# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S86
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

purpose. If everything conspires to work for good by
way of God’s foreknowledge, predestination, calling,
justifying, and glorifying, how then can we not be
thankful in all circumstances?
According to Paul, true thanksgiving comes through
Christ. Paul thanks God through Christ (Rom. 1:8); he
gives thanks always and for everything to God the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20).
Our life is in Christ (Eph. 1:3, 9, 12, 20, etc.), a life lived
by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave
himself for us (Gal. 2:20).
True thanksgiving comes by way of the Holy Spirit
working through the Means of Grace. In Baptism, we
receive the Holy Spirit and are connected to Jesus’
death and resurrection (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3–5).
Regularly hearing God’s Word brings and strengthens
faith (Rom. 10:17). In our Lord’s Supper, Christ
demonstrates to us thanksgiving in all circumstances
on the night he was betrayed and prior to the suffering
that began in the Garden of Gethsemane. But it is called
the Eucharist, not only because Jesus gave thanks, but
because we are moved to thanksgiving, receiving
Christ’s true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins;
and where there is forgiveness, there is life and
salvation.

This life of thanksgiving in all circumstances is in
conjunction with rejoicing and prayer, which we see
again and again in Paul’s letters (Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1
Tim. 2:1), including the theme verses for our convention
(1 Thess. 5:16–17). And we must never forget that this
life of thanksgiving in all circumstances is identified
especially and specifically in suffering. Jesus reminds
his disciples that following him involves bearing a cross
(Matt. 10:35; 16:24; Luke 9:23). Paul views such
suffering as marks of his being an apostle and our being
Christians (2 Cor. 4:7–12; 5:18–6:10; 12:7–10). And so,
our Christian life is a life of thanksgiving in all
circumstances.
Often on our national Thanksgiving Day, we sing songs
like “Now Thank We All Our God” (LSB 895) or “We
Praise You, O God” (LSB 785). But, by the grace of God
and the working of the Holy Spirit, such is our response
each and every day in all circumstances (LSB 785, vs. 2,
3):
We worship You, God of our fathers, we bless You;
Through trial and tempest our guide You have been.
When perils o’ertake us, You will not forsake us,
And with Your help, O Lord, our struggles we win.
With voices united our praises we offer
And gladly our songs of thanksgiving we raise.
With You, Lord, beside us, Your strong arm will guide us.
To You, our great Redeemer, forever be praise! Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria

86 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

Convention Sermons