Thankful for the Lamb of God
In this season of Thanksgiving, there are many facets of life we ought to be thankful for: our family, friends, food, shelter, jobs, entertainment, and the breath in our lungs. The problem, though, is that all of those things can be lost in the blink of an eye. Those who are bought by the blood of Christ, however, have an inheritance kept for them in heaven that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Pet. 1:4). Didn't Jesus tell us that His followers would experience tribulation and be hated by the world for His name's sake (Matt. 24:9)? Despite this, here are five truths from God's Word upon which we can meditate and be thankful.
Jesus lived a life we could never live. God's standard is that of perfection which is summarized in following His Law perfectly (cf. Ex. 20). The problem we have is that "nobody's perfect" and so we all fall short of this standard (Rom. 3:23). Jesus Christ lived in perfect obedience to God for us in our stead, so His righteousness could be imputed (credited) to our account. The world needed (and still needs) a Savior and Jesus lived a perfect life for the salvation of many. Lord, we are thankful for your Son who lived a life we could never live.
Jesus died a death that we deserve. God is just in sending everyone to hell because of our imperfection; otherwise God would be denying His own holiness and standard and therefore denying Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). No person deserves heaven. Some might object saying, "that's not fair!" In the words of pastor-teacher John MacArthur, "Fair would send everyone to hell. You don't want fair, you want mercy." Because God's standard is that of perfection, only a sinless, spotless, and without-blemish sacrifice could satisfy His wrath once and for all time. Jesus, God's own Son, took this wrath upon himself. The apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Lord, we are thankful for your Son who died a death that we deserve.
Jesus gives His children supernatural peace. Despite trials and tribulation promised for Christians in this world, Christ tells us that He will be with us and give us His peace: "Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). Isaiah 9:6 speaks of Christ as the "Prince of Peace," and that He is! Our Lord gives His children a peace that "surpasses understanding" (Phil. 4:7), protecting their hearts and minds from worldly pursuits and despair. Even if everything around a person is chaotic, Jesus' peace puts his life and focus into proper perspective, knowing that Christ has already overcome the world (John 16:33). Lord, we are thankful for your peace.
Jesus is our Shepherd. In settings such as funerals, we often here Psalm 23 which starts out with, "The Lord is my shepherd." The psalm lays out for the reader that God as the shepherd meets the sheep's every need in life: food, water, shelter, rest, etc. Sheep naturally tend to wander off and go astray. People tend to do likewise, following the lusts of our flesh and eyes and pursuing the pride of life (1 John 2:16). The prophet Isaiah also speaks of people being like sheep when he says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way (Is. 53:6). By giving His life for us, Jesus tells and shows us that He is our Shepherd: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Additionally, Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28). Lord, we are thankful for your Son, our Good Shepherd.
Jesus will return. Scripture is replete with the Second Coming of Christ (Mark 14:62; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:7; 2 Pet. 3:10; Matt. 24:44; John 14:3; Acts 1:10-11; Ps. 96:13; etc.). When Jesus returns, the Great Wedding will occur between Him and His bride, the Church (Rev. 19:6-9). Jesus promises His children that He will right every wrong, executing just retribution on unrepentant sinners: "An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29). For the child of God, the return of Christ is their blessed hope and joy (Titus 2:13). For the unbeliever, however, the return of Christ means swift, impartial judgment (1 Thess. 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-16). Jesus tells us, “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). Lord, we are thankful for the imminent return of your Son.
Whether you have turkey, beef, chicken, or seafood this Thanksgiving, a Christian will always have Lamb on the menu! Father, we thank you for your Son who lived a life we could never live, died a death that we deserve, gives a peace that surpasses understanding, tenderly cares for our souls as the Good Shepherd, and will come again to bring us into your eternal kingdom. We are thankful, in Jesus' name, amen.
Jesus lived a life we could never live. God's standard is that of perfection which is summarized in following His Law perfectly (cf. Ex. 20). The problem we have is that "nobody's perfect" and so we all fall short of this standard (Rom. 3:23). Jesus Christ lived in perfect obedience to God for us in our stead, so His righteousness could be imputed (credited) to our account. The world needed (and still needs) a Savior and Jesus lived a perfect life for the salvation of many. Lord, we are thankful for your Son who lived a life we could never live.
Jesus died a death that we deserve. God is just in sending everyone to hell because of our imperfection; otherwise God would be denying His own holiness and standard and therefore denying Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). No person deserves heaven. Some might object saying, "that's not fair!" In the words of pastor-teacher John MacArthur, "Fair would send everyone to hell. You don't want fair, you want mercy." Because God's standard is that of perfection, only a sinless, spotless, and without-blemish sacrifice could satisfy His wrath once and for all time. Jesus, God's own Son, took this wrath upon himself. The apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Lord, we are thankful for your Son who died a death that we deserve.
Jesus gives His children supernatural peace. Despite trials and tribulation promised for Christians in this world, Christ tells us that He will be with us and give us His peace: "Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). Isaiah 9:6 speaks of Christ as the "Prince of Peace," and that He is! Our Lord gives His children a peace that "surpasses understanding" (Phil. 4:7), protecting their hearts and minds from worldly pursuits and despair. Even if everything around a person is chaotic, Jesus' peace puts his life and focus into proper perspective, knowing that Christ has already overcome the world (John 16:33). Lord, we are thankful for your peace.
Jesus is our Shepherd. In settings such as funerals, we often here Psalm 23 which starts out with, "The Lord is my shepherd." The psalm lays out for the reader that God as the shepherd meets the sheep's every need in life: food, water, shelter, rest, etc. Sheep naturally tend to wander off and go astray. People tend to do likewise, following the lusts of our flesh and eyes and pursuing the pride of life (1 John 2:16). The prophet Isaiah also speaks of people being like sheep when he says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way (Is. 53:6). By giving His life for us, Jesus tells and shows us that He is our Shepherd: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Additionally, Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28). Lord, we are thankful for your Son, our Good Shepherd.
Jesus will return. Scripture is replete with the Second Coming of Christ (Mark 14:62; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:7; 2 Pet. 3:10; Matt. 24:44; John 14:3; Acts 1:10-11; Ps. 96:13; etc.). When Jesus returns, the Great Wedding will occur between Him and His bride, the Church (Rev. 19:6-9). Jesus promises His children that He will right every wrong, executing just retribution on unrepentant sinners: "An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29). For the child of God, the return of Christ is their blessed hope and joy (Titus 2:13). For the unbeliever, however, the return of Christ means swift, impartial judgment (1 Thess. 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-16). Jesus tells us, “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). Lord, we are thankful for the imminent return of your Son.
Whether you have turkey, beef, chicken, or seafood this Thanksgiving, a Christian will always have Lamb on the menu! Father, we thank you for your Son who lived a life we could never live, died a death that we deserve, gives a peace that surpasses understanding, tenderly cares for our souls as the Good Shepherd, and will come again to bring us into your eternal kingdom. We are thankful, in Jesus' name, amen.
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