Remembering and Celebrating

We celebrate many different occasions in our culture...we celebrate national holidays...birthdays...events like graduations...weddings....the birth of a child...the death of a loved one...we celebrate so many different things...and we know how and why we celebrate these occasions...

This week's Sunday school lesson speaks of another occasion we should rejoice in...Lesson 6 Remembering and Celebrating...Deuteronomy 16:1-8...the Golden Text...is verse one...let's check it out...

Deuteronomy 16:1-8 says...
Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there.
Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread threwith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of they life.
And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.
Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee:
But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

I hope that you can see what I see in this text...it is a wonderful thing to celebrate...I mean truly have a good time...I have had so much fun that I was exhausted...I needed to rest...that is the very simple message of this text...Let me bust this text wide open for you...

Verse one speaks of the month of Abib...Abib is the first month on the Jewish calendar...the month of Abib is when the ripe harvest is gathered...It is in a month of plenty...He said while you are at your best celebrate your deliverance...when you are at your worst celebrate your deliverance...remember how I brought you out...and then rest in my protection...rest in my provision...and grace and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life...

We celebrate a good God...a God that fights our battles...that has given us the victory...and the sad reality is most of us don't even realize that there is a party going on...we know why we celebrate our 21st birthday...to get drunk...we know why we celebrate graduation...because of the huge accomplishment...So why don't we know why...we celebrate what the Lord has done in our life??? How busy is your life that you haven't stopped to smell the roses? What situation has you so tangled up...you refuse to know Christ???

That is a question only you can answer...There is a party going on...and you're invited...your place in VIP has already been reserved by the Son of the Host...so cut loose...and live your life to the fullest...Let's pray...

Lord...you have been so good to us...we don't even know why you send blessings our way at times...it is nothing but your grace and mercy that carry us...thank you Lord for your provision...thank you Lord for your protection...remind us of your Word daily...forgive us of our sins...you are so holy...we want to be more like you...so make us again anew...a fresh anointing Lord...give us direction...give us understanding...we love you Lord...we celebrate you Lord...and it is in Jesus' name we pray...Amen...