I spend my life following the “sport of the day”. And lately it has been quite painful following any of the football teams around Colorado. As I travel around I usually listen to sports talk and hear the opinions of many arm-chair quarterbacks. Everyone knows what will fix the Broncos and the Buffs and the Rams. Everyone has an opinion, some expert advice, to end the woes of their team.

But on my way to see Alice Bame recently I was listening to this one guy go on and on about something and then after his diatribe he confessed, “I guess I really don’t have a point!” What?? You call up an opinion show and speak for a few minutes and really have no point to your call? I will never get back those four minutes he wasted with his pointless conversation. But he isn’t the only one to do such a thing!! I think I have started a conversation (maybe a sermon!!) and then part way through wonder – where am I going with this?? Maybe you have said a few minutes into a conversation, “You know, I sort of forget the point I was trying to make.”

To everyone of us who has been pointless we have this wonderful day, Thanksgiving, that makes a marvelous point. Making a point, that is what the Scriptures do so very well.

The Scriptures make a clear point that without God in our lives we are empty. He wants us not to run from Him, keep Him at a distance, or try to live our lives without Him. He wants us to seek Him and follow Him and trust Him and love Him. It says here, “{God} wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:4) In the previous chapter Paul says to young Timothy, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” (I Timothy 1:15)

The point is that we are in need of a forgiver, a cleanser, a Savior, a fixer. We need God to do His mighty work because we are in a mighty mess. “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (I John 1:8) It is a good point that God clearly says – we need Him!!

The point of Thanksgiving is realizing that God is amazingly gracious to us. He is generous, He + gives us more than what we need, He provides the extras, over and over again. Look at what God has poured into your lap – it has been like a “cup that runneth over”!! In my initial words to you on this night in 2005 I told you that there is only right answer and only one correct response to the question, ‘How are you?’ The answer – “Better than I deserve!” Have we deserved our health, or what we own, or the bounty of what we possess? Do we deserve the beauty of all creation and the wonder of the earth, the sun and moon and all the stars? And yet God gives us all this and more.

My son, David and his wife Heather communicate with the world on FaceBook. On Monday they had a son, (our fourth grandchild!!), and on Tuesday they had pictures up for all to see. With great pride he captioned one photo – Our son – Elijah David, God is so good!!

Isn’t that the point that we joyously get to make today – God is so good to me!! God has blessed me wonderfully, far greater than anything I deserve. When the camera’s are running today, or people get interviewed they will answer questions about why they are thankful. And that is good to hear. But we have something more to be thankful for. We are Christians, we are blood-bought people of God. We are saved and redeemed and chosen and given eternal hope. This is a good day to make a clear point – We are thankful to God for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Tonight we will sing a hymn that we also sang on Sunday (I think Stephen forgot that he had chosen it on Sunday, or maybe he didn’t want to learn and practice a new song), the hymn is “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” That hymn uses a phrase that is very significant. Do you remember the account of Abraham when he was sent to sacrifice his son, his only son, Isaac on Mt. Moriah? When you read the account in Genesis 22 it is quite bothersome. When Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice he innocently looks at his father and says, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham then tells his son, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.”

Now, when Abraham then raises his hand to slay his son, his only son, the angel prevents the murder. A ram is caught in the thicket and he becomes the substitute. So Abraham gave a name for that place – The Lord Will Provide. (Genesis 22:7-8, 14) When we sing Stephen’s hymn, we use this phrase, “God, our maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied. Come to God’s own temple, come; raise the song of harvest home.”

God will provide for our forgiveness in Jesus. He will provide for our eternal joy in Jesus. He will provide for peace right now in Jesus. The point that we make is a clear one – we are God’s children through faith in Jesus and have every spiritual blessing only through Jesus Christ.

The point of Thanksgiving is this – the great gifts that we receive lead us to a great responsibility in the lives of others. Paul says to Timothy, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” (I Timothy 2:1-3) This is a national holiday, an American holiday, and as citizens of this land we are called to pray for our President and for those who serve in Washington and for all who render justice from the bench. We must pray for our Governor and those who serve in our state and in our local communities.

On this Thanksgiving it is good to see how God has been so good to us and offer our real thanks for such blessings, but it is just as necessary to see how we can be a blessing to those who have less, who struggle with the basics of life and for our country and its various and great needs!!

Tomorrow I urge you to make a point. Look around and see God’s wonderful hand. And thank Him. Look in your soul and see the confidence you have in life and death because of Jesus. And thank Him. Consider how you may care for those who are in need and how you can be a good citizen in our country, praying for those who are in need of wisdom and guidance and encouragement throughout our land. And in all of that, thank Him.

As the psalmist says, “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…Praise the Lord, O my soul.” (Psalm 103:1-5, 22b)

I guess we have some good points to be made!! Remember them!! Amen!!