Act of war.
Celebration is an act of war.
When we do something special or enjoyable for a special event like a church anniversary, this becomes an act of war against tyrannical evil - against hell itself.
John 10:10 reminds us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Throughout human history, Satan has created havoc on the world map; some of the worst has taken place in the last century. These last two years have been riddled with all kinds of sickness and death, natural disasters and wars.
When we create special events that celebrate God’s goodness in the past, in the present and in the future, we are fighting a battle against the fear that evil hopes to create. But this broken world is not our end. In the book, Every Moment Holy, a book of everyday liturgies, I ran across these thoughts on celebration:
To gather joyfully in celebration is indeed a serious affair, for feasting and all enjoyments gratefully taken are, at their heart, acts of war. In celebration we declare that evil and death, suffering and loss, sorrow and tears, will not have the final word. The joy of fellowship, and the welcome and comfort of friends new and old, and the celebration of these blessings of food and drink and conversation and laughter are the true evidences of things eternal, and are the first fruits of that great glad joy that is to come and that will be unending.
This weekend we will be celebrating God’s grace for Mount Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church (100 years) and God’s grace for St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church (150 years). As we celebrate, remember that we are fighting against the tyranny which evil wishes to sow. We fight knowing that this earth is not our final home; we are but strangers here. And in the fight, whether we feel free or surrounded by hurt, at the very center of our being and our gathering, we have Heaven’s powerful, conquering King, Jesus!
As we gather to celebrate, let’s allow our hearts to be humbled by the reality of our sinfulness. Let us offer prayers of confession and repentance. Human sin is what ushered such evil into this world. Let’s live with repentant attitudes, knowing that Jesus is our Savior and our sinful record has been erased by his blood. This means sin will no longer hold us back from the perfect future that God has prepared for his people. This means that despite the brokenness we will continue to see in this world, it is only temporary. Heaven wins because Jesus already won. Those of us who celebrate in the midst of this chaotic environment are pointing our eyes upward to Jesus and to heaven.
Blessings to all of you - now let’s celebrate the most powerful name of Jesus, our Savior and our King. Lord Jesus, be our King, today and always. May we truly be your servants, now and forevermore!