November 25:
Potsdam Call: Deuteronomy 8: 6-18 Read: W&S #175 Text: Luke 17: 11-19 Closing: Hosea 13: 4-6 The Majority I am baffled. I am perplexed. I am without any clue. For I do not understand how Thanksgiving has become so under appreciated. And I especially do not understand Why people in churches of every faith Of every denomination, and in every geographical location Seem unable to recognize that this is a religious holiday. Is it because "Thanksgiving" has become a name rather than an act? If so, I would be more than glad to support a move to rename the holiday to "Giving Thanks Day." That change in what we call the holiday Would make it clear that the title incorporates a verb More specifically, what we called while I was in elementary school: an "action verb." This might help some to recognize that this is - or rather should be - an action holiday. The action is one of giving thanks. But giving thanks to whom? (and this is where religion comes in) To God! To our creator, king, shepherd and Lord But what do most people think of when they hear the word "Thanksgiving?" I can tell you that it's usually not God. Instead it is Turkeys, cranberries, and pies Recreational activities like football and hunting, Parades and floats and days off from school or work. Too we think of gathering with family or friends. Now, there is nothing wrong with Turkeys, cranberries, and pies I enjoy all of them - perhaps too much for my own good There is nothing wrong with Recreational activities like football and hunting Although not a hunter, I truly enjoy football There is nothing wrong with parades and floats I enjoy them I've marched in many In addition, I've ridden a float in one and been a judge at still another I do fear, however, that Thanksgiving parades Have lost the idea of giving thanks And instead Are used to announce the commercial Christmas season As for a few days off from school or work, Who other than Ebenezer Scrooge - and the owners of an increasing number of present day retail establishments - Doesn't find value in that. And the best way to understand how important gathering with family or friends Is to think of what Thanksgiving would be like w/o them I have heard the argument that We should give thanks every day, not just one day a year. Why of course, we should. Duh! But despite the accuracy of that statement I find no merit in it as a reason - or excuse - for ignoring the importance of Thanksgiving The two are not mutually exclusive! This is not an "either-or" situation. In fact the purpose of Thanksgiving is two fold The giving of thanks on the holiday, of course But also To remind us of the importance of giving thanks the rest of the year. And if it were an either-or proposition, We would have a tremendous giving of thanks on the holiday For there is no way that most of the people in this world Or for that matter: this nation, this state, this county, this village Give God thanks on a daily basis. But every time I feel like getting on my soap box or getting behind this pulpit to chastise the modern world I find myself having to admit that, as much as the modern world deserves chastisement The problem has existed for centuries - even millennia We find it throughout the OT People forgetting to give thanks to God Choosing instead to indulge themselves And being convinced that they have earned all their blessings That is why God sent the prophets To get the people to put the focus where it belonged [Hold Bible] This particular version has 261 pages of prophet after prophet trying to refocus the hearts and minds of the people and, in particular, the leaders as they made decisions. And they follow page after page of histories which tell Of the disobedience of the people And of their ignoring God as if God were irrelevant. That type of thinking and behavior is why God sent God's son And we know how many people treated him If anyone who doesn't remember, there is a cross behind me. But not all of the ignoring and indulging took place in the OT One of the saddest stories in scripture is in Luke's gospel Where he tells of Jesus being called to help by ten lepers. That story is our text tonight [Luke 17: 11-19] Lepers were not allowed to come into contact with other people And people understood leprosy to be a punishment from God So when these ten saw the much talked about rabbi walking by They called out for relief of their punishment So they could be healthy again And So they could be reintegrated into society The lepers spotted Jesus and hailed him as he walked on his way to Jerusalem "Jesus, Master, show us mercy!" They acted like they thought he was someone special Just like we did on Sunday when we called him our king. And he responded Telling them to go show themselves to the priest The one who could certify that they were clean The one who could allow them to resume normal lives And as they left to do what he said, they were cleansed. One of them, upon realizing he had been healed Hurried back to Jesus Threw himself at Christ's feet And thanked him. The leper who returned was, amazingly enough, A Samaritan Amazing because Jews and Samaritans did not hit it off. The joy we have when we think of this Samaritan leper returning to Jesus to express his deep gratitude dissipates quickly when we hear Jesus inquire: "Weren't ten cleansed?" "Where are the other nine?" The vast majority (90% !) chose to not turn back to thank the one who healed them. And the question for us during a week in which We are reminded to give thanks to God is; How often do we find ourselves in the majority Which didn't think giving thanks was important enough to bother? How often when Jesus asks, "Where are the other nine"" Do we have to answer with so many others, "We are over here." Or is there a chance that we are we in the minority The tenth leper who knew that it was that important? Our taking time to be here tonight is some evidence that there is a good chance that we are more like that Samaritan leper; But even, if we are, I remain grateful for "Giving Thanks Day." For I do not want to ever forget why this holiday is observed and celebrated in the church and I don't want anyone in the churches I serve to forget either. For I don't want the words God spoke through Hosea To ever be spoken about me - or about you. [Hosea 13:6]