Bible Text: Colossians 3 and Leviticus 23 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Mighty in His Power
Leviticus 23:43 …so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt.  I am the Lord your God…
God’s Provisions and Care on the Journey to the Promised Land Demonstrated God’s Miracle Presence and Power
Food: manna to eat; meat provided
Water: out of the rocks
Guidance: the Glory of the Lord leading them
Boundaries: The Law from Mount Sinai
Healing: bitter waters made sweet
Overcoming: victory won over their enemies
God’s Blessings
Genesis 22:17-19 …blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
The Messiah Taught at the Feast of Tabernacles
John 7:1-11 …Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand…You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come. When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.  But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
John 7:14-15 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, How does this Man know letters, having never studied?
John 7:37-41 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, truly this is the Prophet. Others said, this is the Christ.
The Feast of Tabernacles is the word picture of the hope, thankfulness, and power that Israel has because of the soon return and establishment of His righteousness on earth.
Feast of Tabernacles, Booths, or Sukkoth
Colossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Thankfulness Flows from God’s Presence
More thankfulness will not come from more stuff, but from more of God’s presence and God’s goodness.
Thankfulness is the Perception of the Good
Psalm 103:1-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things.
Thankfulness has a benefit.
Thankfulness has a benefactor.
Thankfulness has a beneficiary.
We are the beneficiaries of the benefits of a God who has our best interests at heart.
Thankfulness Grows in the Environment and Attitude of Humility
Entitlement is a 21st Century Curse
The bigger our sense of entitlement, the smaller our sense of thankfulness.
The Bible teaches us that NOT being thankful is SIN.
Romans 1:21-22 …they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…
The Opposite of Thankfulness is Grumbling
We can get disconnected from God by grumbling quicker than almost anything else.
1 Corinthians 10:10-11 And do not grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…
Thankfulness Leads to a Life of Blessing
Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Amidah: the 18 benedictions or blessings – Every day a man of God is to pray…blessed are you LORD…
On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles is Hoshanah Rabbah or the Great Hosanna
Psalms 113-118 are recited as an expression of thankfulness for all the Lord’s provision.
Psalm 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise…
AND THEN Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, stood and declared:
John 7:37-38 If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.
Just as the water cascades down the steps of the temple, so the LIFE BLOOD OF GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON runs down the Hill of Calvary at the Cross of Jesus into our lives!
We are MIGHTY IN HIS POWER when in the Presence of God.
There are rivers of living water that God has given to us for the purpose to lead us to our future destination (HEAVEN) and to give us a present time DESTINY and PURPOSE and POWER.
John 7:39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
Titus 3:4-7 But then God our Savior…gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness…