Posts Tagged ‘holidays’
Ascension Sunday -June 1
02
Jun
(B) Sunday before Pentecost- Dedicating Our Talents-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). In the parable of the talents (Math. 25:14-30) Jesus makes it clear that He was leaving His disciples and entrusting them to carry on His work. He indicates that He has given everyone talents to help build His kingdom. Some have many talents, some have very few. He indicated that one day He is coming back and 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. Eastertide should have been a time when members sought their talents and the church sought ways to use those talents. If so, Ascension Sunday should be a time when they commit themselves to the summer evangelistic work so that Pentecost can be a fruitful time of winning souls.
Ash Wednesday March 5
03
Mar
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Lent was a time when the early church instructed new converts in the Christian life in preparation for baptism and should be a time when believers examine their life and seek out any sin in their life that would stand between them and serving Christ. It is a good time to examine our life in light of the revelations in the Gospels by reading through the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), a chapter or portion of a chapter every day. As we read, we should consider what Christ has to say about following Him and try to apply it to our own lives. As we examine our life, it should result in changes in how we live. Faith without works is dead for our works demonstrate our faith, just as a fruit tree that doesn’t bear fruit is worthless, works without faith is in vain because the works alone will not produce faith and often are merely a means to be seen by men. James 2:14-26. Now is a good time to reexamine your life and your faith.
Second Sunday of Advent-Dec 8
05
Dec
Gold-symbolizing Jesus as the coming King-While hymns portray the Wise Men as Kings, they were more likely astrologers who were advisers to the Persian kings, sent by the kings as representatives bearing gifts. The songs say there were three but we don’t know how many. However the Wise Men brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Mirth in recognition of the roles that Christ would fulfill. The first gift they brought was Gold in recognition that He would be a King. Indeed, He would bring hope because He would subdue all the powers of the world and would become King of Kings and ruler over all creation. However, before He would wear a crown of Gold, He would wear a crown of thorns as He conquered death itself as the sacrificial lamb. While before, all we knew was the way of serving the flesh, Christ came to show us a better way through serving God. We can conquer the slavery to the flesh and live as God intended us as we allow Christ to be ruler of our life. A lot of people don’t know any other way than serving the flesh and won’t know there is a better way unless we step out into the world like Jesus did and show them.