PASTOR’S COMMENTS 8-27-04

FOUR KEYS TO THE BEST FEAST EVER!

In a few short weeks, brethren from various states and countries will gather to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles of 2004.  God tells us in His inspired Word (Deuteronomy 16:13-15) that we SHALL keep the Feast of Tabernacles. No guesswork needed!  God also wants us to be altogether joyful at the Feast of Tabernacles, both as a group and individually.  In other words, we need to strive to have the best Feast ever!

In a letter written to the brethren dated March 25, 1983, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong stated, “This year we shall be one year nearer to the glorious Kingdom of God with Christ here in person and Satan banished.  Christ came to call us out from among them of the world to live according to God’s law as His people.  We are the start of a new world, a World Tomorrow, the Kingdom of God.  For eight days, we shall be separated from the world, among ourselves, enjoying a foretaste of the world to come, of which we are pioneers.  We are the pioneers who have been given an understanding, not because of our righteousness, but because of God’s goodness...an understanding of the World Tomorrow”. God wants us to plan, to work together, to make this Feast the best ever.  Matthew 24:45 speaks of the faithful servant giving meat in due season.  Deuteronomy 14:22-26 shows how God wants us to approach the Feast of Tabernacles.  God wants us to rejoice at His Feast.  He wants us to have a foretaste, both physically and spiritually, of the wonderful World Tomorrow.  But what ingredients do we each need, individually and yes, even as a group, to make this the best Feast we’ve ever celebrated? 

Here are four keys to help us make this the “Best Feast Ever”!

The first key is to strive to make this a Feast of deeper learning and understanding.

In Mystery of the Ages, on page 228 under the subheading “The Church-A Teacher’s College”, we read, “The Church may be called “God’s Teacher’s College” to prepare rulers and teachers for the Kingdom of God”. This is what we are preparing for.  We are being trained now for positions of leadership in God’s coming Kingdom.  In Isaiah 30:19-20, we can see that the Sons of God will be seen as teachers in God’s Kingdom in the future.  The Church will be the firstfruits in God’s plan of salvation.  We cannot teach or show other’s God’s way unless we know it ourselves.  We must come to the Feast, eager to learn.  Isaiah 2:1-5 emphasizes teaching taking place, and we will be right there in the heart of it.  We must also remember to pray for our speakers at the Feast this year, as well as for the hearing and understanding of the messages God brings to us.  Hebrews 5:6-12 reminds us that we are not to become dull of hearing.  Our speakers are not speaking because they are full of themselves and wish to hear their own voices.  Please remember to pray for them, both in advance of the Feast and each day during the Feast.

The second key to making this Feast the best one ever is to strive to make this a Feast of service. 

In the book, The Missing Dimension in Sex, Mr. Armstrong writes, “God’s law is a way of life - it guides actions and uses in a definite direction - always constructive, uplifting and beneficial; always the way of love and unselfish concern for others”.   Human nature is the complete opposite of God’s character.  We have the tendency to want to be served, to want things our way, and to want them when we want them.  God uses the analogy of a body in I Corinthians 12:12-21 for a purpose.  He reminds us that we each have an important part to play in the body.  Not everyone can give a sermon or perform special music, but we all interact and connect with each other as a team to serve and lift each other up.  We are all needed as part of the body...we cannot work well without everyone working together in harmony.  In Matthew 20:20-28, we can clearly see that Christ’s life was all about service...and so must ours be.  There are many ways we can help and serve each other at the Feast this year.  Here are just a small scattering of suggestions to think about.  For instance, have you thought of taking someone to dinner or lunch who might be new or perhaps doesn’t have a great deal of second tithe?  How about locating a widow or widower and including them in an activity or simply a conversation?  If there are cards to be signed for people who are sick or unable to attend the Feast, be sure to make a point to sign them.  Perhaps you can concentrate on keeping the area around your seat neat and clean, making the life of an usher easier.  I’m sure every one of us can think of some way to serve at this year’s Feast of Tabernacles.  Serving makes the Feast better for everyone...including yourself!  And don’t forget to pray for each of the brethren’s health at the Feast...for a person who is in poor health or just unfortunate enough to catch a cold at the Feast, this simple service can make a huge difference!

God wants us to rejoice at the Feast of Tabernacles!  This is the third key to a great Feast of Tabernacles! (Deuteronomy 16:13). 

God really wants us to enjoy the Feast, both physically and spiritually.  Remember, though, that if our focus is on the spiritual, the physical enjoyment will come more readily (Psalm 16:8).  God is really pleased to make us His people (I Samuel 12:22).  

In Matthew 5:14, we are told to be” the light on the hill”.  We cannot do this if we are a complaining and grumpy Israelite!  A long time ago, we heard a story told at the Feast of Tabernacles about another Feast site that had experienced a great deal of complaining people.  An evangelist who saw the overall problem addressed the brethren in a sermon, and urged the people to stop, as this type of behavior was not becoming of God’s people.  Later the same evening, a member and his family and friends were gathered at a local restaurant for the evening meal.  In the same restaurant, seated not far away, was the same evangelist and his party.  The above member had ordered soup with his meal, and when it had been served and he tasted it, he exclaimed...”Waitress, this soup’s cold!!!”  All of a sudden, he caught sight of the evangelist looking right at him, and he quickly added...”Just the way I like it!”.  Brethren, we need to take this to heart and make sure we make this a Feast of rejoicing, not complaining!

The final key is to make this a Feast of building the family! 

In Philippians 2:2-5, we can see admonitions on how important it is to work together to build the family into a united, cohesive unit.  We need to make it a point to try to get to know everyone at the Feast this year.  Unlike so many years ago, when Feast sites consisted of thousands of people, we are part of a smaller group now.  This makes it easier to take the time to get to know our brethren better than ever before. We should also extend that courtesy to those we know that cannot be at the Feast with us this year. Flowers, phone calls, or a simple card remind our brethren far away that they are part of the family and not forgotten! In II Corinthians 5:20, we can see that we need to be ambassadors for Christ...to those in the world who observe us and to those who are part of this special family God is building.  Remember, we ARE a family, and we need to build that family in unity!

Again, the Feast is all about God’s plan - His picture of the World Tomorrow - all a foretaste of what God has in mind for mankind!  God wants us to gain a spiritual picture at the Feast.  By using these four basic keys, of making this Feast one of learning and understanding, including a dedicated spirit of service and an attitude of rejoicing, and taking time to do our part to build the family, we can begin to make the Feast of Tabernacles 2004 the BEST FEAST EVER!

Gary Liebold