More ideas for Shavuot:
DIY Shavuot Cupcake Toppers
Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game
Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot
Showing posts with label spring feasts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring feasts. Show all posts
Milk and Honey Desserts for Shavuot
More ideas for Shavuot:
DIY Shavuot Cupcake Toppers
Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game
Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot
Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot
When the omer count finally makes it to fifty it's
Shavuot! Then what? Here are a few ways you can celebrate this year.
-Watch
the wheat harvest. Shavuot is about the wheat harvest
and celebrating the bread of life. Get in touch with a local farm or farmer to
see when they will be harvesting their wheat, and if you can visit. Seeing cows
and beehives would also be fitting. If nothing else, go for a drive or bike
ride to see if you can find a farmer gathering their wheat. Usually the timing
is just about right here in the Midwest and farmers harvest the wheat around
Shavuot. Or think about taking family pictures in front of a wheat field.
-Give
the word to someone. On Shavuot we celebrate the giving of
the Torah, why not keep that gift going? Purchase a Bible for someone who
doesn't have one or would benefit from a different translation. Or gather
Bibles to give to a nonprofit like a soup kitchen or homeless shelter so they
can share them with their clients. Children (or adults) could memorize a verse
to recite to grandparents or the congregation as a way to share the word with
others.
-Have
two loaves of bread. Leviticus 23:17 says to bring two
loaves of bread as a wave offering to YHWH. Why not try your hand at baking
bread or purchase a couple of delicious loafs from a bakery? Maybe a new recipe
or trying an unusual kind would make it even more wonderful. Serve them with
different spreads and toppings to make a bruschetta bar or do-it-yourself
grilled cheese. Seeing not one, but two loafs of bread is a reminder that YHWH takes
care of our needs. Thank him for the provision before digging in.
-Get
immersed. In Acts 2 believers were baptized in the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Shavuot. Spend your Shavuot at the lake or on
the beach and get immersed. This would be a great opportunity for meditation on
that passage of Scripture or a group discussion about it.
-Throw
a painting party! Get together a group of friends and render
Bible verses to canvas. Paint or handwrite the words to a favorite verse or the
fruit of the Spirit or the ten commandments. Even if it doesn't turn out a
masterpiece it's still a fun way to focus on Scripture and spend time with
others. Provide canvases, brushes, paint, and lots of newspaper to keep things
clean. A painted or printed out Scripture would also make a great Shavuot gift
for a friend. Another way to give the word.
-Study
Scripture. Aren't we celebrating that we received YHWH's
word? That could look like having friends over for a late night Bible study,
having a picnic near a wheat field to read the book of Ruth, kids acting out a
Bible story, or a dramatic reading. Delving into Scripture is a foundational
part any feast and it should be a joy!
-Provide
for the poor. At the end of the instructions for
Shavuot in Leviticus 23:22, we are reminded to not use all of our resources on
ourselves but leave some for those in need. Could you donate clothing to a
women's shelter at this time of year or non perishables to a food pantry? How
about volunteering as a family at a local nonprofit? Putting together action
packs for Voice of the Martyrs was a memorable Shavuot activity for our congregation.
Donate financially to a missions cause you believe in.
Have a very happy Shavuot!
More ideas for Shavuot:
The Beginner's Guide to Shavuot
The Beginner's Guide to Shavuot
First Fruits Celebration
This time of year I usually post pictures from Passover but I thought it would be fun to mix it up and share some from a First Fruits celebration I attended. First Fruits is when Israel historically presented the first of the barley harvest to YHWH, and it is also when Yahusha was raised from the dead. What reasons we have to celebrate this Biblical holiday!
It was a simple get together; just an informal 'bring a snack or dessert.' We turned on some music, ate and chatted. Then talked about the Messiah's resurrection and read Scripture related to that.
Since the omer count begins on First Fruits, some sort of omer counter makes the perfect party favor! You could also make your own counters at the party for a fun group activity.
Here's a great idea for Matzah Week: if you're making homemade matzah, try rolling it into smaller pieces to use like you would crackers. It can still be soft or you can bake it longer to have it be crunchy. It's great with hummus and other spreads like this smoked salmon dip.
I love getting to celebrate this truth with a group of believers and would definitely encourage everyone to do so as well! Messiah rose from the grave = best day ever, right?! As Paul said, "Let us keep the feast!" (1 Corinthians 5:8)
Do you guys know about resurrection cookies? They are a meringue cookie and each step of the recipe symbolizes the story of the Messiah's death and resurrection, like beating the walnuts to symbolize how Yahusha was beaten by soldiers. You leave them in the oven over night and then they are empty when they are finished. I can share the recipe if anyone is interested.
Happy First Fruits everyone! What do you guys do to celebrate?
Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Easter
Here are five things every Believer should know about Easter:
1. Easter is not mentioned in the Bible. Literally the word 'Easter' is not found in Scripture. If you have a version of where e-a-s-t-e-r appear and are not followed immediately by an N, that is a bad translation. The Greek word that some Bibles use for 'Easter' is pascha, which means Passover. Easter is a different word entirely. And is a separate, man-made holiday which is not interchangeable with Passover.
2. The Messiah was not killed or resurrected on Easter. He was killed on Passover and resurrected on First Fruits. While these happen around the same time of year, they're not the same. Christmas happens near New Years Eve, but no one would say those holidays are interchangeable or the same. Easter was never intended to accurately represent the time of the Messiah's crucifixion or resurrection. It is a simple change to make to reschedule celebrations of the death and the resurrection of the Messiah to their Biblically appropriate feast times.
3. Many of its traditions are expressly prohibited by Scripture. Reading through Ezekiel 8 one time as a teenager it was eerie to realize what was being described sounded exactly like every Easter Sunday church service I had attended. A sunrise service where the sanctuary was filled with unclean animals. Those bunnies that are used to decorate churches and Easter baskets are unclean animals and do not belong on the house of YHWH. Ezekiel 8:17 says that the sunrise service is a "disgusting practice." The traditional Easter ham dinner is forbidden by Scripture, and the idea of an egg-laying bunny is anathema when Scripture says that animals shouldn't be mixed.
4. Scripture does not tell us to celebrate Easter. Nowhere in the Bible does it give us instructions to celebrate Easter. We are not told to color eggs or to teach children about a gift-bearing bunny. Nor are we told to call the Messiah's resurrection day Easter. The Messiah did not celebrate it and neither did the Disciples or anyone else in Scripture. The Bible contains over 31,000 verses, ample space for someone to mention this holiday, but it never comes up! However from Moses to Paul Scripture tells us to celebrate Passover. Learn the difference here.
5. The compromise of Easter undermines faith. What happens when you exchange truth for a lie? Does it matter if you swap out Passover for Easter? Romans 1:28 tells us that this exchange leads to a "reprobate mind, to do what it improper, and being filled with wickedness." I know none of us want that for ourselves or our families, so that's why it's important that we pay attention to the details and do things the way Scripture instructs. There is enough hypocrisy among believers, it's time to stop pretending the traditions of Easter are in the Bible and instead celebrate the death and resurrection of the Messiah when it actually happened and how Scripture instructs. Refuse to compromise on truth.
How to Celebrate the Biblical Holiday of First Fruits (The Day the Messiah Rose Again!)
Let's talk about First Fruits! The third Biblical holiday of the year, First Fruits often gets overlooked in the shadow of Passover and Unleavened Bread. While it actually happens during the Week of Unleavened Bread, it deserves attention and celebration of its own.
As believers in Messiah, First Fruits is one of the most joyous days of the year because it commemorates Yahusha being raised back to life! After being killed on Passover, the Messiah rose from the dead three days later on the feast of First Fruits! When Paul mentions that the Messiah is the "first fruits of the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:20 he's not only saying that Yahusha was the literal first fruits offering to YHWH, but also that the Messiah is the third festival of the year.
What is First Fruits? Historically it has been a day when the first of the barley harvest is gathered in the land of Israel, which makes it similar to the harvest celebrations of Shavuot and Sukkot. The theme of celebrating what YHWH provides is significant throughout Scripture, and should be central in our lives. Most of us aren't barley farmers, but we can still celebrate the provision that YHWH supplies us in the form of jobs, finances, a place to live, groceries, a garden, days of rest, friends and community, etc. Of course the ultimate provision is forgiveness for our sins...no matter how ugly or awful, forgiveness is available to us through the Messiah's sacrifice.
What should you know about First Fruits? It happens on the day after Shabbat during the Week of Unleavened Bread. Because Passover doesn't always land on the same day of the week (on most calendars), it's important to note that First Fruits doesn't always land three days after Passover - but it did when the Messiah was executed. The Festival of First Fruits is the kickoff for the counting of the omer, where we count fifty days to get to the next set apart time, Shavuot.
Significant events have taken place at First Fruits:
-Israel crossed over the Red Sea after leaving Egypt in the Exodus story. (Exodus 3:18, 5:3)
-The Temple was cleansed and sacrifices were reinstated under the reign of King Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 29:17-18)
-Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land. (Joshua 5:10-12)
-Queen Esther foiled the plot of Haman. (Esther 3:12, 5:1)
-Noah's ark possibly came to rest on Mount Ararat after the flood on First Fruits.
-The resurrection of the Yahusha the Messiah. (Matthew 28)
-The walk to Emmaus, where Yahusha "expounded on all things concerning himself" from Scripture to a couple of his followers. (Luke 24:13-15)
All of these amazing events are a fresh start. Seeing your slave drivers swept away into the sea and leaving their land is a new beginning. The ark finally setting back down on the earth is mankind's second chance on the earth. Cleaning out the Temple, being saved from annihilation, eating from the Promised Land for the first time, and most importantly, the Savior being brought back to life? The freshest of starts, a blank slate. The trees bud, the flowers come up, and creation awakens. We are reminded that life starts all over again in the spring.
First Fruits is a time for:
1. Reading Scripture. Check out the stories of the empty tomb and read about the Messiah coming back to life. What did he have to say on the day of his resurrection? Wouldn't it have be amazing to hear him speak on the walk to Emmaus? Leviticus 23:9-14, Deuteronomy 26, and 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, would also be good to read.
2. Celebrating that the Messiah is alive! The greatest moment in history happened on this day. Rejoice and be glad! Spread the truth of this amazing act.
3. Recognizing and thanking YHWH for provision. Make a list of how much he really provides: material possessions, spiritual health, friends, physical nourishment, the positives of your environment, small things that make you smile. It's easy to overlook the many good gifts from him, make it a point to stop and acknowledge those today. Also remind yourself that he is providing for the needs of tomorrow as well.
4. Giving an offering. Pray about and discuss how you can offer first fruits of your own harvest. Tithing or donating money, giving your time to a good cause, and sharing your possessions are all ways to do that.
5. Remembering your heritage. Deuteronomy 26:5-11 gives the example of literally reciting the Israelite heritage of being rescued from slavery by YHWH when a person would hand their First Fruits offering to the priest. First Fruits is a time to remember both the story of the redemption of Israel as a whole, and also your personal story. Something along the lines of, "My life used to be like ______, but now YHWH has brought me blessings and - look - here I am able to celebrate his set apart times" fits well with the passage in Deuteronomy.
6. Blessing your spiritual leaders, foreigners, orphans and widows. Right after the above passage in Deuteronomy, Scripture makes mention of the tithing to the Levites, strangers in the community, and orphans and widows. What can you do to help these groups of people? Pastors, mentors, ministries, etc. all work hard to support your spiritual health, often at immense cost. Could you give them a gift or at least take the time to express your gratitude? How about those that could use support from you? What could you do to show them that they are loved and welcomed in YHWH's kingdom?
7. Worship. Have a dance party to great praise music or fall to your knees in awe and reverence of YHWH. Celebrate the Messiah's victory and the amazing plan of redemption he has for us. Worship him on one of the greatest of days.
8. Feasting. The first harvest of the year is a big moment. Long before grocery stores, you lived off of the fruits of your last harvest until the next year. That could be scary when supplies start to dwindle and you're a ways out from the abundance of summer. The barley harvest was a collective sigh that even if there wasn't a lot in that moment there was more provision coming. Celebrate that with a special meal. If you're a gardener include the first bits of produce that are starting to come up in your part of the world. Depending on the year that's usually green onions, herbs, sorrel, fiddle heads, and asparagus for me.
9. Counting the omer. First Fruits is day one of the counting of the omer. Make a fun calendar or counter and mark off the first day as we lead up to Shavuot.
Passover Gifts for Kids
Go Feast Card Game from Rebekah Co
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
This was a slower process than the decision to honor the Sabbath day. Growing up, my mom had the wisdom to recognize the many problems with Easter being celebrated in the Christian church, so we turned to celebrating Passover in my early teens. It seems obvious in hindsight but it took us several years before we figured out we should keep the rest of the Biblical holidays as well. So what led to the change?
For me that spark came when I started seriously reading and studying Scripture. While I have consistently read my Bible since I was a preteen, I wasn't studying or being taught all of it. If you cherry-pick the popular Christian passages of Scripture, you are going to miss a lot.* Realizing that all Scripture is breathed by YHWH and intended to instruct us (1 Timothy 3:16), I knew I needed to study the whole book to see its instructions for me. Upon reading the Bible in a year I could see that not only are these holidays mentioned, but that their thread can be seen from Genesis through Revelation. (My personal learning and conviction was compounded by my small congregation that was also studying this - surround yourself with those seeking truth and working to be obedient to the word and your life will change.) And when I saw that the thought of celebrating YHWH's set apart times was exciting! To enumerate a few reasons...
I wanted to start celebrating the Biblical feasts because:
-Scripture commands us to. Once I checked out Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and the many other verses on the feasts this was loud and clear! "This is a festival to YHWH throughout all your generations." (Exodus 12:14) I mean, really no reason beyond this is needed, right? Scripture says throw a party, so that is just cause to celebrate. If the word says to do something then it is in our best interest to do that. You don't have to be a scholar to realize that following Scripture's instructions is the wise choice to make.
-Paul exhorts believers (even non Jewish ones) to keep these feasts. Many people have told met that the Biblical holidays are strictly an Old Testament thing and not needed after the Messiah came. Apostle Paul didn't think so and expressly told believers to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Both the Old and New Testaments tell us to do this. Think you're not invited because you don't come from the right gene pool? Nope, this instruction is for everyone. When Paul wrote this, he was actually addressing a Greek group of believers from Corinth. His target audience wasn't Jewish people or those living in Israel, and you don't have to meet those descriptions to celebrate.
-The Messiah and his disciples kept the set apart times. Remember those WWJD bracelets? Well one of the answers to that question is, "He would keep the feasts!" We see him doing this at the last supper for Passover, traveling to Jerusalem for a feast as a boy, and in John 7 at Sukkot. The cycle of the seven set apart times would have been foundational to his life, marking the seasons and the calendar. Just as we know that fall means back-to-school, leaves changing colors, and pumpkins and apples, he would have associated fall with getting ready for the fall feasts. I love how this gives us such an idea of what his days were like...picture him putting together a sukkah before the Feast of Tabernacles or counting the omer in the spring time, and making plans to celebrate the feasts.
-There is both historic and prophetic significance to each of these times. The Biblical holidays are action packed to say the least, from the Israelite exodus from slavery to the resurrection of the Messiah; the giving of the Torah to baptism in the Holy Spirit at Shavuot. Each set apart time is so rich because it symbolizes not only what YHWH wants us to remember regarding the past, but what is to come at those times in the future. Did you know when Yahusha said that no one knew the day or the hour of his return he used an idiom for the Feast of Trumpets? We can learn so much from the feasts.
-Wanting to honor YHWH. We host birthday celebrations and engagement parties, and award ceremonies because we want to honor people. What about a few days to honor the Creator? While we can do that through other means as well, we shouldn't neglect that he asked us to observe these times.
-Conviction. I've had no problem celebrating cultural holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, workplace/career milestones, high school homecoming, the Ohio State versus Michigan football game, and even completely made up days like 'National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day'...is it too much to ask to give YHWH's days a little attention? In fact, I'd willingly jumped into all of those other days because they sounded fun and (mostly) they held some significance. What am I saying when I reject the feasts of YHWH because I don't think they have meaning or could be celebrated with joy?
-Sincerely wanting to be a doer of the word. I don't know about you, but for me there came a time when I just got sick of letting myself off the hook with excuse after excuse for why we don't actually need to keep Scripture's instructions. Life is too short to live in half-hearted compromise. And if abundant life comes through the Messiah, shouldn't I align myself with his lifestyle and value system, at least to the best of my ability? YHWH deserves more than just my verbal praise, he desires that we show our faith by our actions. Celebrating a few times a year is a doable and joy filled way to do that.
I am so thankful to be able to honor and celebrate YHWH's set apart times. It is a great joy to have the seasons of my life revolve around Scripture. I wish I could adequately tell you how celebrating the feasts has enriched my faith and understanding of Scripture, but it has been so much more than I ever imagined. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us that we are to continually grow in the favor and knowledge of the Messiah, if you're feeling like you've been stuck or stagnant, keeping the feasts is an amazing opportunity to grow! All are invited.
*That really bad habit of skipping over large portions of Scripture leaves believers in the dark on many topics, and most live in complete ignorance that there are times of year that are set apart by the Creator for specific celebrations. This is compounded by bad translations (like Shavuot's misnomer Pentecost, or heaven forbid, calling Passover "Easter," or how a mention of it being "already after Yom Kippur" in Acts gets changed to "we had lost a lot of time"). If you have a poor translation of Scripture that you don't read all of or study, you are going to miss important blocks of Scripture, including these ancient festivals we are commanded to keep.
More on the Biblical Holidays:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
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