Gratitude in All Circumstances

Josh Stephens: Good morning, everybody.
Hey, Ben, let's go ahead and lift the lights up.
We're going to do something a little different this morning.
I know, I heard the grumbling.
I hear you.
Guys, why are we, like this is a great nap time.
I appreciate all seven of you for coming to chapel on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, which
what that tells me is your faculty members did not cancel class for today.
And so I appreciate faculty for all they do.
Yeah, you should clap for them.
Okay, real quick.
That's nice.
I'm going to tell a quick story.
On Friday, I talked to my small group about this a couple Fridays ago,
and then we're going to do something kind of different,
and I really think it's going to stretch us a little bit.
But I've been tasked with talking about gratitude.
And raise your hand if you've heard the name Corrie Ten Boom.
Okay, a handful of people are.
Corrie ten Boom was a lady from the Netherlands that during World War II, her family helped hide Jews who were being persecuted and who the Nazis were going after.
And they started that well into the 1930s.
But in 1940, a neighbor actually turned them in and said, hey, they're doing something they're not supposed to do.
And so they arrested Corey's dad, her older sister Betsy, and Corey, obviously.
And so within just like a matter of a couple days, I think like 10 days, the father actually passed away.
And then they sent Corey and her big sister Betsy.
They went to jail, and they go to this concentration camp.
And they're in these barracks.
And they're the kind of barracks that you've probably seen on TV and in movies.
They're literally, it's just this almost warehouse looking thing.
They're on this side, there's three rows of beds.
And on this side, there's three rows of beds.
And there's a couple of benches in the middle.
And so Corey and her sister Betsy get in there and all they have with them is a pillow and they snuck something in.
Do you know what they snuck in?
A Bible.
Okay.
I know.
Good for them.
So they bring in this Bible and their pillow.
And the barracks are disgusting.
They're gross, and they're infested with fleas.
There's just junk everywhere, okay?
And so as they get in there, they start reading the Bible, and they start inviting others to read the Bible.
And as they're talking about life, they get to this chapter in the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians.
And in verse 18, it says, give thanks in all circumstances.
And so Betsy, the older sister, is like, hey, we need to step into this.
yes things are hard but we've got to step into giving thanks in all things and and Corey was
like well like I'll I'll be thankful that I have you but but there's things there's like we're in a
bad situation and Betsy time and time again kept going back like no the text says to give thanks
in all things and so let's be thankful we have a bed and she's like okay I can do that but but this
we're in a an ugly place and there's all these fleas and I will not give thanks for these fleas
and Betsy keeps going to Corey time and time again. We're called to be thankful for all things.
And so eventually Corey gets to a place where she says, okay, fine. I'll even be thankful for the
fleas, even though in her heart, she didn't really want to do that. And so a little time goes past
and it's kind of cool because they're able to not just study the Bible with each other.
They're bringing other ladies that are in this barrack in with them to learn about God's word.
And there's this real evangelism opportunity given to them because they have this Bible in the barrack.
And then one day they're talking and they say, you know what?
It's kind of weird because no one ever comes to check and see what we're doing in the barracks.
We've been able to have these Bible studies and prison guards leave us alone.
And I don't know why.
And then another lady came up and she said, I know why.
I heard them talking about it.
And so they said, tell us, like, why did the guards leave us alone?
And she said, it's easy.
It's because the fleas.
There's so many fleas in this building.
They don't want anything to do with this building.
And so they'll, they just leave us alone.
And Betsy, the older sister, looks at Corey and she's like, that's it.
See, get it?
Like even the fleas, God is using those fleas to provide an opportunity for us to share the gospel.
And that is worthy of giving thanks.
And so I love that story because to be honest, it kind of changed the way I view the things that I need to be thankful for.
Oftentimes, it's easy to be thankful for the good things, but it's hard sometimes to be thankful for either the things I don't know or especially the things I don't like.
In that same chapter in 1 Thessalonians, in verse 11, Paul charges them to continue to encourage each other like they're already doing.
And when I think about gratitude, like gratitude is an action word.
Like, gratitude isn't just something I'm supposed to do.
I'm not just supposed to be thankful.
Like, I'm supposed to give thanks, but I'm also supposed to receive those things with a glad heart.
And so it's going to cause some of you to be uncomfortable, but I'm going to call four people up here, okay?
And we're going to do a little exercise.
Rhonda Poole, can you come up here real quick?
I know, I saw that face.
She did not look happy.
David, did I see you hiding behind someone, David?
Is that you back there?
Yeah.
Can you come here, David, real quick?
No?
You can't say no.
I'm on the stage, dude.
What are you doing?
No.
You can't say no.
Okay.
Let's do, you know what?
Come on up, Colton.
You can come up.
Noah, I want you to come up.
Yep, right there.
You and Ruth, why don't you come up here too?
So we're going to line the stage.
So, Ronna, I'm going to put you right here.
And then we'll put Colton right here.
Ruth, you're going to get to be right here.
And then Noah, you're going to stand right there.
And we're going to do something that I don't think it's going to be as awkward.
I want you to get up front, Ruth.
We're at your front center.
Here we go.
I don't think it's going to be as awkward for you, but it's going to feel different for you four.
Okay.
So anyone in this room can participate.
All I'm asking is you, I need two people to say something nice about the people on this stage.
now here's the deal you don't have to know them it'd be it'd be awesome if you didn't know them
and you may be like I really like your hair like no one ever says that to me okay that's okay that
wouldn't be a compliment that would be an insult to me but to these fine people that would be
received okay but I need two people for each person to say something kind and then here's the
thing that you guys have to do when they get done I'm going to put the microphone in front of you
and you're going to have to say, I receive that, okay?
Because this is transactional, okay?
Gratitude isn't just something that we're giving.
It is something that we're receiving too.
And so, do you guys think we can do this?
Okay, maybe a little uncomfortable for you.
For sure going to be uncomfortable for these folks
because, listen, we're not really good.
We're good at kind of giving people words of encouragement,
but we struggle sometimes receiving these things.
And so I want you four to really step into this as an opportunity that, for whatever reason, the Spirit opened up to allow these people to speak into you.
So can you all do that?
Okay.
So we're going to start with Rhonda.
You can raise your hand.
You can stand up.
I need one person.
We've got one person right here.
I love you, Mr. Rhonda.
Okay.
Yeah.
That was back there, not right here, but that's good.
So she loves you.
That was very kind of her to say that.
Okay.
And you're going to say something.
What are you going to say?
You look beautiful, and I know you're a wonderful teacher.
Yeah, she looks beautiful.
And listen, admissions would not run without Rhonda Poole.
Okay.
And so, yeah.
And she gives free candy.
Yeah.
Y'all should clap for that.
Okay.
Rhonda, what are you going to do?
Rhonda Pool: I received that.
Okay.
Josh Stephens: Good.
Good.
All right.
I need someone saying something nice about Colton.
Anyone?
Right here in the middle.
Cy.
I like that you're authentic.
Oh, he likes that he's authentic.
That's good.
That's good.
Does anyone else?
Just something nice.
Maybe someone that doesn't know Colton.
Right here.
He looks good in red, man.
Oh, name me.
He looks good in red.
That's nice.
Okay.
So, Colton, what are you going to say?
Colton: I received that.
Thank you.
Josh Stephens: You do.
And he said thank you.
That was sweet.
Okay.
Someone say something nice about Ruth.
Right there.
Chloe.
Ruth is one of the most genuine people that I know.
So true.
So true.
Anyone else have something kind to say about Chloe?
In the back.
Ruth is a great listener.
Ruth is a great listener.
That's really good.
Ruth, what are you going to say?
Ruth: Thank you.
I received that.
Josh Stephens: Yes, you do.
Okay. All right. Noah. Noah's our last one. Someone say something nice about Noah. Trayvon.
He takes the most amazing pictures of us during the project. He does. He takes great pictures.
Someone else. Oh, over there in the corner. You're one of the most creative people I know. What are we going to say, Noah?
Noah: Thank you very much. I've received that.
Josh Stephens: Yeah, you do. Okay. Is that hard for us to do? No. If we step into 1 Thessalonians 5 in verse 11,
If we're going to be encouragers, because God's called us to be encouragers, this should be something that we do often.
But we don't.
Because sometimes we're not thinking about the other people.
We're fixated on ourselves.
But guys, there's something really freeing.
There's something encouraging about hearing just different people in here.
Even some of you that were raising your hand because you wanted to be chosen and you weren't chosen.
Like, it's encouraging to see that you have good things to say to the people on the stage.
What about those of you on the stage?
What was that like?
What was that like, Ruth?
Ruth: It's really awesome to hear that affirmation from other people,
especially in the busy time when you're thinking about so many other things.
Josh Stephens: Okay.
Rhonda, you are not a college student.
You look like one, but you're not a college student.
What was it like to have other people, especially younger people,
students, speak words of kindness into you?
Rhonda Pool: Being in the admissions office and away from the group, it's nice that people still remember who we were when we got them here.
Josh Stephens: Guys, we are stepping into a season of gratitude.
And it's really easy for us to give thanks for the things that God has given us, and I think we should give thanks.
But I also think God is calling us to not just receive, but to give.
To go out and sit by that person that's by themselves in the calf.
Okay, to go out and say, hey, man, you crushed the color red.
Okay, like to speak words of affirmation, words of kindness into people.
And I promise you, when you let your heart be driven by what the Spirit is calling you to do to others, you're going to be more receptive to what the Spirit's doing to yourself.
And it's going to give us a heart of gratitude.
And that is something worth giving thanks for.
I'm going to say a blessing over y'all.
And then I hope y'all have an amazing Thanksgiving break.
Let's pray.
God, we love you. And Father, we repent for the times that I know I do this all the time where I'm
so focused on myself that I fail to recognize all the good things that you've put in my life,
my family, those I get to work with, those I get to live life with, the students on this campus.
God, I'm thankful for those blessings. And Lord, I pray that you call me not to just receive
the good things that you send my way, but to, as my cup overflows, God, I pray that you lead me
to those who they need someone to pour words of kindness into them. They need someone to build them
up. And in a world that is all about tearing down, God, we as Christians want to be a light.
We want to not just be thankful for the things that you've given us, but also, God,
in an act of obedience, we want to give thanks by pouring into other people.
Let that be our mission, not just this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving, but when we come back,
Lord, we have two weeks on this campus, and you can make a difference in those two weeks in someone's life.
You can use us to make a difference in others' lives.
Use us for your glory.
God, I give you thanks for these people.
I pray blessings on them as they leave and go enjoy the break.
As Dave reminded us yesterday, God, if there's those that are going into hard situations,
Father, I pray that they look for the fleas,
that they look for the little things that you've put in their life that they can hold on to
and they can give thanks for.
And God, I pray that you bring everyone back here safely.
We love you.
Thank you for loving us first.
In Jesus' name, amen.
You guys have a great Thanksgiving break.
We'll see you next week.
Thank you all.