Thursday, June 7, 2018

National Thanksgiving 2018

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.

Text: Philippians 4:6
Theme: Thankfulness In Changing Times

Dear friends in Christ;

The world is changing. It is challenging to be thankful, even optimistic in times of uncertainty. Consider the words of one author, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”, so wrote Charles Dickens in his famous novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ set against the background of the French revolution.

King Solomon offered a caveat to the human temptation to overreact to change. “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”1 So much for human affairs. The love of our God, however, is unchanging. It stands the test of time because He is both the author of time and He exists outside of time. Jesus Christ, immortal, eternal, is not subject to the corruptibility of sin. His mercy is never exhausted. His grace is never outdated.

Today we celebrate national thanksgiving. We don’t live in a society that really encourages people to cultivate attitudes of gratefulness. Complaining is more fashionable and more prevalent. The content of mainstream news is overwhelmingly negative. Something about human nature is revealed in this reality. Grumbling is an innate human quality. We don’t have to be taught to grizzle, it comes very, very naturally. Original sin has it’s very routine and habitual manifestations and whinging is one of them.

The biblical narrative is full of examples too. Even the Israelites who witnessed the mighty power of God part the Red Sea and deliver them from slavery in Egypt were soon murmuring when they lacked the comforts that accompanied them in their time under tyranny. Only one of the ten lepers that were healed returned and gave thinks to Jesus. No wonder the apostle Paul is obliged to say, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”2 God doesn’t call on us to explain our ingratitude, but to repent of it as we do all sins.

For the Christian, thankfulness is not so much characterized by a series of specific episodes or even habitual practice, but an attitude; a posture of response in relation to the God who gives. He gives liberally, causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall even on unbelievers. All benefit from God’s providence whether it is recognized or acknowledge. How much greater, then, are His promises and blessings to those who believe?

The context in which the CPW’s work today is changing also. That’s true in public, private, and Christian schools. Secular ideologies are gaining influence. Some are fundamentally at odds with a biblical worldview. Society is not only becoming sensitive to allowing the overtly Christian message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to be aired in public spaces, it’s also becoming unhinged from a basis of morality that had been widely accepted by previous generations. One doesn’t need to be Christian- or have any religious affiliations at all- to hold that certain truths are knowable, objective and universal. The design of nature, the protection of the vulnerable, and the well-being of community ought never be sacrificed to the supremacy of individual choice and the freedom to deconstruct the fundamental units of stable society. Children are often vulnerable.

These are grave concerns, but they also bring opportunities. While Satan works to push selflessness and sanctified common sense out of the public square, new spaces will be opened in the lives of those who become disillusioned. This alone is a reason to give thanks. The Holy Spirit never rests on His laurels. He seeks always to bring people to the promised rest of sins forgiven and the confidence of knowing the judgment of God has been resolved in the death of Jesus. That is the highest and holiest reason for true thankfulness. All other reasons must be filtered through this divine sieve.

At the base of the capstone of the Washington Monument in Washington D.C are inscribed two little words in Latin, ‘Laus Deo’- “Thanks be to God! The words cannot be read by people on the ground and few would probably take notice if they could see them. Yet, they stand as a testament to the convictions of those who believe that someone with greater power is behind even the greatest human achievements. The tower of Babel was built with the collective ingenuity and effort of human designers. Yet, what was its purpose? The ark was built by one small family, but its designer was God. For what purpose do we build monuments and legacies today? What are the motivations. God’s purposes are always for our eternal good.

So, in prosperity and in adversity we give thanks to God. Which is more difficult? It is an age-old struggle. Proverbs chapter 30 says it this way, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.”3 Satan burns the candle at both ends in hopes of getting to the anchor of faith and tearing it loose from its central moorings. But believers have, in baptism, “The shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”4

Probably every age is prone agree with Charles Dickens and say, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Humans can never be free from the vicissitudes of life. The cliché is true: Everyday is a gift. God gives more abundantly than we could ever imagine. We are told the current pace of change is astounding by many historical measures. But this doesn’t alarm the Lord of the church. Jesus Christ still offers forgiveness, life, and salvation to those living in darkness and the shadow of death. He has conquered by His death and resurrection. He has made the sacrifice. He lives and rules. That reality cannot and will not change. No wonder the writer to the Hebrews encourages us with these strong words, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful….”5 After all, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”6

+ In nomine Jesu +

National Thanksgiving Service
27 May 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 Ecclesiastes 1:9 2 Philippians 2:14
3 Proverbs 30:8-9 4 Ephesians 6:16
5 Hebrews 12:28 6 John 3:16

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