Why Did Jesus Come?

 

“. . . for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  (John 18:37).

 

Christmas has become such a busy time of year with decorations, parties, shopping, cooking and such. There is a magazine called Garbage magazine and years ago it gave the following stats about Christmas:

Americans used 28,497,464 rolls and sheets of wrapping paper, 16,826,362 packages of tags and bows, 372,430,684 greeting cards, and 35,200,000 Christmas trees.  [1]

CNN reports that during the five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years there is an extra 5 to 7 million tons of garbage produced. [2] Who can doubt that the garbage produced at Christmas this year will be even greater? Jesus didn’t come to produce garbage. But why did He come?

With all the activity it is easy to forget about the meaning of Christmas, the reason for the season. Why did He come? Why did Jesus come? If we really want to know the reason for the season we should go to Jesus and see what He said. What did Jesus say was the purpose of His coming? The specific phrase, “I have come” (in which Jesus indicates why He came), is uttered by Jesus a number of times in the gospels (e.g. Matthew 10:35; Mark 1:38; John 5:43; 6:38; 9:39; 10:10; 12:46; 18:37). On one of these occasions Jesus said:

 

·         John 18:37b – “. . . For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Now this is not what we would call a portion of scripture traditionally associated with Christmas. This is a verse more commonly connected to Resurrection Week. But John 18:37 serves us well in answering the question of Christmas, “Why Did Jesus Come?” This verse sums up the purpose of Christmas.

 

Jesus must have wanted us to know why He came to repeat why He came so many times. That’s our challenge; to recognize and reflect on the message of truth He came to bring us and to receive it into our hearts by faith. Let’s look at what Jesus said about why He came.  

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DELIVER a message. Jesus said, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”(Mark 1:38; Luke 4:43). He came to preach. Jesus even gave the content of His message saying He came to bear witness to the truth. He said, “. . . for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  (John 18:37). Jesus even described where the truth He came to preach and teach could be found saying:

·         John 17:17 - ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

God’s truth is found in His word because all of God’s word is truth (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 19:7-9; 119:9, 142, 151, 160; Proverbs 22:21; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). Have you heard His message of truth and have you received it by faith?

What did that message of truth consist of? A summary examination of the Gospels reveals that the message of Jesus consisted of:

1. Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God (i.e. God’s rule in the heart now and in the future His kingdom on earth) - Repentance is closely connected to entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 1:17; 4:17; 10:7; 11:20-24; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:1-4).
2. Jesus taught the need for discipleship (i.e. being a learner who grows in understanding and application of what is taught) - “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19); Jesus taught the blessedness of being a disciple (Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew chapters 5 through 7); Disciples are to be salt and light  (Matthew 5:13-16)
3. Jesus taught about prayer - Disciples should have a vital prayer life (Matthew 6:5-13; 9:38; 14;23; Mark 6:46; 11:24; 13:33; Luke 6:12; 9:28; 10:2; 18:1-8; 22:40 ).
4. Jesus taught about righteousness - Righteousness acceptable to God must be heart oriented and more than a religious pursuit of God (Matthew 5:20 – 6:4); true righteousness involves doing God’s will in life (Matthew 7:21-23); be heavenly oriented and trust God to provide (Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34); don’t be a hypocrite (Matthew 23).
5. Jesus taught God’s way of salvation is single and solitary – A narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14); Build your life on the rock of Jesus’ words (Matthew 7:24-27); Jesus is the only way to get to God the Father in heaven (John 14:6).
6. Jesus taught and demonstrated He could heal (Matthew 4:24; 8:4-17; 12:15; 14:14; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14).
7. Jesus taught we should beware of false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20; 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22).
8. Jesus taught servanthood - Followers of God should be humble and have servant’s hearts - If you want to follow Jesus you have to deny your self, pick up your cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-27); The greatest according to Jesus is the humblest, the least and the servant of all  (Matthew 18:1-5; 20:27-28; John 13:1-20); come humbly before God (Luke 18:9-14).
9. Jesus taught about His redeeming sacrifice - Jesus must go to the cross and die and three days later be risen form the dead for the remission of sins (Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19, 28; 26:36-46; Mark 8:31; 10:45; John 2:19-21; 10:18).
10. Jesus taught the need for salvation from sin - Jesus came to save the lost (Matthew 18:11); With God all things are possible including the salvation of sinners (Matthew 19:26); You must be born again through faith in Jesus (John 3:1-21; 5:24; 6:47); Without Jesus you will die in your sins (John  8:24); Eternal life is knowing  Jesus (John 17:3); Saving faith is a work of God in a person and therefore a gracious provision of God (John 6:29, 44; 1:16-17); Jesus taught He can free a person from sin (John 8:31-36).
11. Jesus taught that He is our source of spiritual life and nourishment - Jesus is the bread of life, the one who feeds our souls through our relationship with Him (John 6:35, 48, 51); Jesus quenches the thirsty soul (John 7:37-39); Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12); Jesus is the resurrection and life (John 11:25-26).
12. Jesus taught and proved He is God – His disciples said Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and has come to give His life a ransom to redeem the lost – Matthew 16:13-21; He is the great “I AM” (John 8:58); His opponents said He made Himself equal with God and Jesus said He should be honored as the Father is honored (John 5:16-24); The scriptures bear witness to Jesus (John 5:39);  Jesus and God the Father are one (John 10:30-33); He who sees Jesus has seen the Father also (John 12:44-45).
13. Jesus taught love  - The greatest commandment is to love God supremely and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 5:43-48; 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 6:27-36); Love involves service (John 13:34); Love is the evidence of being His disciple (John 13:35); Love involves obedience  (John 14:21-24; 15:10);  we need to abide in Jesus’ love (John 15:9-10); Our love is to be like the love Jesus modeled for us (John 15:12-13; 17:26); Love is a command of Jesus; it is not optional (John 15:17); Jesus wants to know if we love Him (John 21:15-17).
14. Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit – He promised to send the Holy Spirit to help His followers after He would ascend to heaven (John 14-16); Jesus taught that those who worship God should worship Him in spirit and truth (Matthew 4:10; John 4:23-24); Jesus’ teachings must be spiritually discerned (John 6:63).
15. Jesus taught He is coming back! - After Jesus leaves He will come again and we ought to watch for His return (Matthew 24:29-31, 36-51; Luke 21:36); When Jesus comes back at His Second Coming it will be for judgment (Matthew 24:31-46); Until Jesus returns we ought to be making disciples, baptizing people as a sign of their new life in Christ via the gospel and teaching them to obey all that Jesus taught (Matthew 28:18-20).

This is only a very brief and limited summary of the content of Jesus’ message. The message of Jesus is worth our attention and study. It would not be a bad thing to spend one’s life dissecting and living out in the Spirit the message of Jesus. Receiving the gospel gift of Jesus and living it out is the most glorious of Christmas gifts.

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIVULGE God.  The message Jesus came to communicate is of utmost importance. It’s important because the message embodies the Master Himself. In Hebrews it states:

·         Hebrews 1:1-4 - God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Jesus didn’t only communicate His message verbally, but He communicated it by His nature. Jesus said He came in His Father’s name:  “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”  (John 5:43). To come in someone’s name meant you came as a representative; you came in a way to convey the will and nature of that person. Jesus came in His Father’s name in that He revealed the nature of God because He was and is God in the flesh (John 1:1-2,14; 10:30; 14:6-11; Colossians 1:19; 2:9-10).

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DISRUPT the complacent. One of the first things Jesus did when He began His earthly ministry was to call people to repentance. In Mark it states:

·         Mark 1:14-15 - ¹⁴ Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus came and right away began to shake things up by calling the sinners to repentance. Repentance is not just feeling sorry about something but turning from it and seeking a way to be freed from the wrong sinful action (e.g. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11). You can’t come to Jesus and remain the same. Jesus comes to shake us up and wake us up to a new life in our saving relationship with Him (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIVIDE.  It is common to think that Jesus came to unite, but in fact Jesus’ own words indicate He came for just the opposite purpose; He came to divide. The evidence of this provocative statement is found in Matthew 10:34 where it states, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Jesus goes on to say that there would be family division because of Him (see Matthew 10:34-39).  Family gatherings at Christmas can often erupt into all out war. But the tension and stress and division Jesus is talking about here is not caused by family squabbles or wrong or bad gifts, it is caused by taking a stand with Jesus.

 

Our hearts are often filled with divided loyalties. We are divided between the world and Jesus; our own self centered desires (lusts) versus our relationship with Jesus. In the process of change for the better, for something to be made right, it must often first be broken down. Sometimes before peace comes, there is a battle, even a war (e.g. Before Romans 8, there is a Romans 7). A divided heart has to be broken before it can receive what God has for it (Joel 2:12-14). Jesus is either Lord of all in your life or He is not Lord at all. For Jesus to do His work in your heart, in your life and beyond that to your family and loved ones, He must be first and Lord. If Jesus is not Lord in your life, when He gives instruction by the Holy Spirit, you may not follow it, or you may only partially follow it and make things worse than they already are. You have to lose your life in Him. You have to totally trust in Jesus for Him to work effectively in you (Acts 8:37).

 

A time will come when we will need to take a stand for Jesus in the presence of our unsaved family members and friends. We are not to take such a stand in and unloving insensitivity or harshness. That would bring shame to the name of Jesus. But we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:15-16). We need to put Jesus first and care more for the lost souls of family members than merely keeping the peace or status quo of Christmas.  

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DO God’s will. Early in His ministry and life Jesus said: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38). To accomplish God’s will Jesus would have to give His life as a ransom, a payment to God’s justice for the penalty of sin (Matthew 26:36-46; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21). It is because of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice that we can be saved from our sin (1 John 1:7, 9; 2:1-2). 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came “for judgment,” to be the DECIDING factor in life. Jesus said: “For judgment I have come into this world, . . . ” (John 9:39a). Not everyone accepts that Jesus is God or even that they are separated from God because of their sin. Jesus came as the deciding factor; He came that those who are genuinely seeking can find eternal life in Him and that those who are playing games will be exposed for their hypocrisy. Jesus is the fulcrum, the watershed, the deciding factor in your eternal destiny. What you do with Jesus will determine whether or not you remain lost in or are saved from your sin. Give Jesus your heart; trust your heart to Him and He will give you a new heart suited for eternal life with Him (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26). 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DESTROY the works of the devil. The result of Jesus sacrifice was to disarm Satan and ultimately all his works. The New Testament says: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  (1 John 3:8; see also Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14). Never forget that you are in a spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Satan is a loser and he knows it. But he still has some fight in him. Christmas time is a battle of the bulge in more ways than one.

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIE for our sins.  Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45; see also John 3:16-21).The wages or consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). That is a debt we cannot pay off. If we die in our sins we will be eternally lost. Jesus came to die for us, in our place so that we could be forgiven our sins and made righteous before God (Philippians 5:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus said:  “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). Some go on search and destroy missions; Jesus went on a search, save and disciple mission. And we are called to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DELIVER the hurting. Remember, though there is often pain in following Jesus, He will not let you be tested beyond what you are able (1 Corinthians 10:13) and He will not allow you to be broken beyond repair. Whatever breaking God allows in your life will be used for His good purposes (Romans 8:28-29). Of Jesus it was said, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory” (Matthew 12:20; Isaiah 42:3). Trust Jesus with everything.

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to serve and DELIVER us from evil. Jesus told us we should pray to be delivered from evil (Matthew 6:13). He provides a way for us to be delivered from evil through His word and our relationship with Him. In the Gospel of John it states:

·         John 8:31-36 - ³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

If you are committing sin you are a slave of sin, and sin can be a cruel taskmaster. But Jesus, through His word and our personal relationship with Him, has provided a way to be delivered from the slavery to sin. The word of God promises a way out from under the bondage of sin (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to call everyone to make a DECISION. Jesus called the rich young ruler to make a decision between the god of his goods and God in the flesh, Jesus (Matthew 10:21). Jesus said a person cannot serve two masters; you can’t serve God and the things of this world (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; cf. also 1 John 2:15-16). Jesus said if you want to follow Him you have to put Him first and put self last (Luke 9:23-26). When Jesus’ teachings got tough He asked His disciples if they still wanted to follow Him (John 6:67). And when Jesus had been beaten and scourged He was presented before the people and Pilate asked who they wanted Jesus or Barabbas (Matthew 27:17). Jesus came to call all people to make a decision. Will you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, or will you not? No decision is a decision, against Jesus. If a person is in a burning house and rescuers call to them to come out to safety, if the person I the house just mulls over the call and casually contemplates whether or not they will heed it, they will burn to death. Indecision is decision.  What is your decision about Jesus and why He came?

 

That is why Jesus came, that mission was begun at Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Jesus came a long way for you and me. Jesus gave a lot for us; He gave His life so that you and I and every sinner could be brought out of darkness into God’s light and experience salvation from our sin, by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Has His mission been accomplished in you? Jesus has a gift that surpasses any Christmas gift you’ve ever known, life in Him. To receive that gift of life is as easy as ABC, all you have to do is:

• Admit you are a sinner (like all humans are) – Romans 3:23. Understand that sin left unattended to will lead first to physical death and then eternal death (eternal separation from God) – Romans 6:23a; Ezekiel 18:4. Turn from your sinful life to Jesus and God will give you a fresh start (Acts 2:38) and new life (Romans 6:4).
• Believe and receive Jesus as your Savior (Romans 6:23b; Romans 8:9-10). Don’t depend on your works; they can’t deal with your sin. Depend on Jesus. Jesus completed work on the cross is what deals with sin (Ephesians 2:8-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Titus 3:5).
• Commit your life wholeheartedly to Him; live for Him (Acts 2:42; 8:37; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). You life will be characterized by abundance if you do (John 10:10).

M.R. Dehaan, founder of the Radio Bible Class wrote the following poem that is a good summation of the reason Jesus came.

Can This Be Christmas

What's all this hectic rush and worry?
Where go these crowds who run and scurry?
Why all the lights -- the Christmas trees?
The jolly "fat man," tell me please!

Why, don't you know? This is the day
For parties and for fun and play;
Why this is Christmas!

So this is Christmas, do you say?
But where is Christ this Christmas day?
Has He been lost among the throng?
His voice drowned out by empty song?

No. He's not here -- you'll find Him where
Some humble soul now kneels in prayer,
Who knows the Christ of Christmas.

But see the many aimless thousands
Who gather on this Christmas Day,
Whose hearts have never yet been opened,
Or said to Him, "Come in to stay."

In countless homes the candles burning,
In countless hearts expectant yearning
For gifts and presents, food and fun,
And laughter till the day is done.

But not a tear of grief or sorrow
For Him so poor He had to borrow
A crib, a colt, a boat, a bed
Where He could lay His weary head.

I'm tired of all this empty celebration,
Of feasting, drinking, recreation;
I'll go instead to Calvary.

And there I'll kneel with those who know
The meaning of that manger low,
And find the Christ -- this Christmas.

I leap by faith across the years
To that great day when He appears
The second time, to rule and reign,
To end all sorrow, death, and pain.

In endless bliss we then shall dwell
With Him who saved our souls from hell,
And worship Christ -- not Christmas!

God bless you with His coming and have a meaningful Spirit filled Christmas.

 

 

 

 

---

[1] Garbage Magazine, 12-1991, p. 7.

 

[2] http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/12/18/holiday.excess.enn/index.html

The Giver and His Gifts

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. – James 1:17

 

Of all the holidays celebrated Christmas generates the greatest economic boost. (Halloween is second.) It seems each year stores push for an earlier beginning for this holiday. We used to see Christmas decorations go up around Thanksgiving. Now it is not uncommon to see Christmas decorations go up around Halloween. The day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday” because some companies get out of the red and into the black in their accounting records solely based on sales from this day. Some companies succeed or fail based on the income generated in connection with Christmas. It’s a big money maker. Merry Christmas!

Gifts are the topic of conversation at Christmas. What did you get? How many did you get? How much is it worth? How much did it cost? How big is it? What feature does it have? Can it do this? Can it do that? Does it fit? Can I exchange it? Can I return it? There’s a whirl of questions and thoughts and they focus on the gifts. We have been deceived and distracted from what Christmas is truly all about.

Christmas is about giving. And it is about a very special Gift. But we have drifted far from the root meaning of Christmas. We have gotten far away from the Giver and His original gift of Jesus the Christ at Christmas. We have put first things last and last things first. We have cluttered and covered what is eternally important with the wrappings of material things that will not last.

That’s sad. It shouldn’t happen. It doesn’t have to happen. In fact, why don’t we seek the LORD to help us get back on track? Lord help us get back to the proper and more valuable eternal perspective of You our Giver and Your gifts? This Christmas let’s challenge ourselves to reconnect with the Giver and His gifts. Let’s get back to that original Gift.

A gift is something given by one person to another without compensation. It is something freely given, freely received, not earned. At least that is what a gift is supposed to be. On the human horizontal plane gifts are often instruments of manipulation. We soften people up with a gift. That is not entirely unscriptural (cf. Prov. 18:16). But I think the sinful nature has taken this to an entirely lower level. We have perverted gift giving.

I want to state a bold and too often forgotten Biblical truth. Every good gift is from God. Look around you,  think about it, every good gift is from God. Every good thing we receive that we don’t deserve or that requires no compensation, is from God. The Bible states, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” (James 1:16-18). Those are words that should fill us with thanks to God.

James says, “do not be deceived.” These words imply there is some sort of deception about the Giver and His gifts (v. 16). He writes to people he cares about. We see that in the words, “my beloved brethren.” He cares that those he writes to know the truth. He doesn’t want his beloved readers to be deceived about gifts and the true Giver, God. What might the nature of the deception he is concerned about be? It could be a deception that disregards or neglects to pay homage or thanks to God as the Source of all good gifts. It might be a deflecting deception that “every good and perfect gift” comes from a source other than God. Or it may be the focusing on gifts to the neglect of the Giver. The aim of the enemy is always to deceive us and deflect glory from God.

When we focus so much on gifts that we forget about the Giver, we are deceived. Distraction from God is the work of deception. Anything that distracts us from the true meaning of Christmas, from the Giver, is a part of deception. Santa Claus, therefore, would be considered a deception because the story distracts us from God the Giver and Jesus the Gift. You may see that as a bit Scrooge-like, but it is true. Think about it.  

The word “every” (Greek pas) is an adjective that means every, all, any. The word, “good” (Greek agathŏs) is an adjective that means good,  upright, kind, benevolent, useful, acceptable, wholesome, beneficial, goods, good deeds. The word  “perfect” (Greek teleios) is an adjective that means complete, perfect, whole, full grown, mature, or adult. That which is perfect is made up of good that comes to full bloom or full maturity. Good gifts are things on the horizontal plane of life that point us to the vertical realm of God. They become perfect when we see them from an eternal perspective.

A “gift of God” is an act of His grace. James is inspired to write that good and perfect gifts are, “from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God the Father  is described as the “Father of lights.” He is the Creator of the universe with its entire starry host. As Father of lights He is of a holy pure character. There is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5).

That “there is no variation or shadow of turning” with Him refers to His unchanging stable dependable nature. The moon for instance is not always full; its reflective light is blocked by the earth as it orbits. But God is never blocked out, diluted or diminished in any way. His truth and faithfulness are steady and sure. He isn’t wishy-washy or capricious. He is dependable and true. And He bestows every good and perfect gift upon us all.

Verse 18 states, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” This points us to His great eternal gift of salvation. He brought us forth by His will and word of truth. He planted His word in us and caused it to grow in us by prevenient grace and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.   

Some gifts are unappreciated. When we think of gifts and what are in particular good gifts, we are frequently further deceived. We don’t always appreciate some of the things God allows into our lives. We don’t see certain things as gifts from God or good. The context of James 1:16-18 sheds light on the things God allows into our lives. What are some gifts God allows into our lives that we often do not appreciate?

First, trials are unappreciated gifts from God (James 1:1-8). Trials are allowed by God into our lives to build faith through patience and then character so that we will reach a point of perfection or spiritual maturity (1:1-4). Trials move us to pray (1:5a) and teach us how to add faith to our prayers (1:5b-8). There is a precious fellowship of suffering that God gives (Phil. 3:9-11).

Second, lowliness and loss are unappreciated gifts from God (1:9-11). God allows us to be in need so that it will draw us to Him for provision. When we lose the temporal it demonstrates that we ought to invest in eternal things that cannot be stolen or destroyed (Mat. 6).

Third, temptations are unappreciated gifts from God (1:12-15, 19-21). While temptations are not from God but from our sinful nature (1:12-15), God allows them so that we are put in a situation where we have opportunity to choose to follow Him. Without the potential for defeat there could be no victory (1:19-21). Without the possibility to disobey, we wouldn’t be able to know what true love is (John 14:21).

Fourth, God’s word is an unappreciated gift from God (1:22-25). We don’t realize how great a gift God’s word is. We can choose to listen to it being taught or read it with no effect on us. But only when we apply it to our lives do we discover its full value. Too often we do not appreciate God’s gift of the Bible.

Fifth, hardship in others is an unappreciated gift from God (1:26-27). Religion is a human attempt to reach God. It is ineffective in changing people. True religion is to help those in need such as widows and orphans; those who are unable to help themselves. But it is helping not to attain favor with God, but because we already have favor with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t help others to attain righteousness. We help others to show our appreciation to God for the righteousness He provides in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). We serve God by serving others. We love God supremely and so love others sacrificially. Such situations are unappreciated opportunities to be God’s ambassadors. As we help others bear burdens we fulfill one of the most important aspects of what it means to be a Christian (Gal. 6:2).

So the challenge has been made. Will you put the Giver and His gifts in their proper place this Christmas? Will you exalt the God the Giver for His most precious gift of salvation through Jesus the Christ?

 

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!”

Did you know that . . . .?

 

The Supreme Court in 1963 banned prayers in public schools. The following prayer by kindergarten children was declared illegal:

 

“We thank you for the flowers so sweet;

We thank you for the food we eat;

We thank you for the birds that sing;

We thank you God for everything.”

 

George Washington’s final remarks to the nation in 1796 were, “Of all the habits that lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would men claim the tributes of patriotism who would work to destroy these great pillars of human happiness.” ^[1]

 

I wonder just how much thanksgiving to God will take place this Thanksgiving. There’s so much we should be thankful to God for. In Psalm 136 the Psalmist records many of the reasons we should be thankful to the LORD.

Psalm 136 is what is called an antiphonal psalm; it was sung with back and forth responses between the worship leader and the congregation. When it was sung in the congregation there would be a responsive back and forth between the worship leader and the congregation. It is a Psalm of thanks to God for his goodness and enduring mercy.

Psalm 136

¹     Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

²     Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!

For His mercy endures forever.

³     Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!

For His mercy endures forever:

The phrase “Oh, give thanks” (Hebrew yawdaw) ix grammatically in the imperative; this is a must not a maybe; this is essential and necessary. The phrase itself means literally to hold out the hand to – in submission and thankfulness, to revere, to worship, to confess, or praise, give thanksgiving. It means to give a praising thankful testimony. It’s an exhortation repeated three times for emphasis in these opening verses of the psalm.

We’re exhorted to give thanks “to the LORD” (Hebrew Yehovaw ) which translates the Tetragrammaton, the holiest name of God. Elsewhere it is translated “I Am” (Ex. 3:14) and it means the Self-Existent Eternal One; the One Who is all He ever needs to be to do Whatever He purposes to do. We are to give thanks to our High and Holy God.

The word “for” here and throughout the psalm substantiates or gives us a valid reason to do what it says. One commentator states of “for” – “but taking the psalm as a whole, we may better understand the first word not as ‘for’, but as the emphatic ‘truly, indeed’.”^[2]  

Why give thanks to God? The rest of this psalm provides a litany of reasons to give thanks “to the LORD”:

1.      “for He is good!” – “Good” (Hebrew tobe ) is a word that means good in the widest sense; beautiful, best, better, gracious, kind, loving, pleasant, prosperous. Every good gift comes from God (James 1:17). For that we should give Him thanks.

 

2.      “For His mercy endures forever” – This phrase is repeated in every verse of this Psalm’ 26 times! What do you think the people singing this psalm would be impressed with? That God’s mercy endures forever. Why this emphasis? Because Satan wants us to think we have sinned beyond God’s mercy. That’s a lie! God’s mercy endures forever and He will forgive the one who repents and confesses their sin to Him asking forgiveness.

 

“Mercy” (Hebrew chesed ) is one of the richest words in the OT. “Mercy” means in the fullest sense of the words: Kindness, faithfulness, devotion, beauty, merciful, goodness; steadfast love; grace.

 

Chesed emphasizes the relationship God has with His people; with us. God voluntarily and in great grace and generosity obligated Himself to His people in love. His beauty is enveloped in His kindness, goodness, grace and love.

 

And this mercy “endures forever” (Hebrew olawm ) or goes to the vanishing point; beyond what we can conceive; eternity; always; everlasting; eternal. Thank the LORD His mercy never ends!

 

3.      “to the God of gods” – The LORD is unique; holy. There is none like Him (Is. 46:9). For that we should thank Him.

 

4.      “to the Lord of lords!” – The LORD is the Master over all other leaders whether they be kings, judges, religious leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, or any other person that falls under the heading of “lord.” God is Sovereign and LORD of all (Josh 3:13; Is. 66:20; Zech. 6:5; Acts 10:36). For that we should bow and give the LORD thanks.

Instead of repeating “Oh, give thanks to the LORD” the Psalmist simply continues each verse “T Him” from this point until the final verse. What else should we give thanks to the LORD for?

⁴     To Him who alone does great wonders,

For His mercy endures forever;

5.      We should give thanks to the LORD because He is able, willing and does perform great “wonders” (Hebrew pawlaw ) or distinctive acts that instill wonder. For that we give Him thanks.

⁵     To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,

For His mercy endures forever;

6.      God is omniscient or all knowing. His “wisdom” (Hebrew tawboon ) or intellect is higher than all other intelligence (cf. Is. 55:8-10). He knows everything about us and just what we need in ever circumstance. For that we give Him thanks.

⁶     To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,

For His mercy endures forever;

⁷     To Him who made great lights,

For His mercy endures forever—

7.      He is our Creator and for that we should thank Him.

⁸     The sun to rule by day,

For His mercy endures forever;

⁹     The moon and stars to rule by night,

For His mercy endures forever.

8.      The LORD has created in an orderly way (cf. 1 Cor. 14:33, 40). He is not one who is haphazard, capricious, or chaotic. That is a comfort to us and for that we give Him thanks.

¹⁰     To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹¹     And brought out Israel from among them,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹²     With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹³     To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹⁴     And made Israel pass through the midst of it,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹⁵     But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,

For His mercy endures forever;

9.      God is able and does deliver us from the greatest most powerful worldly enemies. He is our Deliverer and Advocate (e.g. 1 John 2:1-2). If God is for us it doesn’t matter who is against us (Rom. 8:31-32). Thank You LORD for that!

¹⁶     To Him who led His people through the wilderness,

For His mercy endures forever;

10.  God is our Sustainer. Just as He sustained His people in their wilderness wanderings, He sustains us throughout our life. For that we thank Him.

¹⁷     To Him who struck down great kings,

For His mercy endures forever;

¹⁸     And slew famous kings,

For His mercy endures forever—

¹⁹     Sihon king of the Amorites,

For His mercy endures forever;

²⁰     And Og king of Bashan,

For His mercy endures forever—

11.  God is able to defeat the biggest giants in our life; like Sihon and Og who were very possibly over 12 feet tall! No giant is too big for God to defeat. For that we thank Him.

 

Thanksgiving might not be celebrated in the United States today, were it not for a patient, persistent woman named Sarah Hale.

 

It is well-known that the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621 to give thanks for their winter in the New World.

 

In 1789, President George Washington issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation to commemorate the first Pilgrim celebration. But Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States discontinued it, calling Thanksgiving, “a kingly practice.”

 

After this, Thanksgiving was observed by some individual states, and on whatever date suited their fancy.

Then in 1828, Mrs. Hale, the editor of the magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book and author of the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” began campaigning for the restoration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

 

She wrote letters and sought appointments with national leaders from the President down. Time after time she was politely rebuffed, sometimes being told it was “impossible” and “impractical,” and sometimes being dismissed with a this-is-none-of-your-business scolding.

 

Finally in 1863 President Lincoln listened seriously to her plea that North and South “lay aside enmities and strife on (Thanksgiving) Day.” He proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November to be the official “National Thanksgiving Day.” This day was finally ratified by the U. S. Congress in 1941. ^[3]

 

Even when there are giant discouraging obstacles, God is able to help us overcome.

 

²¹     And gave their land as a heritage,

For His mercy endures forever;

²²     A heritage to Israel His servant,

For His mercy endures forever.

12.  God fulfills His promises. He is faithful. We can depend on Him. For that we thank Him.

²³     Who remembered us in our lowly state,

For His mercy endures forever;

²⁴     And rescued us from our enemies,

For His mercy endures forever;

13.  God is thinking about us; looking for ways to bless us (e.g. Luke 11:13). He rescues us when needed. He never forgets us. He loves us so much He can’t get His mind off of us (ef. Psalm 139:17-18). Thank You LORD for always thinking of me.

²⁵     Who gives food to all flesh,

For His mercy endures forever.

14.  God feeds us; He meets our practical needs. Every need we have is met in and through Jesus (Phil. 4:19). For that we thank Him.

It was on Thanksgiving several years ago that Helen Hayes cooked her first turkey. Before serving it she announced to her husband, Charles MacArthur, and their son James: “Now I know this is the first turkey I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t right, I don’t want anybody to say a word. We’ll just get up from the table without comment, and go down to the hotel for dinner.” Then she retired to the kitchen. When she entered the dining room, bearing the turkey, she found her husband and son seated at the table—wearing their hats and coats. ^[4]

 

Be thankful for the food God puts on your table, (or in a restaurant if need be).

 

²⁶     Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!

For His mercy endures forever.

Yes, for all of this we should be thankful.

About the year 125 A.D. a Greek by the name of Aristeides was writing to one of his friends about the new religion, Christianity. He was trying to explain the reasons for its extraordinary success. Here is a sentence from one of his letters: “If any righteous man among the Christians passes from this world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God, and they escort his body with songs and thanksgiving as if he were setting out from one place to another nearby.” ^[5]

 

Being thankful to God is a testimony to a unthankful world.

Are you thankful to the LORD? Are you thankful for those around you? I came across a poem of thanks that I’d like to conclude with:

I Thank God For You

 

THANK GOD FOR YOU,

Good friend of mine.

Seldom is friendship such as thine;

How very much I wish to be

As helpful as you’ve been to me—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

 

Of many prayer guests, one thou art

On whom I ask God to impart

Rich blessings from His storeroom rare,

And grant to you His gracious care.

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

 

When I recall, from time to time,

How you inspired this heart of mine:

I find myself inclined to pray.

God bless my friend this very day—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

 

So often, at the throne of Grace,

There comes a picture of your face:

And then, instinctively, I pray

That God may Guide you all the way—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

 

Someday, I hope with you to stand

Before the throne, at God’s right hand;

And to say to you—at journey’s end:

"Praise God, you’ve been to me a friend—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.”

—Joseph Clark^[6]

 

Have you pondered all that God has done, is doing and has promised to do for you? I hope so. The LORD deserves our thanks. Will you say, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!”

Hold that thought.

Think of the worst thing that has ever been done to you. Think of your bitterness and resentment,

your hurt and pain, the deep scars all of it. Now think of the worst thing you have ever done, the darkest, most despicable, and deeply sinful shameful thing you’ve ever done. Now remember, God’s mercy endures forever to the repentant offender and the repentant bitter victim. And key to unlock the floodgates of God’s mercy from heaven is Jesus. Jesus is the One through whom God’ mercy is poured out. The blood of Jesus can wash away and all sin for the repentant confessing sinner. The water of God’s word can cleanse us from impurities and the blood of Jesus washes us from all our sin. God’s mercy endures forever and it endures through Jesus Christ.

 

Now again I ask, “Will you be able to say with the psalmist, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!”

---

^[1]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[2]Eaton, John: The Psalms : A Historical and Spiritual Commentary With an Introduction and New Translation. London; New York : T&T Clark, 2003, S. 452

^[3]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[4]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[5]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[6]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979