Celebration (Part 1)

Did you know God commands His people to party? Skim through Leviticus 23 to see how many times God orders His people to celebrate. In fact, Jesus’ first miracle took place at a wedding celebration (John 2:1-12). And, as you can see in today’s Bible passage, sometimes holy celebration can look pretty wild. Celebration is vital to the Christian life. When we celebrate a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or just a long weekend, it’s a reminder to look backward at all the good things God has done for us. Many of the festivals in the Bible commemorated times God saved His people, so festivals acted as regular reminders of God’s faithfulness. Celebration also looks around at the good things He is doing in this moment. When we celebrate, we pause from normal life to acknowledge something great that God is doing. Then, we look forward to the good things He will do in the future, including the ultimate celebration we will have with Jesus at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9). We also celebrate because we follow a God who celebrates. Zephaniah 3:17 says God rejoices and even sings over His people. Heaven echoes with the songs of God, and we can take every opportunity to sing along. As Christians, we even regularly celebrate what Jesus has done for us by taking communion at church (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We celebrate because we have a truth worth celebrating: in Christ, we get to live in relationship with the God of the universe because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. That is why King David danced in the street until his clothes fell off: because the Ark of the Covenant, the very presence of God Himself, was with him. David realized this incredible truth deserved as much celebration as he could muster. He couldn’t hold it in; celebration bubbled up from within him when he was in God’s presence. Jesus’ love is wild. Let us celebrate just as wildly. • Taylor Eising Celebration is an act of faith that acknowledges life doesn’t depend on us. Look at Leviticus 23 again. How many times does God tell His people not to work? By resting, the Israelites remembered that they depended on God to provide for them. What are some ways you can practice rest in your life? What is your favorite celebration? How does celebration help you draw closer to God? In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10 (NIV)

Read Verses:

2 Samuel 6:12-23