FIRSTFRUITS – A THANKSGIVING OFFERING

Text/s :
Deut 26:1-11
1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;
2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land
that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which
the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.
3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this
day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our
fathers for to give us.
4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the
Lord thy God.
5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father,
and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great,
mighty, and populous:
6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on
our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm,
and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth
with milk and honey.
10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given
me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:
11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and
unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
KJV
Bible reading :
Ps 96:4-9
4 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
KJV
Song/s :
INTRODUCTION
What things we thank God for in Firstfruits…
Firstruits is a thanksgiving offering
 Firstfruits is a thanksgving offering made by God’s people
Rom 9:23-26
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had
afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her
beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my
people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
KJV
 Firstfruits is a thanksgiving offering made by God’s people collectively (or
as a body)
1 Peter 2:5
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
KJV
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
KJV
Phil 4:18
18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were
sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
KJV
Eph 2:19-22
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and
of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
KJV
Our Thanksgiving in Firstfruits…
A) God has brought us to our “good land” – where we are as a church
Deut 26:1
26 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for
an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;
KJV
John 15:4-8
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;
no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth
much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
KJV
Eph 4:11-15
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind
of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ:
KJV
2 Peter 1:3-8
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
B) God has performed a great deliverance for us all
Deut 26:5-10
5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father,
and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great,
mighty, and populous:
6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on
our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm,
and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth
with milk and honey.
10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given
me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:
KJV
 Delivered us from perishing
Deut 26:5
5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father,
and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great,
mighty, and populous:
KJV
Eph 2:12-13
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
KJV
Col 1:27
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
KJV
2 Thess 2:16
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath
given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
KJV
 Delivered us from bondage of sin and the world
Deut 26:6-7
6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on
our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
KJV
Gal 5:1
5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage.
KJV
2 Cor 3:17
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
KJV
John 8:32
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
KJV
Rom 8:1-2
8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
KJV
 Delivered us because He heard our cry
Deut 26:7
7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on
our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
KJV
Rom 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
KJV
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
KJV
Eph 3:20-21
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.
KJV
Jer 33:3
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou
knowest not.
KJV
 Delivered us with mighty power
Deut 26:8
8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm,
and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
KJV
Ps 105:26-45
26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.
32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among
their tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.
KJV
John 5:24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
KJV
Rom 8:1
8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.
KJV
Rom 8:14-17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together.
KJV
 Delivered us and were made, by His grace, profitable before Him
Deut 26:9
9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth
with milk and honey.
KJV
Rom 12:5-8
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us
prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth,
with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
KJV
2 Cor 8:7
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all
diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
KJV
1 Cor 1:4-7
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus
Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
KJV
 Delivered us to honor Him and bring Him glory
Deut 26:10-11
10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given
me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:
11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and
unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
KJV
C) Firstfruits is a thanksgiving given as a sacrifice
Deut 26:10-11
10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given
me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:
11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and
unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
KJV
Ps 116:17
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
KJV
Ps 107:22-24
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
KJV
1 Peter 2:5
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
KJV
Heb 13:16, “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.”
Deuteronomy 26 shows us that firstfruits is a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Such sacrifice is
pictured to us in Psam 107 as “going down to the sea in ships” and doing “business in great
waters.” And believers who tread in such endeavors are given the promise of “seeing the works
of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.”
Neh 10:32-35
32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for
the service of the house of our God;
33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering,
of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin
offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to
bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by
year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:
35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by
year, unto the house of the Lord:
KJV
Neh 12:43
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with
great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even
afar off.
Phil 4:18-19
18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were
sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
KJV
D) Firstfruits is thanksgiving offering given in honor to God
Prov 3:9-10
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
KJV
1 Sam 2:30b, “...for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly
esteemed.”
John 12:26
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any
man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Mal 1:6
6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine
honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that
despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
John 5:23
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not
the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Ps 50:22-23
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I
shew the salvation of God.
KJV
Firstfruits is one specific way by which God wants us to honor Him. And when we do honor
Him with such offering, He honors us in return!
Such principles that underlie firstfruits behoove each believer into involvement, not only because
of God’s promises of blessings but in answer to the graciousness and mercies of God to us. I
would therefore that each member of __________ be able to participate today in this blessed and
God-honoring sacrifice of thanksgiving. Needless to say, we have much to thank God for, not
only as individual believers, but as a church body.