A Reason to Celebrate

By David A. Sargent      Brendan Harrison is a high school teacher and varsity boys’ baseball coach in Saginaw, Michigan.  “Coach Bubba” is what his baseball players call him.     In October 2022, Harrison was diagnosed with colon cancer.  A doctor performed surgery to remove a cancerous mass.  After recovering from surgery, he began receiving chemotherapy treatments.     On May 8, Harrison finally completed his 12th and final chemotherapy treatment.  As he exited the health care facility, he was greeted by a large crowd of family, friends, students, and his baseball team.  With tears of gratitude, Coach Harrison rang a bell signifying the completion of his treatments and embraced his family, friends and students that had come to celebrate with him. *     What a wonderful reason to celebrate!     There is another celebration in which we will all want to share…     In Luke 15 in the Bible, Jesus, the Son of God, tells three parables.  In each of them, something is lost and is found.  When the lost object is found – a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son – there is great rejoicing, a celebration!     Here is Jesus’ application of His three stories: “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10; see also v. 7, 22-24).     Because of our sins, we are lost (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  But God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to “find” us and to save us (John 3:16).  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7).     God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).     And when one of us accepts God’s offer on His terms, there is rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:10) and on earth.  In heaven, God and the angels rejoice.  On earth, the family of God (the church, those who have also embraced the grace of God by trusting and obeying Jesus) rejoices because God has added another saved soul to their midst (Acts 2:41, 47).     Now that’s a reason to celebrate!     If YOU will accept God’s offer, heaven and earth are ready to celebrate with you!

- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org * Information gleaned from “Michigan teacher brought to tears as students, family surprise him after final round of chemo” by Sydney Borchers of Fox News, www.foxnews.com.