Saturation Service - First Fruits Offering - Pastors David and Lynn - 12/29/2024

Crossroads Christian Center

Sunday, December 29th is the final Sunday service of the year! On this special service we celebrate our First Fruits offering that we give to the Lord in anticipation of the harvest He has for us in 2025. This is a saturation service with extended worship and a short time of teaching on "First Fruits" by Pastor Lynn. I guarantee this is a powerful time with the Lord as we are launched into 2025. You do not want to miss the last Sunday service of 2024!

The Celebration of First Fruits:
On Sun., Dec. 1st, Pastor Lynn challenged Crossroads to give a free-will sacrificial, First Fruits offering on Dec. 29th.
The celebration of First Fruits comes from Deut. 26: 1-11. This was an offering given to the Lord from the first of the harvest, in anticipation for what was to come later.
This offering was freely given by the people, but it was also to be sacrificial. This free will offering was given in anticipation of what God would do in the future as He brought forth the harvest. The Celebration of First Fruits signified the recognition that EVERYTHING comes from the Lord and that God’s people would never idolize the blessings, but would keep the Lord their “First Love” (Ex. 20:3; Matt. 22:37).
The First Fruits celebration was always given on the Sun. after the Passover. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:20, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the First Fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The First Fruit celebration foreshadowed the resurrection of Jesus on the Sunday following Passover. Christ’s resurrection defeated sin, death, the curse and the grave; it revealed the new life His followers would have when they received His Holy Spirit. Jesus was the First Fruits of what was to come—our salvation and infilling of the Holy Spirit.
The First Fruit offering signifies our openness to Holy Spirit surrendered living. It shows our intentional surrender and sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2). It confronts our fleshly tendencies (1 John 2:16). It is a way to deny ourselves (Matt. 16:24). There will be a day when we are in the presence of the Lord and will go through the gates of pearl to walk on streets of gold. God’s economy is so different from this fallen world. When we give a free-will offering it illustrates that we will not allow the spirit of materialism to rule us, but we will have dominion over it through the power of the Holy Spirit. It also signifies our faith in the Lord Jesus and the future harvest He has for our lives.
On Dec. 29th we will give a free will first fruit offering as part of our worship time. This will not be our tithe, but whatever the Lord has laid upon our hearts to give. Take time and pray about this free-will offering, then prepare to give it on Sun., Dec. 29th. If you give online (Zelle, Paypal, or in advance), write your name and the amount on a paper for this special service (use a giving envelope) and on Sun., Dec. 29th place that giving envelope into the specific First Fruits giving basket. During our service, we are going to do what Israel did during the First Fruits Celebration: we are going to WAVE our offerings before the Lord, unashamedly presenting our offerings of thanksgiving and praise to Him. Then, we are going to put our offerings into the baskets of the Priests (Pastors David and Lynn) who will then wave the First Fruits before the Lord. This will be a powerful time with the Lord. As you are considering what your First Fruits offering is going to be, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you specifically regarding the meaning HE has behind your First Fruits offering. Write down what this First Fruits offering means for your life and future. What are you asking of Him as you go into 2025? During this special time, the Lord desires that you ask of Him because He surely wants you to expect a harvest! This is what First Fruits is all about—faith in what He can do! Remember, He has a harvest for you! All funds will go into a place of ministry (no funds are to go to the pastoral staff).