Giving Thanks During a Pandemic
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
2020 has certainly been one of the most challenging years in recent times. It started with the spread of a new virus originating in Wuhan China which spread rapidly throughout the Earth. Many millions have caught the virus and many hundreds of thousands have died. We have seen multiple lockdowns, collapse of economies, anger fear, and other adverse effects. There are many who have profited from the chaos. The merchants of was and death thrive under these conditions which are part of the universal human virus which has effected humanity from the beginning, from which there seems no earthly cure. There is much false information being released as well. One side tries to make it nothing more than a severe cold. But I have known people who have died of this virus, some of whom were younger than me and in what appeared to be good health. Others think this worse than the Bubonic Plague which is a total exaggeration. The only fear greater than the virus itself is the fear generated by the lack of scientific information. Are masks effective? There is censorship on data. The result of this is confusion.
They told the church to cancel Easter. Then Pentecost. Then they tell us we must cancel Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. This has caused dis-ease in the Church community as we are commanded not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The church never cancelled Easter, even in worse times of plague, war, or other calamity. It seems that those in power are also using this virus as an opportunity to crush the Church itself. To them, the church is unessential. Buying alcohol, the abuse of which has killed far more than the Coronavirus will ever kill is essential. Cigarettes which have killed millions are essential. The sale of lottery tickets are essential. Abortion which kills millions is essential. Mass protests in the name of social justice are essential. But the only message which can save is squelched.
These things make it hard during the time of Thanksgiving in America, and Advent and Christmas worldwide to have a thankful and joyful spirit. We look at this text and we can agree that we should pray without ceasing. We also look for words of prophetic hope. But it seems strange that we are commanded to also “rejoice evermore.” The command “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” We realize that God is not giving us suggestions here. We have to find out how to be joyful and thankful in the circumstances we find ourselves.
When we look at Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians, we will realize that the situation the Thessalonians found themselves was troubling. Paul tells us that they had been persecuted greatly just like the Christians in Judaea had been persecuted by the Jews. Paul knew much of the persecutions of Christians by Judaism. He had been one of the chief persecutors before his miraculous conversion. The 8th Chapter of Acts tells us about just one of the persecutions. Paul also admits in several places that he pursued the Christians even unto death. The same Book of Acts tells of many stories of persecution including those in Thessalonica. Yet Paul still commands them to be joyful and thankful.
We are also told of more disturbances in the Church of Thessalonica. Some of the membership had died. As this is one of Paul’s earliest epistles which was written not long after he had evangelized there, these deaths were quite recent and the community was in deep grief. Word had gotten out that those who had died before Jesus returned were lost forever. They would not partake in the Kingdom. Paul had to address the misconceptions. Those who had “fallen asleep” were not lost. They would be included in the final gathering of the saints. So times weren’t so great in that church.
When we look at the history of the Christian church, we can find many times of distress. There was great distress when the City of Rome was first sacked. St. Augustine writes about these times in his City of God. There was the great outbreak of the Bubonic Plague during the reign of Justinian the Great which seems to have resulted from a volcanic explosion on the other side of the earth which darkened the sun and made the moon blood red. This sounded like the end of time, a time of great fear and little joy. I could mention many times of war, plague, and famine throughout Christian history. We can see times of terrible persecution of Christians during the Reformation. Yet in all these times, Paul’s words still call us to be joyful and thankful.
When we come to the first Thanksgiving in America, we remember the hardships of the Pilgrim fathers. Half of the colony died of disease and starvation in the winter of 1620-21. They would all have perished had it not been for the help of a freed Native-American slave named Squanto. He had been taken as a slave by English raiders and sold to a monastery in Spain. At some point he learned the English language and found occasion to return to Massachusetts. When he got there, he discovered that his tribe had been destroyed by the smallpox. He was adopted by another tribe. This tribe showed mercy to the starving Pilgrims. The first thanksgiving was held to give God thanks for sparing the colony from other destruction, to which the Native-Americans were invited. From the deepest distresses they had suffered, they chose to give thanks rather than wallow in pity.
Christian joy is not based upon circumstances. The Apostles John and Peter who had been threatened and beaten within an inch of their lives came back rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. The world can rejoice when their football team wins. But they call for firing the coach when they lose. There joy is based upon good things happening. The Christian, on the other hand, does not rejoice because bad things happen. Rather they have the end in mind. Suffering is just a temporary condition. Not even death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Death cannot prevent our for ever being with Him. In this, we observe the suffering of Jesus for us upon the cross. He did not rejoice in suffering. Rather, He looked beyond the pain of the cross because He saw the glory which lay beyond the cross. He would rise and then ascend into glory to sit at the right hand of the Majesty on High. From His lofty perch, He is there to encourage us to run our race, the race of which Jesus is the pioneer,
We must notice that Paul does not say “Give thanks for everything” but rather “In everything give thanks.” We are not thankful for the plague, wars, political instabilities, persecutions, or any other thing. Paul at the end of Romans 8 gives a long list of calamities. But he concludes that none of these things are able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. So we need to comfort each other in our suffering even as Paul says “Comfort one another with these words.” But while was are comforting one another, let us also encourage each other to finish the race as well. Each day makes us one day closer to being forever with the Lord.
I can’t tell you if 2021 will be better or worse than this year. But as Christians are now in the season of Advent, our New Year has already started. But unlike the conjured up optimism of the world’s New Year on January 1st, we have a real ground for hope in the long term. As my sermons are published online and are read around the world, I realize that some of you are greatly suffering for your faith. Where you live, it is dangerous to be a Christian. Our troubles here in America seem so inconsequential in comparison. Know that you are in our prayers, that the God of hope will strengthen you in your ordeal. I also pray for the churches here in America that we might have the same courage and determination that you all have shown. God is using your suffering in a mighty way to challenge us to stand boldly for the truth. Even though I grieve for your suffering, I give thanks to God for the example you have set, just as I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for the suffering He endured on the cross to save us wretched creatures. I marvel that the object of such scorn and ridicule had responded by offering us love, grace and forgiveness. Indeed, that which we have to be thankful for far outweighs our afflictions which we suffer.
I do not wish to advise how we should respond to the pandemic. At least for some of us in high risk groups, it is probably necessary to refrain from meeting for a while. This is not an ideal situation, but neither was Paul’s imprisonment, especially toward the end when only Luke and the Lord were left to offer company. But even on this, Paul writes the Philippian church is what is nothing less than an Ode to Joy. No one was under more dire circumstances than Paul who was locked in a dungeon facing the probability of death. If only we who might be locked down at this time have this outlook, even though our lockdown is far lighter, and there is hope that we shall be released when this virus passes. God be with you. May you find time for the joy of Advent and Christmas. Amen.
