1. Gratitude Leads to Sacrificial Living
“A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.”
Luke 7:37-38 (NLT)
2. Gratitude Inspires Great Risk
“A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.”
Luke 7:37-38 (NLT)
3. Gratitude Overcomes Negativity
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor. ”But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Matthew 26:6-13 (NLT)
4. Gratitude Expresses our Thanksgiving
“Then Jesus told him this story: ‘A man loaned money to two people—five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.’”
Luke 7:41-43 (NLT)
“Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?’”
Luke 17:1 (NLT)
5. Gratitude Makes Giving a Joy
“Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’”
Luke 7:44-47 (NIV)
“Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT)
“So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring [something] for all the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.”
Exodus 35:29 (HCSB)
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