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Archive for the ‘holidays’ Category

video-Why We Celebrate

26 Nov

 
 

Video-Christ the King Sunday-Nov 26

22 Nov

 

Christ the King Sunday-B-November 26

22 Nov

Christ The King Sunday-B Though Christ the King Sunday sometimes falls on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it is proper that it be celebrated before Thanksgiving, since God has ordained that one day He will come to earth again to take his followers home and then He will hold a marriage supper to celebrate His marriage to His bride (the Church). Though many argue whether Christ will return before the tribulation, during the tribulation, or after the tribulation, God has spelled out the sequence of the last days. (The coming of Christ (Rosh Hosanna)followed by the time of tribulation, and finally the final judgment (Yom Kippur) and the end of the age, followed by the marriage Supper of the Lamb (Succoth) which we shall celebrate in heaven. Succoth, (the Feast of Booths), celebrates the completion of the final harvest, just as Thanksgiving celebrates the completion of the final harvest. One day we will sit with Jesus in the marriage feast of the Lamb (symbolized by Succoth) celebrating the completion of the harvest of believers and the marriage of the Church with Christ. That will be one great Thanksgiving feast with all the saints gathered before Christ. Succoth (the Feast of Booths) remembers the days they wandered in the wilderness and how God provided for them, just as we celebrate Thanksgiving to remind us how God preserved the early colonists through great tribulation, but one day we will celebrate in heaven how God preserved the saints through their tribulation and the fact that His harvest of souls is complete. Since God fulfilled the Passover and Pentecost exactly as He ordained them, I have no doubt that He will do the same with Rosh Hosanna. Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the Christian calendar and celebrates what will one day begin the last days of the human race, before Christ ushers in the new heaven and the new earth which He and His followers shall rule and from which Satan and all who follow him will be forever banished.

 

 

Thanksgiving-A-November 23

22 Nov

In the 1500’s, Europe had become a closed society where many were tied to the land and opportunities for bettering yourself were almost non-existent. Many came to America because it was a land of plenty and a land of opportunity where even the poorest person could become rich through hard work and determination, yet it wasn’t easy in the beginning. America was an untamed wilderness, far different from what they knew in Europe, and there were few resources to fall back on. Many of the early colonists faced starvation and without food and training in growing the strange American crops by the Indians, many more would have perished. The colonists that survived and saw the first harvest gave thanks to God for preserving them by throwing a big feast. Our harvest is later than in Israel so we celebrate Thanksgiving later but it is still a time of remembering when our ancestors had to depend on God to preserve them in the wilderness. In the prosperity today, it is hard for many to understand what it means to be completely dependent on God so Thanksgiving is a time when we remember how they had to rely on God.

 

 

Christ The King Sunday-A

16 Nov

While Thanksgiving is not a universal Christian holiday, it is a good opportunity to remind ourselves and teach our kids about the Second Coming. Christ the King Sunday follows the final Sunday of Kingdomtide. While the third and final holiday, which God commanded the Jews to observe occurs in late September or early October on our calendar, our harvest season is later and occurs in November. As a result, we celebrate it in connection with our harvest as Christ the King Day, the celebration of the Second coming of Christ. It is celebrated the last Sunday before Advent and so usually occurs the Sunday before Thanksgiving, though it occasionally occurs the Sunday after due to a distortion in the Roman calendar.  Most Christians no longer celebrate it and take little thought of Christ’s return. The Bible states that the trumpet will sound, and true believers will be caught up in the air with Christ. Since we don’t know when Christ will come again, it is important for us to be ready, or we will be left behind. Non-believers however, will remain on earth and go through the days of tribulation where they will have a final chance to repent. At the end of the days of tribulation, the final harvest will be complete, and God will close the books forever. (See “Before Your Eyes” in “Understanding the Path We Walk” or “Celebrations” on Udemy for more on the holidays) It would normally occur next week this year, but I am including it here because it should properly be celebrated before Thanksgiving.

 

 

Intro to Kingdomtide-video

31 Aug

Kingdomtide begins Sunday

 

Second Suday of Pentecost-Trinity Sunday-June 4

31 May

The Second Sunday of Pentecost is Trinity Sunday when Christians celebrate the Trinity, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The Jews dealt with God the Father through the priests and prophets, and occasionally through Angels sent to deliver messages. Then Jesus came in bodily form to show us the nature of the Father in a way we could understand. Finally, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to guide us and give us power in restoring the Kingdom of God. The disciples were transformed when they received the Holy Spirit and received power to go out and proclaim the Gospel. Many churches ignore the celebration of Pentecost as they no longer emphasize to new birth in Christ and lives of members differ little from unbelievers around them. The church needs to get a new sense of the changing power of the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

Introduction to Pentecost

25 May

 

Ascension Sunday-May 21

21 May

The seventh Sunday of Eastertide is Ascension Sunday when we celebrate Christ’s return to heaven. When Christ finished giving His disciples their assignment, He ascended into heaven, leaving them to carry on the work until He returns (Acts1:7-11). Many think that Jesus gave the command to make disciples just to the original twelve disciples. However, Jesus makes it clear in the parable of the talents (Math. 25:14-30) that He is talking about all who serve Him. He does not say the master gave his possessions to the head steward or to some of his servants, He says the master gave his possessions to his servants. Apparently, he distributed his possessions among all of them. Jesus was leaving His disciples and entrusted them to carry on His work. He has given everyone talents to help build His kingdom. Some have many talents, some have very few. One day those who are in Christ will stand before Him to give an account of how we used the talents He gave us. How we use those talents will determine our eventual reward. If we use those talents abundantly, He will reward us abundantly but if we squander them, we will receive little or no reward when He returns.

 

 

Meaning of Eastertide-video

11 Apr