Bible Studies & Lessons - Thankfulness
THANKFULNESSMat 15:34 And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves have you? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. Mat 15:35 And he (Jesus) commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Mat 15:36 And he (Jesus) took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake** them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Mat 15:37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was baskets full**. Mat 15:38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
This passage may or may not be familiar to you. But I want to point out some things you may not know at this time of year when WE are supposed to be THANKFUL.
Thanksgiving was the pilgrims way of giving thanks to God for sparing them through the long harsh winter and providing bounty to keep them going for the coming winter. We forget this great truth amidst the football, rushing to prepare for Black Friday, and society telling us to have a "perfect turkey" with all the trimmings.
If you wish to look at it, these scriptures are the first recorded "Thanksgiving". Jesus had little, seven loaves of bread which would be about like a 6" sub and little fishes would be like our sardines. Hardly a "perfect turkey" with all the trimmings. But what did Jesus do? He was THANKFUL for what He did have and GAVE THANKS for what He had. He didn't look at what wasn't there, but what was. Which do we focus on? What we have or what we don't have? If you are in the latter group, think of those who have nothing at all.
**The breaking of the bread is powerful. Jewish teaching is that bread is a living thing and therefore, it must never have a knife put to it but it must be broken. If you think upon this, it is true. The yeast in the bread is alive with bacteria which causes the bread to double in size. Also note that yeast bread or honey could never be used as a sacrifice in Judiaism because it is alive.
The next thing, look at what the disciples did with the leftovers. They gathered them into baskets. Now, at first I thought this disgusting picking up & saving peoples food that they'd left uneaten. **But, that is not what is really happening. It is Jewish custom that when you break bread with someone, you come into a covenant relationship with them for as long as they were abiding with you from the meal to the point you would protect the guest with your life. The first thing that will happen when you are served your portion, you will take 1/3 of the bread & the fish in this case, set it aside untouched because this is the SERVANTS portion. It is therefore not scraps, but food that is due to the servant as their fair share. The Bible even tells us not to withhold wages from those who have earned it until the next day but to pay it today if you are able.
So, ARE YOU THANKFUL? I try to focus on the things I would ordinarily take for granted; thank you God for my warm soft bed; thank you God for running water that is clean; thank you God for a washer & dryer which work and make my life easier; thank you God for my family to love me and give me comfort. See? How often do we take the small things for granted instead of be THANKFUL?
Those "little fishes" were THANKFUL for by Jesus and it fed over 4000 people. How much could your life benefit others with being THANKFUL over the littlest of the things you have and sharing it?
This passage may or may not be familiar to you. But I want to point out some things you may not know at this time of year when WE are supposed to be THANKFUL.
Thanksgiving was the pilgrims way of giving thanks to God for sparing them through the long harsh winter and providing bounty to keep them going for the coming winter. We forget this great truth amidst the football, rushing to prepare for Black Friday, and society telling us to have a "perfect turkey" with all the trimmings.
If you wish to look at it, these scriptures are the first recorded "Thanksgiving". Jesus had little, seven loaves of bread which would be about like a 6" sub and little fishes would be like our sardines. Hardly a "perfect turkey" with all the trimmings. But what did Jesus do? He was THANKFUL for what He did have and GAVE THANKS for what He had. He didn't look at what wasn't there, but what was. Which do we focus on? What we have or what we don't have? If you are in the latter group, think of those who have nothing at all.
**The breaking of the bread is powerful. Jewish teaching is that bread is a living thing and therefore, it must never have a knife put to it but it must be broken. If you think upon this, it is true. The yeast in the bread is alive with bacteria which causes the bread to double in size. Also note that yeast bread or honey could never be used as a sacrifice in Judiaism because it is alive.
The next thing, look at what the disciples did with the leftovers. They gathered them into baskets. Now, at first I thought this disgusting picking up & saving peoples food that they'd left uneaten. **But, that is not what is really happening. It is Jewish custom that when you break bread with someone, you come into a covenant relationship with them for as long as they were abiding with you from the meal to the point you would protect the guest with your life. The first thing that will happen when you are served your portion, you will take 1/3 of the bread & the fish in this case, set it aside untouched because this is the SERVANTS portion. It is therefore not scraps, but food that is due to the servant as their fair share. The Bible even tells us not to withhold wages from those who have earned it until the next day but to pay it today if you are able.
So, ARE YOU THANKFUL? I try to focus on the things I would ordinarily take for granted; thank you God for my warm soft bed; thank you God for running water that is clean; thank you God for a washer & dryer which work and make my life easier; thank you God for my family to love me and give me comfort. See? How often do we take the small things for granted instead of be THANKFUL?
Those "little fishes" were THANKFUL for by Jesus and it fed over 4000 people. How much could your life benefit others with being THANKFUL over the littlest of the things you have and sharing it?
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