Category Archives: Celebrate

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Bible, Celebrate, Freedom, Judging, Law, Romans, Scripture, Worship

ONE DAY OVER ANOTHER

ROMANS 14:5

“One person values one day over another, another values every day the same. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.”

All through Christendom there has been a debate about which day(s) should be observed by Christians as more holy than others. For some denominations, Ash Wednesday is a very holy day that precedes the Easter season on the first day of Lent. Others hold strictly to Easter Sunday and Christmas as the most holy days. Some believe you should worship on Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath) while others adhere to Sundays.

Paul includes this debate in his instructions to the readers of this letter. Go back and read Romans 14:1-4. You will see that Paul is trying to show them that judging others, no matter the issue, is not what God intended. The Jewish believers still held to many of the Jewish festivals. They were family occasions and times to gather and celebrate. These were hard to just stop. So, Gentile believers or Jewish believers who had ceased recognizing those days should not be critical.

APPLICATION

In Galatians 4:10-11, Paul warns the young believers, “10 You meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.” Of course, Galatians was written in part to defend against the influences of the Judaizers, the ones who taught that Gentiles should follow the Mosaic law in addition to following Jesus. No! We are free from the restraints of such laws.

The same held true as Paul wrote to the Colossian believers. In Colossians 2:16 we read, “Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day—” This was a wide-spread issue, not just isolated in Rome. Paul’s desire was for all believers to dwell in unity and not argue about things that did not pertain to their salvation in Christ Jesus.

After all, Paul had been a Pharisee. If anyone would have wanted to hold on to the ceremonial law which had driven his life, he would. But Paul knew Jesus had come to fulfill the Law and set all men free from the impossible demands. God gave Moses the Law to guide and prepare the Jewish nation. Man had corrupted it and added burdensome regulations. Paul is saying, “Enough is enough! Those days are no longer binding. Live in harmony.” Let’s agree to not be critical of others who celebrate Jesus differently than we do. Amen?

Father, You have brought us all into one family. Help us keep the family united.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Celebrate, Rejoicing, Scripture, Testimony, Witness, Witnessing

CELEBRATING AGAIN

ROMANS 5:11

“And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

I love to celebrate things, don’t you? I love to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries in our family. I love to celebrate victories by my Georgia Bulldogs (Go DAWGS). I love to celebrate people coming to Christ. I love to celebrate baptisms and marriages and even, in some cases, the death of a dear saint. Celebrations should be done often. Find a reason to celebrate.

In chapter five of Romans, this is the third time we have seen Paul tell us to celebrate or rejoice. In verse 2 he said we celebrate hope. In verse 3, we celebrate our tribulations (that’s a hard one). And now in today’s verse, Paul tells us we “also celebrate in God.” May I remind you that the Greek word here for celebrate is kauchaomai which means “living with ‘head up high,’ i.e. boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter.” (HELPS Word-studies).

APPLICATION

This word does NOT mean to be snobby about your celebration. This should be an open invitation to all to celebrate with you. We are celebrating our reconciliation made possible by God when He sent Jesus to die for us. Why wouldn’t we invite everyone we know to that party? We have received the greatest gift in the universe, and we should be ready to share it with everyone.

2 Corinthians 10:17 tells us, “But THE ONE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.” This comes straight from the Lord as spoken by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 9:23-24. This is worth including here. “23 This is what the LORD says: ‘Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; 24  but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the LORD.”

Those are verses worth memorizing. We are to boast not in our wisdom, might or riches. We are to only boast, rejoice, celebrate in the Lord and that we know Him. I promise if we all did that, the world would be a better place. Sadly, too many people are boasting of themselves or what they have. Don’t fall into that trap. Celebrate only in God!

O Father, You are enough to celebrate. I will rejoice in You forever. 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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