Why Celebrations are Important!

[Deuteronomy 24:17‭-‬18 KJV] “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing”.

Celebrations are an all important way to remember things and strengthen healthy organisational cultures. As a church, we must do everything possible to revive and keep these celebrations as very important days in the year and on the calendar. The devil is trying everything possible to kill these but we must not allow him to.

Celebrations are a way to remind ourselves of important things. The main seed of disloyalty and pride is forgetfulness. Many of us become proud and disloyal because we forget ourselves. The Lord, therefore, asks us to do things to remind ourselves of who we were and where we have come from.

For instance in Deuteronomy 24, there are things God told Israel to do so that they will always remember that they were slaves in Egypt. I believe that for us to stay humble, we must begin to take celebrations seriously.

Now, when it comes to celebrations and days, the scriptures are clear on it; “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ”. (Colossians 2:16-17, KJV)

Don’t let any man judge you concerning days and months and celebrations. For the following simple reasons;

1. All these things were and are a shadow of things to come. (See Colossians 2:16-17)
2. These celebrations are to the Lord and honours Him. (See Romans 14:5-10¹)

When it comes to celebrations, there are three important things that we should not allow the devil to destroy: the celebration of the Incarnation, Passover, and Pentecost.

In the Incarnation God became a man, that men might become the sons of God. The simple message of the incarnation is the fact that God is with us to save us from our sins; Emmanuel and Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25²)

At the Passover, God took the place of man in death, that we may live and live unto Him. (See 2 Corinthians 5:15³). At Christmas, God is with us; At Passover or Easter, God is for us, and at Pentecost, God is in us.

We celebrate Pentecost or White Sunday to remember the day on which God came to live in us. (See Acts 2:1-10⁴)

May the Lord help us to keep these celebrations prime in our everyday lives. You will not forget where you came from or where you are going. May the Lord keep us focused.

Be blessed, I love you!

Kofi Simpe

Prayer:

Father, Please help me not to forget where I came from. May I continue to remember all those who helped me on my way up. Amen!

If you’ve read all of this message to the end, then scroll down to the comments section and write Merry Christmas!

Referenced Scriptures

1. Romans 14:5-10 (KJV): One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ↩︎
2. Matthew 1:18-25 (KJV): Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. ↩︎
3. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (KJV): And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. ↩︎
4. Acts 2:1-10 (KJV): And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, ↩︎