Sermon Topic: “Back to the Basics of Thanksgiving”
Rev. Chege declared that “gratitude is not a luxury, but a basic of faith.” He challenged the congregation by stating that if thanksgiving were an academic subject, many would be failing or repeating it. He emphasized that we often thank God only when things go well, forgetting that “normal is already a miracle.”
The Six Pillars of Biblical Thanksgiving
1.Thanksgiving is Foundational to Faith & Community
- Gratitude is the “fuel of faith” and the “glue” that holds the community together.
- The early church shared possessions and property out of overwhelming thankfulness (Acts 2:44-45).
- You cannot go “back to the basics” without returning to thanksgiving.
2. Thanksgiving Renews the Mind & Transforms the Heart
- Citing Romans 12:2 (“be transformed by the renewing of your mind”), Rev. Chege—speaking as a counseling psychologist—stated that gratitude is one of the most powerful research-backed tools for mental and emotional health**.
- Your mindset, not your circumstances, determines your joy.
- Gratitude rewires the brain for positivity**, while complaining rewires it for negativity.
- Benefits of a grateful heart:
- Better sleep
- Less stress
- Faster forgiveness
- Less complaining
- Deeper worship
- Transformation begins in the mind and is sustained by gratitude.
3. Thanksgiving is Remembering What God Has Already Done
- Psalm 116:12 asks, *”What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?”
- When we remember God’s faithfulness—how far He has brought us, what He has brought us through—we cannot remain stingy, quiet, or miserable.
- “Many of us are walking miracles pretending to be normal.”
- If God charged us for every accident He prevented, every sickness He healed, every tear He wiped, we would be in eternal debt.
4. Thanksgiving Must Be a Sacrifice.
- Thanksgiving in the Bible is called a “sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Hebrews 13:15).
- A sacrifice costs something. David said, “I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing”* (2 Samuel 24:24).
- Much of what we give God is not a sacrifice, but “pocket change” or a “tip” (like leaving 15% after a meal)
- Thanksgiving that does not cost you something has not reached heaven yet.”
- We give because we are loved, not to be loved. Giving frees us from fear, greed, and the illusion of self-sufficiency.
5. We Must Prepare Our Hearts and Hands for Thanksgiving
- The church’s annual thanksgiving service (scheduled for February 8) requires intentional, prayerful preparation.
- Ask yourself: What has God done for me? For my family? Where has He silently protected me?
- Normal is a miracle.” Be thankful for the ordinary.
- Do not postpone thanksgiving until life is “perfect.” Thank God now.
6. Thanksgiving Builds a Generous, Transformed Church
- The early church’s gratitude led to natural, radical generosity.
- Grateful churches are generous churches. Grateful Christians don’t need pressure to give; they look for opportunities to give.
- A thankful church is a joyful church. A generous church is a powerful church.
- In 2026, God is calling the church to be deeper in gratitude rather than louder in prayer, and to have **softer hearts rather than bigger plans.
Final Exhortation
- Gratitude is the soil where transformation grows.
- As the year begins, pause and remember God’s faithfulness—not because everything is perfect, but because God is faithful.
- Come to the upcoming thanksgiving service with grateful hearts, renewed minds, and generous hands.
- May our thanksgiving become the foundation of our transformation.
Closing Prayer:
“What shall I return to the Lord for his goodness to me? I pray that your answer to that question will glorify the Lord. In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.”