"God Bless Us, Every One!"

“There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago…” 

– From It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Is there a place for ghost stories in the Christmas traditions?

It might be hard to believe but this was actually a common practice in the Victorian Era Christmas traditions of the yesteryear.  Huddled around the fireplace in the dark of winter with little else to be done outside, it wouldn’t be totally unheard of for friends and families to share tales of haunting spirits as part of their Christmas festivities.

More importantly, a Christian might ask:  Is there a place for discussing such things as part of a Gospel sermon?

Finding Truth in Myth

It is my belief that the Bible, as the Word of God, is the ultimate Truth.  However, I believe that bits and pieces of that same Truth can be found in a variety of places.  Delighting in the beauty of the natural world, reveling in the scientific miracles discovered by mankind, and, yes, even being entertained by a work of fiction can yield a portion of the Truth laid on in God’s Word in a very impactful way.  At the very least, these can serve to pique the interest of the unbeliever toward learning of the Truth.

The Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkein said the following of man-made works of fiction:

“We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Indeed only by myth-making, only by becoming 'sub-creator' and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil.”

Recall, the Apostle Paul used mythological deities worshiped by Romans to share the Truth with non-believers on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:22-31).  Jesus Himself used parables, fictional stories, to relate Truth about God’s Kingdom on numerous occasions.
Taking this powerful teaching method into consideration, let’s examine this classic tale through the lens of a believer, looking for the deeper Truth yet to be revealed

Scrooge

It’s a cold, bleak Christmas Eve when we are first introduced to Ebenezer Scrooge – and he is not given a very flattering description.  The character is called a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!”  Much is revealed about Scrooge’s miserly character as he works in his counting house.  He mistreats his only employee, Bob Cratchit, by overworking and underpaying him.  When Scrooge’s nephew Fred invites him to a Christmas dinner the old miser scoffs, calling the holiday a “humbug”.   Scrooge turns away men seeking a donation to provide for the poor, telling them that the poor ought to die and “decrease the surplus population!”

As Scrooge prepares to lock up for the evening he grudgingly allows Bob Cratchit to have Christmas Day off.

We can gather the miserable state of Scrooge’s life based on his interactions with others:  He loved money above all else.  He was completely selfish, lacking in any form of compassion for others.

Obviously, these are traits condemned within God’s Word!

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)  Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.

Zechariah 7:10  …Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner,  or the poor, and  let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.

Marley’s Ghost

Later that same night Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who has been dead for seven years.  Marley, a “dreadful apparition”, is bound in a series of heavy, entangling chains.  These shackles, Marley states, were forged during his lifetime of greed and he is now doomed to bear them as he wanders eternally.

Scrooge, stunned at Marley’s eternal punishment points out that in life he was always a good man of business, only to be sharply rebuked by the specter.

“Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

How often do we find ourselves caught up in the bustle of our earthly life and forget our true purpose as Christians?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

Our mission on Earth is not to attain wealth or seek all the pleasures this life has to offer.  We cannot allow ourselves to forget our true calling as Christians!

While the Bible’s recorded eternal punishment awaiting unrepentant sinners in the afterlife may not completely match up to that of Marley’s Ghost, the phantasm is certainly a powerful metaphor for the fact that our earthly deeds follow us into the afterlife and, like Marley, can entangle us in condemnation.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Marley concludes his visit by telling Scrooge that he will be haunted by three additional spirits and that through them the old has a chance of avoiding the suffering Marley himself will forever suffer.  Scrooge falls into a troubled sleep.

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Scrooge awakens at the stroke of midnight to the eerie illumination of Ghost of Christmas Past.  The childlike spirit transports Scrooge through various scenes of his former life as a lonely boy and later as a happy young man working for the jollily doting Mr. Fezziwig.  Their journey culminates in Scrooge witnessing the heartbreaking moment in which his unhappily neglected fiancée Belle leaves him as he loves material wealth more than her.  At that point of his life, Scrooge was already exhibiting the avarice he would continue to practice into his latter years.

Much like we read of time and again throughout the Bible, hardening of the heart leads to wretchedness.

Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Ephesians 4:17-19 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Just as Scrooge threw away a chance at true happiness in favor of materialism, the life of one who never seeks God is doomed to misery despite the temporary pleasures they enjoy in worldliness.  While Scrooge abandoned the love of Belle, if one hardens their heart toward God, they - all the more tragically - willingly forsake the love of Christ!

Scrooge laments his misspent past, crying out to the Ghost:

“Spirit!” said Scrooge in a broken voice, “remove me from this place.” 

“I told you these were shadows of the things that have been,” said the Ghost. “That they are what they are, do not blame me!”

Scrooge bitterly lashes out against the Spirit, covering its head with the trumpet it carried, extinguishing the light atop its head.  Finding himself once more alone in the darkness of his chamber, Scrooge goes to sleep.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

As the clock strikes one, Scrooge wakes to find a “jolly Giant” in his chamber who happily bids him welcome. After introducing himself, the Ghost of Christmas Present whisks Scrooge away to witness scenes of Christmas celebration.

In the midst of this, Scrooge comments on the fact there are those who use the guise of charity to take further disadvantage the innocent poor, insinuating that the Ghost approves such wickedness.

“There are some upon this earth of yours,” returned the Spirit, “who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.”

Likewise, many do wicked deeds in the name of Christ; False teachers, religious heretics who use God’s Word to discriminate and persecute, some of which invoke God’s name as pretense for their own ill will, even others which genuinely believe and spread false doctrine…  These  will be held accountable!

Matthew 7:19-23  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The Ghost takes Scrooge to the home of his employee, Bob Cratchit, and his family where Scrooge witnesses the poverty he is directly responsible for.  He also sees Tiny Tim, the Cratchits’ youngest son who is sickly and crippled, but exhibits high spirits despite his infirmity.

When Scrooge feels compassion for the boy, the Ghost turns Scrooge’s reminds him of his words of uncaring apathy toward the poor.  The spirit then takes him to witness more scenes of Christmas merriment, including the house of his nephew who as the Crachit family before raises a toast to Scrooge.

Scrooge notices that the spirit’s hair has turned gray, as by this point, Christmas present is almost at its end.  Scrooge also notices something disturbing lurking beneath the Ghost’s robe.  The weary spirit reveals two ragged, emaciated children, pitiful, yet dreadful in appearance.  Scrooge inquires:

 “Spirit! are they yours?” 

“They are Man’s,” said the Spirit, looking down upon them. “And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!” cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. “Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And bide the end!”

We remember that Cain sarcastically asked God in Genesis, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

To the Christian, the answer to this question is “Yes!”

Even if the rest of society rejects the poor and hopeless, Christians have an obligation to love and care for their need!

Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

1 Timothy 6:18  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share…
After rebuking Scrooge for his failure to provide for the needs of the unfortunate, the Ghost of Christmas Present disappears, and Scrooge comes beholds “a solemn Phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist along the ground, towards him.”

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

The most terrifying of the three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come remains silent in spite of Scrooge’s pleadings for clarity.  Fearfully, the phantom leads Scrooge past business men discussing someone who has recently deceased, scoffing at the poor soul’s demise.  The identity of the dead man remains a mystery, but the spirit silently reveals that the future brings not just one death, for Tiny Tim has succumbed to his illness and passed away as well, to Scrooge’s despair.

Later, when they enter a graveyard Scrooge inquires just who the anonymous dead man from before might be, the spirit merely points to a neglected grave bearing the name of none other than Ebenezer Scrooge.

In sincere terror an earnest pleading, Scrooge tries to reason with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

“Spirit!” he cried, tight clutching at its robe, “hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope...  Good Spirit,” he pursued, as down upon the ground he fell before it: “Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life! The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach… Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!”

The Redemption of Scrooge

After the fright of his life, Scrooge awakens once more to find that the last spirit dissolved into his bedpost.  Scrooge eagerly arose, a man changed in heart with time left to change his deeds!

“Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!”

Thus we see a complete turnaround in the life of Scrooge!  The old miser was transformed into a kind-hearted man of charity and neighborly love.  He gives to the poor, visits his nephew, and starts to treat the Cratchit family with loving care.

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.

Like Scrooge we are presented with an opportunity toward redemption!  We can also go through a glorious transformation.

Ephesians 4:22-23 That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind…

The Holy Spirit:  Our Own Spectral Guide to Redemption

At first, one might think that unlike Scrooge we will have no well-meaning ghostly visitors to help guide us onto the path to redemption.  However, we do have at least one Spirit we can put our faith in.  Through the compelling of our conscience, the Holy Spirit tugs at our heartstrings to the point of repentance!

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment...

While this doesn’t sound like much fun, being rebuked and convicted of our sins, we know that being “pricked in the heart” yields great change!

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Conclusion: "The Ends will Change"

Reflecting on his journeys, Scrooge wisely stated:

“Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead… But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.”

As believers, we know the “certain end” of a life of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that only the Narrow Way leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14)

We can continue down that path of destruction, or, like Scrooge, we can repent.  We can turn our hearts over to God through the redirection of the Holy Spirit and Christ will gladly lift us up in sanctification.

Ezekiel 18:21 But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

The Failures of God's Chosen People

We know from our studies of the Old Testament that the Hebrews were selected to be God’s chosen people.

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

As God’s chosen people, the Israelites were meant to be a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), entrusted with preserving the Law (Joshua 22:5), and intended to bring “renown and praise and honor” to the Lord (Jeremiah 13:11).

…And they failed spectacularly.

Thus, we read in that there was to be a transition.  This was actually foretold by the Prophet Isaiah...

Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name

Jesus eventually fulfilled this prophecy in the New Testament.

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Much like other Old Testament to New Testament changes, the shift was to be from the physical realm to the spiritual…  No longer would the Jewish nation – blood descendants of Abraham and Jacob – bear the distinction of being called “God’s Chosen People”, but instead those disciples of Jesus who would come to be called Christians.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…

One of the biggest alterations from the Old Testament to the New is the passing of this mantle, “God’s Chosen People” from the Jewish nation to the Christians.

Whereas the Hebrews claimed this as a birthright, Christians to this day make a conscious choice to follow Jesus and serve Him.

Then Why Even Bother with the Old Testament?

Knowing that the Old Testament no longer applies today and that Israel is no longer God’s chosen it would be tempting to simply not study the Old Testament at all.

However, we cannot overlook the importance of the Israelites’ time as God’s special people and we certainly cannot afford to overlook their example.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

 Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Therefore, as we go through this lesson pay attention to the ways in which the Israelites failed to live up to their chosen status.  Be sure to take careful note, because as God’s chosen people today we can fail in the same exact ways!

The Failures of God’s Chosen People

• Lack of Faith

It’s frustrating to consider that a people who witnessed so many miraculous events would have any trouble with faith in God, but that is exactly the problem the Israelites had!

Time and time again, we read of the Israelites complaining against God, often in situations in which they found themselves overwhelmed with some peril they thought to be greater than God.

For example, just after they had left Egypt and were preparing to cross the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his six hundred chariots began to pursue them.

Exodus 14:10-12  And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

Recall that these same people had not long ago witnessed the 10 plagues God unleashed upon the Egyptians!  Did they not trust that the same God would protect and deliver them in this instance?

Likewise, we read in the book of Numbers that Moses sent out spies to scout out the Promised Land of Canaan which the Israelites were destined to conquer.  While a few spies brought back a good report, the majority were overly negative, seeing the people of Canaan as being too great of a threat.  Ignoring the good report and God’s longstanding promise of a land of their own, the Israelites vocalized a familiar lament…

Numbers 14:1-3 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Isn’t it sad to think that there were numerous occasions in which the Israelites were so lacking in faith that they actually grieved the fact that God liberated them from slavery in Egypt?

As Christians, we too can struggle in our faith.  Like the Israelites, we can forget how God cares for us and promises to continue to do so!

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 6:31-33  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

God promises to take care of our physical needs, but more importantly, He also takes care of our spiritual needs.  We cannot allow ourselves to lose our faith in God!

• Discontentment 

Complaining, grumbling, feelings of entitlement… This is easily one of the most annoying aspects about reading about the Israelites wanderings: their constant complaining!

Remember that when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness that God provided them with bread (manna) from Heaven?  Apparently, the miraculous food that God gave to the Israelites wasn’t good enough!

Numbers 11:4-6 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

How petty they were!  (And how bad their breath must have been!)

It’s easy to be repelled at the Israelites’ whiny dissatisfaction, but how often do we find ourselves overlooking the blessings God has given us and craving more?  How often do we want more than we actually need?  How often are we unthankful for what we already have?

1 Timothy 6:6-8  Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Hebrew 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

As Christians, we should be content with what God has given us and not get caught up in the covetous desires for more.

• Wanting to be like the World

Another problem the Israelites had was their worldliness.

1 Samuel 8:4-5 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Whether it was demanding to have a king like other nations or worshiping of idols and false gods common to the areas in which they lived, the Israelites often had a strong desire to be like those around them.

Can Christians be guilty of the same?  Absolutely!

James 4:4  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Those in the world should be able to tell the difference between Christians and everyone else.  Certainly, living in the world while not being of the world is a difficult calling, but God’s Chosen People must rise to the occasion and resist the urge to be worldly.

• Disobedience

In the book of Judges we read of Joshua’s passing.  After this great leaders’ death, the following generation of Israelites turned their back on God.

Judges 2:10-12 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.  Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.

Despite their disobedience, God still took care of them and gave them new leaders in the form of judges.  However, we read that the Israelites wouldn’t even heed the judges!

Judges 2:16-17 Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so.

Christians are warned time and again to obey Word of God.  This is not something that we can afford to take lightly!

Luke 6:46  But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

As Jesus said, if we truly love God and desire to be His chosen people, we must follow be obedient to Him!

• Inconsistency 

Probably the most infuriating aspect of reading the Old Testament is just how many times the Israelites turn away from God.  In fact, it wasn’t that long after they had left Egypt that they completely forsook Him and worshiped the false god of the Golden Calf.

Exodus 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’

This was to be the first of many times that the Israelites would turn to worshiping idols.  God would promptly punish the people and those that weren’t struck down would turn back to Him.  However, it wasn’t long before the same situation would be played out all over again.

Recall that in the time of Elijah that the vast majority of Israel had turned to worshiping the false god Baal.  Notice his poignant words as he pleaded with the people to come to their senses.

1 Kings 18:21  And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

How often do we Christians waver in our service?  We are warned that this should not be so!

2 Peter 2:21-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Christians are warned against being “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16).  When we become Christians we should “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) and do so consistently.  In our former life we might have been servants of our own desires (Romans 16:18)…we spent enough time “walking in darkness” (1 John 1:16).  But once we dedicated our lives to Christ, we ought to do so wholeheartedly!

Consider the words of Moses concerning the very essence of the Old Law.

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…?

Isn’t it interesting to that Jesus echoed these thoughts in the New Testament?

Matthew 22:37-40  Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ‘On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Conclusion: Act Like God's Chosen People!

The major point of this lesson has been that God’s chosen people of today are not all that dissimilar from those who once bore that mantle.

However, let’s not be discouraged by this…  Let’s learn from their mistakes and be better for it.

Where the Israelites failed, we have the opportunity to succeed!

Ephesians 4:1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…

If we are called to be God’s Chosen People…  We need to act like God’s Chosen People!

Love: The Greatest Gift

Love is one of the most talked about concepts/emotions/feelings in the world, probably for all of time.  It’s difficult to find a song, book or movie that doesn’t have at least some mention of love.

However, most of the time the love we find portrayed in popular media is of the (mushy-gushy) romantic sense.  The type of love we see portrayed in the media is typically shallow (“If you can’t be with the one you love, Love the one you’re with”), temporary (celebrity marriages), and rarely is it without some kind of overt sexual connotation.  For as much as it is talked about, sang about, and proclaimed… the word “love” is very misunderstood and often misused!

What is the value of true love?  Would it be possible to quantify love?  Much like the soul of man, love is priceless.  I'm not being cheesy, the Bible actually tells us as much!

Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.

The price of love is far beyond the wealth of this world.  Even if we offered everything we owned in this life, the price we offered would be scoffed at.  We shouldn’t use the word “love” lightly.

Overall, I think it’s safe to say that we humans have a very limited understanding of the type of love that is mentioned in the Bible, that is commanded of Christians.  Christian love warrants further study on our part.

1 Corinthians 13

This section of scripture is often read at weddings, but deals with more than just love between spouses.  The attitude toward love described here should apply to all of our relationships in this life, including our relationship with God.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

One might wonder why exactly love is the greatest of the three…  Perhaps it is because faith and hope are temporary and earth-bound , whereas love is eternal!

Without love, all is useless, there is no point, all is in vain.  As Paul wrote in the first verses of this chapter, even the miraculous ability to speak in tongues is just a bunch of noise.

Using 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as our outline, let us study love:

Love is kind/does not behave rudely

As we seek to love others, are we being gentle and kind to them?

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another...

God commands us to love others, even those we do not know and those that we would count as enemies.

Luke 6:31-35  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Even when we are in the right, we need to deal gently and kindly with others.  I think it goes without saying that this applies to correcting a brother or sister in Christ as well!  We need to be aware of the tone of voice we are using and be careful in the words we speak.

Any time that we interact with someone, we need to stop and ask ourselves if we are dealing with them in a kind, loving manner or not.

Paul sums it up nicely:

1 Corinthians 16:14  Let all that you do be done with love.

Love does not envy

It’s unlikely that a heart blinded by envy can proclaim to truly love.

Notice the strong contrast between love and jealousy:

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave;  Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

How could these two possibly coexist?  We recognize that jealousy and love aren't a good mix in our earthly relationships so it stands to reason that envy has no place in the spiritual love we are discussing.

Galatians 5:26  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Let us monitor our feelings toward others and not allow ourselves to envy those we are seeking to love.

Love does not parade itself/is not puffed up

Our love should be revealed in subtle workings that often go unnoticed.  (Random acts of kindness?)

Our love should be true and not hypocritical in nature. Additionally, our love should be natural, not forced.  God is not impressed with us proclaiming our love for Him just for show.  Remember the example of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

Luke 18:9-14  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God desires a humble, sincere love.

John 13:14-17 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus was not only teaching a lesson of servitude to our fellow man, but also of love and humility.  In the New Testament times, washing of feet was a servant’s job.  Jesus, the very Son of God humbles Himself in the washing of His disciples’ feet.

Love does not seek its own

Love is not meant to be selfish.  Imagine what the world would be like if everyone loved only himself/herself.

Romans 15:1-2 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification

Love is meant to be shared!

How and with whom shall we share our love?

I'm not a big fan of the church sign marquees with their oft-repeated clever sayings.  I find them to be a bit gimmicky and cheesy, but every once in a while I find them amusing.  I read the following once a church’s sign: Jesus Others Yourself.

I feel like this is a great way to keep straight the hierarchy of who is most deserving of our love.  As always, Jesus/God must come first.  Others are next in line and we, ourselves personally, are last.  How often do we approach this love thing in a completely backwards manner?

Notice that when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He highlight love as a key component.

Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Additionally, love is so important that Jesus made it the focus of one of His last teachings to His disciples before His crucifixion.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The fact that we are Christians should come as no surprise to others, they should be able to tell by our actions!  Unselfish love should be one of the many righteous trademarks of a Christian!

Galatians 5:13  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Love is not provoked/ thinks no evil

All too often, we easily lose our temper with others.  We let little comments or actions get on our nerves.  Or sometimes we just automatically assume the worst in people.  When we are so easily provoked or think evil of others, these feelings can develop into hate very quickly!  But if we have a truly loving attitude towards others, this should not be so.

1 John 4:20-21  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Apparently, the love of our fellow man is vital for even proclaiming to love God.  We cannot claim to sincerely love God if we have hate toward our brother in our heart!

Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth

If we truly love, we shouldn’t wish evil upon anyone; this is the attitude of a hypocrite!

Romans 12:10  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

You know, it's so sad that we can’t wait to share the latest gossip - which may or may not be true - with others.

I wonder:  Do we love others enough to share the Truth with them?

Do we love others enough to tell them about Jesus?
 

Love is longsuffering/endures all things

As Christians, we are commended not only to love one another, but to be patient with each other!

Ephesians 4:1-2  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love...

Time and time again, throughout the Bible we are told about the great longsuffering of God.  God’s love is manifested through His longsuffering: Through God’s longsuffering comes our salvation!  (2 Peter 3:14-16)

Therefore, let us seek to be patient with others as well!

Conclusion: Love never fails

Jesus stated in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

As always, Jesus practiced what He preached, He laid down His life as a sacrifice for all.

Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Nothing could stop the love of Christ, not even the grave.  Likewise, nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus.

Romans 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “ For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I would argue that every type of love that we experience in this life (be it brother/sister, husband/wife, or mother/child) pales in comparison to the love that God has for us. It is impossible for us to fully comprehend the love of God, as a song we often sing in our worship points out:

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, When men, who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call, God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints’ and angels’ song.

As we go out into the world as Christians seeking to love others and spreading God’s message of love, let us always hold up God as our standard of ultimate love!  Let us emulate the type of love that Christ has for us!

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:11-12   Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

The Way of Escape

Imagine finding yourself trapped in a burning building.

The ravenous flames surround you and draw nearer and nearer.  Thick billows of black, suffocating smoke swirl around your head and fill your aching lungs.  The wall and ceiling creak, threatening to collapse at any minute and bury you alive in the inferno.

What would you do in such a nightmarish situation?

Undoubtedly, you would do everything you could to survive and frantically search for a way out!

As Christians, we face a more subtle, but no less dangerous firestorm:  The onslaught of temptation.  We live in a world in which we can’t help but be nearly constantly surrounded by temptation in a variety of forms.

Unfortunately, the enticement to give into sinful desires is intertwined into our self-centered culture.  Whether it’s through entertainment, unjust laws of the land, or peer pressure, we are constantly at risk of being lured into approving of or engaging in sin.

Without doubt, the call to not “conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2) is not always easy.  However, we must recognize that the struggle to avoid sin is not a completely impossible, hopeless endeavor.  In fact, God Himself offers us relief!

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God promises a means of side-stepping the snares of sin by allowing us avenues by which we can avoid temptation altogether!

Why Seek to Avoid Temptation?

The world might perceive little danger in a little temptation, especially since it’s so prevalent and all but unavoidable.  As we’ve already discussed, the world is constantly bombarding us with countless forms of temptation.

If we can’t help but be tempted, why not indulge in it… just a little?

We can go see that movie with the steamy sex scene as long as we’re not involved in actual physical adultery, right?  We can listen to music with the lewd and profane language as long as we’re not saying it ourselves, right?  We can listen to gossip, as long as we’re not participating, right? After all, one might argue, as long as you’re not actually involved in a sinful deed, it’s not technically a sin...  Right?

Turning to the Bible, we see that this reasoning could actually be far more harmful than we realize…

James 1:13-15  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

The problem is that sin is progressive in nature.  What starts out as a simple, seemingly harmless temptation can easily lead to desire, which can eventually lead to a sinful action leading to condemnation, spiritual death.

The devil is always seeking ways to subvert the will of God.  The phrase “give someone an inch and they will drag you a mile comes to mind.”  When we indulge a “just a little” temptation it’s just a matter of time before we’re caught up in sin.  Basically, when we allow indulgence in temptation, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

Jesus Himself points out that sin originates in the heart.

Matthew 5:27-28 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus essentially equates sinning within the heart with the outward sinful action.  Perhaps this is because God knows all too well that it is in the heart that sin originates.

Furthermore, another danger of yielding to temptation can be hardening of the heart.  Willful overexposure to temptation cannot only lead to engaging in sin, but –far worse – it could also lead to sin no longer being perceived as wrong!

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

This kind of ambivalent attitude toward temptation and sin can lead to further problems.  Merely indulging in temptation can become less and less exciting until only actually participating in sin will satisfy desire.  Thus, sinning becomes easier and easier until it is habitual.

In the case of a Christian, this attitude can lead to hypocrisy and a return to their previously condemned state!

2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

The simple truth is this…  We cannot afford to willfully allow ourselves to be tempted!  We must seek that way of escape God promised!

Escaping Temptation

Now that we are familiar with the dangers of temptation, let’s discuss how we can actively avoid it and look for those ways of escape mentioned back in 1 Corinthians.

The most basic means of escaping temptation is the most obvious.  If we want to avoid temptation we should steer clear of sin in general.

1 Thessalonians 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

While this verse is very broad (and possibly misinterpreted – “all appearance” can also be translated, “every form” or “every kind”), I think there’s a simple truth being presented here:  If it seems wrong, in all likelihood it probably is wrong.  The moment we see red flags pop up that something might be sinful or present us with temptation, we need to immediately turn the other direction!

The Temptation of Lust

A great example of a seemingly unavoidable temptation is that of lust.

This particular temptation is ridiculously prevalent in our already sin-saturated world.  It’s difficult to go anywhere without the potential for being tempted to engage in lust, even in the home!  Turning on the TV in the living room it usually takes just a few short minutes before you find yourself bombarded with sexually-charged programming in the form of movies, shows, and even commercials on “family friendly” networks!  Immodest dress, proactive advertising, and lewd dancing are increasingly difficult to avoid in our society – and that’s even without the added influence of the Internet!

So what are we to do in the face of such widespread temptation?

Jesus called for very desperate measures in the avoidance of lust…

Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

We could debate the literalness of Jesus’ statement, but let’s instead focus on his point:  No temptation is worth going to Hell for.  If something is causing us to sin, we need to get rid of it!

So maybe the TV, computer, or smartphone is proving too much of a problem and we simply can’t handle the enticement of the lustful media it offers.  Why not get rid of such devices?  I suppose in our society this would be about as drastic as the dismemberment Jesus suggests in Matthew 5!

I can’t remember where, but I once heard someone say the following about resisting the temptation to lust.  Basically, you simply cannot avoid the “first look”.  If a scantily clad specimen of the opposite sex walks into your sightline, you can’t help but catch a glimpse…  The temptation is right there in front of you!  You can’t be faulted for that, you have not sinned in that instance.  However, you do have a choice in what to do next.  You can prevent that “second look” or lingering stare.  Whether or not you choose to further pursue that temptation into lust and sin is your choice.  As with all things concerning the Christian walk, it all comes down to self-control.

Of course that means of escape only works if you are actively, genuinely seeking it.   It’s obvious that if you willingly put yourself in a position in which the temptation of lust is completely overwhelming that you are far more likely to succumb.  In other words, someone actually seeking to avoid the lure of lust isn’t going to head to the local strip club or nude beach.

In less ridiculous examples and more realistic situations, if you have a problem with lust and are truly trying to overcome it, change the channel, impose website self-restrictions, or simply look the other way.   Like one trying to escape the house fire, don’t run headlong into the flames!  If you don’t want to get burned, don’t play with fire!

Switching gears for a bit, I’d like to discuss dating…  As a former young person, I know all too well the lustful temptations that dating can bring.  To those who are dating, I offer the following suggestions for avoiding the temptation of lust:  First, only date someone who has the intentions of marriage.  If marriage isn’t something that they want, you probably shouldn’t be dating them in the first place.  Likewise if you yourself don’t have intentions to marry, then perhaps you shouldn’t be dating anyone.  Marriage is indeed about love, but in addition to that marriage serves an important role in the avoidance of adultery.  Sex is intended by God to be between a husband and wife.
Paul spoke about the principles of marriage stating this very point.  In the process of discussing marriage, he suggested that unmarried Christians should remain so (perhaps recognizing that even something as admirable as starting a family could distract from commitment to God).  However, he knew that humans have basic sexual desires and pointed out the following.

1 Corinthians 7:9  ...But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Basically:  If the temptation of lust is so great, one should seek marriage rather than risk succumbing to sin.

Finally, if you do find someone that has the ultimate intention of getting married, please remember that the person you are dating is what I like to call your “potential future spouse”.  If you truly love them, then you should care enough about their spiritual welfare to not do anything to jeopardize their commitment to “keeping the marriage bed holy” (Hebrews 13:4).  Obviously, if your significant other is pressuring you to do something you do not want to do, then the question is:  Do they truly love you or do they have other, less noble intentions?

Overcoming Peer Pressure

Another form of temptation that we all face is the influence of our family, friends, and co-workers.  Peer pressure can operate very subtly and Our peers can cause us to fall into sin in ways we don’t immediately recognize.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

Proverbs 22:24-25  Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

Just a few examples of the detrimental impact of peer pressure:  Family can influence your beliefs on doctrinal issues that aren’t scripturally sound.  Friends with potty mouths can alter your vocabulary, causing you to share in their profanity.  Your co-workers can lead you to be involved in workplace gossip.  On a much larger scale, society as a whole can pressure you on societal norms, getting you to soften your stance on spiritual issues that you otherwise would not.

Unfortunately we cannot always avoid the influence of peers and situations such as these can happen without us even realizing it.  So how do we combat peer pressure?

In this case, I say fight fire with fire;  If “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6) then I think you need to choose your company wisely!

Proverbs 13:20 (GNT) Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.

I can think of no better company for a Christian than with fellow Christians.  The Church, the body of Christ is designed by God in such a way that Christians can come together not only to worship, but to help build each other up!

Ephesians 2:20-22  …Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Fellow Christians need each other.  The Christian walk can be such a lonely walk.  We need not bear our burdens alone.  I can think of so many instances when I was feeling down during the course of a week and a Wednesday night Bible study filled me with such encouragement and new energy.  The company of fellow obedient believers who are truly dedicated to God’s work has a positive impact that can’t we can’t afford to neglect coming together as often as we meet.

Jesus famously says in Matthew 18:20 that “…where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”  Again, I can think of no better company!

Are You Looking for a Way of Escape?

This question which serves as our final point can work on two completely different levels.

First of all, when we are confronted with temptation, do we genuinely seek a means of escape or not?

Unfortunately, we can all probably think back to too many instances in which we knew for a fact that we were being tempted, but allowed ourselves to continue down that path toward committing a sin.  We might even lie to ourselves, telling ourselves that we “had no choice”, as if someone was holding a gun to our head, compelling us to sin.

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
If I may turn a phrase to make a point:  “To him that knows to not do evil - but does it anyway - to him it is sin.”

Since God offers us a means of escape, we have no excuse!  If we allow ourselves to be tempted, it’s our own fault!

You might have even heard someone go as far to say that God Himself was responsible for the temptation that led to their sin; that they were being tested and that they failed.  As if God was guilty of their wrongdoing!

Obviously, this is simply not the truth.

James 1:13  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

As we discussed earlier in this lesson, one is “drawn away by his own desires” (James 1:14).  God is not responsible for sin, it is the sinner who bears that burden!

Romans 6:1-3 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

As Christians we must be actively seeking an escape from temptation and be actively avoiding sin!

But what if one is not yet a Christian?

To those I would ask the same question, but with a slight rewording:  Are you looking for a way of escape from the burden of sin?

If so, you are in for the greatest blessing you could possible receive:  A chance at redemption.

Perhaps you are sincerely looking for an escape from sin, but have not yet taken that first step.  If this be the case, please do not delay.

2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:3-5  Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.  For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

Many of us just celebrated Thanksgiving and spent the day sharing meals with friends and family and reflecting on the blessings we’ve had this past year.

Of course we understand that this is not truly a Christian holiday, but rather a national holiday instituted by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. However it is interesting to read the introduction of his original proclamation which states:  “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.”

It's difficult to imagine an American President making such a statement in today's political climate of religious pluralism!

The dictionary defines Thanksgiving as "the expression of gratitude, esp. to God."

To the Christian, this attitude of thanksgiving should not merely limited to one day a year.  We should always be thankful to God!

Why Should We be Thankful?

In studying thankfulness, I suppose this is a fair question.

I would answer this question with another:  Where would we be without God?

David sums this up nicely.

Psalm 8:4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

In the grand scheme of things, considering the vast size of the planet and, beyond that, the infinity-spanning proportions of the Universe, what is man?  Isn't it amazing that God considers us at all?  And yet we read throughout the Bible that God not only acknowledges our existence, but He loves us and cares for us!

Psalm 100:3-5  Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.  For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

Ultimately, we owe our very existence to God.  Above all others He is most certainly worthy of our praises of gratitude!

The Spiritual Danger of Being Unthankful 

Recall the account of Jesus and the ten lepers...

Luke 17:11-19 – Jesus healed ten lepers, only one returned to give thanks…  Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,  and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”  And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Here were these men who had a terrible, incurable disease and Jesus healed each one of them!  And yet we read that only one returned to express his gratitude!

How many times have we ourselves neglected to express our thankfulness to God?  

Is it surprising to hear that being unthankful could actually be hazardous to our spiritual health?  The Bible actually tells us just that!

Romans 1:18-21  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

It’s strange to think that one could make go from believing in God to suppressing the truth in unrighteousness, and yet that it exactly what we see described here in the first chapter of Romans!
What was the mistake that led these people astray?  The text states that “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful.”  We see that they failed to give God the glory and thanks and, as a result, they “became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Let’s read a bit further…

Romans 1:24-25  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

In becoming ungrateful and unthankful, we fail to glorify God.  This attitude of ingratitude can easily turn into pride.  How easily the prideful attitude manifests itself!

How often do we hear something akin to the following:  “I worked to get where I am.  I earned everything I have.  I am a self-made man!”

Basically,  when we fail to be thankful and give the glory to God, we begin to confuse ourselves with God!  We take credit for His blessings as if they came from ourselves.  We worship the creature instead of our Creator!  It isn't long before this arrogance could manifest itself in the substituting our will in the place of God’s…  And then we wonder why society is in the state that it is in!

If we are not careful, our attitude can be the same as Lucifer’s and we can share in his eventual fate.

Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven,  O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’  Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

It may seem like a big leap for a believer to go from simply being unthankful to being lumped into the same category as Satan, but we know that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” and that sin is progressive in nature.  We must always strive to maintain a thankful rapport with God and express our gratitude toward Him!

Thankfulness is Commanded

It's easy to think of thankfulness as little more than a societal convention, to think that showing gratitude is something we do to merely avoid a breach in etiquette or come off as rude.

However, throughout the Bible we can see that a thankful attitude is actually commanded by God.

Psalm 50:14 Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.

In fact, just as we are commanded to pray without ceasing, we are to also give thanks in everything!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Furthermore, we read that giving thanks is as much a part of worship as singing and edification.

Ephesians 5:19-20  ...Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,  giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Therefore we see that our gratitude is actually an essential part of being a Christian!

Just a Few Blessings to be Thankful for…

Nearly anytime my preacher talked about prayer he would recall a story from when his son was just a young boy.  His son once asked to lead the prayer before they began their supper which pleased his father greatly!  The child began his prayer by thanking God for the blessing of the food they were about to eat.  Then he went on to thank God for his mother and father.  He continued by thanking God for his grandparents, cousins, and other members of the extended family.  Finally, just before his parents were about to ask him to cut short his wonderful, but long-winded prayer, sometime before the food got cold, the boy concluded by thanking God for the air he breathed.

If only we were as mindful of God's blessings as this child!  

We take so much for granted and have so very much to be thankful for!

For now, however, let's focus on just three of God's blessings...

God’s Creation

Everything we see around us was created by God.

Psalm 19:1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.  In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Indeed, it amazes me that anyone could look up into the night sky and doubt that there is a God.

It's interesting that this passage points out the Sun, which we know is essential to life on Earth.  From the Sun that provides the Earth with light and heat to the air we breathe, God is the maker of all things!

God’s Providence

God continually provides us with what we need to survive in this life.  He gladly bestows upon us the physical blessings he knows that we need.

Matthew 6:25-34  Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I think that a major part of being thankful is being content with what God has given us.

Unfortunately, in recent years, it seems that the Thanksgiving holiday has been overshadowed by “Black Friday”.  It is ironic and very sad that a holiday established to encourage thankfulness is being overshadowed by a consumer motivated event punctuated by greed.

1 Timothy 6:6-8  Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain  we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  

God’s Love

In addition to all of the physical blessings God has so freely given to us, He also has granted us an amazing abundance of spiritual blessings.

Consider this:  According to God’s standards of righteousness, none of us should be saved.

Romans 3:23 ...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death...

We see that through our own actions, we are guilty of sin and our just reward should be punishment and condemnation.  And yet, reading a bit further we find that God loves us so much that He gives us mercy and forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son.

Romans 6:23 (continued)  ...But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:6-8  For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If that doesn’t warrant thanksgiving to God, I don’t know what does!

Conclusion:  Count Your Blessings!  Be Thankful to God!

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Along with faith, righteousness, and so many other virtues described in the Bible, an attitude of thankfulness and a eagerness to express gratitude should be the trademark of a true Christian!

Think about the following quote:  “What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today?”

If this were to be the case, how many of us would be left with anything at all?

Let us never forget from where our blessings come, always be thankful, and thank God for all that He does for us!