When I first began preaching I was serving a Church in Colorado at harvest-time. Their main harvest was corn so they took me up into the harvester tractor to see for myself how the harvest is accomplished! This small town had a glorious celebration-- a town picnic gathering, homemade ice-cream, kids got to catch greased pigs, there was a parade, and at sunset came the hayrides through the harvested fields.
Most in my humble Church gave their first fruits money offerings then. They Sanctified the whole crop by offering the first fruits to God. (Exodus 23:19) Now Apostle Paul picks up on this in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, directing us to see the first fruits of the harvest come in and to know that the rest of the harvest is here. Christ's Resurrection begins it and He commands us to do the harvesting.
Christ's Resurrection secures our future as those who belong to Christ will receive Resurrection. What difference does this make in our lives right now? It means that each one of us has a first Goal-- that God may be in all. Jesus saves us, God will raise us, courage surges. Filled with Christ, may all know us by our Christian love.
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