The Grace of Thanksgiving: Members' Bible Study
Because we had technical issues with our Instagram Live on Monday, February 1, I would love for you to have the opportunity to listen to our Take Up & Read Members’ study this week. We took the same topic as Monday’s live and we drilled deep into it. Below you can see the recording of that study. Just click the arrow to play. Then, there are some notes to help you follow along (or just to read if you’re not inclined to watch the video). Following that is the recording of the IG Live from Wednesday February 3. Hopefully, all these resources will bring our study of Essential Holiness to a satisfactory close.
Verse 2
Gratitude is a guardian of our souls; it can protect us against the wickedness and snares of the devil. St. Paul begins by telling the Laodecians and Colossians why he is enumerating their struggles. He wants them to know he sees them, and he wants them to know that he desires that "that their hearts may be encouraged." In verse 24, he tells them about his own struggles. When we share our own vulnerability, we are better able to empathize and better able to meet people where they are. Paul is suffering in prison, so it’s easy to make a case for knowing that life is indeed, hard. He wants to do more than commiserate, though. He wants them to be knit together by love, so that they are intertwined in their suffering. Those knots that knit them together are strengthened by knowing and loving Christ--in community.
In verse 4, St. Paul shines a bright light on the deceiver. He says: I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. (Note the RSV translation: I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech.) The devil loves to creep in and whisper lies that sound like truth.
So, up through verse 4 we see that sacrifice and struggle and challenges lead to love. Love leads to the riches of assured understanding. Assured understanding leads to knowledge of the mystery of God which yields wisdom. (This comes with time and experience, and that’s encouraging). That wisdom and encouragement will keep us from being deluded and despondent. Paul’s entire ministry from prison is intended to strengthen them in understanding and wisdom so that they are strong against the forces of evil.
Verses 6-7 encourages them again, in slightly different language. But notice that at the end of verse 7, he’s highlighted and isolated gratitude: abounding in thanksgiving.
Gratitude shores us up against the lies the devil whispers.
This is reminiscent of last week’s study on ruminating. When we take those ruminations captive and we acknowledge God’s good gifts, we combat the evil spirits seeking our ruin.
Romans 1:21 uses stronger language to make the warning clear:
"Although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened."
Guard your heart. If you don’t respond to God with gratitude, the light of Christ dims or goes out altogether. Darkness creeps in.
If Romans 1:21 seems to speak to our interior language, Ephesians 5:4 seems to speak to the way we talk to one another. Think particularly about the importance of gratitude in families.
Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.
How do we guard against obscene, silly, or vulgar talk, particularly in the very important community that is our family?
How do we guard ourselves against speaking words of condemnation and discouragement and criticism and bitterness and blame and arguing and complaining and sarcasm and disrespect and cynicism?
How do we guard ourselves against words that flippant and rude and petty?
Instead, let there be thanksgiving. Lead with thanksgiving. In the moment of retort, pause and consider thanksgiving. (That’s super hard but well worth the effort.) If you lead with thanksgiving and you try to keep thanksgiving at the heart of the conversation--no matter the conversation--it’s hard to go so far off course that it disintegrates into darkness.
St. Paul continues in Ephesians 5:15-20
There is a paradox here. On the one hand, be careful how you live. Be disciplined, wise, and, vigilant. No that tomorrow is not guaranteed and make the most of each day as it come. Be sober-minded.
There is certain urgency here. Be smart. Be ready. Be vigilant.
But then, there is a luminosity to the next part. Be filled with the Spirit, and sing to each other. Fill your hearts with melodies that swell heavenward where only God hears them. Lere there be a light-filled awareness and expression of thanksgiving for everything
We live in this tension between vigilance an drejoicing. And this is where our relationships have meaning.
Over what forces of evil are we to be vigilant and how does gratitude figure in?
Let’s look at the passage I tried to discuss on Monday (when, ironically, I was thwarted by internet issues).
Before we unpack these verses, let’s look at the antithesis: Philippians 2:14-15
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Grumbling and complaining is the opposite vice clearly delineated.
Grumbling happens when things don’t go our way. Around here lately, much grumbling is precipitated by being internet-frustrated. I have my small windows to work set aside. I’m diligent about getting to them. I sit down; no internet. I waste time trying to find a spot with the internet. Still no internet. Now I’m grumpy. I put the work aside and go back into the community of my family.
And I grumble. Not about the internet. Probably about something--or someone--else. But the grumbling is there. And the grumbling is likely to escalate.
And then other people figure in and they bring their frustrations and they grumble and argue, too.
Imagine a home where everyone played by the no-grumbling rules.
Now, look closely at 1 Thessalonians 5:18-28
How do we do this? How do we give thanks in all circumstances?
We can look at all the times Jesus gave thanks, particularly at Luke 22:17-20.
For more times Jesus gave thanks, please see Monday’s post.
Luke 22:17-20 is eucharisteo in Scripture. In the words of Ann Voskamp:
The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy.
Jesus’s thanks was not a reaction to his present circumstances. He was about to die a horrible death after suffering horrible torment. It wasn’t about feelings. But he was thankful to the Father for the grace and glory that was coming after (and because of) the pain of the cross. This recognition of what was to come gave him joy. Eucharisteo.
Jesus’s eucharisteo was entirely enabled because he believed--he knew-- future grace.
That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that, Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
We have access to that same joy, because we are heirs to the kingdom with him. But what does any of this have to do with grumbling, complaining, family arguments, and thanksgiving?
Now look at Hebrews 12:4-15
This was the first reading today. In it, Paul quotes Proverbs 3:11-12. We can see discipline--sufering--as the gift of our Lord to help us to grow more like him. He allows it because he knows that if we meet it with grace and allow ourselves to be discipled, it will bear good fruit in our lives. What does it mean to live wisely, to make the most of our opportunity, to grow in wisdom?
Wisdom builds her house, prepares a meal, and invites others in. God does this. God is wisdom. He doesn’t call us to Google Classroom. He invites us to the banquet of the Lord. He teaches us there. He nourishes us there. He gives us sufficient grace to do that for others.
The wise path that leads to understanding is rooted and nourished in communion. And communion is the embodiment of eucharisteo. We’re going to get to that and see how that works.
From today’s reading, grumbling is the bitter root that springs up and causes trouble. (See Hebrews 12:4-15) and the video linked below.
We are heirs to the kingdom. So are the people we live with.
Do we live and conduct ourselves in such a way? Do we treat other people as if they, too, are precious heirs of the king? Are we mindful of how grateful we are for them?
We are called to recognize in the people we do life with their true identity as heirs to the kingdom. We’re called to see in them the image of God. Further, we are called to be grateful that we can live and work and love in their midst. And, returning to Hebrews:
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15)
We are to be conduits of the grace of God, conduits of eucharisteo: grace + joy
We find strength to do that in the Word and the sacrament.