We are in the beginning days of Advent – the season of preparing our hearts for Christmas. It’s a season of expectation and looking ahead – waiting for the coming Messiah. Many of us have specific ways in which we commemorate Advent. Maybe you have an Advent calendar to help count down the days until Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth. Perhaps you have an Advent wreath and weekly light a candle and read a passage of Scripture. Your family may have other traditions that were passed down from your culture or your families that you’ve now taken as your own. We all commemorate – in our own way - the things we decide are important to our lives and to our families.

‍

In our verse today, God is telling Moses about a day that the Israelites are to commemorate – to celebrate – for generations to come. God was giving detailed instructions in Exodus 12 for the celebration of Passover. The Israelites had suffered under the Egyptians for years, but God’s final plague was the angel of death passing through Egypt and killing all firstborn males, except those for whom the blood of a sacrificed lamb was on the doorframe of their house. A very specific sacrifice had to occur to obey God’s directions. Sacrifice led to celebration, though, as the Israelite firstborns lived and Israel left Egypt.

‍

We “celebrate” the Lord’s Supper as a church body. We remember the fact that Jesus gave His body to be broken for us and His blood to be shed for our redemption. This is a sacrifice that we celebrate because of what was accomplished on our behalf!

‍

Are there personal sacrifices that you celebrate? I think we sometimes celebrate “giving up something” or doing more with less because it is counter-cultural, and we are excited to see that it actually works for our good and His glory!

‍

This is the start of Celebration Week at ACF. We made our Restoration Life commitments a few weeks ago, and now we celebrate those commitments and begin to really look forward to what God is going to accomplish with what we’ve committed. Individually and as families, we listened to what God was calling us to sacrifice and to give and (hopefully) we obeyed. Some made commitments personally and then gave them in the company of our ACF Family. But now we celebrate together! We celebrate how God will use all of our commitments, sacrifices, and gifts together for His glory - for the restoration of here, near and there!

‍

Think back to the Passover – if there had been just one family that experienced the grace and mercy of the Passover, it would have been celebrated by them, and perhaps their neighbors. But how much more so with the whole of the Israelite community? The same is true for us this week. This is not just about celebrating what our personal sacrifice may accomplish for His Kingdom, but what our corporate sacrifice – us joining hearts, hands, and wallets – will yield for His glory.

‍

Are you ready to celebrate?

As we commemorate and celebrate our sacrifices this week – make sure you’re keeping in mind what you’ve committed. For some, this is front of mind because it’s urgent and scary. For others, it may be last week’s news. I challenge you to find a way to make your commitment something that remains current and fresh – not just a recurring gift.

‍

If you missed out on making your commitment, it’s not too late! Make yours this week to join the celebration!

‍

Father, we thank you that you have shown us your patterns of sacrifice followed by commemoration and celebration. Help us to follow your example and celebrate – all for your Glory! We are expectant!