Psalm 100:1 – The Foundations of Thanksgiving – Bible study

Psalm 100:1 The Foundations of Thanksgiving This Thursday is Thanksgiving. Since most history books and classes have re- written the history of this holiday, let me take a few moments to remind you of its origins. I. The History of Thanksgiving A. The first thanksgiving In the Spring, after their survival of that first difficult winter, the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony began planting their first crops. That Fall, with help from their Indian neighbors, they gathered in their first harvest. With a spirit of excitement, the Pilgrims invited the Indians who had helped to join with them in a three-day feast to celebrate Gods faithfulness. The meal consisted of wild turkey, venison and vegetables. This first thanksgiving feast in the new colonies took place in 1621, one year after the Pilgrims had landed on Plymouth Rock. In 1623, Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colonies made this proclamation "Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience. Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all you Pilgrims, with your wives and your little ones, do gather at the meeting house, on the hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since you Pilgrims landed on Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to your pastor and render thanksgiving to Almighty God for all His blessings." B. George Washington On November 26, 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation for a nation-wide day of thanksgiving. He made it clear that this day should be one of prayer and giving thanks to God. It was celebrated by people of all religious denominations throughout this new country. C. Abraham Lincoln Later, President Abraham Lincoln made a proclamation in 1863, designating the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day, a day for the nation to give thanks to Almighty God. The date was later changed to the fourth Thursday of November, by President Franklin Roosevelt, in order to encourage holiday shopping. D. Changing times But things in the United States of America, started to change in 1962. That was the year the Supreme Court banned state-directed prayers in the public schools. Then in 1963, the Supreme Court banned Bible reading for religious purposes in the public school. Seventeen years later, in 1980, the Supreme Court said schools could no longer post the Ten Commandments. The High Court classified them as "plainly religious." Their ruling said that the existence of the Ten Commandments in a classroom might prompt children"to read, ponder, revere, or obey these commandments." And thats how our national religious heritage began to be eliminated from public life. That was when the history of Thanksgiving was changed to eliminate any reference to God or His goodness and guidance. Students graduating from public schools for the last 20 years have not been taught the true history of Americas founding. E. William Bennett William Bennett who served as Secretary of Education under President Reagan wrote this about these anti-religious court decisions "In too many places in American public education, religion has been ignored, banned or shunned in ways that serve neither knowledge, nor the Constitution, nor sound public policy. There is no good curricular or constitutional reason for textbooks to ignore, as many do, the role of religion in the founding of this country or its prominent place in the lives of many of its citizens. We should acknowledge that religion-from the Pilgrims to the civil rights struggle-is an important part of our history, civics, literature, art, music, poetry, and politics, and we should insist that our schools tell the truth about it." F. Illustration A fourth grader was assigned to write the history of Thanksgiving for a school report but the class was also cautioned about making their report a religious speech. So the child summarized his report as follows: "The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of, you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks, to you know who. Because of them, we can worship each Sunday, you know where." G. Illustration Each year, thousands of cards and letter are returned because if inadequate or incorrect addressing. This year alone, more than 2 million documents will be returned. Some of those documents will contain sincere and heartfelt wishes for those to whom it was directed, but all the love and sincerity in that letter will not get it to the right destination without the correct address. So it is with many thanksgiving wishes this holiday season. We celebrate a "thanksgiving" holiday, but we have removed all references to the One we should be thanking. I suppose that leaves us in the awkward position of merely thanking ourselves. II. What does the Bible have to say? A. The Bible says all good things come from God. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. B. We must understand the basics: 1. There are only two sources of power in creation. 2. You can call it good versus evil, yin versus yang, light versus dark; but what it is, is God versus Satan. 3. If it is bad, it is of sin and Satan. 4. If it is good, it is of mercy and God. C. Have you received anything good in the last twelve months? 1. Were you blessed in family? Do your parents still live? Is your marriage good? 2. Did you receive a paycheck? food? clothing? Did you have a job? 3. Are you alive? Did you have good health? Did your family? Did anyone sick get well? Were there any births this year? 4. Are you saved? Have you grown in the last year? Have you served the Lord? Did you learn anything? Did you remain faithful to Jesus? Did you have any prayers answered? Did anyone you know get saved this year? 5. Did you laugh this year? Was there a new friend who made you happy? an old acquaintance? a family member? 6. In summary, would you say that life has been good? 7. If the answer to ANY of these questions is "yes," God gave it to you and you should thank Him. D. But what if you have had a terrible year this year? 1. Troubles come, and they come with a ferociousness. 2. Ask Job. 3. If things have been extremely bad, does that mean we have nothing for which to thank God? 4. NO! 5. Even in our worst days, God has been good to us! III. Psalm 100:5 gives us three things for which we can always be thankful. A. The Lord is good. 1. Even if this is by far the worst year of your life, God is good. 2. He gave you life which gives you opportunity. 3. He gave you Jesus which gives you forgiveness and kinship. 4. He gave you His Word which gives you hope and power. B. Gods mercy is everlasting. 1. What God has offered has no expiration date. 2. What God has offered, you desperately need. a. Even if your physical life has been and will continue to be bad, you have a spiritual life that still needs Gods care. b. Turn to Jesus and enjoy what He has for you. C. Gods truth will endure to all. 1. All generations means all people. 2. Not only will it last forever, but it also works for everyone! Chuck Colson, a former politician who served time for his part in Watergate, but who was saved and has worked hard for the Lord since, wrote an article in 1998 about a conversation he had with his grandson, Charlie, about Thanksgiving. After a wonderful mean of turkey and dressing, he was enjoying a few hours of time with his children and grandchildren and decided to quiz the eight-year old about the history of Thanksgiving. He leaned over and said, "Charlie, why did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?" Charlie resorted to the obvious answer, as grandchildren often do on such occasions. He said, "They wanted to give thanks." "And who did the Pilgrims give thanks to?" The boys face clouded and he squirmed a little. "I dont know–I guess they were thanking the Indians," he said. "Thats what we learned at school." Chuck Colson was astonished that such wrong information had been given to his grandson. No, the pilgrims did not thank the Indians at that Thanksgiving. They thanked God. But the truth is that this holiday as been secularized as much as Christmas and unless we who are Christians stop to remember and proclaim the truth of Thanksgiving, the One this holiday was created to honor will receive no thanks for all His goodness to us.