201129 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

This week as you well know our nation celebrated one of her oldest national holidays, Thanksgiving. A holiday that began 399 years ago in 1621 by English Dissenters - Believers grateful to God to be surviving in the New World, grateful to be relieved of the oppression of England - grateful to have peace. What a wonderful holiday. A celebration rooted in gratitude toward God for life and peace.

We are also celebrating Communion today. Communion is also called ‘the Eucharist’ which comes from the Greek word εὐχαριστέω - which means to “give thanks.” I have been patiently waiting to give this message because thanksgiving is such an integral part of Communion. Jesus gave thanks for the bread that He shared with His disciples. He thanked God for it. Jesus, our High Priest, our Friend, who eagerly desired to participate in this meal at Passover (Luke 22:15) thanked God for it. Why? He was looking ahead to the redemption of God’s people and the peace that we would now have with God through Him. He knew what it would cost Him and He knew what His sacrifice would buy Him.

Turn with me to Leviticus chapter 7. Leviticus 7 verse 11.

Leviticus 7:11–13 NASB95

‘Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the Lord. ‘If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. ‘With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread.

When I read about the ordinance of Communion I cannot but help thinking of the context that Jews would have taken it. Beyond a doubt Passover is in view in the Communion narrative but it cannot be divorced as separate or apart from the larger sacrificial system. The priests were instructed in the proper procedures. We see in the Communion narrative the proper procedure. We give thanks we εὐχαριστέω for our salvation, our peace with God.

Let us go to prayer now and give to God the appreciation, the praise and the honor due Him for making a way through Jesus that we can now have peace and relationship. If there is anything impeding that relationship, any stubborn sin, please confess it, repent of it and turn to the One that loves you dearly.

WAIT FOR ONE WHOLE MINUTE . Close in prayer.

__________ will you ask the blessing on the bread?

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 NASB95

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

__________ will you ask the blessing on the cup?

1 Corinthians 11:25 NASB95

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PAUSE

1 Corinthians 11:26 NASB95

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

LETS PRAY