“Alien Appreciation: Joy and Perspective at Thanksgiving”

Oct.10, 2010 Deut.26:1-11  Play AUDIO (mp3)  Play VIDEO (320x240 wmv, 218 kbps)

PROUD OR APPRECIATIVE?

•    Canada rich, but ‘pride slays thanksgiving’
•    what if disasters affecting other countries hit us instead?

LIFE IS ENTIRELY A GIFT: DON’T FORGET THE GIVER

•    repetition - the land God is giving you (1-3,9,11)
•    God the Giver of all different kinds of spiritual gifts / effects (1Cor 12:4ff)
•    His ‘ocean’ plenty to fill our ‘bucket’ - Spurgeon (Php 4:19)

IT’S NOT PRIMARILY ABOUT THE ‘STUFF’

•    offering firstfruits demonstrates trust in God’s protection (2)
•    God’s promises back His gifts (3,10,14; Gen 12:7)
•    ‘wandering Aramean’ multiplied exceedingly, delivered supernaturally (8f)
•    God’s ‘treasured possession’; knowing Him better than all else (18; Jer 9:23f; Php 3:8)

REJOICING BEST SAVOURED IN GRACE

•    party follows acknowledgment of dependence on God (10f)
•    hard to be happy with riches but without God
•    Abraham connected to God through grace not works (Rom 4:2,4f; 11:5f)

GRACE ACKNOWLEDGED PROMPTS GENEROSITY TO OTHER ‘ALIENS’

•    refugee / alien roots prompt sharing with others, including aliens (5,11f)
•    ‘sacred portion’ suggests aliens / fatherless / widows are God’s stand-ins (13)
•    rich Christians are commanded to be generous, willing to share (1Tim 6:17f)
•    ‘open up the definition of neighbour’ - Ed Epp
•    matthewhouseottawa.ca, World Food Day / CFGB’s FastForChange.ca opportunities to be generous