The First Thanksgiving
Emmanuel Christian Church 11.24.24
INTRODUCTION: I am excited this morning to tell you the true to life story
of the very first Thanksgiving!
It IS a story of real people motivated by real Christian faith.
It’s NOT a simple story of just one day.
The truth is, it’s a story that spans over sixty years!
PROPOSITION: It is my hope that in the retelling of just some of the facts
of the story you will be reminded of and inspired by the faith of our Pilgrim
Fathers, and discover your own reasons for thanksgiving to God.
The story begins with…
Two Kings
- Henry 8th (1509)
- Henry becomes king of England at age 18. That same year, he marries
his 24 year old widowed sister-in-law Cathrine of Aragon (a marriage
borne of political interest).
- When Catherine fails to produce a male heir to the throne, and Henry’s
attentions become drawn to her ladies in waiting, Henry seeks an
annulment of their marriage from the Catholic Church in order to marry
Anne Boleyn.
- When the Catholic church says “No!”, Henry starts his own church
“The Church of England” with himself as its head!
APPLICATION: The Scripture clearly teaches…
Ephesians 5:23 “…CHRIST (not Henry the 8th) IS the head of the church,
his body, of which he is the Savior.”
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Our next king in consideration is…
- James 1st (1603)
- Baptized a Catholic by his mother Mary, Queen of Scots- he had
actually been raised in the way of the Protestant Reformers. Ratherironically, this is the same “King James” that commissioned the “King
James Version” of the Bible that has been the mainstay of protestant
churches for the last 400 years!
- After coming to power as King of England however, it became clear
that he was more interested in consolidating political power than
advancing Biblical Theology.
- Given the fact that the Church of England stood in the realms of both
political and religious power, James the 1st cast his lot with the
country’s religious establishment.
- In 1605, James decrees that anyone opposing the Church of England
would themselves be opposed by both the Church and the Crown
- Two groups within England become the target of James the 1st,
because of their opposition to the Church of England: the “Puritans”
and the “Separatists”
- The Puritans wanted to purify the Church of England (much like the
protestant reformers wanted to reform the Catholic church).
- The Separatists were more radical- seeing the authority of the
Scriptures as being above the King and his state run church!
The Separatists
- Since the 1559 Act Of Uniformity, things were pretty tough for the
Separatists.
- It was ILLEGAL to NOT show up in church on Sunday or holy
days. Each day missed incurred a fine of $26!
- If you conducted an “unauthorized” Bible study, the punishment
was death!
- William Bradford, one of the Separatists wrote about their
conditions at the time…
“But after these things they could not long continue in any peaceable
condition, but were hunted and persecuted on every side, so as their
former afflictions were but as fleabitings in comparison of these which now
came upon them. For some were taken and clapt up in prison, others had
their houses beset and watched night and day, and hardly escaped their
hands; and the most were fain to flee and leave their houses and
habitations, and the means of their livelihood.”
- So, in 1608 flee they did! To what they called the “low country” of
Holland!
- This began what became 3 separate voyages for the Pilgrims.The Three Voyages
- The 1st Voyage- From England to Holland (1608)
- Escaping from persecution in England was a trial itself! Betrayed by the
ship’s captain, William Bradford records…
“But when he had them and their goods onboard, he betrayed them,
having before hand plotted with the searchers and other officers so to do;
who took them, And put them into open boats, and there rifled and
ransacked them, searching them to their shirts for money, yea even the
women further then was modest; and then carried them back into the
town, and made them a spectacle and wonder to the multitude, which
came flocking on all sides to behold them. Being thus first, by the officers,
rifled, and stripped of their money, books, and much other goods, they
were presented to the magistrates…”
- While less than 200 miles apart (Stoneboro, to Columbus, Ohio)-
England and Holland were like two different planets!
- For 11 years, the Pilgrims struggle with the language, culture and the
ability to make a living in this foreign country.
- While they did have the one benefit of their religious freedom, they
began to be worried over the fact that their children were becoming
more interested in Holland than the Holy faith of the Scriptures.
- The 2nd Voyage - From Holland to England
- July 1620, the Pilgrims leave Holland for their final visit to their home
country of England.
- Boarding the English ship “Speedwell” this was their shortest voyage,
landing them in Southampton, England.
- The 3rd Voyage- From England to America
- Having secured a contract for settlement in America from both the
King of England (who expressly did not sanction their religious
beliefs) as well as a group of venture capitalists, the group headed
out on August 15th on two ships: the Mayflower and the Speedwell.
- Not long after their departure, the “Speedwell” began leaking
profusely (some said it was sabotage by the crew who wanted to
get out of their obligation to transport this group of “crazies” to what
seemed certain death).- This little complication delays their departure for another month as
the two ships and passengers are consolidated into one group on
the Mayflower (121 people!)
- Not everyone on the Mayflower were Pilgrims! As much as two
thirds were sailors, adventurers or hired craftsmen who had little or
no Christian devotion whatsoever!
- One of the sailors actually cursed the pilgrims saying he couldn’t
wait to watch the first of them die in the middle of the trip so he
could through their body overboard and claim their worldly
possessions for himself!
- Ironically, it was that very sailor was the first to die of illness and
be thrown overboard!
- And then, there was trouble on the high seas! Half-way through the
voyage they endured two storms that damaged the main mast of the
ship. William Bradford records…
“…they were encountered many times with cross winds, and met with
many fierce storms, with which the ship was soundly shaken, and her
upper works made very leaky; and one of the main beams in the mid ships
was bowed and cracked, which put them in some fear that the ship could
not be able to perform the voyage.”
- One of the pilgrims supplies a large iron screw to repair the
massive main beam!
- And again Bradford records…
“So they committed themselves to the will of God, and resolved to
proceed.
- Then came their unexpected landing…
- After 65 days at sea, on November 9th land is sighted!
- Pilgrim William Brewster leads the group in prayer citing Psalm
100…
Psalms 100:1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the
LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the
LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the
sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts
with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD isgood and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all
generations.
- On November 21st, the ship anchors in Provincetown harbor.
- The problem is however, this is NOT where the non-pilgrims
agreed to land! Some of them start grumbling about abandoning
the Pilgrims with an “Every man for himself!” attitude.
- It’s at this point William Bradford drafts what becomes known as…
- The Mayflower Compact - the first governing document of the
Plymouth Colony
- “In the name of God, Amen.”
- “Having undertaken, for the Glory of God”
- “and advancements of the Christian faith”
The First Year
- Hardship - within the first month almost everyone on the Mayflower
suffered respiratory flu and scurvy. William Bradford’s own wife
slipped on the icy deck of the Mayflower and drowned in
Provincetown harbor.
- Death - that winter 50% died.
- God’s Provision -
- On March 21st A Patuxet Indian by the name of Tisquantum walked
out of the forest speaking perfect English!
- Years earlier, he had been captured and sold as a slave by European
adventurers.
- While in Europe he had converted to Christianity and had won his
freedom to return to America!
- By the time he met the Pilgrims in the spring of 1621, he had already
crossed the Atlantic 6 times!
- With only 47 pilgrims having survived the first winter, Squanto taught
them how to plant corn and served as an intermediary with the
various surrounding Indian tribes.
- All this brings us to the first Thanksgiving in the Fall of 1621. In a
letter written by Edward Winslow- who was in attendance of the
celebration, we find this description:
“…our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that
so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered
the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a
little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which timeamongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians
coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit,
with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted,
and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the
Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and
others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time
with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we
often wish you partakers of our plenty."
CONCLUSION: You can’t hear the true story of Thanksgiving, without
asking yourself what would motivate people to endure the dangers,
hardships and loss they experienced.
Thankfully, we’re not left to wonder. William Bradford records exactly
their motivations…
“Lastly, (and which was not least), a great hope and inward zeal they had
of laying some good foundation, or at least to make some way thereunto,
for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in
those remote parts of the world; yea, though they should be but even as
stepping-stones unto others for the performing of so great a work.”
Lest anyone try to convince you of some other foundation for our national
holiday, let me read for you the Presidential proclamation of George
Washington that established our National Day of Thanksgiving
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of
Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly
to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress
have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People
of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be
observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of
Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to
establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of
November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service
of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the
good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in
rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and
protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a
Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorableinterpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and
conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and
plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational
manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of
government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One
now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are
blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful
knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he
hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and
supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to
pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in
public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties
properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all
the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and
constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to
protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have
shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace,
and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and
virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to
grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone
knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in
the year of our Lord 1789.”