Jesus' Thanksgiving

[JESUS’ THANKSGIVING DINNER]

Slide Graphic – Norman Rockwell painting of family at Thanksgiving Dinner

Slide Verses –

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love

John 13:1

If you come to my home and go into my library, you may notice a volume set of eight very old books. The thing that will probably catch your eye is the swastikas decorating the spines. The books were printed before the Hitler’s armies attached such a stigma to the symbol. The books are actually a complete set of the poetry and literature of Rudyard Kipling, one of my favorite authors. Rudyard Kipling was a very famous British writer even before he died, and made a great deal of money at it. One day he was approached by a a man who said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over ten shillings a word.” At that time, ten shillings would have been a very good day’s wages. Mr. Kipling raised his eyebrows and said, “Really, I certainly wasn’t aware of that.” The man reached into his pocket and pulled out ten shillings and gave it to Kipling and said, “Here,Mr. Kipling. Now give me your best ten-shilling word.” Rudyard Kipling looked at that ten shillings for a moment, took them and put them in his pocket and said, “Thanks.”

That’s what we’re going to talk about today – being thankful. The Bible say “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

One stormy night in Lake Michigan, a side-wheeler steamboat was rammed by another boat. The steamboat sank just a mile offshore from the village of Winnetka, Illinois. Out of 393 passengers on board, 279 drowned.

A man named Edward Spencer after seeing the situation unfold plunged into the lake and swam to the drowning people. He towed one person to shore and went for another. In all, he brought seventeen people to safety. However, the strain on this young man caused him to collapse. The nerves in his legs were so completely destroyed that he could never walk again. He was an invalid wheel chair victim for his entire life.

On his eightieth birthday, someone asked him to relate his most vivid memory of that dreadful day. He replied, "Not one of the seventeen returned to thank me."

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus healed ten people of leprosy. Out of the ten people who were healed only one person returned to thank Jesus. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17, 18).

If you are a Christian, Christ has healed you of much more than leprosy. God expects us to be grateful and to express thanks to Him. The cross should compel us to give thanks to the Lord every single day of our lives for Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. Even if we had nothing else in our lives to be thankful for, this alone would be more than enough for a lifetime filled with thanks. Here at thanksgiving, we set aside time to focus on all that we have to be thankful for. Today in the main service, we are going to take the communion – the symbols of the bread and wine at the last supper. We are doing this in part because we want to remind ourselves of how much we have to be thankful for.

[PASSOVER]

Slide text –

() 10th Day of Nisan – Day of Selection

Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. (Exodus 12:3)

() 14th Day of Nisan – Day of Preparation

Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. (Exodus 12:6)

() 15th Day of Nisan – Passover

That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD (Exodus 12:8,12)

() 15th – 21st Day of Nisan – Feast of Unleavened Bread

For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. (Exodus 12:15)

() 15th and 21st Days of Nissan are special temple assembly (Sabbaths of the Feast)