Text: Isaiah 12:1-6

Topic: Why we should be grateful

Introduction:

• Illustration: May recalls a Veteran's Day event, where recent military action had rekindled a sense of enthusiastic gratitude in the high school attendees.

• Big Idea: Gratitude is the key to a rewarding life.

• A sense of entitlement drains the life out of a person.

• Illustration: May demonstrates through the story of two orphan children how the early seeds of kindness and gratitude rewarded the young boy, but a sense of entitlement and lack of gratitude poisoned the young girl.

• Illustration: May quotes first Bible teacher Steve Brown and then Martin Luther on the difficulty people have accepting God's grace.

• Many are convinced that God is so angry with them that they can never experience a close relationship with him.

• God wants you to experience the comfort of his forgiveness.

• Isaiah 12:1

• God's grace is more powerful than sin.

• Because of God's grace, we can begin every day with a sense of gratitude.

• Isaiah 12:2

• God doesn't just want to forgive us of our sins, he wants to save us from our sins, and give us strength and courage to live day to day.

• In the face of fear, trust God.

• Mark 5:36

He is never far away.

• Isaiah 12:6

• Matthew 28:20

• Hebrews 13:5

• Illustration: May quotes comedian George Burns, describing a nearness that we can know with God, as Burns knew it with his wife: "She was as close to me as my next breath."

Conclusion:

• Our response to God's grace, strength, and closeness should be gratitude.

• Isaiah 12:4

• Illustration: May recalls the "Jesus shouts" of 1970's Christian rallies, and suggests we need to recapture some of that enthusiastic gratitude.

• Isaiah 12:3