First Fruits Offering Sermonette

Timing

every year during the month of January we do a few beginning of the year things.

Things that help us to establish god as first in our year and lives..

Fast

Every January we fast, and that fast begins tomorrow.

You should have received information about that today on the way in.

I hope you'll participate in that.

Prayer

During the fast we devote ample time to prayer..

Prioritizing God and seeking him for this new year..

First firstfruits

and finally, every year we give the opportunity to give in first fruits..

again, choosing to Put god first in our money..

Basics

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus said these three things..

Prayer, fasting, and giving, should be expected behaviors in the lives of believers..

So we practice them..

Because they are important..

The heart.

At the core of all of these actions..

Is the issue of the heart..

As we fast, pray, and give, we search our selves to make sure our heart is aligned and stays in alignment with God.

And to align with his guidance, blessing and favor on our lives and all we will do in 2025.

Simply put we give god out first in our time, our desire, and our resources..

So, I want to take a couple moments as we prepare to give this morning and talk about first fruits..

What is first fruits?

First fruits is an offering.

First fruits is an optional offering that many believers practice each year.

In the old testament God commanded the people of the promise that when they came into the land that they were to bring a first fruits offering to him.

This was to be done at the begining of each harvest season hince the term first.. fruit..

Leviticus 23:10 ESV

“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest,

This was an offering of faith to the lord, brought to the house of the lord or the priest, declaring that the individual was putting their trust in God that what remained of the harvest would be more than enough.

In return, God promised that he would bless the remainder of the harvest so that it would be more than enough.

Hebrew word

The hebrew word for first fruits is Bikkurim and means “promise to come”

So in giving the first of their harvest to god they were telling the lord, I believe you will fulfill the promsie to bless the remainer of my harvest.

When

Again this was done at the begining of the harvest season.

today, many of us are not farmers

we mostly work for pay jobs or receive money through various means

so the begining of our harvest season for us is the new year.

Especially for tax purposes.

Thats why we talk about and give first fruits at the begining of the year

Before we know what the year will total

and before we know what we will harvest through the year.

What?

And what is our harvest now?

again, most of us have not planted corn or are not raising sheep..

our harvest is our increase..

and that for us today is money.

So when we give a first fruits offering it is a financial offering.

Where?

This offering is to be giving to the house of god.

In bible days the priest represented the house of god.

So our fruits offerings are given to gods house.

Why

But you might still be asking why?

I tithe pastor, I give, Why should i give a first fruits..

Especially if its an opptional offering?

Tithes and first fruits are different..

first of all, tithes and first fruits are different.

though tithing is simalar to first fruits..

Ezekiel 44:30 (ESV)

And the first of all the firstfruits of all kinds, and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings, shall belong to the priests. You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, that a blessing may rest on your house.

First fruits is the first of the first.

Tithing is a comand of god to bring the tenth to the store house.

Tithing is not oppional for a christian.

Its required by god..

and thats another sermonette.

Tithing is giving everytime we have increase..

Every check, every gift, we give a tenth..

IT IS GIVEN AFTER WE RECEIVE..

and there is a blessing on that as well..

First Fruits

But frist frutis is giving at the begining of the year..

BEFORE YOU RECEIVE..

BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WILL HAVE..

BEFORE THE HARVEST..

Theirfore..

it is a offering given in faith..

and faith as we know via Jesus, unlocks the impossible in our lives..

So first fruits and tithing are different..

Why?

But we give first fruits because thier is a special blessing on those who do.

Look what ezekial said..

Ezekiel 44:30 (ESV)

And the first of all the firstfruits of all kinds, and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings, shall belong to the priests. You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, that a blessing may rest on your house.

Making a first fruit offering opens us up to allow God to work in our life.

The blessings of god in our lives..

Paul said in romans 11:16

Romans 11:16 ESV

If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

First fruits engages the blessing of god onto the remined of what we will receive..

And we need the blessing of god..

And I want to point out god has demonstrated this for us..

God gave First Fruits

1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Paul says, Jesus what gods first fruits offering..

That he gave him, not so God would be blessed..

but so that we, through christ, would be blessed.

How

So how do we give first fruits?

During the month of January we wil have a center plate every week.

And in that plate if you have a first fruits offering you can bring it and give it..

But what you give and if you give is 100% up to you..

because if you are going to give it needs to be a willful and cheerful gift before the lord..

Some give a first paycheck..

So give a small amount.

Ask the lord and he will tell you what to give.

but remember when he speaks.. its a gift of faith and a gift of sacrifice..

So if he tells you to give more than you origionally through.. give.

And he will bless you..

Pray

So I encourage you to prafully consider giving a first fruits offering.