Thanksgiving Exhortations

This week is Thanksgiving, an American holiday meant to be a time of remembrance and thanks.  Normally, this boils down to a ten minute display around the dinner table in which every chair around the table gives a brief example of what he/she is thankful for, followed by gluttonous eating in preparation for an evening of relaxation, familial awkwardness.

However, perhaps this year, Thanksgiving could be something more, particularly for Christians.  This year, this Thanksgiving, let us take this set-aside opportunity with family and friends around the feasts of fine fare and conversation to be a perfect occasion for sharing the Gospel of Christ Jesus to the people we care about the most.

To be sure, often the most difficult people to be the most honest to in regards to matters of faith and God are our family members and friends.  Nevertheless, theses are the very people whom God has placed directly in our lives for a reason: for us to proclaim the Gospel to, that is not to detract from the distinct necessity of living the Gospel but, at some point, we have to back it up with our very lives.

Therefore, let us take this Thanksgiving as an opportunity for us to give thanks to the Lord and preach the Gospel to our closest friends and family.  And besides, not only is giving thanks to the Lord and worshiping the glory of His name the greatest, most fulfilling thing any human can do but it is also commanded by the Lord Himself.

A Good Time like Jesus

Jesus' first miracle was at the wedding feast in Cana when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).  Although the sign can be interpreted allegorically, it is still astounding that the Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, would wield the power of God to make the finest vintage ever tastest for a wedding party.  His act of service to His mother's request and to the party guests reveals a King not so stuffy and prudish as some would like us to believe, but a man who enjoyed having a good time to the glory of God.


For further proof, think of Jesus' statement about John the Baptist and Himself, "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds (Matt. 11:18-19)."


Jesus was a guy who invested in people.  He related to them.  And in order to do that He had to spend time with people, hang out with them, and have fun with them.  This was a major part of Jesus' life and ministry. The key is that Jesus never sinned, which equates to responsibility and temperance.  This should not lead anyone to think that the Lord Jesus was by no means averse to a god time spent around some food and some wine.  On the contrary, He was a man who loved fellowship.


Jesus understood that the way to love people is to meet them where they're at, to spend time with them, and to do so with joy.  Ultimately, He must have been a fun guy to be around.  So, on a day like this, the 4th of July, we should not feel guilty about lounging around in a lawn chair, drinking a brew, and having a good chat with friends.  The important thing is to remember to always give thanks to God and to live in such a way fitting our Lord.  But this should not dissuade us from having a good time.  Praise be to the God of joy and fellowship!

A Memorial for Memorial Day

Memorial Day, an American national holiday, is a day in which Americans remember the significant and costly sacrifices made by those who have fought for this great country.  It is a day when the nation pauses, like Veterans Day, to solemnly recall the great deeds of men and women of the past who, through their sacrifices, have secured America, past and future.

On this day, a day of memorial, it seems ever more appropriate and fitting to remember the ultimate sacrifice that has secured, for all who confess and believe, eternal life in the holy presence of God Almighty: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  While this holiday has been set apart for the purpose of remembering the offerings of Americans, it is right for us also and always to recall the great offering that Christ made upon the cross, taking the sin of all mankind in His flesh and nailing it to the cross.  

Now, we who come to Him in humble faith, may enter into the presence of God by the blood of the lamb.  This is the pinnacle sacrifice in all of history that has made sure our heavenly personhood, a national heritage of holiness and heavenly nature that is secured by Christ and He alone.  Therefore, on this Memorial Day let us take a solemn moment to pause in remembrance of Christ.  Praise be to God for bringing us close to Himself by His own sacrifice!