The Principle of Firstfruits
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 17 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro
Intro
Text - Deuteronomy 26.5-10
5 And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.
6 But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us.
7 Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression.
8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.
9 He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”;
10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ “Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God.
Title - The Principle of Firstfruits
background
background
What is the “firstfruits”
the firstfruits of the field that are harvested
4 The firstfruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.
the first of your increase - gains, earnings,
Terminologies
firstfruits of your labors - Exo 23.16
firstfruits of the land - Exo 23.19
firstfruits of your harvest - Lev 23.10
firstfruits of all your increase - Prov 3.9
Metaphorical use
the first converts in a place
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.
15 I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—
the first of God’s children
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
Why the firstfruits are offered to the LORD
The offering of the firstfruits is a recognition of God’s faithfulness
The offering of the firstfruits is a recognition of God’s faithfulness
read again - Deut 26.1-10
1 “And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it,
2 that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide.
3 And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’
4 “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.
5 And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.
6 But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us.
7 Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression.
8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.
9 He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”;
10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ “Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God.
The offering of the firstfruits is giving honor to God
The offering of the firstfruits is giving honor to God
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
The firstfruits offered to the LORD represent the worshipers
The firstfruits offered to the LORD represent the worshipers
10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.
11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
in the natural harvest - the firstfruits represent the worshiper’s gratitude to God who gives him the harvest ahead
in evangelism - the first converts are the firstfruits of the ministers who labored in the field
in the harvest of souls - Jesus was the firstfruits of those will rise up from the dead
The firstfruits offered to the LORD serve as guarantee for the rest of the harvest
The firstfruits offered to the LORD serve as guarantee for the rest of the harvest
although the harvest is near, nobody knows what between now and the time of harvest - only God can secure the harvest
Jesus Christ has become the firstfruits of those who fella sleep
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
The firstfruits reflect the quality that God is expecting in the coming harvest
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
note - James then exhorts on Christian qualities
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
the first converts are to give honor and praise to God
12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What’s the point?
Your first fruits reflects your hearts attitude towards the works of God
You, who are the first fruits of this ministry reflect the character of this church.
your life