Thanksgiving
Bible Study Time 11-20-05
Church links:
Bible Study Time 11-20-05
We are fast approaching the Thanksgiving holiday, which is one of my favorite holidays because it’s not quite as commercialized as some of the other holidays, and as a result it seems to be a little more pure in its character. Without all of the commercialism, it is a little easier to sense the true importance of giving thanks to God for all that he has done for us. It’s a time when family and friends can get together with the expressed purpose of giving thanks to God.
When we think of Thanksgiving, we often think of the English colonists who settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. After their first harvest, about fifty settlers celebrated for three days with some 90 native Americans who lived in the area. They did not call this celebration Thanksgiving, however, because when they had a day of thanksgiving, they would set aside the entire day for prayer. Such a day of prayer was usually called after some particular blessing such a rain after a drought. Obviously, the colonists knew the importance of being thankful to God for every blessing.
Throughout Paul’s letters, he emphasized the importance of being thankful. When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he said in Chapter 1 that he was praying for them that they would be able to joyfully give thanks unto the Father who had rescued them from the dominion of darkness and had brought them into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Later in Chapter 3, he said that they should put on love, which is the bond of perfection and that they should let the peace of God rule in their hearts, but then, very directly, he said, “Be ye thankful.”
All believers today have cause for rejoicing for we too have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and have been brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We should be very thankful for the blessing of the fellowship we enjoy with Jesus Christ. In I Corinthians 1, Paul reminded the Corinthians that God had called them into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. In verse 8, he said:
1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John said in I John 1:
I John 1:3 (NKJ)
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ today was pictured by the peace offering in the book of Leviticus. The believers of the Old Testament did not have all of the spiritual blessings that we enjoy today for they did not have the indwelling of Holy Spirit, but when they obeyed the commandments of the Lord, they had much to be for. Therefore, God provided a means by which they could demonstrate their thankfulness.
In Leviticus, Chapter 7, we read that the peace offerings were to be brought to God on a voluntary basis, and they were either given in association with the making of a vow or simply as an expression of thanksgiving. Verse 11 of Leviticus 7 says:
Leviticus 7:11-14
11 "'These are the regulations for the (peace offering or) fellowship offering that a person may present to the LORD:
12 "'If a man offers his sacrifice as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.
13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the (peace) offerings.
Those who brought a thanksgiving sacrifice were to bring with the blood offering a cake which was made without yeast as well as a cake which was make with yeast. George Williams says that the bread without yeast symbolized Jesus Christ who was without sin, while the bread with yeast symbolized man who was still in sin. Both loaves of bread were to be mixed with oil to show that it is the Holy Spirit who works to bring sinful man to our sinless savior so that he can be cleansed to walk in fellowship with Him.
Here we see that fellowship with God is dependent upon the blood sacrifice. We must always bear in mind that our fellowship with God is based exclusively upon the sacrifice of Christ. Paul said in Ephesians 2:13:
Ephesians 2:13-19 (NKJ)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Believers today have been brought into fellowship with God through the peace offering of Jesus Christ, and we experience a fellowship with Christ which makes us complete in Him with unspeakable joy and a peace that passes understanding. Paul told the Colossians
Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJ)
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
Colossians 2:10 (NKJ)
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Therefore, in Philippians 4, Paul says:
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJ)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There are those who suffer bitter disappointments and struggle with bitterness toward God. They feel that life has given them a raw deal for one reason or another, but the Bible declares that our thanksgiving to God is not based on our physical circumstances, but it is based on our fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The physical things of this world fade away. They are not eternal. But the spiritual blessings we enjoy in Christ are blessings which will never fade away. They will be ours throughout eternity. Rather than fading away, they will only grow throughout the ages of eternity. Therefore, let us be thankful for the fact that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJ) says:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 3:15 (NKJ) says:
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 4:2 (NKJ) says:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
Paul wanted the believers in Colosse to be thankful to God for all of their blessings in Christ, and he knew that they could rejoice in these blessings regardless of their physical circumstances. He knew this because of his own personal experience. He spoke in Philippians 4 about the love offering they had sent. He said in verse 10:
Philippians 4:10-13 (NKJ)
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
When Paul said that he had learned how to be content in all circumstances, he could say that with all truthfulness for he had been through some unbelievably difficult times. His situation was so difficult that many in those same circumstances would have simply given up. But God gave Paul the grace to continue on.
When Paul wrote II Corinthians, he spoke of his many tribulations as he justified his ministry. He spoke of his critics and said:
2 Corinthians 11:22-27 (NIV)
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ? . . . I am more. I have . . . been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
Paul said that he felt foolish having to justify his ministry in this way, but he was determined to use every means available to prove that his ministry was of God.
I’m thankful that Paul was forced to reveal the extent of his suffering and persecution because as we look at Paul’s writings we just don’t see Paul talking about his personal suffering or his tribulations that much. Obviously, Paul had more important things on his mind. He was too busy praising the Lord for all of His blessings.
In I Corinthians 1, Paul did speak of his personal trials, but notice the context as we read in verse 3:
2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
This was just one more thing for the believers to be thankful for. God was miraculously delivering Paul from every trial. Paul was rejoicing in the Lord, and he wanted them to know that they could rejoice in the Lord always even if they had to share in the fellowship of His sufferings. God is working all things according the counsel of His own will and nothing can separate us from the His love.
Well, I see our time is gone this morning. I trust that this week your heart will truly rejoice in the many blessings God has given to you. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
When we think of Thanksgiving, we often think of the English colonists who settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. After their first harvest, about fifty settlers celebrated for three days with some 90 native Americans who lived in the area. They did not call this celebration Thanksgiving, however, because when they had a day of thanksgiving, they would set aside the entire day for prayer. Such a day of prayer was usually called after some particular blessing such a rain after a drought. Obviously, the colonists knew the importance of being thankful to God for every blessing.
Throughout Paul’s letters, he emphasized the importance of being thankful. When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he said in Chapter 1 that he was praying for them that they would be able to joyfully give thanks unto the Father who had rescued them from the dominion of darkness and had brought them into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Later in Chapter 3, he said that they should put on love, which is the bond of perfection and that they should let the peace of God rule in their hearts, but then, very directly, he said, “Be ye thankful.”
All believers today have cause for rejoicing for we too have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and have been brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We should be very thankful for the blessing of the fellowship we enjoy with Jesus Christ. In I Corinthians 1, Paul reminded the Corinthians that God had called them into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. In verse 8, he said:
1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John said in I John 1:
I John 1:3 (NKJ)
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ today was pictured by the peace offering in the book of Leviticus. The believers of the Old Testament did not have all of the spiritual blessings that we enjoy today for they did not have the indwelling of Holy Spirit, but when they obeyed the commandments of the Lord, they had much to be for. Therefore, God provided a means by which they could demonstrate their thankfulness.
In Leviticus, Chapter 7, we read that the peace offerings were to be brought to God on a voluntary basis, and they were either given in association with the making of a vow or simply as an expression of thanksgiving. Verse 11 of Leviticus 7 says:
Leviticus 7:11-14
11 "'These are the regulations for the (peace offering or) fellowship offering that a person may present to the LORD:
12 "'If a man offers his sacrifice as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.
13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the (peace) offerings.
Those who brought a thanksgiving sacrifice were to bring with the blood offering a cake which was made without yeast as well as a cake which was make with yeast. George Williams says that the bread without yeast symbolized Jesus Christ who was without sin, while the bread with yeast symbolized man who was still in sin. Both loaves of bread were to be mixed with oil to show that it is the Holy Spirit who works to bring sinful man to our sinless savior so that he can be cleansed to walk in fellowship with Him.
Here we see that fellowship with God is dependent upon the blood sacrifice. We must always bear in mind that our fellowship with God is based exclusively upon the sacrifice of Christ. Paul said in Ephesians 2:13:
Ephesians 2:13-19 (NKJ)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Believers today have been brought into fellowship with God through the peace offering of Jesus Christ, and we experience a fellowship with Christ which makes us complete in Him with unspeakable joy and a peace that passes understanding. Paul told the Colossians
Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJ)
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
Colossians 2:10 (NKJ)
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Therefore, in Philippians 4, Paul says:
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJ)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There are those who suffer bitter disappointments and struggle with bitterness toward God. They feel that life has given them a raw deal for one reason or another, but the Bible declares that our thanksgiving to God is not based on our physical circumstances, but it is based on our fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The physical things of this world fade away. They are not eternal. But the spiritual blessings we enjoy in Christ are blessings which will never fade away. They will be ours throughout eternity. Rather than fading away, they will only grow throughout the ages of eternity. Therefore, let us be thankful for the fact that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJ) says:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 3:15 (NKJ) says:
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 4:2 (NKJ) says:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
Paul wanted the believers in Colosse to be thankful to God for all of their blessings in Christ, and he knew that they could rejoice in these blessings regardless of their physical circumstances. He knew this because of his own personal experience. He spoke in Philippians 4 about the love offering they had sent. He said in verse 10:
Philippians 4:10-13 (NKJ)
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
When Paul said that he had learned how to be content in all circumstances, he could say that with all truthfulness for he had been through some unbelievably difficult times. His situation was so difficult that many in those same circumstances would have simply given up. But God gave Paul the grace to continue on.
When Paul wrote II Corinthians, he spoke of his many tribulations as he justified his ministry. He spoke of his critics and said:
2 Corinthians 11:22-27 (NIV)
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ? . . . I am more. I have . . . been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
Paul said that he felt foolish having to justify his ministry in this way, but he was determined to use every means available to prove that his ministry was of God.
I’m thankful that Paul was forced to reveal the extent of his suffering and persecution because as we look at Paul’s writings we just don’t see Paul talking about his personal suffering or his tribulations that much. Obviously, Paul had more important things on his mind. He was too busy praising the Lord for all of His blessings.
In I Corinthians 1, Paul did speak of his personal trials, but notice the context as we read in verse 3:
2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
This was just one more thing for the believers to be thankful for. God was miraculously delivering Paul from every trial. Paul was rejoicing in the Lord, and he wanted them to know that they could rejoice in the Lord always even if they had to share in the fellowship of His sufferings. God is working all things according the counsel of His own will and nothing can separate us from the His love.
Well, I see our time is gone this morning. I trust that this week your heart will truly rejoice in the many blessings God has given to you. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
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