The Festival of First fruits

1
The Festival of First fruits

• Feast of Weeks
• Day of First fruits
• Feast of Harvest

2
The Festival of First Fruits

• A festival of joy and thanksgiving for the soon
  to be completed harvest season
• A harvest festival that celebrated the goodness
  and faithfulness of the Lord in providing for the
  needs of His people
• A festival of covenant making and covenant
  renewal as well as an offering of first fruits

3
The Festival of First Fruits

• What does God want us to draw out from looking at
  this Festival ?
• Sharing our wealth of gifts and talents
  financially, spiritually, practically, physically
  and emotionally

4
First Fruits
5
God wants us to give our First Fruits to Him

• Not our left-overs or second best
• we should give only the best to those with no
  choice
• Honour the Lord with your wealth, and the first
  fruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be
  full and your wine barrels will overflow with new
  wine

6
God wants us to give our first fruits to Him

• How can I give God my first fruits ?
• That we give systematically
• That we give from a right motive
• That we give enough in proportion to what we
  possess
• That we give to the right place or places

7
God wants us to give our first fruits to Him

• God calls us , not commands us, to give the first
  and the best of our harvest.

8
God wants us to give freely and joyfully

• All things come from you God
• we give a freewill offering in proportion to that
  which God has blessed us with
• Our giving back to God, giving to others and
  sharing our resources the first fruits of our
  talents and gifts is a natural outpouring of
  our thanks to God and the life of the Spirit
  within us

9
God wants us to give freely and joyfully

• the smallest hand of friendship may be the
  biggest of gestures towards God
• an opportunity to celebrate before the Lord at
  the designated place of worship
• God loves a cheerful giver
• the Christian New testament Pentecost and the Old
  testament Pentecost or Festival of First fruits
  both celebrate the formation of Gods people

10
God wants all people to be included in the
festival

• Israels conduct was characterized by bliss and
  peace and harmony. They were a holy people unto
  the Lord. They were a people who cared for and
  looked after one another.
• The Early Church. devoted themselves to the
  apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the
  breaking of bread and to prayer All the
  believers were together and had everything in
  common. Selling their possessions and goods, they
  gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they
  continued to meet together in the temple courts.
  They broke bread in their homes and ate together
  with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and
  enjoying the favour of all the people

11
God wants all people to be included in the
festival

• Can we too be like the early church and the
  Israel that received Gods law from Moses
• a God given opportunity for us to renew our
  commitment or covenant with the Lord
• An expression of the sheer breadth of giving of
  the best that is feasible from the huge variety
  of individuals and groups we have, let it be a
  commitment to God and a celebration of the church
  as we deepen our understanding of Him.

12
God wants all people to be included in the
festival

• We have nothing that has not come from God out of
  His love for us.
• The church should be the fullest expression of
  love, forgiveness and sharing that we see
  anywhere on earth.
• The celebration and offering is for all people
  of all generations, rich and poor, masters and
  slaves, people who live in Dorking , foreigners,
  orphans and widows

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First Fruits

• Give God the First Fruits of your
• time
• Seek him in prayer and stillness