November 30th 2014
Do Your Options For The Thanksgiving Prayer Include God’s Grace?
John 1:16-17 (NIV)
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Every day should be a day of thanksgiving, if you know you have received God’s grace. Only committed Christians can know we have received the grace of God through the death and resurrection of His Son, who is our Savior! Yes, I know today is not Easter, but being thankful for God’s grace will make you happy, in spite of your current physical circumstances! By physical circumstances here, I’m not limiting this thankfulness to your health, but it means every facet of your life not just your health! This morning, if you woke up breathing, then you are still under God’s grace, and that must be the most important thing for which you should express gratitude today!
For those Christians who did not wake up this morning, because they stopped breathing sometime before today, we can thank God for His grace for them, and know that we will see them again in the continuation of life that we both gained through God’s grace. In the very early church the believers had banded together, and formed a communal location, and those who came shared everything they possessed in their current lifetime. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:32-33) Notice the statement made here about this community that had formed, “much grace was upon them all.”
Of course, this idea of community soon changed, but the overall idea of belonging to a specific community did not become forgotten, as even yet today we refer to the worldwide community of Christians as the “body of Christ.” We Christians no longer physically live in the same community, but we do share what possessions we have amassed with other people who are in need. This sharing is NOT limited to just our brothers and sisters in Christ, but those who are in need! Jesus gave us a very difficult command to follow, when He said we must love our neighbor as ourselves!
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45) Are you able to follow this command from Jesus? Please note later that Jesus made it abundantly clear that our neighbor is every member of mankind. Note what Jesus said here that Matthew wrote for us, it says” Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This statement made here by Jesus can leave no doubt that our love must even include people “who (choose to) persecute you.” This is a very difficult commend to follow, and not many Christians are able to consistently pull it off.
Today when you give thanks, also include a request for Jesus to bless you with a heart of forgiveness, which would possibly allow us to forgive everyone, even those who we cannot like, but we MUST love, because we are only sharing the grace Jesus blessed us with. Without His grace we would still be sinners, and haters! When Jesus walked this earth as a man, He taught His disciples a prayer, which we commonly refer to as The Lord’s Prayer, and in that prayer He gave His disciples (us) a command. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:4) That command is shown to be difficult admission of forgiveness that includes all of mankind, as it states, “For we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” Our forgiveness must include “everyone who sins against us.” It is much easier to forgive someone who has not sinned against us, than it is to forgive those who have wronged us in some way!
The point of this commentary is to direct us toward being extremely thankful for God’s grace that we have inherited through our acceptance of Jesus death and resurrection in our behalf. He paid the price for our (your) sin, and thus, we have received this grace because of what He did, not because of anything we have done or could ever do to earn this grace. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) The great thing about the community of Christians is that it is made up of sinners, who have been saved only because they have committed to be members of the body of Christ. Some people who chose to not attend a church regularly are under the impression that the church is a place where good people have a community, when in fact; it is a community of sinners, who have been saved by grace! Come sinner, join-in and experience God’s grace!
Now skipping ahead from today to this coming Sunday, most Western churches celebrate this as the first Sunday of the Advent season. This is countdown to the coming of the Christ child at Christmas. Already the stores are preparing to sell you those wonderful Christmas gifts, but of course, the workers in most stores are not allowed to call this season Christmas, as this might cause non-Christians to not buy their holiday season gifts there! Since this a time for counting down to the celebration Christ’s coming, this commentary will focus on the buying of holiday gifts as the main topic. The thought here would be to help you (us) downplay the importance of gift buying, and giving as really NOT being so important during this holy season!
Giving gifts can be and usually is a fun thing to do. And shopping for that special person or people is and should be of some importance. However, if this quest leads you to camp-out at some store for that newest fad toy or thingamajig, then maybe the joy of buying is stronger than the joy of giving. Jesus had some not so good things to say about our love for money, or social status, which alarmed Him. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Luke 16:11-13)
This is not meant to be “Bah Humbug!” comment about spending your hard earned money for Christmas gifts, but just a caution about the importance you may place on worldly possessions. The question arises “if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” “You cannot serve both God and Money." WWJD?
Do your options for the thanksgiving prayer include God’s grace?
Wishing you and yours,
A Happy Thanksgiving!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 1:16-17 (NIV)
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Every day should be a day of thanksgiving, if you know you have received God’s grace. Only committed Christians can know we have received the grace of God through the death and resurrection of His Son, who is our Savior! Yes, I know today is not Easter, but being thankful for God’s grace will make you happy, in spite of your current physical circumstances! By physical circumstances here, I’m not limiting this thankfulness to your health, but it means every facet of your life not just your health! This morning, if you woke up breathing, then you are still under God’s grace, and that must be the most important thing for which you should express gratitude today!
For those Christians who did not wake up this morning, because they stopped breathing sometime before today, we can thank God for His grace for them, and know that we will see them again in the continuation of life that we both gained through God’s grace. In the very early church the believers had banded together, and formed a communal location, and those who came shared everything they possessed in their current lifetime. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:32-33) Notice the statement made here about this community that had formed, “much grace was upon them all.”
Of course, this idea of community soon changed, but the overall idea of belonging to a specific community did not become forgotten, as even yet today we refer to the worldwide community of Christians as the “body of Christ.” We Christians no longer physically live in the same community, but we do share what possessions we have amassed with other people who are in need. This sharing is NOT limited to just our brothers and sisters in Christ, but those who are in need! Jesus gave us a very difficult command to follow, when He said we must love our neighbor as ourselves!
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45) Are you able to follow this command from Jesus? Please note later that Jesus made it abundantly clear that our neighbor is every member of mankind. Note what Jesus said here that Matthew wrote for us, it says” Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This statement made here by Jesus can leave no doubt that our love must even include people “who (choose to) persecute you.” This is a very difficult commend to follow, and not many Christians are able to consistently pull it off.
Today when you give thanks, also include a request for Jesus to bless you with a heart of forgiveness, which would possibly allow us to forgive everyone, even those who we cannot like, but we MUST love, because we are only sharing the grace Jesus blessed us with. Without His grace we would still be sinners, and haters! When Jesus walked this earth as a man, He taught His disciples a prayer, which we commonly refer to as The Lord’s Prayer, and in that prayer He gave His disciples (us) a command. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:4) That command is shown to be difficult admission of forgiveness that includes all of mankind, as it states, “For we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” Our forgiveness must include “everyone who sins against us.” It is much easier to forgive someone who has not sinned against us, than it is to forgive those who have wronged us in some way!
The point of this commentary is to direct us toward being extremely thankful for God’s grace that we have inherited through our acceptance of Jesus death and resurrection in our behalf. He paid the price for our (your) sin, and thus, we have received this grace because of what He did, not because of anything we have done or could ever do to earn this grace. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) The great thing about the community of Christians is that it is made up of sinners, who have been saved only because they have committed to be members of the body of Christ. Some people who chose to not attend a church regularly are under the impression that the church is a place where good people have a community, when in fact; it is a community of sinners, who have been saved by grace! Come sinner, join-in and experience God’s grace!
Now skipping ahead from today to this coming Sunday, most Western churches celebrate this as the first Sunday of the Advent season. This is countdown to the coming of the Christ child at Christmas. Already the stores are preparing to sell you those wonderful Christmas gifts, but of course, the workers in most stores are not allowed to call this season Christmas, as this might cause non-Christians to not buy their holiday season gifts there! Since this a time for counting down to the celebration Christ’s coming, this commentary will focus on the buying of holiday gifts as the main topic. The thought here would be to help you (us) downplay the importance of gift buying, and giving as really NOT being so important during this holy season!
Giving gifts can be and usually is a fun thing to do. And shopping for that special person or people is and should be of some importance. However, if this quest leads you to camp-out at some store for that newest fad toy or thingamajig, then maybe the joy of buying is stronger than the joy of giving. Jesus had some not so good things to say about our love for money, or social status, which alarmed Him. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Luke 16:11-13)
This is not meant to be “Bah Humbug!” comment about spending your hard earned money for Christmas gifts, but just a caution about the importance you may place on worldly possessions. The question arises “if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” “You cannot serve both God and Money." WWJD?
Do your options for the thanksgiving prayer include God’s grace?
Wishing you and yours,
A Happy Thanksgiving!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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