Tag: celebrate

You’re celebrating what?

“You’re celebrating what?”

“Isn’t that old covenant stuff?”

“I’m confused. I thought those were ancient Israelite harvest festivals, and therefore bear no relevance to Christians today!”

Here’s the short answer! You’ll love it if you love Jesus.

Last year our family again revelled in the Christ-centred celebration of the “Feast of Tabernacles” with almost 1000 fellow Christians gathered in Florida, USA. The previous year, we were in Caloundra, QLD, with a 100 faithful believers. And, consecutively, for more than five decades, it began for me as a nine year old boy in 1969 worshipping during the feast in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.

Let me explain why I believe that this celebration particularly is relevant under the new covenant, and therefore powerfully resonant with all Christians.

But I digress first and confess a little of my journey.

In those early decades, our family kept the feast with a very much old covenant overlay. I recall frequent readings of:

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: (Deuteronomy 16:16 KJV)

This was a commanded assembly for males. But, my sisters, mother and grandmother were there as well! And as a boy, of course, I loved the travel, the motel accommodation, carrying my dad’s old camera, and visiting places of interest. I recall the protracted morning and afternoon church services. I also recall on occasion a fiery preacher eliciting our attention from the pulpit.

From today’s vantage and hindsight, all those formative years truly felt like old covenant edict. Many songs and songs related to ancient experiences in Egypt, Israel or Babylon!

I’m thankful, however, that it provided a foundation to fast track to today.

Rather than old covenant or ancient harvest anchorage, these biblical annual Sabbaths/festivals (as detailed in Leviticus chapter 23) are powerfully symbolic of salvation narrative that centres on Jesus Christ. From the Passover Lamb to the Great White Throne Judgment, it’s all about Jesus! As the weekly Sabbath foreshadows rest in Christ, so too the annual Sabbaths reflect a depth of Christo-centric meaning.

These festivals are all about Jesus Christ! Let me say that again. These festivals are all about Jesus!

But not all churches actually get it.

Many think they are old covenant history, with little relevance today. Others celebrate them by command, where sadly the grace and Lordship of Jesus is absent.

So, in exploring this together, let’s ask, when was Jesus born?

No, he wasn’t born at Xmas time.

Although orthodox Christianity celebrates the birth of Jesus in December (historically chosen to align with the pagan sun god Mithras’ birth on December 25), we know that Jesus was born in late September or early October – around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

So, why not honour Jesus’ birth then? The particular festival is an ideal framework to turn our attention to the divine miracle of Jesus’ virgin birth and all that it means for everyone.

Of course, John’s testimony compels us further when he wrote:

And the Word became flesh and [tabernacled] among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)

So Jesus “tented” or sojourned among us for some 33 years.

And, what’s more, He’s coming back again as “KING of Kings and LORD of Lords”, where “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord!” Jesus then reigns for a 1000 years. And finally on the Last Great Day, we celebrate the great resurrection of humanity to a time of judgment.

Everything about the Feast of Tabernacles has to do with Jesus, the Son of God and our Advocate with our Father.

So let’s celebrate Christ, in the spirit of the new covenant, compelled by love for our Lord and Saviour.

This year’s festival theme in Western Australia is “Jesus, Saviour, Lord and King”.

We welcome you to join us at the Mary Davis Library and Community Centre in Baldivis, Western Australia, 3-10 October 2020.

Come for one day or come for eight – but do come!

Free registration is now open at https://www.message7.org/festival/

ANZAC SONRISE

ANZACSONRISE

Today Australia celebrated the valiant young men of one hundred years ago. The ANZAC tradition of remembering the fallen in the words of “Lest We Forget” is truly an engraved part of our Australian identity. Those men and women were heroes, legends of their time, many of whom lost their lives in the quest forpeace.

One hundred years on, with the largest crowds ever in attendance, its been a day of remembering and reflection; for some their memories are awash with tears, for others too young to understand the symbolism of a dawn service with its parades, speeches and ceremonies, it is nonetheless a time to optimistically look forward. The least we can do is to remember and cherish those who gave the supreme sacrifice, and hope for a better future.

While we pause to remember the terrible price paid in the loss of those young lives a century ago, conspicuous by its absence in todays ceremony was any reference to the future of those young sons who lie silent in their graves. Can we expect to ever see them again? What about a faith that speaks of being reunited? Have we forgotten the promise of resurrection “at the last day”?

Human life is meaningless without hope. Science tells us that our only hope is to migrate to another solar system in another galaxy before our sun and earth disappear in a fiery blast. Jesus, on the other hand, taught that our lives on this earth is just the beginning, and that a day is coming when everyone who has ever lived, both good and bad, will be resurrected back to life.

The grief and sense of loss in remembering and celebrating the ANZAC tradition might also bebetter facilitated and educated to also include reference to the promise of the resurrection of all people. In the words of Jesus our Creator:

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
John 5:28-29 ESV

While the ANZAC spirit will surely live on in future generations, may those who remember also know and cherish that our fallen sons will one day rise again. It is a sure hope. It will happen as surely as the rising of tomorrows sun.

Please tell this hope to our children. Proclaim it in the streets. Our ANZACS will rise again! Oh, what consolation, what joy, and what hope!

John KlassekBy John Klassek

 

The Feasts of the Lord

John KlassekA friend recently asked me whether Christians should keep the feasts as found in the Bible?

The question perhaps might be rephrased, asking is there any value in Christians celebrating the “feasts of the Lord”? Let’s look at them briefly:

  • Passover/Unleavened Bread symbolised Jesus sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world;
  • Firstfruits Wave Sheaf Offering, the resurrection and ascention of Jesus to our Father;
  • Feast of Weeks or Pentecost heralded the coming of the Holy Spirit;
  • The Feast of Trumpets picture the return of Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the saints;
  • Atonement revisiting the power of Christ’s atoning sacrifice over sin;
  • Tabernacles reminding us of Jesus sojourning/tenting among us as flesh, as well as of Christ’s one thousand year rule on earth,
  • and finally, the Last Great Day picturing the second resurrection and final judgement of God.

These “shadows” or metaphors of what God is doing through time in Christ are without doubt of extraordinary value to followers of Jesus today. They are gifts He makes available to us that mark God’s appointments in time, “moeds” that can help intelligently flavour our walk with God today. I doubt whether the ancient Israelites really had any idea of what they were celebrating on those annual occasions – God simply commanded them to do it, saying “These are my appointed feasts.”

Within our community of believers, whether one eats meat or doesn’t, drinks wine or doesn’t, or celebrates at the feasts or doesn’t, we love each other and deeply care for each other so as not to offend – while at the same time never compromising on the pillars of our faith. Thus the body of Christ is strengthened by the grace and love we extend to each other.

See you at the “feasts of the Lord”.

John Klassek