“Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Gratitude evokes grace like the voice and echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning.” Karl Barth

True Thanksgiving allows us to look past the blessing and beyond to the Hand that provided it.  Two things should be very clear as we begin this short series in the Paul’s letters to the Churches – 1) no matter how much we receive we deserved none of it!  2) no matter how little we have we still have received more than we deserved!  We will begin in 1 Corinthians where Paul is addressing a most carnal church- very focused on wealth and pleasure.  In all of this the central truth of life and death is the real issue.  Quoting from Isaiah and Hosea Paul is almost mocking the impotence of sin and death – they are without any real power in the face of the Resurrection.  Paul discusses the Problem and the Promise and leads us to where we should be this fall in our Thanksgiving.  

We are able to look back at our past to see God’s promise and then forward to God’s provision and His future promise.  I have said many times that Grace will celebrate Christmas every year and Easter every week and we all should celebrate Thanksgiving every day!

Join us this Sunday for another celebration of Thanksgiving – Pastor Mike