"Gratitude Unexpressed"

January 15, 2012
Kennard Friends Church

“Gratitude Unexpressed”

I want to share a few things this morning that I am very excited about. I know these will be an encouragement to you.
First, let me show you the drawing I did. [Hold up a blank white board]. I’ve really put some thought into this. I can see the vibrant colors. It appears that all of nature has come alive. It’s as if I can feel the warmth on my face as I see the sunshine! Are you enjoying the picture too?
Next, I want to have you listen to a song I wrote. [Hold up a CD player; start bobbing head, tapping toes, snapping fingers]. That is really beautiful isn’t it? The words are so powerful, the melody so sweet. Are you enjoying my song too?
You folks don’t seem to be getting nearly as excited as I am about what I have shared with you! Let me finish by sharing the message God has put on my heart. I know I’ve only been here a few Sundays but this is the best message I have ever preached (or anyone else for that matter). Listen to this my friends. [Nod head. Show approval. Open the Bible and look like reading a verse]. Oh my! That is really good stuff! I mean that is right up there will Billy Graham. Are you enjoying this powerful Word from Heaven too?

Well, of course you aren’t enjoying the Word from Heaven, or the song, or the picture! It’s because I did not actually draw the picture… I only have it drawn in my imagination. I did not record the song… I only have played it in my head. I have not spoken the sermon because it is only in my thoughts. The point of all this is that until something is EXPRESSED it really is of no value to others. Today I want to speak about something that we all feel, but that we don’t all express. That is “gratitude”! Unexpressed gratitude is of no value to others. Let me say that again. Unexpressed gratitude is of no value to others.

As a foundational scripture, let’s look at the Great Commandment of Jesus. “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” I bet you have heard dozens of messages, read books, heard songs, etc. that focus on this verse. Most of the time the focus is more on loving God than loving our neighbor. So today, not to exclude the importance of the first part of the verse, I do want us to focus on the love for our neighbor. By the end of my talk, I will be giving you a practical idea for taking the information I share, with the inspiration of God and showing you how to apply this verse today!

But before we dig into the subject of “expressed gratitude” and loving our neighbor, let me highlight a few things from last week’s Courier. [Share date of paper and read names on the obituary page]. Then say, you know, I imagine there was a lot of gratitude being expressed about these individuals… at their funerals! Unfortunately for many of the deceased, they never got to hear those expressions from their family members, friends or neighbors while they were living. Again… gratitude unexpressed is of no value.

This principle or practical application of Scripture came to me 4 years ago… this month. It was January 2008. Junior, Barbara and Kylie will remember it VERY well. Junior and Barbara’son… Kylie’s dad… Brett was involved in a very serious crash just a few miles from town. While on his way to his church a big grain truck ran a stop sign and hit Brett on the driver’s side of the car. The car was totaled. Brett was rushed to the hospital. Not knowing how badly he was injured, the thought crossed my mind about whether he could have survived. The great news is that Brett did survive. Thank God there was NOT a funeral to attend.
But my mind wandered there (at the imaginary funeral) before we heard the good news. In my mind I was thinking about what a good person Brett was. He was a great role model as a son, brother, husband and dad. I thought that I wished I had told him I appreciated the time he spent with our son Ross. How great it was that they could talk endlessly about sports. I wanted to tell him what a mature, faithful Christian man he was.
I found myself being prompted by God to put my thoughts into action… before I missed my chance! I had told myself that I loved my neighbor (including family and friends). I had told God that I loved my neighbor. But I had never REALLY told my neighbor! I am going to share the exact letter I wrote to Brett and Kami in January 2008.
[Have Jan read the letter.]
So in addition to the letter you heard Jan read, I wrote and delivered several more. I started with my wife, my immediate family and then closest friends. That month about 30 people (who already had my gratitude unexpressed) received my gratitude expressed!
(Find other scriptures to support expressing gratitude)
End with a reference to the table with the dying flowers, empty picture frame, etc. Ask the meeting not to wait until it is too late to show your love for your neighbor, your family, your spouse, your co-workers. You may not be able to write a letter. But you can send a card expressing your gratitude. You can verbally thank them and specifically telling them something you appreciate about them.

We are going to close this message right now. But I want you to keep your mind open as we end in silence. Let God speak to YOUR mind about what YOU should do with this information. Let God write the names of those that he would have to express gratitude too first. Then, with his help, begin doing it.
Matthew 22:36-40
New Living Translation (NLT)
36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Romans 13:9
For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:8-10 (in Context)
Galatians 5:14
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-15 (in Context)
James 2:8
Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
James 2:7-9 (in Context)

Closing prayer