Pentecost 18, October 12, 2003 (Thanksgiving-Canada)

Text: James 1:17

Thankful For A Harvest of Righteousness

Grace and peace to you from Christ our Lord.

On this Sunday of Thanksgiving we thank God for all the blessings we have received over the past year. Our focus is on the first article of the Creed, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” Whenever we confess these words, we acknowledge that God is the source of everything we have. This includes my body, my mind and everything God has provided to protect and preserve these. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.” (Luther’s explanation to the Second Article). This is what Thanksgiving is about.

That is also what we are about. Everything we are and have is a gift from God who gives us all good things even without our asking for it. That is why some have described Christians as “thanksgiving people”—people whose mission in life is to give thanks. Unfortunately, this is not how we normally perceive ourselves, as people of thanksgiving. Like most other people, we tend to be unhappy with our lot in life. We spend more time worrying about how to make ends meet or how to solve our problems than we do in giving thanks to God.

However, if I take the time to reflect on God’s blessings and provision, my problems that appear so great are put into proper perspective. I become more confident, trusting God to solve them. In my own experience, that is exactly what happens. As a result I am much happier and satisfied. Giving thanks is an essential part of living well.

In our Epistle reading James draws our attention to another kind of harvest God blesses us with: Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Jesus is our great Peace Maker. He made peace between God and us. The image James uses of “sowing” to describe how the harvest of righteousness is brought about reminds me of Jesus’ words: “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)

Spiritually speaking, sowing is a picture of dying, of setting aside one’s self-interests for the sake of the one we love. Although one sows in tears, one sows in the hope of raising a harvest. Our heavenly Father demonstrated His love for us by giving up His One and Only Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus demonstrated His love for His Father by obeying Him and laying down His life for us sinners.

Through Jesus God has made us righteous and heirs of His kingdom, of a new creation, of a new world where there will be no more sin, no more suffering and no more dying. For we will be in a world where we will be in perfect fellowship with God Himself. This is what makes our Thanksgiving complete: God giving us not just “things” but Himself, His very own heart. God sent us His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sins and to say, “I love you.” Because of Jesus we can truly celebrate and most joyfully give thanks to God.

One day Jesus will come back to gather the great harvest of souls into God’s kingdom. Until then, God has given us the opportunity to participate in the preparation for that harvest. As Jesus “sowed” His life for our peace, so we in turn demonstrate our love for God by allowing our lives to be “sown” in peace, to be used by God to raise a harvest of righteousness.

How does God accomplish such a great thing through us? It is truly amazing that God would allow us imperfect and rebellious people to have a part in raising His harvest of righteousness. This is a harvest that God is bringing about right now within our lives. In order to bring about this harvest, God sends us “the wisdom from above” James writes about: This Heavenly Wisdom “is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (3:17)

This wisdom is first of all pure: without flaw or divided purpose. When we drink water we want it to be pure and uncontaminated. Likewise, God’s Spirit cleanses our hearts of any ulterior motives and mixed feelings.

Secondly, God’s wisdom is peaceable. It means more than outward serenity and refers to that content attitude which the Christian has, because he has begun to share in God’s contentment with the entire world. He knows how to forgive all because God has forgiven all.

Thirdly, divine wisdom is considerate or gentle. This suggests a person who does not live insisting upon his rights, but who acts considerately towards those from whom he could justly expect to receive something in payment. This is a qualification Paul uses for a bishop (1 Tim. 3:3) and is a virtue to be present in all Christians (Titus 3:2).

Fourthly, the word submissive is here more accurately translated “open to reason.” It means a willingness to let the opinions of others have sway in your thinking. We should seriously consider the needs and concerns of others.

Fifthly, for Christians to be “full of mercy and good fruits” means that we should express the divine mercy God has extended to us in our dealings with others. And finally, wisdom has the qualities of impartiality and sincerity.

I must warn you of two things. First, this is not a to-do list that we can check off as we go down the various items. These are qualities that take a lifetime to develop, in fact, to truly fulfill these means laying down one’s life. Therefore, this is a life-long endeavour of taking up our cross and following Jesus.

Secondly, don’t expect this “heavenly wisdom” to yield a harvest overnight. You will not really be able to see the actual fruits of the harvest God is raising in and through you in this life. These you will only fully see and enjoy when you receive the crown of life on the Day of the Resurrection.

We see this most clearly illustrated in Christ, who, when he died, had to the human eye accomplished nothing. His disciples had betrayed, denied and deserted Him. Only in the light of His resurrection from the dead did the harvest of righteousness He brought about become evident. That is why we must not give up when we do not see the fruits of God’s work in us. We must be patient, trusting God’s word to be at work in us. And I must say that I can see the evidence of the impact of the “wisdom from above” in your lives and in the life of this congregation!

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we are not only thankful for the material harvest God has blessed us with in the past year, but also for the ongoing spiritual harvest God is accomplishing within us and among us through His Word and Sacrament. This is a harvest we will celebrate most joyfully when Jesus comes to take us to our heavenly home.

What I find so wonderful about this harvest is that it does not require any work on our part. For God is really the One at work within us to will and do. All we can honestly “do” is to give God thanks and to put our trust in Him. He will do the rest.

Now may God give you his grace and peace in Christ Jesus so that you may celebrate this season of Thanksgiving with joyful hearts. Amen.