Sermon Central
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The Facts Concerning Our First Fruits
Contributed by Dr. Scott Caudill on Apr 15, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Are you giving God your very best? Let’s consider the facts concerning our first fruits.
FACTS CONCERNING OUR FIRSTFRUITS
As you study your Bible you’ll find that the book of Proverbs is in a section of the Bible knows as, “Wisdom Literature”. The other books that would be included in the section would be the book of Job, the Psalms, the book of Ecclesiastes as well as the Song of Solomon. The focus of these books is to instruct men in the ways of the Lord, in His service as well as in His worship. And that truth is very evident while studying the book of Proverbs.
The book of Proverbs is a collection of teachings from Solomon to his son, showing the young man how to live his life in a manner that was pleasing to he Lord. Such is the case here in our text this morning. In fact I believe that the advice that Solomon was giving his son in these verses, is advice that you and I should hear and heed being children of God today. STAND>>>>>>>
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Let me call your attention if I may once again to verses 9-10 of our text this morning, as these two verses will be used as the key text of the message that God has laid on my heart for this hour. Notice what the Bible says in Proverbs 3:10-11. Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Now the reason that I included verses 7-8 in the reading of our entire text this morning, is because the same pattern that can be seen in our key text (9-10) can also be seen in verses 7-8. Look with me. In verse #7 I see a PETITION. Solomon is instruction his son to be not wise in his own eyes. Solomon in verse #7 is admonishing his son to fear the Lord and to depart from evil. The PETITION can be seen in verse #7. However the PROVISION can be seen in verse #8.
By writing verse #8, Solomon was actually saying to his son, “Son, here’s what’s going to happy if you’re not wise in your own eyes. Here’s what’s going to happen son if you fear the Lord and depart from evil.” The PROVISION can be seen in verse #8, Solomon writes, It shall be health to they navel, and marrow to thy bones”. It pays to serve the Lord wouldn’t you agree? Solomon surely did, and he passed the wisdom on to his son by writing verses 7-8. The PETITION in verse #7, but the PROVISION can be seen in verse #8.
Well the same thing can be said of verses 9-10. The same pattern that Solomon used to pen verses 7-8, is the same pattern that he used to pen verses 9-10. We see the PETION in verse #9, and then we see the PROVISION in verse #10. In verse #9 Solomon petitions his son to Honor the Lord with the first fruits of all of his increase. That’s the PETITION. But then in verse #10 Solomon let’s his son know why, he should honor the Lord with the first fruits of all of his increase. Here’s the PROVISION watch it now. So shall they barns be filled with plenty, and they presses shall burst out with new wine. I say again. It pays to serve the Lord! And in this case, to honor the Lord with the first fruits of all of one’s increase.
Because the Lord has promised us in His word that if we do, our barns will not only be filled with plenty, but our presses shall burst our with new wine. Now I dare say that isn’t a single person here that doesn’t long to have our barn filled with plenty. In fact I dare say that there isn’t a single individual in this building this morning that doesn’t want our presses to burst out with new wine. If you’re saved this morning, you ought to long for God’s best for you life! Sure, you want God’s blessing. You want God to bless you physically, spiritually and yes even financially, and there’s nothing wrong with desiring those blessings. However I’m afraid more times than not we want verse #10 without verse #9.
Remember now, the provision comes, as a result of heeding the petition. That is to say, we’ll never know what it’s like to have barns filled with plenty, neither will we know what it’s like for our presses to burst out with new wine, until we’ve first of all honored the Lord with our substance, and with the first fruits of all of our increase. So with that truth in mind, for the next few moments I was to preach on this subject,
