Dear Fellow Children of God,
On Wednesday morning, while cleaning up the kitchen, I
took out our leftover veggies to put in our compost pile. We till this compost of grass, leaves, and
kitchen garbage into the garden each year to enrich the soil. While I was out at the garden I took the
opportunity to pick some early raspberries.
The berries I picked were dark red, and juicy, and sweet! I really like a good helping of raspberries. How about you?
However, these are just the so-called “first fruits.” The majority of berries are still green and
will need to ripen as the season progresses.
I expect to have a bumper crop of berries this year because of all the
sun and the rain. Thank you, Lord!
As I was munching on the berries, I thought back to a
conversation I had with Temple Christiansen after worship on Sunday, August 2. She asked me about a Bible verse in 1
Corinthians where Jesus is called, “The
first fruits.”
The teaching on first fruits is a
complicated teaching, with different layers of meaning. The most common usage in the Bible has to do
with offerings. One of the first places
this idea is taught is in Exodus 23. God
tells the Israelites at Sinai, 16 "Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the
first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; . . .
19 "You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.” The “first fruits”
offering was one which required AND which taught faith in God’s providing. The Israelites were to take the best of their
first harvest and give it to the Lord and to His workers. The first harvest was often the best, so this
offering was a real sacrifice. Also,
what if there was bad weather and the rest of the crop did not come in? Those first fruits which had been given to
God would be even more vital. This took
faith in the Lord to give this sacrificial gift, and it taught faith in His providing.
Actually, God
calls on us to give our offerings in the same way. He doesn’t call us to give what is “left
over.” He doesn’t want us to give our
excess, or what we don’t need. When we
give off the top, when we give our “first fruits,” we are showing love and
faith in God. When we give first fruits, God teaches us that He does provide, and not
just in material things.
But, Temple
was asking me about 1 Corinthians 15 where God inspires Paul to write, “20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21
For since by a man came death,
by a man also came the
resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all
shall be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first
fruits, after that those who
are Christ's at His coming,”
At first, this title for Jesus can seem a mystery. What does it mean that Jesus is “the first
fruits?” Yet, when we think that first
fruits have to do with gifts and offerings, we see that Jesus is God’s GIFT to
the people of this world. God did not
wait for us to get it together.
Actually, for people born in sin, we will never totally get it together
in this world. We need a Savior. So, before we respond in love and faith, God
gives Jesus, “the first fruits of
those who are asleep.” When we deserve punishment and death because of our
sin, God acts in grace by sending His Son to die and rise for us. Then our Lord waits for us to respond in
faith and in love.
The fact that “Christ has been raised from the dead”
is good news. This is THE Gospel! God loves His creation, even when and if we
do not respond. Because Jesus is “the
first fruits,” our response is not a “have to.”
When we “have to” do something to earn God’s love, that action becomes
law, not Gospel. But, when we see the
amazing grace and love of God, that He gives His only Son as “the first fruits of those who are asleep,” when we begin to
understand the depth of God’s sacrifice and His love for us, then we WANT TO trust in Jesus and to follow
Him. Imagine, this IS an amazing mystery
and the best news we will ever hear. “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first
fruits of those who are
asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the
resurrection of the dead.”
My garden is doing well.
The raspberries are coming in. In
fact, with all the fruits and vegetables, and with all the fish, it is easy to
see how God provides. At least it is
easy to see the overflowing of our Lord’s love at this point in the summer.
However, imagine that, through Jesus, God also provides for our
eternity. Doesn’t your heart burn within
you in a desire to trust and follow Jesus, the first fruits of those who are asleep?
A Child of God, Amazed at the Mystery that Jesus is “The First Fruits of Those Who Are Asleep!”
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here is a picture of one row of our
raspberries. J https://photos.app.goo.gl/xsFjNKEj4e7AET2q8
P.P.S. I did spend
time on the Kenai Peninsula last week visiting with friends and fishing. The two best days were halibut fishing on
Thursday with friend, Fred Vasilie, and Pastors Tony Schultz and Bill
Hillgendorf, and then on Friday, Pastor Tony Schultz and I dip netted on the
Kenai with friend, Wayne Mize. We
thought we had 21 reds and 1 pink. We
actually had 18 reds and 4 pinks which we meant to throw back.
In addition, my daughter Mary
and I fished on Monday on the Deshka River.
Anyway, here are the pictures.
·
Halibut fishing on July 30. https://photos.app.goo.gl/4nkc7v9pgGVxm4Ua9
·
Preparation for bank fishing for red
salmon. This is Pastor Tony
Schultz. https://photos.app.goo.gl/GUqHVAHFtyNboTxq9
·
Dip Netting on the Kenai River on the last legal
day to dip, Friday, July 31. https://photos.app.goo.gl/k5VnGaWo4ZhFCFfP6
·
Silver salmon fishing on the Deshka River with
my daughter, Mary. J https://photos.app.goo.gl/qhmvzkFvQRZqXoVU8
*****
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I am now
retired as senior pastor of St. John Lutheran in Palmer, AK. My weekly
devotion was previously titled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."
However, with life's changes I now call the devotion "Journeys Through
Life as a Child of God." I am only sending this message to those who
have asked to receive it. If you know someone else who desires to receive
this message, have them e-mail me at jonrock53@mtaonline.net. I will
include them on my distribution list. You can also view this message on my
Facebook page.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
HAVE ASKED ME WHY THEY ARE NO LONGER RECEIVING MY DEVOTIONS. Since I’m only sending these e-mails to
people who ask for them, many are no longer receiving them. BUT, if you read this on Facebook and like to
receive these devotions by e-mail, or if you know someone who would like to
receive these devotions, send me an e-mail at jonrock53@mtaonline.net, and I will add
you to my distribution list.
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
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