Monday, January 23, 2012

The Favor of First Fruit

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

No one wants to be last, at the bottom of the barrel, or be a reject, and neither does God. You and God have something in common: you want to be first and so does He. God is a God of the first. You do have faith, but you just have to apply it to the law of God.

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 when we faithfully believe God for a greater harvest. It can be one day, one week, or one month of your salary as He so moves on your heart. Step out on faith and believe God. First Fruit is a portion given at a particular time: at the first of the year and whenever you have an increase.

(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.
Let the New Year be your Promised Land.

(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…Give the first so that the rest will be 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...
The Israelites were thankful to enter the Promised Land.

Point 2:
The Faith of First Fruit
• (A) Causes you to trust God even more... Prov. 3: 5 – 6, 9 – 10 When you allow God to separate you from your money, it increases your faith.
• (B) It took trust for the Israelites to give God their first...God was trying to teach them to trust Him even more. They had to trust God through their giving.
• (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. Apply the word to your situation and learn how to put a demand on GOD. When you move into first fruits you move into an overflow in every area of your life.
• (B) Releases blessing over your house…Ezekiel 44: 30 Sometimes blessings come in the form of simply having a piece of mind.
• (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…
There is no need to give God leftovers because you’re in relationship with Him. How can you be so close with God and not want to share?

Life Application:
If God didn’t not hesitate to give us his first fruit how can we hold back from giving God our first fruit? God is not interested in being an afterthought.

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