We have a hope beyond this life.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
For I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see.

Hallelujah
Christ is risen from the grave
Hallelujah
Christ is risen from the grave

The prodigal is welcomed home
The sinner now a saint,
For the God who died came back to life
And everything is changed.

Oh death, where is Your sting?
Oh fear, where is Your power?
For the mighty King of kings has disarmed you.
Delivered and redeemed,
Eternal life resounds,
Oh praise His name forever.

And on the day You call me in
To Heaven’s sweet embrace
I’ll see Your scars, Your open arms
And the beauty of Your face
Through tears of joy, I’ll lift my voice
In everlasting praise
Hallelujah
Christ is risen from the grave.

And all throughout eternity
Our song will be the same.
Hallelujah
Christ is risen from the grave.” (‘Christ Is Risen’, Phil Wickham)

The activities tonight were intended to reinforce what we were learning about Jewish and Christian festivals.

The children had time to play in a tent (to get an idea of what a ‘booth’ or ‘tabernacle’ was like) and did collage pictures of the Jewish booths:

The adults (rather depleted in number since many of our congregation were actually on holiday at this time!) did quizzes about the Passover (learning, for example, that Romaine lettuce is eaten during the Passover meal because its bitterness symbolises the slaves’ tears during their years of captivity) and learnt about the order of Christian festivals:

As usual, there were holiday-themed prizes (including a fan for this hot weather, suntan cream, sunglasses and a watering can!)

God is interested in every part of our lives, and holiday are an ideal opportunity to spend more time with God and to allow Him to minister into our lives. We can go ‘on retreat’ to be with God, but even in a sun-soaked, fun-filled holiday, we have more time and need to use this wisely (Eph 5:16). We can, for example, spend more time looking at specific themes in the Bible or reading book we normally are too busy to read. We can set aside time to pray and to seek God’s direction for our lives. Holidays are relaxing and in those moments of relaxation, we can find God speaking afresh.

What turns a holy day into a holiday is ‘I’. We need to leave the kitchen sink behind when we go away but not push God out and so our holidays can be, like the Jewish festivals, ‘holy days’ of encounters with God.

Holidays generally serve 3 purposes:

1. an opportunity for rest and relaxation, a break from the usual routine of work
2. an opportunity to spend time with friends and family
3. an opportunity to explore new places

Holy days also included travel (pilgrimages), fellowship and rest, but they remind us also of very important things about God:

1. He is the God who ordained rest (Gen 2:2-3) and who is able to give rest to His people (see Matt 11:28-30, Heb 4:1-11)
2. He is the God who ordained celebration and enjoyment! Far from being a killjoy who simply wants us to work ourselves into an early grave, God has made provision for pleasure and enjoyment. Some of the parables Jesus told really emphasise this fact: think about the Parable of the Prodigal Son, for example, which ends with a great barbecue and music and dancing celebrating the return of the lost son! (Luke 15:25-31) Or think about the number of times Jesus taught about wedding feasts (e.g. Matt 22:1-14).
3. He is the God who wants to be included in every aspect of our lives. Don’t go on holiday and leave God at home. Make sure that you take time out of your busy schedules to spend time with Him, being thankful for all He has done and grateful for His provision, His protection and the peace He brings.

Today’s family service looked at the theme of ‘Holy Days and Holidays’, initially looking at the three main Jewish festivals (see Ex 23:14-17, Lev 23). All these festivals remind us that rest is God’s idea (initially epitomised in the Sabbath rest commanded by God, but extended through the week long celebrations of all God had done), and that holidays serve that important function of ‘rest and relaxation.‘ Holy days were also ways to focus on God instead of being consumed by busyness and to take time out to remember and refocus on Him. Thanksgiving and celebration were important parts of these festivals, with meals often being a way of celebrating God’s bountiful goodness (many festivals were linked to agriculture, for example, reminding us of God’s provision for us.)

Passover (Deut 16:1-8) was one of the main Jewish festivals, remembering God’s mighty deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The central part of the Passover celebrations was the Passover meal (the Seder), which concluded with the reading of the Song of Songs. That meal, with the emphasis on the sacrificial lamb and unleavened bread, reminded the Israelites of how God had rescued them from Egypt, killing the firstborn of the Egyptians but sparing the Jews who had smeared the lamb’s blood on their doorframes and how they had had to flee straightaway so that they didn’t have time to make bread with yeast in it. The whole point of this celebration was to remember God’s amazing deeds on behalf of the people of God.

The Festival of Ingathering (Pentecost/ Sukkot) commemorates not only the kindness of God in providing food for His people, but also how He protected them during the wilderness wanderings. During this festival, the book of Ecclesiastes is read out – not our first choice of holiday reading, perhaps, but a book which nonetheless reminds us of the futility of life without God and the fact that He commends enjoyment. (Eccl 8:15) One of the distinguishing features of this festival was how the Israelites camped in tents (‘tabernacles’ or ‘booths’; ‘sukkah’ in Hebrew) during the festival. You could say that this was the very first camping holiday – and maybe this is why so many Christian events include camping!

The Festival of Firstfruits (or Weeks/ Shavuot) was also connected to agriculture (see Lev 23:10-11) and was a time of thanksgiving for the coming harvest.This festival also later came to commemorate the giving of the Torah to Moses, seven weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. During this festival, the book of Ruth is read out. For Christians, we see an even greater significance in this idea of firstfruits, for Paul reminds us that ‘Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.’ (1 Cor 15:20)

Jewish festivals were intended, therefore, to keep Israel focussed on God, remembering all He had done for them and giving a framework to celebration and rejoicing, with God firmly at the centre.

Dave spoke this morning from Luke 15, the chapter where Jesus tells three parables about lost things. The context for these parables was that many tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus, to the disgruntlement of the Pharisees who felt that a religious teacher should be more ‘respectable’. Jesus wanted to correct these wrong attitudes and to show people that God wants to accept everyone and is truly glad when people repent and turn back to Him.

In the first parable, the shepherd loses one sheep and goes looking for the one lost sheep, bringing it home and rejoicing with his neighbours, throwing a party because what was lost has now been found. The woman’s response to finding the lost coin is similar. In the parable of the lost son, the father watches for his son’s return every day and throws a massive party when he does finally return. Jesus told us that there is celebration in heaven when one sinner repends.

God weeps over those who reject Him (see Jer 13:7 and how Jesus wept over Jerusalem in Luke 10) and longs for people to return to Him. Is 62:5 reminds us that as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so God takes delight in and rejoices over us. Zeph 3:17 reminds us that the Father sing songs over us. So often, we think of God as stern and unwelcoming, but nothing could be further from the truth. He is full of joy and is a God who longs to include us. The party celebrations will truly be something to behold!