The Attitude of Thanksgiving

Bible Reading: Psalm 95:1-6 (KJV)

OPENING PRAYER: Father, I receive this beautiful year with thanksgiving in Jesus’ name.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: The teacher should allow the assistant teacher to review the lesson for the previous week.

MEMORY VERSE: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

BIBLE PASSAGE: Psalm 95:1-6 (KJV)

1 O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

INTRODUCTION: As we begin the New Year, we need to count our blessings and take on the attitude of thanksgiving. Our hope will be renewed when we remember past blessings and receive the future with gratitude (Psalm 65:11). So, we must cultivate the habit of giving thanks rather than complaining (Psalm 107:21-22).

LESSON AIM: To remind the church that praising God is essential.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

a. Know what praising God is.

b. Understand the reasons for praising God.

TEXT REVIEW: PSALM 95:1-6

A. The Psalmist was full of thanks to God. He was so happy and sure of God’s benevolence that he charged the people as follows;

i. O come, let us sing unto the Lord …………. V1a.

ii. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation …………….. 1b.

iii. Let us …………………. V2a.

iv. And …………………… V2b.

B. He gives us the reasons we should thank God;

i. For the …………………………… V3a.

ii. And ……………………………….. V3b.

iii. In his hand ……………………. V4a.

iv. ………………………………………. V4b.

v. ……………………………………….. V5a.

vi. ………………………………………. V5b

C. Finally, the author charges us;

i. O come, let us worship and bow down:

ii. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. GOD IS THE SOURCE
2. BE THANKFUL

LESSON OUTLINE 1: GOD IS THE SOURCE

A. God is the source of all good things (James 1:17; Deuteronomy 26:11).

i. He created them all for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11).

ii. He provides, protects and preserves His own (Psalm 23:1-5).

iii. He empowers and blesses the diligent (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 10:22).

B. His care for us is unique (Matthew 10:29-31) even when we do not understand His ways and our testimony seems delayed (Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 30:5b).

i. He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

ii. We will be ingrates if we fail to acknowledge these and many more (Psalm 8:4-6).

C. This is why the apostle Paul admonishes us to give thanks to God in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Mention some of God’s goodness that we hardly take note of.

LESSON OUTLINE 2: BE THANKFUL

A. God is good (Psalm 73:1; 106:1).

i. When something evil happens, it is not authored by God though He knows about it (1 Corinthians 14:33; James 1:13).

ii. We must realise that God makes all things work together for good for His children (Romans 8:28).

B. If we take stock of His goodness and mercy in our lives, we will discover that the best thing to do is to make thanksgiving part of our everyday life and not an occasional activity (Psalm 34:1).

C. Therefore, believers must choose to focus on the positives of life (not the negatives) and be thankful to God, in all things and at all times (2 Samuel 22:47-50; Ephesians 5:20).

D. This is a call to rise above discouragement, doubt, envy and self-pity to reach a new level of hope for the blessings which the Lord will pour upon us (Psalm 42:5).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: The class should sing a song of thanksgiving.

CONCLUSION: Live a life of thanksgiving.

EVALUATION: Who is the source of every good thing and achievement?

CLOSING PRAYER: Dear Lord, I thank you for giving me this beautiful year of joy.

ASSIGNMENT: Students should mention five reasons they should be thankful (2×5=10 Marks).