The View from the Pulpit:

Dear People of God, Gathered Around Word and Sacraments,

“Taking It All for Granted!”

A common complaint among many wives is that “My husband takes me for granted” – and the vice versa is also very true!  Husbands and wives need to verbalize and demonstrate their love and support for one another.

The concept of “taking for granted,” however, applies to other places.  Specifically, I am thinking of our relationship with our God.  God has many claims on us.  We owe Him!  Recall Martin Luther’s Explanation of the Apostles’ Creed: after affirming that “God has made me and all creatures” in the First Article, Luther goes on to enumerate many things that we take for granted: “… body and soul, eyes, ears, all my members, my reason, and senses also clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children, my very livelihood – all that I need to support this body and life …”  – and for all this (and many other reasons!) God wants to be acknowledged as the Giver and the One Who is Lord and God.  And that’s where THANKSGIVING comes in!

In the Church Year we have festivals specifically for the events in the life and ministry of Jesus our Savior.  We set aside times to celebrate His birth, to honor His death and rejoice in His resurrection.  We have a period of time to celebrate the Spirit at work in us and the church; we celebrate the whole Trinity, all at once.  It’s interesting that the most recognizable day to celebrate God the Father and all He does for us is a national holiday.

As Christians we do not want to take God for granted.  We want to remember to thank Him for all His gifts and all that He does for us every moment of our lives.  We want to thank Him, not only for the material gifts, but especially for the gift of His Son, Jesus, the gift of faith, the gift of the Spirit, the gift of salvation and new, eternal life.  God calls that process worship.  All through the Bible God calls His people to worship Him, intentionally and formally, publicly and verbally, that is, to say our thanks, meaning to give Him our praise and adoration and to tell Him what He means to us!

But there is more!  An old adage says that Thanksgiving needs to translate into Thanks-Living.   What that really means is “to make sure you walk the talk!”  God expects us to reflect His loving and giving, to others.  The word “Christian” means “little Christ.”  Jesus calls us “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth.”  He says He sends us in the same way the Father sent Him – not to be served, but to serve and to give our lives in service to others in His name!

Make the year of 2018 a renewal of your practice of Thanksgiving, beginning today!

 

  THANKSGIVING   EVE   SERVICE  

Tonight, November 22nd, at 7:00 PM

Make your THANKSGIVING DAY special!  Join with your congregational family as we celebrate God’s blessings in our annual Thanksgiving Communion Service, featuring special music and the traditional thanksgiving hymns and songs.  Stay after the service for the Fellowship Reception sponsored by the Resurrection Church Council – bring a favorite Thanksgiving “goodie” to share: a pie, cookies, finger foods, etc.  Drinks provided!

Invite and bring a friend!!