompasses the entire universe and so today you hold in your hands the reminders of the things that make for peace these things that Jesus spoke about on his way to Jerusalem the bread and the cup." [34:01] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We need to begin with prayer because if we don't have God on our side, then what are we doing? We need to be listening to people so that we build relationship and eating with them so that there's community and connection between us. We need to be serving them because how many of you know that if Jesus changes your heart, he's going to change the way that you live." [01:02:50] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Paul, he's under house arrest. He's under house arrest. He's under house arrest by the empire of Rome. And he writes to the church in Philippi who are heavily persecuted. And what are the words that I would say to a persecuted church? Hang in there, right? You got this. Maybe rub some dirt in it. Get up again. Let's go. My kids would say that's probably something I would say. Rub some dirt in it. Get up. It's fine. Move on. What does he say? Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice." [01:09:41] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "We need to become people who collect stories about what's happening in our life, in other people's lives. It's okay. If you witness it, write it down. And I'm not saying that you have to be a master. You don't need to do the next spinoff of Seinfeld. You don't need to do the next take on Seinfeld, okay? You don't need to be the next person that does Friends or whatever other sitcom from the 90s, 80s, whatever, that we want to talk about. But we need to take time to record." [01:08:28] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?