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Today has been known as “Black Friday” for as long as I can remember. It even has that designation on my Facebook calendar, and I did not put it there. Traditionally, it marked the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers would have sales with huge discounts to get people into their stores the day after Thanksgiving and jump start their yearend profits.

I learned a long time ago not to shop on that day. The Thanksgiving before our middle daughter was getting married, my wife saw that one store had the mixer she wanted to give her marked down 60% on Friday only. The store opened at 5 a.m. and she told me I was to go and get one for her. I did as I was told, found the mixer, and waited in line an hour and a half to pay for it. I’m not sure it was worth the savings.

Today, Black Friday sales start long before the day after Thanksgiving, and even are available online. But there will still be a lot of folks observing this event today.

When I hear the term “Black Friday,” it reminds me of something else, the day we usually call Good Friday. It was a dark, black day when Jesus willingly put Himself in the position of being the sacrifice for the sins of the world. And that day marked the biggest savings ever: God was saving the world. Jesus was the substitute, taking our sins and giving us His righteousness. And from God’s perspective, it was totally worth it. It was not small price, no minor inconvenience that earned our salvation. Yet Jesus endured it willingly for our sake.

What better way is there to start what the world calls “the Christmas season” than to remember why Jesus was born? And we should take a hint from the retailers and expand this remembrance to much more than just one day. In fact, it should be everyday that we remember the Friday that brought about the Good of our forgiveness and life and salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May this be the message we share with the world as we prepare to remember Christ’s birth.

On this National Day of Thanksgiving, I’m going to share some reflections on Psalm 136.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

“God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” How true are the words of that song in your life? If you are grateful people, to whom is that gratitude directed? Family? Employment? Nation? This Psalm begins by reminding us that our gratitude should be directed toward God.

Give thanks to the God of gods. Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

We call Him “God of gods” because He is the only true God. People try to make other things into their gods. Power. Wealth. People. Things. But there is only one true God, the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And He is to be our Lord, our master, because He is the one who is really in control. The question is whether or not we always realize that He is the one in control.

to him who alone does great wonders,

Can any of the idols people put first in their lives compare to the author of creation? Can money create the beauty of a golden sky at sunset?

who by his understanding made the heavens,

The vast expanse of the universe, which men struggle to comprehend and understand,  is the handiwork of our all-powerful God.

who spread out the earth upon the waters, who made the great lights— the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night;

We enjoy the wonders of this earth with its seas, lakes, rivers and streams. The bounty of the earth is ours to enjoy. The created lights overcome the darkness. In the same way this closest and brightest of the stars overcomes darkness for us, our loving God sent His only Son into the world, to be close to us, to overcome the darkness of sin for us. And as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we are to reflect the light of Jesus for this world of darkness to see.

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt and brought Israel out from among them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;

The powerful story of the Exodus, in which God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, culminated with the plague on the firstborn of those who did not have the blood of the lamb over their doorways. God delivered His people from their slavery in Egypt, and through Christ has delivered us from our bondage to sin. Moses was their earthly leader, but God brought the deliverance.

to him who divided the Red Sea asunder and brought Israel through the midst of it, but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;

Moses raised his staff, but God parted the waters so His people could walk across on dry ground. They walked through those two walls of water, marveling at the sight, knowing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was with them. Their pursuers tried to follow, but part of God’s deliverance was to overwhelm the enemies of His people. In the same way, He overwhelms our enemies still today.

to him who led his people through the desert, who struck down great kings, and killed mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan— and gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his servant Israel;

Even though their disobedience meant the children of Israel must wander 40 years in the desert, God was still with them, in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  His people encountered enemies that wanted to destroy them. What power did they have against the God of the universe? Do you know anything about Sihon or Og? You have probably never heard of them. You never remember who came in second or third place. You remember the winner. And that is God. He is the one who gave that land to His people, just as He had promised to Abraham.

In the same way, He gives us heaven, which is not rightfully ours due to our sin and corruption and disobedience. Through faith in Jesus, we, the new chosen people of God, know that it has been given to us as our inheritance. Not something we have earned, but a gift freely given by the one whose love endures forever.

to the One who remembered us in our low estate and freed us from our enemies,

God sees us with all of our problems. He knows your hurts, your fears, your needs. And He remembers you. He is with you. Just as He was able to overcome the enemies His people faced in the wilderness, fierce though they were, He is able to overcome your enemies. And He has already overcome your greatest enemy, which is death. By sending His Son to suffer and die and rise again, God has freed you from the everlasting death and torment you deserve.

and who gives food to every creature.

In addition to our spiritual need, God meets all our bodily needs as well. His ongoing care and providence for us here on earth is a sign of how great and good and loving He is. By using our wealth to help meet the needs of others, we are showing God the proper gratitude.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.

That is what you should be doing today. And as disciples of Jesus, every day is to be one in which we give thanks to the God of heaven. “God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Amen.

Like many of you, I am travelling this week to be with family for the celebration of Thanksgiving.  I continue to be amazed at how richly God has blessed me, allowing me to be able to do this.

Of course, I know my greatest blessing is found in Jesus. He took the initiative, He did all the work, so that I could be rescued from the death and destruction my sins deserve. So to get myself in the proper mindset for giving thanks, I have been reading some of the Psalms. I share one with you today to hopefully get you into the attitude of gratitude as well.

Psalm 149  ¹ Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. ² Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. ³ Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. ⁴ For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. ⁵ Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. ⁶ May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, ⁷ to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, ⁸ to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, ⁹ to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the Lord.

Let’s sing God’s praises so loudly with our words and our lives that those who don’t yet know Him as Lord and Savior will wonder what all the fuss is about, and we can tell them about our Jesus.

We all have our demons. They are real. We may not always identify them as such, but they are there. Some folks say they hear them talking and we label them as a little kooky. Many don’t even realize they are all around us. They whisper temptations into our hearts and minds, staying under the radar and out of sight, because that has proven to be a successful tactic for them. But they are all too real.

Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV) ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil. Most folks read that quickly and keep going because they don’t want to think about the minions of the devil operating in their lives. And yet they do.  When you are just minding your own business and everything seems to be going great and suddenly a sinful thought or a temptation to do what you know is wrong enters your mind, where do you think that comes from?

Demons spend a lot of time “working” in the lives of the followers of Jesus. They want to distract you from your life and calling as a disciple. They want to take your focus off of the cross and the empty tomb, planting seeds of doubt in your mind, hoping you will fall away from your faith.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

You are told to resist the devil and his evil angels. But you do not have to do this in your own strength or might. God has given you the promise of His presence. Always.

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

But wait. There is more.

Psalm 91:11–12 (ESV) For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Yesterday was “Christ the King” Sunday. Our King is the Victor, He has already defeated Satan.

Colossians 2:15 (NIV84)  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Through the cross Christ paid our debt, freed us from death’s grasp, satisfied the judgment that stood against us, and was victorious in every way. That includes defeating the Satan and his demons. Our faith in Jesus claims all that He did and gives us the certainty of life now and life forever. Keep your focus there.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV84) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Yesterday I shared Acts 9:1-20 and spoke about the zeal of Saul/Paul.  I am sharing part of that reading with you again today so we can consider the other main character in this account, Ananias.

Acts 9:10-20 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.  The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord– Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here– has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.  At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Instead of zeal, Ananias seems have reluctance and misgivings. He wasn’t too sure about God’s call to go down to Straight Street and see this fellow Saul. He asked, “God, are you sure this is the right guy? I’ve heard stories about him, and he is working against us! Don’t you mean someone else?” God assures Ananias that He is not mistaken. He has chosen Saul to be His instrument, just as Ananias was His servant. So Ananias goes to Saul, but it seems as if he is still reluctant. He didn’t really want to go. He found Saul, and simply said, “Jesus told me to come here and do this.” The miracle of Saul’s sight being restored took place in spite of Ananias and his lack of enthusiasm. Later, when Paul recalls this event, he depicts Ananias as being a more forceful person, no doubt the servant he eventually turned out to be.

I would guess we are sometimes like Saul charging in confident that we know God’s will even when we do not. And then there are times we hesitate like Ananias, seeing the danger, questioning God’s plan, or suggesting someone else might be better equipped for the task. But if God is calling you to do something, He will give you the power you need to accomplish the task. It is not your power, but HIS at work in you.

It was grace that God used hesitant Ananias. When Jesus first called, he seemed willing enough. He answered, “Yes, Lord.” He had faith. He knew his Savior. “You want me to go talk to someone? Sure. Who? Saul? I didn’t know you meant him.” But he goes, in spite of his reluctance, and look at the good God does.

Of course it was also God’s grace that empowered and enabled Saul. He was opposed to Jesus. In order to use him, our Lord had to appear in a blazing light, introduced Himself, and blinded Saul for three days. He then provided for Saul’s care in Damascus. That God went to all this trouble to convert Saul into a useful vessel is evidence of His great grace.

All his past was forgiven. And look at the tremendous service he rendered for Christ!

In 1914, Thomas Edison’s manufacturing facility burned down. He lost over a million dollars of equipment, and the record of much of his work. The next day, walking through the remains, he said to his assistant, “There is value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Now we can start anew.”  In His grace, God gave the murderer Saul a chance to start anew as Paul. He gives each of you the same chance. That is why He sent His Son – to die for your sins, pay for your mistakes, wipe the slate clean, and grant you forgiveness. What you may lose in serving Christ does not compare with what you gain.

Acts 9:1-20 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.  Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.  In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.  The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord– Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here– has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.  At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Saul was zealous and passionate in his service for the Lord. But Saul started out on the wrong side. He was present at the stoning of Stephen. He worked to destroy the church. He instigated widespread persecution by looking for Christians in Damascus to take back to Jerusalem. But something happened on the way. He was converted by God and led to the truth of Jesus Christ as the Savior. With the same zeal he had used in persecuting the Church, he now worked fervently to serve his Lord.

Sometimes passion is misdirected. Maybe you have heard of Dr. Jean Garton. She was the wife of a Lutheran Pastor, who found herself with an unwanted pregnancy at age 40. This was prior to Roe vs. Wade, so she did not have the legal option of an abortion. This angered her, so she joined a pro-choice activist group. She was convinced that women should have the option of abortion. One day, preparing a presentation for medical students, she viewed a slide of a dissected abortion victim, aged 2 & 1/2 months gestation. All of a sudden she heard her three-year-old son, the one whose pregnancy led her to become an abortion advocate. He had slipped into the room without her knowing it and saw the slide. He asked, “Who broke the baby?” That was her turning point. She was converted. She realized the terrible wrong that abortion is, so much so that she became a leader in the pro-life movement. She was co-founder of Lutherans for Life and a crusader in the cause. The same zeal she once put into abortion advocacy went to work to preserve God’s gift of life. Zeal, pointed in the right direction, is a tremendous asset.

God wants His people, the followers of Jesus, to be zealous in telling others about our Savior. They need to know He died and rose for them, too. It is only through faith in Jesus that people will receive the forgiveness and life that He earned for them. May our zeal be pointed in the right direction!

Acts 5 tells us that the Apostles were busy telling everyone they could about Jesus. The Sadducees became jealous of how many people were listening and believing, so they had them arrested. An angel freed them overnight and told them to keep preaching. The next day they were back at it, so the guards rounded them up and brought them in for trial before the Sanhedrin, the same Jewish tribunal that had found Jesus guilty and sentenced Him to death. They told the Apostles to stop preaching. Here is what happened next.

Acts 5:29-40 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The disciples who just a few months earlier had all abandoned Jesus were now emboldened by having seen Him risen again and also by the power of the Holy Spirit poured out on them at Pentecost. Nothing would stop them from sharing the news of Jesus as Savior for everyone.

What I want you to notice today is the fellow named Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee who was respected as a teacher of the Law. He was an instrument of God in the spread of the Gospel in many ways. In this account, he counseled leniency. If these men were not speaking the truth, nothing would come of it. But if they were speaking God’s truth, nothing would be able to stop them. He was correct. And the disciples were able to go on preaching, albeit after a flogging and instructions not to do so.

Something else notable about Gamaliel is his connection and influence on the Apostle Paul. Saul, as he was previously known, was a student of this respected teacher.

Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city [Jerusalem]. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

I find it interesting that the teacher who counseled that the followers of Jesus be left alone had a student who made it his mission to eradicate them. He was commissioned to round them up and bring them in for trial and was in the process of doing so when Jesus appeared to him and gave him a new commission, the same one we have as His followers:  go tell the world about our loving Savior.

Gamaliel’s influence should be noted. Paul was welcomed in synagogues as he traveled the world because of his knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, taught to him by Gamaliel. This opened the door for him to share the Good News, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises made in the Old Testament, which is exactly who He is.

As Thanksgiving arrives, lots of folks – Cheryl and I included – will be traveling to see family and friends and loved ones. We have two grandchildren celebrating birthdays and we want to be there with them. While we have frequent contact with our children and grandchildren through texts and phone calls and video chats, it is not the same as being there in person. Sitting next to someone, being physically present, allows you to touch and hug and interact in a way not possible otherwise.

During the 2020 lockdown, everyone became acutely aware of the importance of being with other people because that was taken away for a while. I did almost Daily Devotions back then for my congregation in a video format to try to stay in touch with them, and I did one on this very topic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDSC3mvC2yc&t=11s).

I mentioned that while we sometimes have to be separated from each other, we have the assurance that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:31–39 ³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I hope all of you get to spend some time with family and friends over the holidays. And I hope you will also hold onto the Good News that for those who have been brought to faith in Jesus as their Savior from sin and death, nothing can separate you from the love of God in Him. We all need that comforting assurance in our lives on a regular basis.