One Thing You Need to Know About Offerings
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 says: But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruitsto be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
When I was on the rowing team in ninth grade, for a little bit of the season I was on the Junior Varsity boat while most of the other freshman were on the freshman boat. At the time, I was bigger than a lot of the other ninth graders on the team. Eventually, as things got shuffled around, I was put back on the freshman boat while a sophomore was elevated to the Junior Varsity boat. It hurt, but it was where I belonged. He had more experience and his practice time on the rowing machine was a little better than mine. I was bigger and stronger, but he had better technique. I needed that year to develop. The next season I was put on the Junior Varsity boat where I rowed all season.
It was nice for that time I was on the JV boat, as a freshman, to be there. It felt good to be chosen over the other freshman to be on that boat, rowing with sophomores and juniors. I remember though, I felt the sting of unworthiness. When I first got elevated to that boat, I found myself, at the beginning, apologizing to the other guys in front and behind me for what I thought were mistakes that cost us valuable seconds on the race course. One time, after who knows how many apologies, one of the guys around me yelled at me and told me to stop apologizing. I was on that boat for a reason. The coaches felt I should be there.
I have long-since forgotten that chastising, but maybe I should remember it more often. I think we get so caught up in apologizing to God for all of our mistakes that we miss out on the freedom we have in Christ.
Ok, let me clarify before you condemn me. Yes, God calls us to “apologize” for the sins that we commit; that’s called repentance. But, as Martin Luther felt 500 years ago, we can get so wrapped up in our sins that we forget the liberation that we have in Jesus. Our thankfulness perhaps isn’t there because we’re worried about the next sinful mishap.
But here’s what St. Paul is saying to the Thessalonians: you were chosen by God as firstfruits to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. Firstfruits were the best of the best in the Old Testament. It was the offering that one brought before the Lord as a thanksgiving proclamation of what God had done for His people. It was to honor Him as a lasting remembrance for the people. It was supposed to be the animals without defect, healthy and worthy, no sick, lame, speckled, or diseased.
That’s how God sees us: the best of the best. That’s how He considers each of us whom He shepherds into His family by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that needs to make us feel special, even when we don’t think so.
And here’s the thing about it: the firstfruits are the offerings brought to God, used not only for the atonement for the sins of the people, but also for accomplishing the necessary tasks in conjunction to the spiritual life of Israel. It helped with building and maintaining the temple and other priestly tasks. The firstfruits we bring to the Lord as an offering today help to accomplish God’s plans in this world as well: teaching, worship, evangelism, fellowship, and everything else that the Lord has for us in Jesus Christ. If we are the firstfruits, the best of the best chosen by God, then that means that God has something special planned for us as well. We are meant to accomplish great things in the name of Jesus for all the world to see. Our lives function in the expansion of His Kingdom. How great is that? God chooses us to do great things.
Does God want us to repent of our sins? Absolutely. Does God want us to wallow in all of the mistakes that we can think of and find reasons why we shouldn’t be a part of His family? I sure hope not. Yes, in hindsight, I didn’t belong on that boat during my freshman year, but I needed to give thanks that the coaches thought I belonged, even if it was for a time. I can believe I’m not worthy of what God has given me or I can remember that I can’t allow the past or even present mistakes keep me from trusting that I am still a firstfruit. Our creation at the hand of God gives us the right to be considered firstfruits, but it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that confirms we have been chosen.
So, do you consider yourself a firstfruit, or a blemished, diseased, second-class member of God’s grace? I choose to believe I’m a firstfruit, even though I know I don’t deserve it. It’s God’s call, and I’m going with it. Amen.
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