Oak Hill Church of Christ 11-20-22 Message: "Thanksgiving"

Oak Hill Church of Christ member, Neil Greenwood, delivers a message on the importance of remaining thankful to God for His oftentimes unnoticed or undervalued mercies and grace toward us.

In the United States, there has been a long tradition of Thanksgiving, normally centered around a large meal that includes friends and family. As is the case with many old concepts, the modern and mainstream interpretation of this holiday is a purely secular one.

It may be surprising to some that the tradition of Thanksgiving is not rooted in the absence of God, but, in His eternal and abiding presence. As far back as the late 1700s, both Houses of Congress and President George Washington created a proclamation that the young nation which owed so much to the manifold blessings and mercies of God, ought to dedicate a day for thanksgiving and relfection upon His power and His guidance.

It may be even more surprising to hear that the First Thanksgiving may not have arisen out of a proclamation by President Washington, but, rather Noah, the Old Testament Patriarch. In thanks for God's grace and mercy toward him and his family, Noah offered sacrifices to God in thanks, and, perhaps he and his family shared in the feast as well.

Did Noah sacrifice a turkey? Does it still matter whether we celebrate Thanksgiving today? What, exactly, has God done for us that we should be so thankful?

Watch and find out, and have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.