Studies

The First Thanksgiving

Who were these people? Why were they thankful? What keep them going?

Mayflower was at the end of life for a ship (15 years) - Saints/Separtist - 40 out of 102 (62 Strangers) (~30 crew)
Two ships but the first one kept leaking - some left and the rest moved the Mayflower

Left three times before eventually

1. Remember what their life was like

Decided to leave because:

• The culture the children brought up in
• Church of England was corupt and idolaturus
• Excluded from the guild and force to take low paying jobs

Ephesians 2:11-13 - we are far away from home

How are like we were once far away from God and foreigners?

2. Through their suffering - on the ship (James)

• Left at high sea time (was not part of the orginal plan) - left in September because of ship troubles
• Ship's main support beam fractured
• Leave the sails down and be carried by the wavess

2 Corinthians 1:3-12

What are the benefits of suffering?

• Produces compassion for others who are enduring the same suffering
• Creates patient endurance
• Rely of God
• Gratefulness to God
• Gratefulness afterwords

Everyone's suffering level is different - God know what you can endure

What suffering have you gone through? What has it produced? 2013 for me - went to the doctor

3. See their needs being meet by  God

• Landed in the Cape Cod area, north where they wanted - they tried to go south to Virginia
• Prior ships came to spread a culture and religon or stealing from and killing of the natives
• It might have take some humility ro be helped by Native Americans
• 50% of each group of people died - 53 left (about 20 of the "saints")

Deuteronomy 8:1-10

How can this be applied to the Pilgrims?

• Two months over seas
• They were humbled by hunger, disese, and severe weather (much colder than what they were used to)
• Brought to a good land - not dessert
• God used natives to help se

How can this be applied to us?