Evening Harvest Worship – Sunday 1 October 2023
Evening Harvest Worship – Sunday 1 October 2023
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The harvest festivals in Scripture are numerous and important. These festivals celebrate the different times within the harvest: the Festival of First Fruits, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths. From them we learn the following:
- Giving First to God: The idea that people should offer the first and best of what they receive to God as a sign of gratitude and dependence.
- Helping the Poor: Emphasising the importance of not forgetting the less fortunate and giving to those in need, following the biblical tradition of leaving part of the harvest for the poor.
- Praying for the Future: Encouraging individuals to pray for the future and not just focus on past complaints.
- The Gospel Message: The text in Leviticus 23 ends by highlighting the need for individuals to trust in Jesus and his bloodshed as the basis for their relationship with God. This passage encourages us to remember the spiritual and moral aspects of harvest celebrations, not just the physical abundance of crops.
The guest speaker for this harvest sermon is Rev Dr Jonathan Curry and the sermon text is from Leviticus 23: 9-22; 33-44.