Living the Life of Heaven 3. Worthy Firstfruits Gen 4:1-7; James 1:12-18; Heb 12:18-24

Audio: https://www.daleappleby.net/index.php/mp3-sermons/51-recent-sermons/989-worthy-firstfruits

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0DHeqs25H0

Background

The seed of this teaching, “Worthy Firstfruits”, came out of an experience I had after I preached in a church in Yangon. The pastor brought in two new converts to be prayed for, he described as the first Christians ever in their families. As we prayed over them there was a sense of excitement in the Spirit, and I felt that they were a sort of “firstfruits” to God.

Introduction

Whilst at a personal and corporate level (e.g. Judges 2:11ff.), spiritual vitality can seem to ebb and flow, there must be an insight into who we are in Christ which breaks this futile cycle and leads to continuous growth. There has to be a sharing in the heavenly life of Christ that opens up a pleasure in God’s heart so that he continues to pour out his Holy Spirit on the Church (John 7:38). If we ask what it was in the life of Jesus that meant the Father gave him “the Spirit without measure” (John 3:34) scripture is clear. It is as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) that Jesus receives the continuous provision of the Spirit. The inner dimensions of what is going on between the Father and the Son are pictured most dramatically in the throne room scenes in Revelation.

In chapter 4:11 the whole creation uplifts the worthiness of God as Creator, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Then John sees a scroll in the hand of him who sits on the throne, which apparently must be unsealed from within the creation (Rev 5:1). Thus an inquiry breaks out in heaven, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (5:2), the answer is immediately forthcoming, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” (5:12 cf. v. 9). In Christ, a human being has been elevated to the worth of the Creator through his faultless obedience (Phil 2:8-9). We however enjoy the ongoing pleasure of God because we are “counted worthy of the kingdom of God” (2 Thess 1:5) as we endure trials and tribulations for Jesus (Acts 5:41; 14:22; 2 Thess 1:4-5). How do believers enter more deeply into this state of being “counted worthy” so that we keep on growing in the Lord?

False Worthiness

Firstly, we must be stripped of a false sense of self-worth. Jesus castigated the Pharisees for their displays of public piety, they had “received their reward” in this life (Matt 6:2,5,16). I have seen situations where the pastor of a church will quickly tell you how many people are in “his” congregation, an evangelist how many nations he has preached in, a donor testify to how much they have contributed to a worthy cause and so on. Those who reckon themselves worthy in terms of their deeds violate the “grace alone” teaching of the gospel (Eph 2:8-9) and point away from Jesus to themselves. As a young Christian these sorts of things caused me a lot of stress. I always felt I couldn’t match up to the exploits of other people; all the while I should have been looking only to Jesus (Heb 12:2). A self-centred approach to faith is the exact opposite to the spirit of Paul. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven…. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise….” (2 Cor 12:2, 3). He is of course talking about himself, but he doesn’t want to draw attention to his own experiences rather than to Christ.

True Worthiness

Mature Christians are simultaneously conscious of two things, one much more powerful than the other. Firstly, that we are “unworthy servants” of the Lord (Luke 17:10). For example, after the miraculous catch of fish exposed his unbelief, Peter “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”” (Luke 5:8). Secondly, and with much greater authority, we are aware that Christ is our worthiness, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”” (1 Cor 1:26-31). This awareness is far more authoritative than the unworthiness to which our own conscience testifies, because it is a true about who we are in Jesus.

Firstfruits

The ability to sacrifice was a part of the divine plan which made it possible for sinners to please God and enter his joy (e.g. Gen 8:20-21; Deut 16:13-15). Sacrifice is the way to a fellowship of joy). The offering of firstfruits of a crop or herd was a part of this economy because typically they are the beginning of a harvest and particularly strong and vigorous. The history of the offering of firstfruits goes back to Cain and Abel.

Cain and Abel both brought sacrifices to God, Cain “an offering of the fruit of the ground” and Abel “the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions”. The Lord accepted what Abel offered but rejected Cain’s offering. In offering the strongest of his flock, Abel by faith went against the common-sense practice of animal breeding and trusted God for his prosperity.  Cain however offered something less than the best. The respective offerings exposed the heart condition of both men. The writer to the Hebrews applauds the faith of Abel as a sign of the righteousness which pleases God (11:4, 6), whereas 1 John 3:12 goes so far as to say that “Cain…was of the evil one”. In the same vein, Moses commanded Israel, “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.” Nothing less than the cream of the crop suited for breeding future generations was good enough to be offered up to the Lord. These Old Testament practices have a surprising application to the Christian life.

God has made us to be firstfruits in his grace. We are gifts that the Father has given to Jesus, not because of something we are in ourselves, but in their being chosen in Christ (Eph 1:4). As firstfruits of the kingdom of God we are like a mustard seed of something much larger to come (Matt 13:32). James testifies, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (1:17-18). To be a “firstfruits” of God’s creatures means that through spiritual new birth we have become prophetic signs of a whole new creation. our personal renewal is one with the coming renewal of the whole cosmos (Matt 19:28). Having the “firstfruits of the Spirit” (Rom 8:23) we are living icons of what God has in store for his creation. No wonder the devil hates Christians.

In the Gospels Jesus spoke of the coming new creation in a context of promising his disciples would rule on thrones over Israel (Matt 19:28). In Revelation 14:1-4 we have the same truth from a wider angle. “Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven alike the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.” 144,000 is a symbolic number, representing the 12 tribes of Israel under the old covenant, multiplied by the 12 apostles of the new covenant, multiplied by a higher power, 1,000. All the people of God from across the ages are his blessed firstfruits.

The Purchase of the Firstfruits

The richness of what it means to be a firstfruit comes entirely through the cost of our purchase. The first born of every generation of Israelites belonged to the Lord and was purchased through the provision of the Passover sacrifice (Ex 13:1-16). The true Lamb of God who has purchased us is Christ. “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you” (1 Pet 1:18-20). The things of this present creation are perishable, but the shed blood of God in Christ (Acts 20:28) possesses everlasting worth and is building an eternal “spiritual house” (2 Cor 5:1; 1 Pet 2:5). This was a hard lesson for Jesus immature disciples to learn.

They pointed out the magnificence of the Jerusalem temple to Jesus, “how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings” (Matt 24:1; Luke 21:5). Jesus went on to prophesy its destruction because it is simply man made (John 2:17; Mark 14:58). There is no essential difference between the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon with its diamond encrusted spire and the megachurches in Perth who have spent millions on their buildings. They are barns which cannot house the souls (Luke 12:18-21; Acts 17:24) of men and women whose proper dwelling place is the kingdom of God. The purging fire of God will at the Judgement consume all the elements of this creation (2 Pet 3:10) leaving intact only our resurrection bodies fit for the righteousness of the coming new world (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:16; 2 Pet 3:14). This creation isn’t pure enough for those who are righteous in Christ (2 Cor 5:21).Before the cross, the immature disciples, unable to conceive of the dimensions of glory yet to be revealed (Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17), abhorred the thought that Jesus’ blood must be shed to make them worthy of the presence of God (Matt 16:21-23).

Worthy

The only way for sinners to share in the worthiness of the Lamb of God is to be washed in his blood. “Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.….These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 3:4; 7:13-14). When Christ shed his blood the Father saw the faith of his Son (Heb 12:2) offered up on my behalf/in my place and it pleased him beyond measure (Heb 11:6). This is how the measly faith of all God’s witnesses, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham….you, me….can  be counted as righteousness. God gave his own firstborn as a firstfruits on behalf of us all so there might be a great harvest (John 12:23-24; 1 Cor 15:20, 23). Christ’s worthiness has washed away all our unworthiness.

I remember a line from song from many years ago, “I’ve got the blood of an innocent man all over me.” The blood of cross cleanses away our filth and makes us righteous in God’s sight. Through the application of the blood (Heb 10:22; 1 Pet 1:2), of a life offered up freely to God in perfect sacrifice, I share in the worthiness of Christ. I come into the possession of a life so glorious that it is reckoned by God to be imperishable (1 Pet 1:23). Through blood washed robes I can freely enter the eternal city of the Lord (Rev 22:14). “Outside” are unworthy sinners, outside are all those who have not humbled themselves to receive the worth-making washing of blood. The result of grace-given sacrificial worthiness is pure joy.

The Day of Pentecost was the fulfilment of every harvest festival and all that the old covenant firtsfruits stood for. It was a harvest of overflowing JOY. The Father’s joy in our faith in Christ is a joy not limitable to our space and time. So great is the Father’s joy in us the firstfruits of the new order that it will require a new creation to contain it and an eternity to express it. An old hymn expresses this clearly, “Come, let us join our cheerful songs with angels round the throne; ten thousand thousand are their tongues, but all their joys are one.” Illimitable bursting joy is the life of the new creation. How do such great things enter into our lives now?

Counted Worthy

If the heavenly host adore Jesus as “worthy” because he is the slain Lamb of God (Rev 5), the worthiness of those who are his firstfruits comes to them in the same way. A sense of worthiness is imparted through tribulation endured for the sake of the kingdom of God. This was true of the first disciples, “when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name.” (Acts 5:40-41). Paul lays this down for all Christians, “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that…I may hear of you that you are standing firm …for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” (Phil 1:27-30). Suffering is gift which when endured faithfully imparts a sense of worthiness. The Thessalonians will know themselves as “chosen as the firstfruits to be saved” (2 Thess 2:13) in the context of a truly apocalyptic persecution.

“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 min flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess 1:5-12). It was to the suffering first Christians, “partners in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus” (Rev 1:9) that the all surpassing revelation of the worthiness of the Lamb was given. The tribulation that comes from following Jesus is the sphere into which the Spirit imparts a sense of sharing in his eternal worthiness, the destiny for which God created the world.

Conclusion

I had a strange sensation when I woke up this morning, I was immediately conscious that today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, and it was impressed on me that this was something that the Church was going to embrace. Typically however the Western Church does not take the persecution of our brothers and sisters seriously. This is both a symptom and a cause of our miseries and why few of us have a sense of the limitless measure of our worth in Christ.

I fear many of us have stepped outside of the household dynamic outlined in the parable of the prodigal son. “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:21-24). Every Christian should know in their spirit (cf. 1 John 2:20, 27) that there are not two sorts of worthiness or two sorts of joy in heaven, that of the Lamb of God and a much inferior one that belongs to us. In the Spirit we can be aware that the Father shares the joy he has in Jesus (cf. 1 John 4:17) with us. Such a revelation drives out any sense of personally earned worthiness or entitlement, so that God’s people grow and grow and…