Shavuot/Pentecost 2023
Hog sameach, shabbat shalom.
This is already been a special service and I want to thank all those who have made it. Such a thank you, John and Ryan and Frank and 10 for reading and Melanie, a tech team, a Steve and Eileen, and the Johnsons. And everybody who makes Services special, thank you when we get together and have a family service like this, I have to keep it short, right? Because we got a lot of Littles in here and you're all thankful in, the sermon short. Anyway, so typically I, when I do teachings like this, I'll read them. I don't normally do that. But on these to keep my words to you an exact, I typically read it. So I'm sorry if the medium isn't to your liking, but nevertheless, You yesterday, I wrote an article that appeared in the local newspaper about trouble Pentecost. The title was Pentecost. The Forgotten holiday. Really the holiday of Shavuot Pentecost is one that comes and goes with, very little Fanfare, unlike Nativity or Resurrection, which has a lot of traditions associated with it. Actually, I couldn't recall a single custom associated with shovel of Pentecost from my childhood.
How is it that way? Is not designed to be an indictment? That does it? how is it that this traditional day of, of the giving of God's Torah and the giving of the spirit Whitely on the community could be so ignored Doing a little research for my article. I found that like in Great Britain, there is a tradition to wear white, which I don't think that's that. I also found that in some Churches in Italy, they'll drop rose petals from the seat from the ceiling of certain churches, kind of recalling to mind that the Holy Spirit fell in Fire and Ice pretty good one. That's starting to get, I think a little closer to what we should do.
You know, maybe we should do something associated with fire. I think fire makes a lot of sense, is a custom to memorialized the day. I fire can be really fun except so maybe bonfires at the going out of the day would be appropriate, but I'd like to propose to all the families here to try something this year and over the next couple years as we celebrate shovel with Pentecost and that is to do something that forces you and your kids to look up.
I think it could begin on Ascension Day, which also has to do with it, besides you looking up.
So like bottle rockets. Or balloons. We're climbing, trees. but actually, Was I first line I know, I'm here. I think I think kites are perfect Busta kites out today or tomorrow and do something with kites. Because kites are driven by the wind. If there's no way and really take it, the kite up in the air. Shovel with adults about wind and the classes about wind and the wind goes wherever it pleases.
What do something that causes you to look up? Consider that first shot. Bloat in Exodus 19. And yes I do believe that the institution of this Harvest Festival. As multi call ready, reference. Coincides with the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. The people are at the base of the mountain. the people at the base of the mountain, but at the pop
It was a voice of the shofar thunder, lightning cloud and smoke and fire trembling which is an important symbol at this holiday also and the all inspiring voice of God in all the languages of the world which is tradition and they were forced to look up the people. Now consider the first shovel after you she was Resurrection in X2 followers of your shoe off and called is Pentecost room 50. They were on the mountain, I believe they were actually on the temple. Now, it says they were in the house which is short form for the temple, Hibachis the house. They were in the house, where else would fall like that. They heard a loud voice from the heavens. There was trembling there, like a great wind, they soft fire above them, it was revealed to them and all inspiring revelation of God, which enabled them to speak in the many languages of the world. They were forced to look up.
This year, I came across another tradition. associate with Joba World which would cause a person to look up and that Do I need to say? What it is yet? But it will cause you to think your eyes from the ground to the sky. From the Earth to the Heavens to change our viewpoint. And that is the fruit tree. An interesting midrash exist in the roster, sometimes called the element, they knew in 04, where it says, what does Isaiah mean? Pursue the Lord while he may be found in Isaiah 55:6. And someone begins a little story. That says, it's as, if God says to the people, my son, I want you to know that I am judge the world at 4 times. Attessa regarding grain. Shavuot regarding fruit trees. At Rosh Hashanah regarding as of all the people are before me as sons of rebellion. And I took that I judge regarding water, Okay, so the person is telling the story. He says, he judges got to do that for x. The port for Pilgrim festivals and then Russian are the beginning of the year.
Is it true? Does God really judge the world at 4 times? That's not really the point. As far as I'm concerned. The point is someone here, understand, something deep about the holiday and use the festival Shavuot as a Time associated with the fruit trees. because it is trouble with this when the people presented first fruits barley and wheat, but also the first fruits of the trees Fruit.
Think about fruit for a second. We also have an analogy in our phase about fruit. Do we not? fruit of the spirit fruit of the spirit. My understanding of the statement that God judges at these times does not mean that he inspects the olives, or the grapes or the pomegranates, or the dates or the figs to see if the fruit is good or bad. My understanding is that He is the sighting at that point in the year. What kind of yield there will be in the coming months. That's what he's judging. He's making a decision about the coming yield.
He decides the future of the reins at Sukkot, right? That's why you pray for rain. It's a ghost. The future yield of the grain crops.
And he decides the future yield of fruit at Shopper World. So we beseech him for a favorable judgment for this upcoming season. So now on the calendar we're entering a season of growth right to Summer growth time and we're entering it right now. How can we maximize the growth?
Often we hear. Super Chevy at this new year for trees. What usually happens in January, how many kind is like a tree Aren't you relieved with this analogy? It's a very strong analogy at the machete that we can see in other places, too, man is like a tree. Woman is like a tree and it's true. We all need for roots to stand strong in the world. We need good soil in, which we can grow out. We need proper tending. Cut off certain branches and have a good tending to the bugs aren't getting to us when you pretending we need water. Instructions are always like, into water. Do we need to reproduce? Need to produce fruit humans. Kind of, they reproduce themselves are species keeps going.
We're like a tree and consider this as we are in the year where we are in the yearly cycle. We are at the point of needing to produce some fruit. Trees. Ready to produce fruit. We're on the cusp of some real fruitfulness at Shavuot. Because it won't sense the season of Deliverance has ended. And the season of growth is upon us. A Frank mentioned. This we were thinking about the loads this year. I learn as Frank reference for the first time at the holidays, is sometimes called aceret, which means the conclusion that the Gathering, It's the concluding feast. A Passover, that's how it's viewed in rabbinic literature end of Passover. In one sense, it comes from the verb estar, to gather, to close-up to conclude it is a Biblical word, you'll see the medical tax.
But they call it this because travel is the conclusion of Passover and it is the fitting ending. I don't really need teach this to prank already. Did it's like the ending of your shoot fitting ending for his life. He lived. He died, he rose to life. He instructed his followers for 40 days. He concluded his work and gave them the holy spirit that they might go and bear fruit fruit that would last and we are some of that fruit. it's interesting to me that there are few examples in Jewish literature, A people trying to bring their first fruits, which were supposed to be brought on this holiday at this time, try to bring their first fruits early and they were rebuffed
the three Pilgrim festivals. Passover Shavuot Sukkot could be represented by these terms, salvation, Revelation, and protection Festival. In really, you could send them up in those words, salvation revelation, Protection. And it's almost as if God is saying don't rush out of that salvation, Euphoria salvation feeling that you feel every Passover. your, you're Think what I was Darkness into light, remember that each year at, but don't rush out of it. stay in that season for 50 days, almost
And then he reveals himself a shovel out through toilet and spirit. That's it's like Don't rush out of the, the Deliverance. But you also have to go into the next season, which is the grouse season and that's where we are in the calendar.
but it's not just for the sake of Revelation you didn't just give Revelation 4, Revelation sake. He didn't just take us out to get us out of that euphoric Deliverance. See if he wants to take you into a new season, but the revelation of his word and his Spirit has a purpose. He has designs for our soon-coming fruitfulness. That would bring healing to each other and healing to the nation's. The coming fruitfulness derives from the holy spirit of God, which should be ever-increasing in our lives. With me. Romans 8:28.
Creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who suggested it and hope that, the creation itself will be set free from its civility to Decay into the Glorious freedom of the children of God, out of the season of Freedom into a season of fruitfulness. we know the whole creation groans inwardly and suppers Agony together until now, not only this, but we ourselves also having the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves growing within ourselves, while we wait eagerly for our adoption, the Redemption of our bodies for this. Hope we're saved.
Normally, like Corinthians I would say the issue. It is a first fruit, right? It says that twice in Corinthians or like second Thessalonians or James, which says those early. Believers were the first group but here, it says that we have the first fruits of the spirit
That first fruit, which is associated with traveling and Pentecost is not all of the crop, right? It's a first fruit.
It's only a small portion. It might not even be the best portion. It's the early, it's the early fruit but it is a gift, it's a sacrifice to God, but it's not the biggest or the best part of the crop. The crop is still coming.
The fruit produced throughout the summer, the summer, growing months should get sweeter and more abundant and it's time and I think we're entering that time. That's the yearly symbolism here.
Read with me. John 15. How do we have fruit from it?
As I will with you, for just as the branch can bring forth fruit by itself, apart from the blinds. So you can't bear fruit apart from me on the vine. You are the branches, those who stay the night with me, and I with them are the ones who bear much fruit because, apart from me, you can do nothing. Now, we're entering the long summer growing season. And the early midrash suggest that God is judging our upcoming fruitful in that this holiday. Have you earnestly sought his favor regarding upcoming fruitfulness? We were sneaking a revelation at this holiday. That's what the holidays about. It's about revelation. The first one on the on sign, I was a revelation, his voice and his instructions. Revelation at Pentecost after you she was Resurrection, was a revelation of his fear in our lives and the two of those things together must create a fruitfulness in US.
Have you earnestly sought his favor in that regard? Do you desire? Spiritual Revelation which would lead to more fruitfulness, that's the season and closing. I strongly suggest the reinforces in the coming months, on the Fruit of the Spirit. From Galatians. 5 Love. And joy, and peace, and patience and kindness, and goodness. And gentleness and faithfulness, and self-control. There's no law against these things. No one would ever tell you to stop doing these things.
Is there evidence that you have the spirit of God in your life? These days, these over the coming months, love, and joy, and peace, and patience, and kindness, and faithfulness, and goodness, and gentleness and self-control. If mankind is like trees and we have the Holy Spirit of Holiness within us there, those should be some of our best fruits. Also consider the last tree in our Sacred Scriptures because it's not just the fruit that's unique about this tree in Revelation at the very end. What does it say? The Angel showed me the river of Water of Life sparkling like Crystal flowing from the Throne of God and the lamb. Between the main street in the river was the Tree of Life producing, all kinds of fruits, 12, kinds of fruits, a different fruit, every month.
But it was the leaves that help healing for the Nations.
No longer will there be any curses Throne of God another land will be in the city in the servants will worship Him. The nation's is a few steam shovel, right? We talked about this for a number of years now. And the future Tree of Life is giving us. I think a suggestion that demonstrates for us how to fulfill our purpose. as we move out of the season of Deliverance into the season of Revelation and growth,
Your fruitfulness benefits me.
My fruitfulness benefits. You
Did we let our fruitful this be a source of good to one another and they are leaves? Bring healing to each other and to the nation's. I'm in.