The Favor of First Fruit OUTLINE 011512

Sermon Text: Lev 23: 9 – 10
Sermon Title: The Favor of First Fruit

Point 1: The Facts of First Fruit First fruit is part of the Jewish festivals. First fruit is included in the exclusive list of festivals Deut 16: 16.
The word festival during biblical times was always the date set aside when God would visit with his people? So God was prophetically telling his people celebrate and participate in my festival and I will show up.

(A) What is first fruit? The first ripe portion of the harvest Lev 23: 10b bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest First fruit was the ripe portion of the Israelites harvest. Our first fruit comes…

(B) When was first fruit given? First fruit was given the first month of the Jewish year/when they entered the Promised Land. Lev 23: 10…When you enter the land I am going to give you and reap its harvest

(C) Why was first fruit given?
• First fruit was given as a gift of obedience to... Lev 23: 14b This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to wherever you live.
• Makes the whole holy. Rom 11: 16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy…
• First fruit invokes the favor of God i.e. God symbolically called Israel his first fruit and vowed to protect her Jer. 2: 3 Israel was holy to the Lord the first fruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,
• God always demands our first. Matt 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well...

Point 2: The Faith of First Fruit
• (A) Causes you to trust God even more... Prov. 3: 5 – 6, 9 – 10
• (B) It took trust for the Israelites to give God there first...
• (C) Act of faithful relationship with God Gen 4: 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock…

Point 3: The Function of First Fruit
• (A) Releases overflow in your life Prov. 3: 9, 10
• (B) Releases blessing over your house…Ezekiel 44: 30
• (C) Releases favor in your life Gen 4: 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel…
• God gave his first fruit 1 Cor 15: 23…Christ the first fruit…

If God didn’t not hesitate to give us his first fruit how can we hold back from giving God our first fruit?