A Thanksgiving sermon on Habakkuk 3:17-18 presented November 29, 2009, at Palm Desert Church of Christ by Dale Wells

2. THANKSGIVING TRIVIA
When & where
was the first
Thanksgiving
observance in
the New World?

3. The first Thanksgiving
celebration in the New World
1630 in
Mass Bay
Colony
10%
1621 in
Plymouth
Colony
85%
1565 in St.
Augustine,
Florida
5%

4. The First
Thanksgiving?
1565 – St. Augustine, Florida
1621 – Plymouth, Massachusetts
1630 – Massachusetts Bay

5. Why the Pilgrims came – Politically
Correct 4th Grader’s version
• The Pilgrims came
here seeking freedom
of you-know-what
• When they landed
they gave thanks to
you-know-who
• Because of them we
can worship each
Sunday you-know-
where

6. The Real First
Thanksgiving!
1541 –
Palo Duro Canyon, Texas
Francisco Vasquez
de Coronado

7. The first Thanksgiving after US
became a country
1776 in
Philadelphia
PA
26%
1777 in
Valley
Forge, PA
26%
1780 in
New York
City, NY
10%
1781 in
Yorktown,
VA
38%

8. When & by whom Thanksgiving
was declared a national holiday
1863 by
Abraham
Lincoln
26%
1777 by
George
Washington
23%
1901 by
Theodore
Roosevelt
41%
1941 by
Franklin
Roosevelt
10%

9. When was Thanksgiving set to
the 4th Thursday in November?
1941
59%
1863
5%
1777
8%
1901
28%

10. 1777 – Revolution
1863 – Civil War
1941 – World War II
Three Notable
Thanksgivings

12. If there is a God …
• Why does evil exist in the world?
• Why do babies die?
• Why do people get killed by drunk drivers?
• Why do people get cancer & die?
• Dare we ask those tough questions?
• The Bible says a lot about it – and one of
the clearest things is this …

13. IT IS OK TO QUESTION GOD
Just don’t get stuck there!

14. We want reasons for all the bad
stuff that happens
• We say things like …
• Life is a like a tapestry – light & dark, good
& bad, happy & sad
• God is a great weaver
• The pain in our lives is all a part of it & it
only makes the good stand out better
• There may be elements of truth, but telling
it to one who’s suffering sounds hollow

15. Christians are too quick to go to
Romans 8:28
• KJV And we know that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to his purpose.
• NASB And we know that God causes all things
to work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His
purpose.
• NIV And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose.

16. At times we don't need to ask why
• Person who abuses drugs, alcohol, food or
tobacco should not be surprised to find
self on a hospital bed
• Person who cheats on spouse shouldn't
be surprised when the mate leaves and
life falls apart
• Some sins carry their own price tags
• But what about other tragedies?

17. IT IS OK TO QUESTION GOD
He really doesn't seem to mind!

18. Psalms 13:1-3 NIV
• How long, O LORD? Will you forget me
forever? How long will you hide your face
from me? (2) How long must I wrestle with
my thoughts and every day have sorrow in
my heart? How long will my enemy
triumph over me? (3) Look on me and
answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my
eyes, or I will sleep in death;

19. IT IS OK TO QUESTION GOD
But then what?

20. C.S. Lewis in A Grief Observed
• “When you’re happy, so
happy that you don’t
have any sense of
needing God, if you turn
to him with praise you’ll
be welcomed with open
arms.

21. C.S. Lewis in A Grief Observed
• “But go to him when your
need is desperate, when
all other help is vain, and
what do you find? A door
slammed in your face, a
sound of bolting &
double-bolting on the
inside & after that,
silence. You may as well
turn away.”

22. What if you question God & are
not satisfied with the answers?
• That's the question of
Habakkuk
• Things are bad
• Wickedness abounds
• Habakkuk just can't
stand it anymore
• Text & interpretation

23. Habakkuk 1:2-4 NIV
• How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen? Or cry out to you,
"Violence!" but you do not save? (3) Why
do you make me look at injustice? Why do
you tolerate wrong? Destruction and
violence are before me; there is strife, and
conflict abounds. (4) Therefore the law is
paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The
wicked hem in the righteous, so that
justice is perverted.

24. Interpretation:
God, why don't you do
something?

25. Habakkuk 1:5-6 NIV
• "Look at the nations and watch-- and be
utterly amazed. For I am going to do
something in your days that you would not
believe, even if you were told. (6) I am
raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless
and impetuous people, who sweep across
the whole earth to seize dwelling places
not their own.

26. Interpretation:
I am doing something!

27. Habakkuk 1:13 NIV
• Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you
cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you
tolerate the treacherous? Why are you
silent while the wicked swallow up those
more righteous than themselves?

28. Interpretation:
But I don’t like what you’re
doing!

29. Habakkuk 2:20 NIV
• But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all
the earth be silent before him."

30. Interpretation:
Too bad, because I’m God and
you’re not!

31. Question:
When you’re through questioning
God, what then?

32. Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV
• Though the fig tree does not bud and there
are no grapes on the vines, though the
olive crop fails and the fields produce no
food, though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls, (18) yet I will
rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God
my Savior.

33. Someday something terrible is
going to happen to you
• Terrible things happen to everybody
sooner or later
• You will not be exempt
• You are going to question God
• That's OK, He doesn't mind
• But when you’ve asked all the questions,
what then?

34. Martin Rinkart – 1637
• Thirty Years’ War
• Eilenberg, Saxony, faced
siege & plague
• Buried 5,000 in one year
– Average of 15 a day
– Sometimes as many as 50
– Including all other preachers
– Including his wife
• Wrote a hymn of thanks

41. • Terminal cancer at 45 but focused on living
• “Last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon Sept. 18, 2007
– Values he hoped to pass on to children: integrity,
honesty, character, hard work, laughter & gratitude
• Lecture became best selling book
• Died July 25, 2008

42. Bobby Ray Murcer 5/20/46-7/12/08
• “From the very start of a
journey that began
Christmas week 2006, Kay
and I believe – we know –
that we have been God-led.
• “And so we thank our God
for illuminating the path, our
family for taking our hands,
and our friends and fans for
cheering us along the way to
a new wonderful life.”