Cloverdale Baptist Sermons

When gratitude fades, our hearts naturally drift toward self-centered darkness and spiritual suffocation. This Thanksgiving weekend we're turning to Romans 1:18-25 to discover gospel-driven thanksgiving as the essential key to vibrant worship and spiritual health.

Pastor Rob Godard
Romans 1:18-25
October 11, 2026
Growth Group Questions
GROWTH GROUP NOTES:  The Extreme Importance of
Thanksgiving
Romans 1:18–25 — Focus: Romans 1:21
When thanksgiving and a passion for glorifying God
fade, the human heart drifts toward darkness—but the Gospel restores gratitude,
worship, and life.
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as
God or give thanks to him…” — Romans 1:21
ICEBREAKER
What is one thing—big or small—that you are especially
thankful for right now?
After everyone has shared, ask:  What difference does it make when you actually
stop and express your gratitude rather than simply enjoying the gift?
Thanksgiving is much more than a holiday, a mood, or
good manners. Scripture treats thanksgiving as an essential part of a healthy
relationship with God.
READ
TOGETHER:  Romans 1:18–25
As you read, pay particular attention to verse 21.
Paul is describing humanity's rebellion against God.
Surprisingly, near the beginning of this downward spiral he identifies two
failures:
·        
They did not
glorify God.
·        
They did not
give thanks to God.
Ingratitude is far more spiritually dangerous than we
sometimes realize.
1. THANKSGIVING GLORIFIES GOD
Read Romans 1:19–21.
Creation continually points beyond itself to its
Creator. The beauty we see, the food we enjoy, the people we love, the breath
we breathe, and every good gift ultimately come from God.
The tragedy of Romans 1 is that people enjoy God's
gifts while refusing to honour the Giver.
Discuss

According to Romans 1:19–21, what should our
knowledge of God produce in us?

Why do you think Paul connects glorifying God
and giving thanks to God?

How can we enjoy God's gifts while practically
forgetting the God who gave them?

What are some blessings in your life that you
easily begin to take for granted?

How does intentionally thanking God turn an
ordinary blessing into an opportunity for worship?

Take a moment and identify three specific gifts
from God for which you want to thank Him.
Try to move beyond simply naming the gift:  “God, thank You for __________. This
reminds me that You are __________.”
Biblical thanksgiving isn't merely being positive
about our circumstances. It recognizes that God is the source of every good
gift and gives Him the glory.
2. THANKSGIVING GROWS FAITH
Thanksgiving does at least three important things in
our hearts:
·        
It
acknowledges God's SOURCE — He is the Giver.
·        
It
acknowledges God's SOVEREIGNTY — He is good and can be trusted.
·        
It fuels
WORSHIP — His gifts direct our hearts back toward Him.
Discuss

How does thanking God remind us that He—not
ourselves—is ultimately the source of what we have?

Why can thanksgiving be particularly difficult
when life isn't going the way we hoped?

How can remembering God's past faithfulness
strengthen our faith for present difficulties?

Read Romans 8:32. How does the Gospel give us
reason to trust God's goodness even when we don't understand our
circumstances?

What is the difference between biblical
thanksgiving and simply trying to “look on the bright side”?

What is one difficult circumstance in your life where
you need to deliberately remember God's goodness and sovereignty?
What can you genuinely thank God for in the middle
of that situation?
We give thanks in all circumstances because
God's character, promises, presence and Gospel remain true even when
circumstances are painful.
3. THANKSGIVING GUARDS AGAINST DRIFT
Read Romans 1:21–23.
Notice Paul's progression:  No thanksgiving or honouring God → Futile
thinking → Darkened hearts → Idolatry.
Spiritual drift usually isn't instantaneous. It
happens gradually.
When we stop seeing God's goodness, entitlement grows.
When entitlement grows, our thinking becomes distorted. Eventually other things
begin occupying the place that belongs to God.
Discuss

What progression do you see in Romans 1:21–23?

Why might ingratitude make us more vulnerable to
spiritual drift?

What are some warning signs that gratitude is
disappearing from our hearts?

Which is more natural for you: noticing what God
has given you or noticing what you wish He had given you?

How could regular thanksgiving help protect your
heart from bitterness, complaining, comparison or entitlement?

Ask yourself:  “Where
have I become more focused on what I don't have than thankful for what God has
already given me?”
Romans 1 certainly describes humanity, but the sermon
asks us to use the passage as a spiritual check-engine light for our own
hearts.
4. THANKSGIVING PROTECTS US FROM IDOLATRY
Read Romans 1:23–25.
Paul says humanity “exchanged” the glory of God
for created things.
Idolatry isn't merely worshipping bad things. Often it
means turning good things into ultimate things.
·        
Comfort can
become king.
·        
Security can
become saviour.
·        
Family can
become identity.
·        
Politics can
become hope.
·        
Entertainment
can become rest.
·        
Thanksgiving
allows us to enjoy God's gifts while keeping the gifts underneath the Giver.
Discuss

Why are good gifts sometimes especially dangerous
as potential idols?

What is the difference between enjoying a gift
from God and depending upon that gift for what only God can provide?

What good thing are you most tempted to turn into
an ultimate thing?

How could thanksgiving help you enjoy that gift
without worshipping it?

“God, thank You for __________. It is a wonderful
gift, but it is not my God. You are.”
5. THANKSGIVING IS GOSPEL ORIENTED
Romans doesn't end in chapter 1.
The God whose glory we rejected came to rescue us.
Jesus lived the perfectly faithful life we could never
live. He died for sinners and rose again so that through faith in Him we can be
forgiven, reconciled to God and given new life.
Christian thanksgiving is therefore more than
optimism.  It is redemption-shaped
worship.
Discuss

Why should the Gospel be the deepest source of
Christian thanksgiving?

Read Romans 8:32. What does the cross tell us
about God's goodness?

How does the Gospel give us something to be
thankful for even on our worst days?

What changes when we begin our thanksgiving with “Thank
You, Jesus, for saving me”?

Try beginning each morning this week with two simple
words:  THANK YOU.
Before checking your phone, thinking through your
schedule or focusing on your problems, deliberately remember the Gospel:  “Thank You, Jesus, for who You are and
what You have done for me.”
Romans 1 gives us a serious warning:  When thanksgiving fades, worship collapses
and our hearts drift.
But the Gospel invites us back.
So let's increasingly become people who:
·        
SEE GOD
CLEARLY
·        
REMEMBER HIS
GOSPEL RICHLY
·        
GLORIFY HIM
JOYFULLY
·        
GIVE THANKS
CONTINUALLY
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Remember:
Gratitude is contagious. So is ingratitude.
Which one will the people around you catch from you
this week?
Leadership
Reminders
·        
You don't
need to get through every question.
·        
The goal
isn't merely to talk about being thankful. Help people actually practice
thanksgiving during the group.
·        
Keep
bringing the conversation back to the Gospel.
·        
When
circumstances are good, thank Him.
·        
When
circumstances are difficult, trust Him.
·        
When your
heart begins to drift, remember Him.
·        
When you see
His grace, glorify Him.
Thanksgiving is of extreme importance.

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