Summary of my sermon, based on Colossians 3:15-17. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on October 13, 2024.
Gratitude isn’t just about saying “thank you” and moving on—it’s an active response that shapes our actions. I’ve been thinking about this while remembering a particular flight I took many years ago. Normally, I’m the type to wear shorts on a flight, even in the middle of winter, as I did when I used to fly from the frozen streets of Fort McMurray to tropical destinations. But on one flight back from a mission trip in the Philippines, my attire changed thanks to an unexpected upgrade to business class. Out of gratitude for the experience, I swapped my casual shorts for proper pants. It was a small action, but it reflected my appreciation for the generosity I’d received.
This story reminds me of what Paul teaches in Colossians 3:15-17, where he connects gratitude to specific actions three times. First, he writes, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, ESV). The “peace of Christ” isn’t just about individual calm or the absence of conflict. It’s much deeper—rooted in the biblical concept of shalom, which encompasses welfare, harmony, and completeness. This peace comes from Jesus, who reconciled us to God through His sacrifice, as Paul explains in Ephesians 2:13-14: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace.”
Knowing this, how can we not feel gratitude? But more importantly, what does that gratitude inspire in us? Paul says this peace should unite us, binding us together as one body. Gratitude for salvation isn’t a passive emotion—it motivates us to live in harmony with others, reflecting the unity Christ calls us to.
Paul goes further in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Gratitude should also lead us to immerse ourselves in Scripture, not just for our own sake but to share it with others. This sharing happens through teaching, correcting, and even worshiping together in song. It’s a communal expression of thanksgiving, as we gather in unity, centered on the Word of Christ.
Finally, Paul sums it up in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This is where gratitude transforms everything—our words, actions, and even our attitude. It’s no longer about obligation but about joyfully responding to God’s grace. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you.”
True gratitude is more than a polite acknowledgment; it’s a life-altering force. It moves us to unity, to immerse ourselves in God’s Word, and to act generously in all that we do. If we truly understand the peace and salvation Jesus has given us, then our gratitude will be visible—not just in our words but in the way we live each day.
Excel Still More 