What Place Should Gratitude Occupy in Preaching?

When I looked in my encyclopedia for the word “gratitude” it was not mentioned; also the word “thankfulness” was not there. Is this coincidence, or is it a word which is losing its place in our society? I don’t know for sure, but it is possible. Especially when we speak about gratitude toward God — that is definitely going toward the background in our countries and in society. Is this true? Because when we listen to many preachers outside of our denomination, we hear time and again: “I thank Thee, Father.”

This is repeated every time a blessing is mentioned that the Lord has given. Their prayers are more a thanking like the Pharisee in the front of the temple than a praying to God. This we can understand because they are like that Pharisee, a possessing people who don’t need anything for eternity. They are rich and increased with goods!

Do we not have many reasons to acknowledge the Lord? We surely do! In general we are richly blessed with food and drink, temporal prosperity, peace in our country, and above all, we have the Word of God which can make us wise unto salvation. Once in a while we may hear how the Lord has used His Word. When a sinner is converted to the Lord, then there is joy in heaven and also on earth. The Lord alone must receive the honor. Also, when God’s children are strengthened by Word or sacrament, then the Lord will be glorified.

In previous articles we have spoken about misery and deliverance, but in God’s Word we also read about gratitude. The third part of the Heidelberg Catechism also deals with it. Truly, it has an important place in the preaching among us because gratitude is spoken about in twenty-one Lord’s Days. We do not say that the Catechism is equivalent to God’s Word, but it was written according to God’s Word to propagate the knowledge of faith for the youth in the congregation.

Do we know why gratitude is such an important matter in God’s Word and in the life of the church? The compendium says it so clearly: “Of the gratitude we owe to God for redemption.” This may be explained in two ways: by the law and in prayer. We show our gratitude in daily life also by our deeds and words. We thank a person who has saved us, but will also show it in our deeds.

We should remember that true gratitude cannot be missed in the life of a child of God, but also that gratitude can only be shown by a child of God. We don’t condemn an unconverted person when he acknowledges God for the benefits received. No, not at all, because this is the duty of all men. We all know the difference between Cain and Abel. Only Abel did it with his whole heart and this was missing in Cain. We need a broken heart and a contrite spirit to be pleasing to the Lord. By nature we do not have this. Are you still missing these? I hope it will become a matter of prayer in your life — that the Lord will yet show mercy. As long as we live, the Lord can bestow it upon us. From the day of Pentecost, it is not for good people, but sinners, that the Lord gives Himself.

In several examples in the Bible we find that gratitude cannot be missed in the life of the church. The Lord Jesus, as the great Prophet and Teacher, has shown it in the parable of the vine and the branches, recorded in John 15:5a, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” These branches are fed by the vine, and of the vine they receive their fruitfulness. On these branches we found bunches of grapes. Here the disciples received a serious lesson from the Lord: The life of grace is fed by the Vine, Christ.

The continual ministration of the Holy Spirit cannot be missed either. He must clean and prune in our life. Forget not the warning of the Lord that we cannot do anything without Him. This is a difficult lesson for a legalistic man and unacceptable for a proud man, but in the school of free grace it will be learned and understood. Such people experience that the pruning knife and the cleansing by the Spirit are indispensable in their life to cut off everything of themselves, to become fruitful in the Lord. Then they will bring forth much fruit, of gratitude. And how? In a godly conduct, a godly walk and deeds. So the Lord will be glorified in His church.

Let us now go back a step. When the preaching emphasizes that man has become a miserable creature in himself and not able to deliver himself, what a wonder it will be for him when he hears there is a way of deliverance! When we may come to an end with our works, then the Lord will reveal by His Spirit and Word the only Name to salvation. The Son of God did not come for good people, but for sinners who may be reconciled to God. This will not only be a personal wonder — that the Lord looked down upon him of her — but there will be a desire to honor Him for the benefits received: gratitude.

Gratitude must be preached, but it must be done according to God’s Word. The term “good works” does not enjoy a good reputation among us. This dates back to the time of Reformation. In the church of Rome good works were overemphasized. They taught that they were necessary to merit salvation; they could not be missed. Not much has changed in that church! Still, we should remember that also in our lives good works cannot be missed! But there is a big difference. Rome teaches it as a part of salvation that they must merit themselves, but we say good works cannot be missed as a token of gratitude for the deliverance the Lord has given. Christ is a perfect Savior and nothing has to be added by man!

In several places it is written that it is the duty of man to glorify God. We were created to glorify Him but we have not fulfilled our calling. When man is recreated, it is for the same purpose: to glorify God. Man is born again to tell the praises of the Lord. This people will many times complain they are not able to do this anymore. This is true, that only under the ministration of the Holy Spirit do we receive a beginning of the obedience which the Lord requires.

This glory can be shown in different ways. It can be by praise: “Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him” (Ps. 22:23a); also by good works as we have already seen: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your goods works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). The Lord Jesus has said: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit”(John 15:8a).

Gratitude to God can be expressed in different ways. It can be given in song as we read in Psalm 9:11a, “Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion.” This praise to God can also be given with musical instruments as we find in Psalm 33:2, “Praise the LORD with the harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.” There is also the universal call to praise God for the benefits bestowed upon us: “Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee” (Ps. 67:3).

Time and again we are exhorted to show our thankfulness to the Lord as it is written in Deuteronomy 8:10: “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which He hath given thee.” Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, writes in chapter 5:18, “In every thing give thanks.” It seems to me that enough proof is given from the Bible that we should not only thank the Lord on Thanksgiving Day but every day throughout our whole life. But we repeat: by nature we cannot bring forth true fruits of gratitude to the Lord—only when we are born again.

Does this sometimes bother you, my friends? Or are you satisfied with the temporal blessings in your life? For many it is true that God is best, but we keep Him for least. May the Lord cause a change in our lives for good and may we begin to seek Him. Paul has said that it is the goodness of the Lord that leads to conversion. The blessings can become so manifold for us that we cannot comprehend the Lord remembering such a sinner; then there will be a desire to honor His holy Name.

Still sometimes we hear the complaint that in our preaching we hear so much about misery, a little about deliverance, and almost nothing about gratitude. Is this a true picture of preaching in the NRC? Some are trying to portray us in this way: “There you hear only misery, there it is impossible to be saved. You should never become a member of that church!”

This is a misconception. How has this developed? In many churches today the word “hallelujah” or “praise the Lord” is used time and again. Under Old Testament times this was heard many times when the Lord was praised for His works in the realm of nature or when He had given great deliverance. So the question has arisen: “Why do we not use it more often?” Is it really your opinion that it is not used any longer in our midst? Is there not the wonder, the adoration in the hearts of God’s people, also in public worship? Do we not sing the Psalters wherein the Lord is praised? Especially we find praise in our services when the Person and work of Christ may be preached. If we may learn something experientially of Christ, then we will understand the apostle Paul, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15). Can you see that in Christ gratitude is clearly shown? No, then it is not in the word “hallelujah” as some would like, but it is there, very clearly. Only in the praying and thanking High Priest at the right hand of the Father can we be thankful!

There is yet another reason why some people have this misconception about our preaching in the NRC. What is this? You remember how we started: Gratitude is shown in deed and in word. In the Catechism we find the same. We show our gratitude by keeping the law and by true prayer. After the Catechism has explained true conversion in the mortification of the old man and the resurrection of the new man, then the law is mentioned first. This is in the third part, of gratitude. When the law is explained in preaching we hear what the Lord requires; then we also feel the many shortcomings in our life. In thoughts, in words, and in deeds we have sinned. We don’t become a great Christian, but a poor sinner. I cannot blame the Lord, but I am the guilty one. You can understand that such a child of God does not say, “Praise the Lord,” but he will cry out, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Such a frame is pleasing to the Lord — when we may come with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Such a person is not rejected, but accepted.

This knowledge of our sins will not lead to despair, but it will drive us out to the Lord in prayer for the leading of His Spirit. Again, when the perfect prayer is explained, can we then be happy with ourselves? Must we not condemn our prayers, because we are seekers of ourselves and so seldom seek the Lord? Then we need Christ as Intercessor, which is also God-glorifying.

Gratitude, yes, it cannot be missed in the preaching, but it must be different from most churches which teach that natural man has the ability to please God. No, not in such a way, but as the poet says:

Thou art, O God, our boast,
the glory of our power;
Thy sovereign grace is e’er
our fortress and our tower.
We lift our heads aloft,
for God, our shield, is o’er us;
Through Him, through Him alone,
whose presence goes before us.

Rev. A.M. den Boer is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed congregation of Sunnyside, Washington.

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