Thanksgiving as we know it is a distinctly American holiday. Although a handful of other countries have Thanksgiving holidays, none are celebrated in the same manner or for the same reasons as in America.
Our Thanksgiving is a grand feast, accompanied by the camaraderie of friends and family—and a little football on the side. Schools shut down, people often travel halfway across the country, and we all finish the day stuffed to the gills.
All in the name of Thanksgiving.
Colossians 1:3-8 is our Thanksgiving meal. The turkey is there, together with the mouthwatering side dishes, down to the dessert that we can barely resist.
Even our game of football is available for us to enjoy.
Let’s see how this passage stacks up next to our treasured American holiday.
First, we come with a thankful heart.
Thanksgiving is exactly what it says. We come to give thanks for all that we have received in life. We have breath in our lungs, food for our tongues, and companionship for our lonely hours.
Paul gives thanks for exactly the same things, for it is with the breath of God that life is breathed into us; he is our eternal source of sustenance; and it is in the cross that we find our companionship in him.
Paul writes with appreciation for all that God has done for this body of believers, and he wants them to know his feelings. He desires them to know they are loved.
Second, we partake of food prepared by another’s loving hand.
The Thanksgiving meal gives its greatest pleasure to the one whose hand has not prepared the table. Rather, it is in the savory aromas and the beautifully set table that we find our joy in the meal. If our hands do the preparation, sometimes all we can see is the work involved, and we miss the beauty that the meal has become.
Paul did not found the church at Colosse. Rather, it was founded by Epaphras. That gave Paul a unique perspective toward the Colossians. He was able to see the beauty of the meal, rather than the backbreaking work that had gone into its preparation. He states, “I have heard of your faith...and the love which you have for all the saints.”
Paul takes special pleasure in this body of believers, because he sees them as they really are: a savory aroma rising before God Almighty.
Third, we anticipate the dessert that is to come.
At a Thanksgiving feast, desserts abound. They draw our attention as moths to a flame, even as the turkey arrives on its gleaming platter. Although we are not yet allowed to indulge these most tempting treats, nothing can expunge them from our thoughts.
Paul glories in the feast that is the church at Colosse. Yet, he also anticipates dessert. He knows there is a hope laid up for them in heaven. They have expressed faith in Christ, shown love to those who are like believers, and now can grasp the hope that is to come.
Paul even tells them where the dessert table is located. It is to be found “in the Word of the Truth of the Gospel.”
Fourth, we enjoy the company of family and friends.
Without the company of our family and friends, Thanksgiving is nothing more than another plate of food to fill our stomachs for a time. Thanksgiving is what it is because of memories renewed, bonds that are strengthened, and love that grows in our hearts.
Paul recognized that in his letter to the Colossians. The message of the Christ that had come to them through Epaphras now connected this group of believers to the rest of the world, for they shared in the truth of the Christ, and their faith would continue to bring forth fruit, as it had already done.
Paul knew what many had yet to learn. God’s grace only operates in the presence of truth. The church at Colosse had learned this lesson early, and it now strengthened them, fostering love in their hearts.
Fifth, we gather for the game, expecting our favored team to be victorious.
Football is a vicarious affair. There are few people who can sit to a Thanksgiving meal, and on the same day, rise to battle on the gridiron. Rather, we prefer to loosen our belts and let the pros have at it. In addition, it saves our muscles, keeping the bruises and abrasions of the game underneath someone else’s jersey.
Paul praises a faithful companion of the Gospel, one the believers at Colosse held in high esteem. He marches Epaphras onto the field in his pads and helmet, a victor in the Game of Salvation. He is the Colossians’ hero, their champion on the field, for he is the one who brought the message of the Christ to Colosse.
Our Christianity is not vicarious, but to associate with one who has achieved success in the Lord builds us up, also.
Sixth, we cheer for the victor, claiming his triumph as our own.
The television is on, and the game comes to a head. In the final moments of the final quarter, men leap to their feet, cheering the victor on the screen. There is no embarrassment, nor is there any hesitation in making our enthusiasm known. We want everyone to be aware that we chose the winning side.
Paul knew he was on the winning side, and he championed those who fought his same fight. He raises Epaphras high, for as he champions Epaphras before the body at Colosse, so has Epaphras championed the body before Paul.
It is the love produced by the Spirit of God that makes the victory possible. Paul recognizes that, and when we have our eyes opened, we will also know that there is only one way to become the victor. It is to fight with the Love of Christ as our banner and our sword.
When we come to God with a thankful heart, we will leave stuffed, for the victory he promises us will be ours.
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Code: FGO.A.29.14b.vp