to the final chapter of that book, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. Our text will be the three verses 16, 17, and 18 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. We appreciate Andy leading in prayer for our time in the Word this morning. So let's now give our careful hearing to the reading and preaching of God's holy and infallible Word. 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 16 through 18. Paul writes, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. This past week as a country, we celebrated Thanksgiving, which more or less is a time to stop and give thanks to God for his goodness to us as a nation, as families, and even as individuals. It's a holiday that we celebrate that has really a long tradition that in fact flows out of, even before we were a nation, it flows out of our, what I would call our Christian European heritage. In other words, it is a particular mark of Christian people. that we give thanks to God. And therefore, our forefathers, when they immigrated to North America, both to Canada and to the United States, our forefathers in both countries in North America here established official holidays around the theme of giving thanks to God. But like with other holidays, similar to, say, Christmas and Easter. As soon as the specific day has passed, so, too, our very often are what we might call our attitude of gratitude. You see, we can still stop for a day as a country. And we can still speak with some religious jargon, at least on that one day, but we really can't endure much more than about a day of it. In fact, it's the case in modern America that before we're even finished with our meal, it seems now, on Thanksgiving Day, we quickly begin planning for the high holy day of America's true national religion, which is not Christianity. It is consumerism. And we then put as much or more effort into celebrating this. Well, it used to be just one day. Now it stretches over a whole weekend. It starts with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday. I don't know what today is. It is the Lord's Day. I don't know what the, in consumerism it is. And then Monday is something like Cyber Monday. But as the church, we are to have a different pattern of life than the culture around us. And this difference is to particularly be shown at the point of thanksgiving. That is to say, Thanksgiving is not to be a one-off on the yearly calendar for us, the people of God. Rather, it is to be a constant mindset. It is to be the actual inner heart disposition of our entire lives. And that is what Paul is saying here in our passage. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Now, when we are in a circumstance of plenty, like we pretty much perpetually are in North America, It's not too hard to be thankful. It's not too hard to give thanks. But the shock and the challenge of Paul's call here is that he is not merely calling for thanksgiving in times of plenty. Did you hear what he said there? He said, give thanks in all circumstances. In other words, even when we are in a trial, or even when we are touched by a tragedy, or even when we are dealing with something that is truly terrible in our life. But as we hear this call and as you feel that challenge, in fact, even as some of us, we might even begin to revolt when we think of particularly hard situations and circumstances either very far from us or very near to us. Before we throw this out, though, we need to grab hold of this morning the key qualifier in this passage, lest we actually misunderstand what we are being called to here. And in fact, let me say at the outset here that we are not able to answer this call. You are not able to do what Paul calls you to do here in your own strength. You are not able, none of us are able to actually give thanks in all circumstances, in our own strength or with our own natural willpower. In other words, this morning, and what Paul originally wrote here and what I'm preaching this morning, this is not a self-help seminar as to how to look on the bright side of things. Nor is it a call to you to begin living a detached and numb sort of stoic life in the face of real evil. There is real pain. There is real suffering in the world. And it is not just a normal human impulse. It is an actual right and holy impulse to feel sad, to feel overwhelmed, and to recognize things as tragic and bad and evil. So this is not an admonition here to call bad things good. It is ultimately a call to walk by faith, It's ultimately a call to walk by faith, trusting that God is good and he is loving, and to trust in him who's able to do far more than we are able to even think or imagine. Indeed, at the end of the day, the key here doesn't actually, the crux of the passage doesn't actually, or at least it doesn't, I'll say it doesn't automatically, make things easier. But it does bring us to where we need to be so that we can find peace and we can actually give thanks in all circumstances. You see, what undergirds the entire command here to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all circumstances, is that this is God's will in Christ Jesus for you. I'm going to say it one more time, the thing that undergirds the command, the entire command here to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all circumstances, what undergirds all of that is that this is God's will in Christ Jesus for you. In other words, God's will for you in Christ. part of your salvation. His desire for you as one of his children is that you would be able to give thanks in all circumstances. Another way of putting this and very simple way of putting this is that you would be able to trust him as your loving heavenly father, even as Christ trusted him. as His loving Heavenly Father. But I want to unpack this a little bit this morning, very briefly really. And the first thing we need to look at and a first way that we can move in this direction of actually giving thanks in all circumstances is first of all we need to, you need to, you need to trust in your Heavenly Father. I know it's very simple, but you need to hear it. I need to hear it again and again. You have a Father in heaven. You have a loving, heavenly Father. And your Father in heaven is perfect and kind. And He is without faults or limits. or any of the weaknesses that every earthly father suffers from. And then an analogy between earthly fathers and our heavenly father in heaven, I think, can help us at this point of giving thanks in all circumstances. In fact, I'm not the one making up that analogy. In the book of Hebrews, the writer of that book in chapter 12 compares earthly fathers and our heavenly father. And the analogy used there is that if our heavenly fathers actually discipline us for good, in other words, they hope that the rules and the fatherly discipline that they render to us as children is for our good. If that is the case with our earthly fathers, who are fallible, who are not perfect, who don't always discipline with the result of good, then how much more should we trust our Heavenly Father? That's the point in Hebrews chapter 12. With that same analogy, that comes straight out of the scriptures, we can think in terms of the fact that, and I want, think of this, and you might not be a parent as you sit here this morning, but you can go there, you can think of this. Think of the fact that every parent who loves their child, every parent that loves their child, if they had the power, That parent would turn every hard circumstance in their child's life for a good purpose. If you loved your child, would you not turn every circumstance that your child was in for a good purpose? In fact, if you could plan out your child's life You could control everything in your child's life. You would spare them from every unnecessary hurt and pain. You would guarantee that everything that they went through would ultimately result in blessing and good for them. Well, what your earthly parents couldn't and can't do, but they wish that they could, your Heavenly Father can and does do. That is, He has planned out your life. And He will never subject you to unnecessary hurt and pain. And that means then that everything that is allowed in your life is ultimately going to be for your good. But to believe that and to live in light of that, you have to trust that your Heavenly Father really loves you. Paul writes elsewhere, he writes in Romans 8, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose. Right before that, Paul had said, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. I'm quoting those to make the point and clarification that what is not, what is not being said is that all things are ultimately good. That's not at all what the scriptures teach. This is not saying that you just need to figure out how to see that this is actually a good thing, this evil thing, this hard thing. That's not what's being said at all. What's being said is that your Father in Heaven can even work through and in those bad things for the good. He can work a good end through a bad thing. Indeed, He loves you so much that He will not allow one tear to fall from your eyes that He doesn't ultimately use for your Eternal joy. Think of a scared child who must go in for a life-saving surgery. They can't comprehend in that moment that this is going to ultimately be for their good. It doesn't make sense to them. And for the life of them, they cannot see that this path could possibly be the right way. And that is the case with us as we walk in this world. We cannot, for the life of us, make sense of the things that happen, nor can we see how they could possibly be the right way to go. And therefore, by and by, As the people of God, we must turn our crying eyes off of the terrible things and look steadfastly at our Father in heaven. We must go to Him and cry to Him and pray to Him, and He will work wonders in us and through. He will work wonders through even the tragedy that has happened. And in time, we will be able We will be able to even praise him and give thanks for the circumstance that has caused us such pain. But how can I say that? How can I stand up here and make such a declaration in the face of such evil and pain and suffering in this world and not just in this world? How can I make this claim in light of all the tragedy and the sorrow that this congregation represented right here this morning? I know your stories. I'm all too well. So how can I say that this morning? How can I make this kind of claim? I can say this because I am looking at Christ when I do so. And that's where you need to turn next. Not only do you need to trust in your Heavenly Father, you need to look at your suffering Savior. As Christians, we are not merely called to trust our Father in Heaven. It's not just a bare command that says, just put your trust in your Father in Heaven. He's going to use every circumstance in your life for an ultimate good. No, we are called to this kind of trust and this kind of walk of faith, and you're called to that, and you are given Proof that God is trustworthy. That He is the kind of Father who really does love you. And you are called and you are given that proof. You are given that proof by looking at His Son. Is the Father a loving Father? Can you trust Him? Is this Father in Heaven that you are being called to put your entire trust in? and to let him just lead you and you cling to him and you rely upon him. Is he trustworthy? Can you really trust him? The scriptures basically tell you, you want proof that you can trust him? Ask his own son. Ask the son of this father if you can trust him. Because the son submitted himself to his father, knew his father loved him even though he committed himself to a life of suffering and trial. In fact, this is precisely where we are called to fix our eyes and exactly why we are to look at Jesus. That same chapter in Hebrews 12 that I just referenced a second ago that talks about how it's actually a biblical analogy to think about God in light of or basically in contrast to our own earthly fathers. In that exact same passage, right before the writer there got to that analogy between fathers, he said this. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." You see, the greatest proof of God's love for his children and the greatest proof of his wisdom in allowing Whatever he allows to come into our lives, the greatest proof that God loves his children and the greatest proof. Of trusting him. With whatever he allows to come into our lives is the cross of Christ. The cross was unjust. The cross was cruel. The cross was an innocent man suffering pain in this world. A mother grieved. Friends took off. Friends fled in utter confusion. A father turned his back on his son. But it is now that same event. It is now the source of the greatest joy known to mankind. It is now, it has become the ultimate expression of love in this world. It is now the source of true and lasting rejoicing and thanksgiving to all who know that son who there on that cross suffered so much. But who could see it? Who could see the wisdom in it when it was happening? No one. Who would have ever thought that through that event would come joy and life everlasting? Not one person. Nobody could see it. But it did. And it stands forever as the monument of God's wisdom, power, love, and mercy. And that is why you are called to look there in times of trial and evil. But as we conclude this morning, I want to point out the hope that we have that God will enable us to trust in Him and look to Jesus in times of trial and in circumstances that are hard to give thanks in. In fact, I want to talk directly to those of you who are sitting here this morning and you say, well, as we got going, I thought this is going to give me hope. But now as we're done, I see that I need to trust Him. I need to look at my suffering Savior. And I can't. Or at least I struggle with that. That's been my struggle. That's what I've struggled with when I came in here this morning. In a sense, all you've told me is exactly what I know I need to do, but the very thing that I can't find in myself to do, I keep falling off of that very thing. I struggle with walking by faith in God. You see, there is a call, there is a call and command here to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all circumstances. But here is the good news. Where God commands, He enables. If He calls you to something, He is going to enable you to also do it. And that is really the crux of the passage here. Paul writes, Notice in these verses, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. In other words, as we mentioned as we were beginning, this very call and you rejoicing in every circumstance is actually It is part of your sanctification. It is part of your salvation. If you have your Bible, look back to chapter 4, verse 3. Look back to chapter 4, verse 3. For this, if not, you can just hear me read it. For this is the will of God. Your sanctification. This is the will of God. Your sanctification. This command comes in that very same vein of God's will for you. In other words, part of your sanctification. Part of what God's will is for your life. Part of what you have in Christ. is that you will rejoice always. You will pray without ceasing. You will be able to give thanks in all circumstances. This is not self help. This is divinely given spirit wrought sanctification, and you have been promised this in your salvation in Jesus Christ. This is the will of God. in Christ Jesus for you. In other words, what is impossible for you to muster up in yourself? That which seems so unnatural to you as you look at your life and the circumstances that you are in, God will do in you and for you. He is at work both to will and to do His good pleasure in you. He will bring this about. He has promised it. He will accomplish it. And He will do it by the power of the sanctifying Holy Spirit. And so the call, ultimately, as you look at this passage is you need to, how can you Give thanks in all circumstances. Well, you have to trust your heavenly father. You have to trust. He loves me. I don't understand this right now, but I know he loves me. I know he can turn this and will turn this for good. You have to look to your suffering savior. How? Who would have ever thought? that through the cross of Jesus would come the blessing of the world. And you have to rely upon the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit who will bring this into reality. He will make this, this call of God to give thanks in all circumstances, He will make this a reality. That's God's will in Christ Jesus for you. In fact, if Paul ends this letter, and if you have your text still open, if you've still got 1 Thessalonians 5 open to you, Paul ends this book telling you these things, and he pronounces this blessing upon all Christian people. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it. Let's pray together. Our God in heaven, we look to you now that you might continue the work that you began in us. You have called us to trust you and to rejoice in you and to give thanks in every circumstance. And we come again pleading with you that you would help us. We lay hold of that promise that this is your will for us in Christ. And so, oh God, strengthen our faith this morning. Do your work by your spirit. Enable us to think on Christ and his travail and his suffering and the blessing that flows to us from that great suffering that you have turned into the blessing of the whole world. You are a God we can trust, and we need you to strengthen our faith, bring us to you afresh, and enable us to lay hold of you this morning and to trust you with our lives and in the circumstances even that we find ourselves in this morning. And so, Lord, do this work in us for your own glory, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen.