“PREPARING WITH JOY” - NOV. 24, 2002

(Sermon Originally Presented By Dr. Rich Will - it has been shortened/re-edited for reenactment)

Have you ever thought why Thanksgiving comes before Christmas? Why couldn’t Thanksgiving come in February or July? I’ve been giving this particular holiday some considerable thought. Knowing that I have been blessed in so many ways, yet also knowing that this past year has been a year of loss for my family, I understand the struggles and challenges many people go through during the holiday seasons. Several in our church families dread the inevitable coming of Thanksgiving and Christmas because relatives have died, or sickness had befallen their loved ones during the middle of what is generally thought to be a time of rejoicing, goodness and happiness. Some family members remember the holidays of their youth and recall spoiled gatherings because of a fight, a drunken relative creating a scene or an estrangement at an inopportune moment. Whereas most families revel in the opportunities to reunite with loved ones, there are others for whom the holidays are not a pleasant time, and often can be times of depression. I call us to remember those who may not have a comfortable place or time in which to spend time rejoicing in the bounty that God has provided all of us, especially during these next few weeks.

But, what about the timing? Shouldn’t Christmas come first, and then after, we will be able to really be thankful, giving thanks for God’s greatest gift to humankind?

One of the most beautiful prayers of thanksgiving comes from the pen of the Apostle Paul. In pondering his word to the Ephesians, I was struck by the depth of his relationship with them and the joy he must have felt as he recalled their faithfulness in serving the Christ. He prays for wisdom and power to work through them and their work with the people of the area, giving thanks to God for their presence. And in all of this loving attention that draws him to them, he is reminding them of the source of that power and wisdom.

In this thanksgiving prayer, Paul also draws the focus directly and forcefully to the One to whom it belongs: Jesus himself. Not only does he draw it to the person of Jesus, but also to the substance of the gift of salvation through Him as well. In calling attention to both the gift and the person, Paul encourages us as well, to be willing to accept the gifts of ministry that we carry out and be grateful for them, but also give great praise with joyful acclamation to God who is the giver of all life. We are encouraged to ground our faith and actions in the Christ, while we center our preparation tasks around acknowledging these gifts. But, shouldn’t Christmas come first? And then Thanksgiving?

Let me use a traditional Thanksgiving dinner as an illustration. Many of us have experienced them, right? A whole lot of preparation goes into them. I remember how Granny would be baking pies, making bread, the perspiration dripping from her face as she bent over the oven, to check the goodies that were baking. And then, of course there was the turkey (usually huge—they seemed so much bigger back then!) and preparing the dressing that would grace the innards. I remember the first time I watched as she grabbed the heart, gizzards, necks, and livers out and I wondered, “What on earth are those things?” I was more familiar with chickens and turkeys with their clothes on and never their insides! Anyway, my fondest memory was of my Granny’s joy in the preparation, because she would have the whole family over, and it was such a special celebration. She not only was such a gracious host, but all during the preparation, she would be singing, humming or talking to herself (and the turkey too!). She was preparing with JOY! She was getting ready for the big feast. What a marvelous life lesson she taught me. What wonderful teaching, that we were to enjoy our “getting ready!”

What about the timing? Why should thanksgiving come before Christmas? While I’m not sure God had anything to do with our Thanksgiving Day coming at this time, I do think that the timing of the Eternal is something to consider. Why shouldn’t an attitude of thanksgiving precede the expectation of a gift? Isn’t preparing our hearts with an attitude of thanksgiving, also preparing our hearts to receive a loving gift from God? Don’t we as hungry travelers on the road of life have special feelings of expectation when we know the wonderful meal that awaits us at the table of our family and friends?

For most, there is a feeling of joy that warms us when we anticipate special moments in our lives. When we prepare with joy a gathering to be shared with our loved ones, it opens our hearts to something very unique and wonderful: a relationship with the holy, a relationship that includes the One responsible for our very being. That is why it is important for us to be in an attitude of thanksgiving each and every day, that we might be prepared for the inevitable: Jesus is indeed coming again! That’s why thanksgiving (planned or not) comes before Christmas. That’s why we are encouraged to be thankful for deepening faith, wisdom and power that comes from God’s sacrifice for us. In our thankfulness, the act and practice of being truly thankful, we are to be filled with the joy that comes from knowing who is the center of our universe, the joy of expectation, the joy of promise. Let us Praise the God who gives to us the Christ, the King of Kings, let us prepare with Joy as we anticipate his coming, knowing that in his coming we are redeemed forever.