Based on "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges, this lesson examines unthankfulness. We have a tendency to take God's blessings for granted or to recognize God's hand at work in difficult circumstances.

1. UNTHANKFULNESS
BASED ON RESPECTABLE SINS BY JERRY BRIDGES

2. • LEPROSY IS A LOATHSOME DISEASE THAT OSTRACIZED ITS VICTIMS FROM
FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
• LEVITICUS 13:45
• JESUS ONCE MET AND HEALED TEN LEPERS WHO ASKED FOR MERCY. LUKE
17:11-19
• WE READ THIS AND ASK “HOW COULD THOSE NINE MEN BE SO UNGRATEFUL AS
TO NOT EVEN TURN AROUND AND THANK JESUS FOR CURING THEM?”
• TOO OFTEN WE ARE GUILTY OF THE SAME SIN OF UNTHANKFULNESS.
• SPIRITUALLY, OUR CONDITION IS MUCH WORSE THAN THEIRS; WE WERE NOT
DISEASE, WE WERE DEAD.
• BUT GOD, IN HIS GREAT MERCY AND LOVE, REACHED OUT TO US AND GAVE US
SPIRITUAL LIFE. EPHESIANS 2:1-5

3. • CHRIST GIVING US SPIRITUAL LIFE IS A FAR GREATER MIRACLE, AND ITS BENEFITS
ARE INFINITELY GREATER THAN HEALING FROM LEPROSY.
• HOW OFTEN DO WE GIVE THANKS FOR OUR SALVATION?
• HAVE YOU GIVEN THANKS FOR YOUR SALVATION TODAY? IF YOU DID, WAS IT
DONE WITH AS LITTLE THOUGHT AS YOU GIVE THANKS FOR A MEAL OR WAS IT
AN EXPRESSION OF HEARTFELT GRATITUDE?
• EVERYTHING WE ARE AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS A GIFT FROM GOD.
• ACTS 17:25
• DEUTERONOMY 8:11-14, 17-18
• MOST CHRISTIANS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERYTHING WE HAVE COMES FROM
GOD, BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE STOP TO GIVE THANKS TO HIM?

4. • AT THE END OF EACH SCHOOL OR WORK DAY, DO YOU EVER TAKE TIME TO SAY,
“THANK YOU, LORD, FOR GIVING ME THE SKILL, ABILITY, AND HEALTH TO DO
_________________ TODAY.”
• DO YOU EVER WALK THROUGH YOUR HOUSE AND LOOK AT YOUR POSSESSIONS,
DO YOU EVER THANK GOD FOR THE THINGS YOU SEE? THE FOOD YOU IN THE
CABINETS?
• TAKING FOR GRANTED ALL THE TEMPORAL PROVISIONS AND SPIRITUAL
BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS SO RICHLY BESTOWED ON US, AND FAILING TO GIVE
HIM THANKS, IS ONE OUR “ACCEPTABLE” SINS. MOST CHRISTIANS DON’T EVEN
CONSIDER IT SIN, BUT PAUL DID.
• EPHESIANS 5:20
• FAILURE TO GIVE GOD THANKS DUE HIM IS SIN

5. • IT MAY SEEM BENIGN TO US BECAUSE IT DOESN’T HARM ANYONE, BUT IT IS AN
AFFRONT AN INSULT TO THE ONE WHO CREATED US AN SUSTAINS US EVERY
SECOND OF OUR LIVES.
• IN ROMANS 1:18-32, PAUL DESCRIBES THE DOWNWARD MORAL SPIRAL OF PAGAN
HUMANITY. (V.21 ESPECIALLY)
• THEIR EVER-INCREASING WICKEDNESS ACTUALLY BEGAN WITH THEIR UNGODLINESS
AND THEIR UNTHANKFULNESS.
• FAILURE TO HONOR GOD OR GIVE THANKS TO HIM IS OBVIOUSLY CHARACTERISTIC
OF PRESENT-DAY CULTURE.
• ROMANS1:24-32 ACTUALLY READS LIKE A DESCRIPTION OF MODERN AMERICA.
PERHAPS GOD IS JUDGING US FOR OUR UNGODLINESS AND UNTHANKFULNESS.
• WE MUST BE SURE WE ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM WITH OUR LACK OF
THANKS.

6. • WE SHOULD GIVE THANKS IN ALWAYS AND FOR EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN
WE EXPERIENCE UNUSUAL PROVISION FROM GOD OR DELIVERANCE FROM
TEMPTATION.
• ARE WE TO GIVE THANKS WHEN THE SITUATION DOESN’T TURN OUT AS WE
HOPED?
• YES, BUT FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.
• I THESSALONIANS 5:18
• EPHESIANS 5:20 IS ABOUT DEVELOPING A HABIT OF CONTINUAL THANKFULNESS
FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS GOD POURS OUT ON US.
• THIS VERSE IS ABOUT BEING THANKFUL IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, EVEN WHEN
WE DON’T FEEL LIKE BEING THANKFUL.
• ROMANS 8:28-29; 38-39

7. • GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD BECAUSE THEY
WON’T WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD ON THEIR OWN. GOD DIRECTS THE
OUTCOME OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR OUR GOOD.
• THE “GOOD” IS IN VERSE 29, WHERE WE BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS.
• IN THE MIDST OF DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, WE THE PROMISES IN V.38-39
THAT NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD.
• GIVING THANKS IN DISAPPOINTING OR DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES IS ALWAYS
TO BE DONE BY FAITH IN THE PROMISES OF GOD.
• I HOPE YOU WILL BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND ADMIT THAT YOU DO HAVE
SOME OF THESE “RESPECTABLE” SINS WE’VE BEEN EXAMINING.
• IF YOU’VE BEEN HUMBLED TO SOME DEGREE BY EXAMINING YOURSELF, YOU WILL
BE IN A GOOD POSITION TO CONTINUE, AS THE REMAINING SINS WILL BE MORE
“UGLY” THAN THE ONES WE’VE COVERED ALREADY.