Don’t Boil The Goat

5. How do we walk this out as New Testament Christians?

• One- Remembrance: Israel commemorated key events in its history- bondage, deliverance, wilderness, we should constantly be reminding ourselves of our History With Jesus
• We can do this through prayer, reflection, signs, pictures, stories, testimonies, thoughts
• You have to get involved in the process and get your mind engaged in remembering. 
• When we sing that song “all my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so so good
• I think back to the faithfulness of God in my life. I think about the times that God looked out for me, directed me, guided me, provided for me. I think of specific times and places and dates. 
• When I’m sitting, or worshipping, I don’t want to be bothered bc I am using my brain for Jesus!
• Psalm 77:11-12 – “I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.”
• Paul Encouraged the Ephesians believers to not forget what God had done for them in Jesus. 
• Eph 2:11-13 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh..were without Christ… But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
• Jesus promised that he would send the HS to remind us of everything that he has said to us
• John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
• This is an individual task that you perform. No one else can recount for you what God did. 
• The activity of the feast is not a requirement, but remembering is. We must remember!
• Don’t you get a little bit upset w people who don’t remember what you did for them?
• I don’t think God gets mad at us, but when you don’t remember, it changes the relationship. 
• You think you got there on your own. You lose humility and thankfulness. You become selfish. 
• Secondly–  Worship: These times were for communal worship, to appear before God and bring offerings. This principle still stands today. Requirement for righteousness? No. 
• But there is a principle here that is long standing- The people of God gather and give- sacrifice
• Romans 12:1 – Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
• Hebrews 10:24-25 – Do not forsake assembling together.
• Proverbs 3:9-10 – Honor the Lord with your possessions and firstfruits.
• none shall appear before Me empty– There was no one that came with nothing- Interesting
• Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.
• Here’s what we see- there was an expectation that you didn’t come without a gift, and there was an appointed time that the people of God gathered. COLLECTIVE WORSHIP MATTERS
• The PRINCIPLE still has merit today. Should we not gather regularly and give regularly?
• Last week- Acts 3:1 went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
• There are times and dates that are important to God and to you and the Church
• 1 Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”
• Acts 20:7 – “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread
• It is clear that the earliest disciples and followers of Jesus gathered weekly on Sundays. 
• They gathered and they gave. They set worship as a priority. 
• You live your days- Just to yourself- My Friday, My Monday, Anniversary, birthday etc. 
• You protect those days because they have value to you, you just don’t value God’s time. 
• You can fathom that Americans can set up days and times to protect, but God wouldn’t. 
• The first day of the week. They used this time to sing, read, pray, take communion, give
• And people being people, it was much more than just a service- it had to be. 
• The appointed time gave People opportunity for rest and restoration in worship
• Now the exact mode? Not as important as the activity. Our singing, reading, praying, comm, doesn’t look exactly like the early church, and that’s Ok. What matters is doing it. 
• People say homes- they did, till it grew. Then catacombs? Bc they couldn’t own land
• But it changed over time, but he principle stayed the same- Gather and give firstfruits your best
• Thirdly- The Covenant Renewal: renew their commitment to the covenant with God and each other. When they gathered for these feasts- they renewed- this is my God, these are my people
• Exodus 24: 3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.”
• Is that not what we do every week when we gather? This is why the absent are suspect?
• Are you still committed to God and his people? Are you still in relationship with him and us?
• Sure- maybe you found another fellowship- that’s fine, but often its infrequent attendance
• There is a sense and purpose of public gathering that solidifies the agreement with covenant
• What is a covenant? Its an agreement between two parties with blessings and curses. 
• It outlines what is expected. When we renew with God, and others, we agree with God

• Part of this covenant is agreement to worship, give, gather, grow, give our best

• When you have that one cousin that shows up once in a while, changes family dynamic. 

• Exodus 19:5 – “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.”
• Jeremiah 31:31-33 – ” I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel… I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
• Luke 22:20 – “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.'”
• Fourth- Spiritual Reflection: reminded the Israelites to live lives set apart for God.
• These sacrifices and ceremonies were instrumental in reflection on the goodness of God
• When you eat, sing, dance, clap, pray, and spend time with each other you grow
• And these activities brought spiritual reflection times that enabled them to live separately
• 2 Corinthians 6:17 – “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. 
• 1 John 2:15-16 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”
• 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
• When we gather publicly we declare to the lost and dying world that we are set apart
• We are not like them. We do not do what they do. WE sing, dance, clap, raise hands, give etc
• Fifth Community and Unity: brought nation together, shared purpose under God’s leadership.

• 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 – READ

• We are called by God to gather. Has always been that way. Christianity is a collective endeavor
• We can’t do it alone and we weren’t intended to do it alone. 
• You cant hold feasts by yourself and you cant have church by yourself. You have to gather
• I love being in community. It helps sustain me and encourage me. 
• Commit to walking with God. Live out the principles of the feasts.