Text:  Luke 17:11-19; Philippians 4; Psalm 67
Theme: “Thanksgiving every day”

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Intr – (There are 97 coffee cups spread around the Church. Each of them with a list of daily life blessings) (Pastor brings a coffee cup to the Pulpit)

Many of us are coffee lovers. We like to have one every so often (or more than one); perhaps one every day. There are 97 coffee cups spread around the Church today. They are from the last so many months so since I started gathering them after having my (almost) daily coffee.

Why are they here? The first reason is to illustrate that if you have coffee frequently, you probably don’t realize how much you really drink as if you had every single cup you had in the past so many months in front of your eyes. That’s when you realize its quantity and impact in your life. If you are not a coffee lover, pretend it is tea, latte, or anything else you take on a regular basis.

Thanksgiving is a date to celebrate and realize how much it was given to us in the past 12 months. However, as on this day, or weekend, we say, “thank you!”, there are all the other days in a year filled with God’s blessings. As they flow into our lives daily, we can easily lose track of the sheer volume and significance of these gifts. We don’t always realize the volume, grandiosity, and at the same time the simplicity and every detail of them. We forget how much is packed in it, and how much we can be thankful for today – and every day.   This pile of cups is a visual illustration of the consistency with which God blesses us in our spiritual and material life.

That’s why there is another, more important reason for all the coffee cups around you. In each of these cups there are lists of God’s blessings that impact our life daily. Ninety-seven blessings in a list that could mount up to thousands, which prompt our gratitude and thankfulness.

Gratitude. We hear a lot about how a life of gratitude is essential, and how “people who are grateful live better.” Often, it is directed to something vague, like  “The Universe, the cosmos, nature, luck” and so on. There are different ways to approach gratitude and thankfulness, not all of them true and salutary. The readings for today gives us the solid ground where our thanksgiving is edified.

Luke 17:11-19: First, we find the reason for our gratitude: Jesus. He heals ten lepers, but only one—a Samaritan—returns to give thanks. All ten were healed, but only one realized the full depth of what had been given. Jesus’ words to the thankful man are key: “Your faith has made you well.”

One detail about the reading: the one who came back was a Samaritan, therefore, we could assume that the others were Jewish. It was not uncommon for the Jewish people to believe in healing from God especially if they followed certain the law and certain rules. Jesus tells them to follow a protocol that was current on the day, to go and present themselves to the priests. Therefore, they might have though, “Since I followed the protocol, God healed me”. They don’t bother to come back to Jesus because they don’t fail to associate the healing with Him. The Samaritan on this turn might not be familiar with the “Rite”, so he realizes that the healing must have something to do with Jesus.

In our daily life, we are tempted to give thanks to the Lord for many things because of us doing the right things. We send our kids to the right school, we choose the right profession, we go to Church, we give our offering, we make good decisions… and we thank Jesus for being a good co-pilot as we lead our lives. We are tempted to forget Jesus as the source of everything we are and do. An online speaker put it this way: people tend to attribute their success to their gifts and hard work. While that certainly plays a role in the process, normally people forget the luck factor. There’s always something, someone or some event that happens, which is not controlled by us, that also is the cause of our good outcomes. Hard work + luck.

What about us? Do we call it “luck”? Of course not. We call it providence. As Christians we certainly work hard for many things in life, but we always know that Providence, God’s Grace and Care, are behind, and before, everything we do.[1] We know he is the source of our blessings and the reason for our thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6-20: In this passage we find foundation for our gratitude: Contentment. Paul points us to daily life and says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (v. 6). Gratitude flows from a content heart, one that rests in Jesus and knows He knows better. Whether we are in need or in plenty, God is our constant provider. This is something we have that is not in eveyone’s heart: contentment: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (v. 11). You know when Paul says, “I can do all things…”? Here is the context for that bold claim. He has learned to be content need or in plenty because he can do all those things in Christ who strengthens him.

Thanksgiving is a date where we don’t only list the things we know and remember, but we place our hearts in complete trust in God’s hands, knowing that He provides even in the moments when we don’t see the abundance. He is faithful, and His peace guards our hearts.[2]

Psalm 67: Here we see gratitude as a witness to the world. This psalm reminds us that God’s blessings are not just for us—they are meant to be a witness to the world. “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us” (v. 1), the psalmist says, but notice the reason: “That your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” Thanksgiving is not just a private action, but it is also proclamation. God has blessed us. Now, we want to proclaim His goodness to all peoples, so that His name might be glorified among the nations.

As we ask God’s blessings, we at the same time acknowledge them. The food on our table, the clothes on our bodies, the roof over our heads — blessings that are given to us to so that we will not only give thanks to God, but also witness His goodness to others.[3]

“That is beautiful, Pastor. A life of thanksgiving. I promise I’ll try it from tomorrow on”. We’ve all been there. We really want it, we try it. But then, you know, daily life weighs in. Routine takes its grip on our mind, heart and will again. God’s blessings seem now to be diluted in daily doses that go in the mix of life struggles, wins and blessings, and go out of our sight, therefore, out of our gratitude…. Then, we have Thanksgiving. It is a date to remember that every day is filled with God’s blessings. The ones he already gave; the ones he continues to give; the ones that are a certain hope for the future.

As I said earlier, we have pieces of paper inside these cups listing 97 daily blessings God bestows in our lives. Let’s remember some of these blessings. (Selects a list from one of the cups and reads). By the way, as you leave the Church today, feel free to stoop down and take one of them with you to add to your list of daily reasons to be thankful to the Lord.

As we go about our daily life, the message of Thanksgiving for God’s gifts is there with us, for us, in us, for every day. For example, as we take a daily sip of coffee, and we know that the ground bean is nothing without water added to it, we might remember that our life ground under sin was made new with the water of Holy Baptism. If something to eat comes with it, this might remind us of God’s food in his altar. Faith and daily life go together.

Now, there’s a reason I chose this exact number, 97 cups. I could have set a round, perfect number like 100, right? 97 is almost 100, but it is not 100. This odd number reminds us that we are sinners, who fall short from God’s will, who are not thankful and faithful as we should. It reminds us that we depend totally on God’s grace to be faithful and complete in our work. He hands out the cup of his love, Mercy and Grace, and we respond with thanksgiving to Him.

Some say that coffee is not just a beverage for the body, it is also for the soul, in the way it brings memories, coziness, reporting us to good moments. Jesus is the real food our soul needs, the light in our path, the warmth for our heart. He is the One that both boosts and calms us. That makes us both more awake and makes us rest. The one that grinds sin under his cross and offers us fresh, warm forgiveness and peace to our hearts. As we move toward the end of the year and approach another Christmas season, let’s not forget that God’s gifts are not just for special occasions. They are for every day. Just as you might enjoy a cup of coffee each morning, we are invited to wake up to God’s mercies, which are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23).

Cc – One last As much as you like coffee, you probably only enjoy it when it’s… hot, right? After it goes cold, it loses its appeal. If you want a fresh cup, you need to refill it.

In the same way, our faith needs to be refilled daily, kept warm by staying close to God through His Word and Sacraments. Thanksgiving isn’t just a once-a-year event—it’s an ongoing life of staying close to the Source. Stay near to the warmth of God’s love. We can go back to Him daily to be refilled by His grace, found in Christ, living in faith and gratitude.

The reason for doing so? There are 97 x 97 of them. And counting.

FULL LIST

Triune God
Contentment
Our body
Jesus’ presence
Strength and weakness
Comfort in fear
Salvation
God’s Word and Promises
Psalm 67
God’s faithfulness
Resurrection
Birth of a baby
Fatherhood
Motherhood
Life
Air/Breath
Nature/Creation
Seasons
Food
Water
Animals
Environment
Peace
Love
Job and employment
Obedience
Family
Music
Musical instruments
Our voice
Health
Wealth
Opportunities
Time
Reflection
Faith
Redemption
Courage
Creativity
Material Possessions
Church
Holy Supper
Baptism
New beginnings
The Bible
The Lutheran Confessions
Christ’s work for us
Praye
Holy Father
The Son – Jesus
Holy Spirit
Our Church Synod
All Christian Churches
Christian Missionaries
Vocation
Pastors&Church Workers
HopeLC School
Our School families
Medicine
All good professions
Law and Gospel
Guidance
Care
Comfort
Strength
Forgiveness
Eternal Life
Church&School Facilities
Intelligence
Wisdo
Our Country
Our City
Our Province
The King
Authorities
Relationships
Confidence
Joy
Medical Research
Gentleness
Self-control
Compassionate hearts
Meekness
Harmony
Mercy
Leader
Technology
Christmas
Good Friday
Easter
Grief support
All our volunteers
Offerings
Peace
Serenity
Rest
Vacation

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[1] This passage recounts Jesus healing ten lepers, but only one—a Samaritan—returns to give thanks. The story contrasts the faith of the outsider with the ingratitude of the others. Jesus tells the Samaritan, “Your faith has made you well,” highlighting the connection between faith, healing, and salvation. The physical healing points to a deeper spiritual reality. The Samaritan’s gratitude and return to Jesus mark the proper response to God’s grace—acknowledgment and worship.

This passage underscores the importance of faith as the means to receive God’s grace. The healing of the lepers can be seen as a reflection of the healing work of Christ in justification, where we are cleansed from sin. However, it is only faith that responds in true gratitude, acknowledging God as the source of all blessings. Luther often emphasized that faith is not simply intellectual assent but a living trust that turns back to God in thanksgiving. Moreover, the inclusion of a Samaritan illustrates the universality of God’s grace, which reaches beyond ethnic and religious boundaries—underlining the inclusivity of the Gospel.

This story reminds us of God’s compassion not only for our spiritual but also for our physical health. We have reasons to thank Him for being the one who walks with us in sickness and health, to provide for our needs. Perhaps someone would say, “but what about the situation where a person is Christian but still is sick and waiting for healing?” I’m not saying this is easy to answer, but we have some clues. First, we are sinners, and sickness is a consequence of sins. If being a Christian was synonym to not falling ill, we would all live forever. Second, one day hard illnesses may knock at our door. But think about all the other times in which God protected and healed us, especially those times in which we didn’t even notice that.

This story reminds us to give thanks to the Lord for everything that we have including our body with all its imperfections it may have. After all, those 10 guys were cured from leper, but they might have had other issues or conditions in their bodies. Bottom line is, the Lord is the provider, and we trust that He knows what’s best for us all the time. Therefore, we are called to return to Jesus daily, with hearts in faith full of gratitude.

[2] Paul exhorts the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, to bring their requests to God with thanksgiving, and to trust that the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v.7). He encourages contentment, sharing how he has learned to be content in all circumstances through the strength of Christ (v.13). Paul closes by thanking the Philippians for their financial support, which he interprets as a “fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (v.18). Paul calls us to live in faith, prayer, and thanksgiving. The promise of God’s peace that transcends understanding is central to our understanding of salvation, where believers are justified by grace through faith, and the result is a peace that cannot be explained by human logic but is rooted in the reconciliation achieved by Christ.

The teaching of contentment in all circumstances points to the Christian life lived under the cross—where believers are called to trust in God’s provision, even in times of hardship. Our good works (such as the Philippians’ generosity) are a response to God’s grace, not a means of earning salvation, and that such works are pleasing to God when they flow from faith (Augsburg Confession, Article VI).

[3] This is a psalm of blessing and mission, calling upon God to be gracious to His people and to bless them, not for their sake alone but so that God’s “way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations” (v.2). The psalm portrays a time when all nations will come to know the Lord’s salvation and give Him praise. The psalmist emphasizes God’s rule and the hope that His blessing on Israel will lead to the praise and worship of all peoples.

This psalm reflects the Lutheran understanding of mission: God’s grace and blessings are given not for our own merit or boasting but for the sake of the Gospel going forth into the world. Lutherans affirm the universal scope of God’s saving work in Christ, who desires “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

God’s acts through the means of grace, which are instruments through which God brings salvation to the nations. The church’s mission, then, is to proclaim this saving work to all, trusting that the Holy Spirit works through the Word to bring faith and repentance.