Leviticus 23:2; 41....A celebration for all generations...

Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

I know it is still several months away but I am so excited about the 125th.

Can’t expect anyone else to be excited, if we are not excited....

This is a major milestone in the history of New Hope Baptist Church.

To think that back in 1899 so God fearing, God loving folks stepped out on their faith and look where God as brought New Hope…TALK, PREACH....

It is ok to celebrate what God has done for you. Matter of fact as we will see it is ordained and commanded by God.

And here in the book of Leviticus, God has given his people the feasts to celebrate and they all have a specific meaning.

Meanings that also apply to us today.

Leviticus 23:2 ““Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”

;Leviticus 23:41 “You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.”

There were seven feasts observed annually in ancient Israel and they were celebrated in this order: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles.

different feasts with different meanings but with same outcome....praising and thanking God.

and I love the wording God used, in verse 2, HOLY CONVOCATIONS....

convocation means gathering

and they are Holy because God is there....

Where ever God is,, that place, that event is Holy....TALK, PREACH....

Let’s walk...

Leviticus 23:2 ““Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”

These feasts, which are rich with symbolic and prophetic significance, were properly called the feasts of the LORD. They fundamentally belonged to God, and He gave them to Israel as holy convocations, sacred gatherings.

Exalting Jesus in Leviticus We Seek God’s Presence

Going into the presence of God was the purpose of the festival days

let’s compare....

Feast of Tabernacles....during this feast the people would dwell in tents so that they would always remember the wilderness experience…TALK, PREACH…(TELL STORY)..

in 1899, there was some folks sitting under a tree praising God....no a/c, no heat…and they came to church and they celebrated and worshipped God....

so on the 4th sunday in July, we need to remember what they went thru and where we have come from and celebrate and praise God......TALK, PREACH...

what did i just say, they belong to God, he gave them to us a holy convocations....

so we need to gather and celebrate and praise....

let’s look at another....

passover feast....TALK, PREACH

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 23

The institution of the passover was intended to be a perpetual memorial of the circumstances attending the redemption of the Israelites, while it had a typical reference to a greater redemption to be effected for God’s spiritual people.

there was times that someone counted New Hope but when you are covered with the blood and know Him for yourself, death will pass right over.....TALK, PREACH....

from God for us.....125 yrs....

a celebration for all generations.....TALK, PREACH...

God performed the miracles and commanded the feasts for a reason...

and He has allowed New Hope to stand for 125 yrs for a reason....

they were a time when the people came together for worship and the celebration of significant events.....

and 125 yrs is a significant event...

Leviticus 23:41 “You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.”

The major theme in all these feasts is gratitude, for what God has done and what God continues to give. Special “displays of the mercy, kindness, and providential care of God should be particularly remembered. When we recollect that we deserve nothing at his hands, and that the debt of gratitude is all the debt we can pay, in it we should be cheerful, fervent, and frequent......TALK, PREACH....(WE SHOULD TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD)

Exalting Jesus in Leviticus We Seek God’s Presence

When we think about the good times in our pasts, those good times were God’s blessings, so we go to Him and give Him praise that He was working in ways we could not even see at the time. As we approach a new year, we go into His presence and commit the year to Him.

God saved His people, commanded His people to celebrate what He had done for them. And now He has commanded them to make it last throughout all generations....

New Hope He has saved His church, He has blessed His church...

He has already given the commandment to celebrate for what He has done...

And we need to make sure that the next generation, knows all about it....

a celebration for all generations...

Now just like these festivals, we only celebrate once a year but we need to celebrate.

but there is another reason we should be celebrating and we should be doing each and every day....not just on easter weekend....

what you talking abou preacher.....TALK, PREACH, CLOSE.....