Reverend Ray Osborne, Senior Minister
Please Note That Most Messages Follow
The Revised Common Lectionary

The Thanksgiving Address
St. Luke 17:11-19

The Thanksgiving Homily is perhaps the easiest homily I deliver in the calendar year. It is a time that causes my heart to at once be filled with pain and joy. I am joyful for what God has given to me. A wonderful wife whom I love more than anything else in the world. Two beautiful children around whom my life revolves. A wonderful parish in First Baptist Church which is wonderful because of the wonderful people who attend here. A wonderful and accepting community that has welcomed us with outstretched arms. God has given me my health and provided ways for me to continue my education and serve my Lord. But more than anything else today I am thankful that God loved me enough to give His only begotten Son that as I entrust my life into His hands I am assured of everlasting life!

God is so very good to us. We have so much to be thankful for. While we celebrate Thanksgiving only once a year, each day we ought to find ourselves filled with hearts of thanksgiving to God for all that He has done, all that He is doing, and all that He is going to do.

This past year has been difficult for many people. As families gather around the Thanksgiving table some faces will be missing as God has seen fit to call their loved ones home. We can be thankful that God is a loving God and filled with Grace. We can be thankful that there is a place, a real place called Heaven and that our loved ones will never know another day of pain and worry and that one day we shall see them again.

I will never forget visiting Miss Lizzie in the hospital. She laid in her bed ever so sick, ever so close to death and she looked at me and said "Preacher I’ve lived a good long life and I’ve been blessed." Miss Lizzie was a woman whose heart showed forth Thanksgiving for God.

Whenever I visit Mrs. Esther Drye she tells of how good the Lord has been to her of how blessed she has been. Mrs. Esther Drye is a woman filled with Thanksgiving for the Lord.

You and I who are so caught up in the busyness of life could learn valuable lessons from our Senior Citizens. Without fail, for the most part, whenever I visit these folks I hear the same story: "Preacher I’ve been blessed during my life. The Lord has been good to me."

The day after Thanksgiving will be the busiest shopping day of the year. I loved managing a business on that day. I believe if I had nothing left on the shelves but dust that sooner or later someone would come by and make me an offer on the shelves. Our attention turns toward Advent. Next Sunday is in fact the First Sunday of Advent. We will have our Hanging of the Greens, and our Christmas Cantata, and our children’s Christmas play. Hopefully we are all looking forward to Christmas. In preparation for that day I want to share a little parable with you.

It is written by Liz Curtis Higgs and it goes like this:

Every spring the Farmer planted flowers. Every summer he grew fruits and vegetables. Every fall he harvested bright orange pumpkins. And every day of the year the Farmer grew the tallest widest, biggest, greenest, loveliest crop of all . . .Christmas trees!

The Farmer and his wife began planting seedlings when their children were small. Each year the family grew, so did the little pine trees.

The trees were quiet. The children were noisy. But the Farmer’s wife loved everything that grew on the farm.

One chilly November day the time finally came to sell the pine trees to the neighbors. People bought the fine looking trees which soon filled many homes with the fragrance of Christmas.

But the Farmer’s wife couldn’t bear to part with one remarkable tree. It stood very tall and perfectly straight. Its long branches danced on the wintry air.

The Farmer’s wife hung a tag on the pine tree: NOT FOR SALE. She added a shiny gold star on top. Now the family could enjoy the tree day after day, year after year, Christmas after Christmas.

The next holiday season brought more neighbors to the farm. The perfect tree was taller than ever.

When the neighbors asked "Ooh, how much for this beautiful tree?" the Farmer’s wife just smiled and shook her head. "Sorry. Not for sale."

One day after Thanksgiving when the Farmer’s children were no longer children, a family of three drove up in a rusty old truck. Their clothes were patched and their faces looked tired.

They trudged up and down a row of trees that no one else wanted. The trees had missing branches and crooked trunks. Those trees were marked "free" by the Farmer. They were the only kind of Christmas tree the family could afford.

The little child found her way to the tallest pine tree. She stood at the foot looking up through the sweeping branches to the glistening star on top.

"Oh my!" she sang out. "Can we buy this one?"

Her parents were embarrassed. They knew they could never afford it. the Farmer’s family were also embarrassed. They knew too.

But the little girl didn’t know the cost. She only knew it was the most wonderful pine tree in the world. "Please?" was all she could say.

The little girl was so poor yet so full of hope. What could the Farmer’s wife say to her? What could she do?

The Farmer’s wife took a deep breath. "I’m sorry." She said. "This tree is not for sale. But we’d like you to have it . . .as a gift."

The little girl’s parents could not speak a word. What a kind and generous gift! The Farmer’s wife did not even know them. They were strangers.

The Farmer smiled at his wife. "Well done," his smile seemed to say. "The gift is good."

As the Farmer took his saw to the bottom of the trunk, the child could not keep her joy inside. She leaped up and down. "Hooray! Hooray! The tree is ours!"

The Farmer’s wife watched her favorite pine tree as it fell to the snowy ground. Tears shone in her eyes. She brushed them away like snowflakes.

Yes it was a great sacrifice but it brought even greater joy. Isn’t that just like Jesus?

Look around you and see how the Lord has blessed you. Before the invitation this morning I am going to provide you with an opportunity to share what you are thankful for. Some of you may feel inhibited and choose not to speak out and that will not make us think that you are unthankful only that you don’t like to speak up in public. At this time I would like you to share with us what you are thankful for this year.

(Pause Until All Have Had A Chance To Speak)

In the scripture I read this morning only one healed leper came back to say "Thank You" to Jesus. Perhaps during our invitation this morning you might like to come to this alter, kneel down and simply say "Thank You" to Jesus. Perhaps you are here and you feel God leading you to become a part of our church. We accept members three ways. By Baptism, upon your statement of Faith in Jesus as Lord of your life, and by transfer of letter. This morning I ask you to be obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Click Here To Receive FREE Notification When
New Sermons Are Posted

This Site is a Member of the Kerusso Sermon Web Ring.
[Skip Prev] [Prev] [Next] [Skip Next] [Random] [Next 5] [List Sites] [Join]

People Have Reviewed This Sermon