[Steve Myers] Now, during Unleavened Bread, there is a special event that takes place that's mainly lost to Christianity today. In fact, it may seem, at times, that it's insignificant, and even when we consider what happens at Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Holy Day season, it can even seem to be not so significant, maybe at times, overlooked. But it's something that reflects the most significant event that has happened yet in all of history, and it was something that took place the day after the weekly Sabbath during Unleavened Bread. Now, you can read about that in the Leviticus 23, if you'll turn over there with me.

We know, Leviticus 23 rehearses God's Holy Days. And when it comes to Unleavened Bread, there's a special mention in verse 9 of this significant event that was to take place during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Leviticus 23:9. Here's God speaking with Moses, and He gives him instructions. Leviticus 23:10, God says, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf” or an omer “of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.'" And so, God gave this instruction to the Israelites for a special offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread. And so, when they were to come into the Promised Land, they were commanded, not only to keep the Holy Days as rehearsed in Leviticus 23 but also the special offering.

And, if you can imagine, this time of the year, there was this standing barley that would soon be reaped, but before anyone could eat of that barley harvest, this offering had to take place. No one could eat of it until a sheaf, kind of a handful of that barley was cut, and then brought to the priest. And after cutting that, cutting that sheaf or that omer, it was called, they bring it the sheaf, and that sheaf was called the sheaf of the firstfruits. So, we see that in verse 10. The sheaf of the firstfruits was brought to the priest, and the priest then would take this one sheaf, and he would lift it up, or wave it before the Lord at the tabernacle, or later, in the temple. And, when was it to be done? Well, by today's counting, it would have been done yesterday. It would have been done on the morrow after the Sabbath, on Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread. And so, no one could eat of the grain, the barley, or roast the grain until that sheaf had been presented before God, and accepted for all of the people. And so, by that offering, it was also how the count began towards Pentecost. We would count 50, or 7 Sabbaths would follow until Pentecost.

Now, it only takes a couple of verses to describe what was to take place, but there is so much symbolic meaning in this offering. What is it? Well, this morning, I'd like to talk about that a little bit. What was the physical application, and then more importantly, for us, what is the spiritual significance of the sheaf of the firstfruits, and in fact, just a sheaf, in general as well? Let's think about that for a little bit. Let's examine the significance of the sheaf, the significance of the sheaf. Now, when God told Israel about this, this certainly would've been a couple of things that came into mind. One thing that would have come to mind is that a sheaf, not specifically the firstfruits sheaf, but a sheaf in general, represents the firstborn.

An omer or a sheaf would represent the firstborn. Ancient Israel would certainly have understood that. Understanding that the firstfruits was always the best, was always the choicest, the first, the foremost, the preeminent ones. And then later, the rest were to follow because way back in Exodus, you might write down Exodus 13. Exodus 13 records for us God speaking to Moses all the way back there in Exodus, telling Moses to “consecrate to Me all the firstborn.” So, the firstborn of Israel were to be consecrated to God. Now, was that just the people? Oh, no. If you read through there in Exodus 13, it says, "Not only the people, not only of men but also of beasts." Even the animals, the firstborn of the animals, and later, the firstborn of the crops would also be dedicated to God. So, they were special, they were sanctified to God, they were to be dedicated, they were to be appointed, and presented before God. And so, in the sense, the firstborn were unique, they were distinct and unique to God. And so, when the people came into the land, they recognized, this was also the case, not only with people and beasts but also with the first of the crops.

There's an interesting account of this back in the book of Nehemiah. If you'll turn to Nehemiah 10:35. We see how a sheaf or an omer is representative of the first, the firstborn. Nehemiah 10:35 God speaks to this significance, the significance of this representation of the firstborn. Nehemiah 10:35. Notice the instructions that God gives here. He says, “to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all the fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of God… to the house of the Lord; to bring,” not only the fruit, but verse 36, “to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of God.” And so, it becomes pretty clear, the firsts, the firstfruits, this representation of the firstborn were holy to God. They belong especially to Him, they were to be sanctified, they were to be set apart, and presented before Him. Now, that becomes more significant as we see the overall meaning of a sheaf, and especially, the significance of the firstfruits.

Now, there is a second aspect to this that we begin to see here in this first example of the representation of the firstborn. Now, not only was it fruit or the first of the crops but secondly, a sheaf can represent a person. A sheaf can represent an individual, and this becomes clear if we go all the way back to Genesis 37. Here's an example, one that may not specifically tie into the Days of Unleavened Bread, but certainly points out the fact that a sheaf can represent a human being. You know the story of Joseph and his brothers? Joseph had a dream. Do you remember what one of Joseph's dreams was about? It was about sheaves, not chiefs, but sheaves. You have to be careful the way you say that.

Genesis 37:5 talks about Joseph's dream, the dream that he couldn't keep to himself. He had to tell his brothers about it. So, Genesis 37:5 tells us that fact that Joseph has a dream, he tells it to his brothers, and they hated him even more. Well, why? Well, verse 6, “He said to them, ‘Please hear this dream which I dreamed:’” Verse 7, “There we were, binding sheaves in the field.” So, they're harvesting, and they're binding these sheaves together. What happens next? "Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” Well, his brothers knew what that meant. We're not just talking about crops here. “You're saying you're better than us. This is obviously, representing you, Joseph.”

So, verse 8, “His brothers said, ‘Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and his words.” You see, they understood the significance of a sheaf very clearly, that this sheaf represented a person. It was symbolic of Joseph himself. And, in fact, biblically, you can represent, well, depending what it refers to, any person, any person.

There's an amazing representation that's in Psalm 126. Psalm 126 you don't have to turn there. We'll just recount it. It's one of the songs of ascents or the songs of degrees. It's one of those songs that would have been sung during the feasts. When Israel would come together to worship God, they would go to Jerusalem, and whether it was during the spring feast, or whether it was at the Feast of tabernacles, often times, they would sing these songs of degrees or songs of ascents as they would go up to Jerusalem. Psalm 126 is one of those, and it talks about the fact that there would be rejoicing when the sheaves were brought in. There would be rejoicing bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing, in fact, there is an old hymn that was written way back in 1874 that's called "Bringing in the Sheaves," Anyone ever heard of that one? Yeah. “Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.” Well, who's doing the bringing? Well, according to Psalm 126, the harvest of people will take place, and when Jesus Christ returns, He's going to bring us, His sheaves, with Him. And so, Psalm 126 is a prophetic psalm. When Christ returns for the harvest, He will bring His sheaves with Him, and so Psalm 126 points that in His first coming, there was weeping, there was weeping, there were seeds that were planted, but at harvest time, that's where there's going to be rejoicing. And so, a sheaf points to individuals. It points to a person.

But, ultimately, the third representation of a sheaf becomes most critical. That single sheaf of the firstfruits represents Jesus Christ. The sheaf of the firstfruits, not just any old sheaf, but the sheaf of the firstfruits mentioned in Leviticus 23, that points to Jesus Christ, and there's a wonderful connection in 1 Corinthians 15. If you'll turn there with me. 1 Corinthians 15, of course, the resurrection chapter. In verse 20, it shows us this connection between Leviticus 23 and Jesus Christ as that sheaf of the firstfruits. Let's notice it in the resurrection chapter.

1 Corinthians 15:20. It says, "Now Christ is risen from the dead," of course, don't forget, when did Christ rise? It was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. It was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. He has “risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man” the capital “M,” the Man, the Savior “also came the resurrection of the dead. For is in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive.” Again. “But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” Christ is that sheaf of the firstfruits. Christ, the firstfruits.

And, in so many ways, He was symbolic of that sheaf, He was firstborn, He was firstborn literally of Mary. So you can just look at Scripture, it tells us very clearly. It also tells us, He's the firstborn of the Father. Christ is the firstborn of the Father. You could write down Hebrews 1:5. He's the firstborn of the Father. What else is He firstborn of? Christ is also firstborn of the dead. We just read it here in 1 Corinthians 15. You can write down Revelation 1:5. Revelation 1:5 talks about that very fact. Christ is firstborn of the dead. Christ is also first in the Church. He's first in the Church. I will turn to Colossians 1:16. Notice how Christ fulfills this sheaf of the firstfruits. Colossians 1:16, the apostle Paul points this out so clearly about how he is this representation of the first, the ultimate, the first of the firsts.

Colossians 1:16 notice what Paul wrote to the Church at Colossi inspires us as well. It says, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him, and for Him." Is He first? Is He most critical? Absolutely. Verse 17, "And He is before all things, in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." He is the sheaf of the firstfruits. He alone is the one sanctified by the Father, the first, the choicest, the preeminent one. He is, not only firstborn, but He is also the firstfruits unto God. He exclusively belongs to the Father. And so, without a doubt, He symbolizes the ultimate meaning of that sheaf of the firstfruits. He is the ultimate significance.

Now, of course, if we remember what that sheaf entailed when it was brought before the priest, that was the beginning of the harvest. Nothing could be harvested, or eaten before that offering took place. And so, it also points to the fact that that sheaf represents the harvest. That sheaf of the firstfruits is symbolic of it. Now, it's not the harvest, but it represents the harvest, and there's a subtle difference between those two things. It's not the harvest. It begins to represent that harvest to come, represents that harvest to come. This sheaf was a forerunner. It was something that was a sample before the harvest would take place, and there were harvest to follow. There was the harvest that took place after this, which was the barley harvest, then we get to Pentecost, and then another harvest took place. What harvest was that? The harvest of the wheat, the wheat. Those were kind of firstfruits harvests, but it also pointed to the greater harvest that would come at the end of the year, the harvest of fruit.

So, this sheaf, this first of the firstfruits was representative of the things to come, the harvest that would follow. And so, we see in this sheaf, it was the Father's will that the Son be first. He would be first to God, and who is to follow then? Who's to follow? Well, we are. We're to seek first the Kingdom of God, we're to maintain our first love, we're to maintain our first works, we're to maintain our first faith and scripture after scripture after scripture points to us, being the firstfruits. Christ the first of the firsts, and then we, to follow. And so, even though this sheaf was not the harvest, it was representative of that harvest to follow.

And so, we can view this sheaf of the firstfruit, this wave sheaf in a couple of different senses. Christ, the first, in His own personal resurrection because that's what happened to Christ, and it's also symbolic than of us. It's symbolic of us, the firstfruits at His resurrection… or at His second coming. When Christ comes again, we will be with Him, we will be resurrected. That is symbolic of us at His coming. And so, we see that mirrored in Romans 8:23 if you'd like to turn there. Romans 8:23 it points to the symbolism of that harvest to come. Romans 8:23. Notice the symbolism of the saints at Jesus Christ's second coming.

Romans 8:23, Paul writes to God's church in Rome, writes to us. He says, "Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Skipping down to verse 29, he says, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” So, we are to follow in Christ's footsteps. There will be a harvest, and that sheaf represents that harvest to come. Christ was representative of that, and there are more to come. We, at His coming, are to be with Him. He represents that harvest to come.

Now, that brings us to a critical aspect of the sheaf of the firstfruits. That sheaf was fulfilled in Christ, not only symbolic of Him but was fulfilled in Him. And, there's a subtle difference between those things. Not only symbolic of Jesus Christ, not only pointing to the harvest, but this firstfruit sheaf was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Now, if you remember back to Leviticus 23, that wave sheaf was offered before the Lord. It represented Jesus Christ Himself being lifted up to the Father. Just like that sheaf was brought to the tabernacle, or later, brought to the temple, Jesus Christ was resurrected to the true tabernacle. He was lifted up to the temple in heaven. Now, if you turn with me over to John 20:13, we see how this literally was fulfilled.

Let's see how this took place just after the crucifixion. John 20:13, here we are, early on Sunday morning. Early on Sunday morning at what time? During the Days of Unleavened Bread. During the Days of Unleavened Bread, we're at Leviticus 23:11. That's where we are. So, during that day, when the wave sheaf was being offered, here's what's taking place just before that. John 20:13, “They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said, ‘Because they've taken my Lord away. I don't know where they've laid Him.’ Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and didn't know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Now she supposing Him to be the gardener, and said to Him, ‘Sir, if You've carried Him away, tell me where You've laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’ (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I'm ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’"

And so, here we find just after the crucifixion, Christ had been reaped, He had been cut down, like that omer, like that firstfruit. But right at this moment, what have not taken place yet? Well, He hadn't yet been waved, He hadn't yet been lifted to the Father because Christ said, "I haven't been presented yet. I'm going to My Father. Don't touch me yet. I haven't been presented before..." You can't eat the grain, you can't touch it, you can't do anything until the omer or the firstfruit is lifted, presented, sanctified before the Father. Now, we know that to be the case because a few hours later, everything is different, everything is different.

If you turn over to Luke 24:38. Here, not only has Christ has been cut down, but we find he had to have been presented before the Father because a few hours after the situation with Mary, notice what happens, Luke 24:38. Luke 24:38, “He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?’ He said, ‘Behold My hands and My feet, that it is Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit’” or ghost “doesn't have flesh and bones as you see I have.” And so, obviously, something critical took place before John 20 and the situation with Mary where He said “Don't touch Me, don't handle the grain, don't eat of it.” And then Luke 24 when He says, “Touch Me, handle Me.” What had taken place? Well, the omer had been waved, and presented, and accepted before God. Christ had gone to the Father's throne, presented Himself as the sheaf of the firstfruits. It is glorified body. And so, the resurrection and that presentation before God testified to the fact that Jesus Christ is the sheaf of firstfruits, and that sheaf was fulfilled. It was reaped, and it was waved before the Lord, it His heavenly sanctuary. And so, a phenomenal offering had taken place and had been accepted before God.

It's interesting the connection when you see how many of these things interconnect throughout the Word of God? Did you know that when God gave Israel that offering of the firstfruits, it wasn't just to cut an omer or a sheaf and bring it to the temple. There were other offerings to come with it, that were to be given with it. If you look back at Leviticus 23:12-13, it talks about a grain offering that was to be given with that wave sheaf. There was to be a lamb that was given as well, but what in the world significance would there be to a lamb being sacrificed, and Jesus Christ, a Lamb without blemish that was to be offered with the sheaf of the firstfruits? Why a grain offering? Why a meal offering? What was a meal offering made up of? Flour and water. You know, there was also another offering that was given with the sheaf of the firstfruits. Do you know what it was? A drink offering. A drink offering that was to be given with it. So, you had a grain, a meal offering, you had a drink offering, you had a lamb.

What did the Lamb institute at the Passover? Well, He gave the symbolism of the bread and the wine, the drink offering, and the meal offering, and so we see the fulfillment of these things. Not only was the wave sheaf fulfilled, the Lamb was fulfilled, the blood was spilled for us, and the body was given. And so, at Passover, both the meal offering, and the drink offering, and the bread, and the wine were fulfilled. Christ's death itself fulfilled the burnt offering, His resurrection was the wave sheaf offering. But, it's also interesting to note there was an offering that was missing. Do you know what offering was missing? The one that Israel had to do probably more often than any other, the sin offering. It’s significant that at this time, there was no sin offering presented with the sheaf because Jesus fulfilled that sin offering. He, Himself was sinless. He was without sin. There was no need for a sin offering for Christ, but certainly, it was one done on our behalf.

So, the intricacy in the symbolism is phenomenal when you think of it. God's Word is amazing, and it points to something that is so critical for us when you consider the significance of the sheaf of the firstfruits. It points to something we all have to hang on to, and I think we do so dearly because it points to the fact that we are accepted before God. Not only was Christ accepted as He was lifted up before the Father, it points to the fact that we are accepted before God because of Jesus Christ, because of Jesus Christ. You may have not recognized it when we read through it so quickly, but if you do go back to Leviticus 23 for a moment. Notice the significant little three words that are included here in Leviticus 23:11. Leviticus 23:11 points out, I think one of the things that can bring us so much joy, can bring us confidence, can give us the hope that we can stand before God accepted because of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 23:11, when that sheaf was brought to the priest, represented of Jesus Christ, and He lifted it up before God. Do you notice what it says here? Verse 11, “He shall” this is the priest, “shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf.” That sheaf was accepted on your behalf. That's us, was accepted on our behalf. The Old Testament was accepted on Israel's behalf, the greater spiritual significance as Jesus Christ was lifted up to the Father, it was accepted. Christ's sacrifice was accepted on our behalf, so that means we are accepted before God. We are accepted before God. And, coming through the Passover, and living the Days of Unleavened Bread, striving to put on the character of Jesus Christ. Is that acceptable before God when we are repentant before Him when we strive to put on the character of His Son? That is a sweet smelling aroma before God. We are accepted.

There's a beautiful passage in the New Testament, Ephesians 1:3. It's not about us, it's about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and because of that perfect sacrifice, because He fulfilled the wave sheaf, that significance points to the fact that we can be accepted as well. Ephesians 1:3 points to that very fact. Ephesians 1:3, no wonder Paul worshiped God as he writes this letter to the Ephesians. He says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." I mean, what blessings do we lack? I know, we could say that we don't have this in this life, and we have all these problems, and issues, and challenges, and stresses, and trials, and suffering.

Yeah, we do in this life, but He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing because we know, this life is temporary. This life isn't what it's all about. And so, we recognize that. We praise God, we worship Him, we come together on His Holy Day to bless His name, and we sing that in our hymns. Bless His holy name. We honor and praise Jesus Christ as well, and we worship because, in verse 4, it says, "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Well, how is it possible to be holy, and without blame before God? Sure, not by anything that I can do, but Christ in us can do. Christ in us is what makes spiritual things possible. It's what makes it possible, and so He's had this plan from the foundation of the world that His people, those who would be in the Kingdom will be holy and without blame. They are predestined to be adopted as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. And it goes on to say, “according to the good pleasure of His will.”

This is God's purpose. That's His plan. That we can be holy and without blame before Him by the fulfillment of the sheaf of the firstfruits. And so, in verse 6, it says, "to the praise and the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Points all the way back to Leviticus 23 that was waved before the Father on our behalf that we are accepted in the beloved. He made us accepted through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, and so just as that sheaf was accepted on Israel's behalf, and so Israel was accepted by God in that sheaf. So, Christ literally was accepted before God and lifted up to Him for us. And because of that, we are accepted through Christ by God because of the resurrected One, because of the sheaf of the firstfruit, because of that fulfillment, because of that payment for sin, we are accepted before God.

Now, sin makes us unacceptable before God. We have to get that straight. We're not just accepted and we can just live in sin. That's unacceptable. You see, the Days of Unleavened Bread and that sacrifice during the Days of Unleavened Bread point to that very fact that we need to strive to live sin-free. We need to strive to put on Christ because He ultimately is that sacrifice that was accepted. You might just write down 1 John 1:1. 1 John 1:1 because that points to the fact that He is our atoning sacrifice, and not just for us, but for the whole world. And as that sacrifice, because we are accepted before God, what is our Unleavened Bread response to the sacrifice of Christ? You see, once that sheaf was cut, was there any way to reattach it? Was there any way that that was going to start growing again? Not physically. It wasn't going to happen.

You see, once Christ was accepted before the Father, there was no going back. No going back to the physical. It wasn't possible. And so, the sheaf of the firstfruits is certainly a reminder, there's no return. When Christ is presented on our behalf and we accept that sacrifice, is there any going back? No going back. Unleavened Bread reminds us we've come out of sin, we've accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have faith in that sacrifice of Christ, we proclaim that faith, we heralded that faith at the Passover, didn't we? We said, "Yes. Jesus Christ is my sacrifice and I dedicate my life to serving the Father, and serving Jesus Christ, and I have committed my life to leaving sin behind, and there's no going back." And that sheaf is certainly a reminder of that, that the Passover has been sacrificed.

We look at the example of Israel leaving Egypt. They left sin behind. Now, they're going to the Promised Land, and we are too, but not just physically. Symbolically, we're marching toward the Kingdom, and once that sheaf was cut and presented to God, there was no going back. And so, God gives us forgiveness. He justifies us and makes us right when we repent before Him, and we can leave sin behind because He's given us His Spirit. And we never want to go back to Egypt, we never want to… we don't want to go back into this world, and partake of the sin that is has. Our goal is the Promised Land, our goal is the Kingdom, our goal is to recognize the power of that sacrifice, and allow that to live in us, and through us, because there's no going back. And, Paul told the Philippians about that.

Philippians 3:7, it describes the fact that we have left sin like yeast and puffed up bread behind. There's no going back to it. Philippians 3:7. Notice the way that Paul worded this in such a powerful way to express our intent of where we're going, where we're heading. It's definitely directly to the Kingdom of God. Philippians 3:7 He says, "What things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." Yeah. The ways of this world, the great American dream of a bigger job, a better house, the fancy... That's all loss. Where does that count anymore? Counts as nothing. It's straw, it's loss, and it's nothing because we understand the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. He says, "for whom I've suffered the loss of all things, and I count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness," You see, Paul recognized the acceptance is through the sacrifice of Christ. He says "It's not from the law, it's not by what I can do, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness, which is from God, by faith.”

And, I wonder if Paul had Unleavened Bread. I wonder if he had the wave sheaf on his mind. I wonder if he understood that tremendous significance of the Passover, the crucifixion, and of course, the power that came beyond. Notice what he says next. He says “the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection,” you see, that's the power that we recognize during the Days of Unleavened Bread. It's the power of the resurrection, the power of resurrected Christ living His life in us, and through us, and if we could get ourselves out of the way, get our own thinking out of the way, and allow Christ to live in us, we will be. We can't help but be accepted before God, to really know Him. Get myself out of the way and live by the power of the resurrection.

And of course, verse 11 says, “if, by any means, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Because that's our goal, the resurrection, that's our hope. He says, "Not that I've already attained, or I'm already perfected;” because we're not there yet. We're still in this physical body, and we still have our shortcomings, but I want to know Him. I want to know that I know Him. I want that to be reflected in the way that I think, and the way that I act, and sometimes, it's not that evident. But I have to get myself out of the way. And so, Paul said the same thing, “I'm not already perfected, not there yet.” But, what does Unleavened Bread remind us? He says I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Don't you love that imagery? Who's got a handle on us? Who's got a hold on us? Jesus Christ has a hold. Is He going to let go? No way. He's not letting go.

I was thinking of the example of Peter when he got out of the boat, and he started sinking. When he cried out, what did Christ do? Grabbed him. Did He let go and say, "Oh, you have a little faith, sorry." No, He didn't do that. He held onto it. He pulled him out of that water, and He wasn't going to let go. God's not going to let go of us. Of course, we can rip out if His hands if we wanted to, but He's painting that image here. He's got a hold on us, and so Paul says that so clearly. He says, "I lay hold on that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." What has He laid hold on us for? Eternal life, eternal life, and so we're not going to let the shortcomings of this world or our own thinking weigh us down.

Yes, we're still struggling, we're not perfected yet, but Christ isn't letting go, and if he's not letting go, we're not letting go either. We're going to do whatever it takes because He's laid hold of us. He's been presented before the Father. We are accepted when we're repentant before God. And so Unleavened Bread reminds us that should be our frame of mind. We're going to strive and press on. I'm going to forget what's behind, I'm going to forget the difficulties, I'm going to forget my sin that God's forgotten. I'm going to forget even my successes because I'm going to press on and reach forward to the things that are ahead. What's ahead? The Kingdom. The Kingdom is just around the corner. It's just ahead so let's press forward for the Kingdom. He says “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

In fact, the message in verse 15 says, "Let's keep focused on that goal." Now, that we're on the right track, let's stay on it, let's stay on it. And to help us stay on it, God gives us the significance of what a sheaf is all about. It represents the Firstborn, it represents what God has in mind for us, it represents people. It represents His Church. That wave sheaf represents our savior, Jesus Christ. More importantly, that wave sheaf was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the sheaf of the firstfruits, and what a fantastic reminder that when we're repentant before God, we are accepted before Him because we're leaving sin behind. We've left it behind, and we've been accepted before God, and there's no turning back, there's no going back. And so, let's remember the ultimate significance that that wave sheaf that was given during Unleavened Bread memorializes the most significant spiritual event to take place yet on earth, the resurrection of our savior, Jesus Christ.

So, we can thank God. We should thank God that He's given us this tremendous understanding of His fantastic plan, and we can thank Him. We can be included. He’s purposed the fact that we can be included in this great spiritual work, and we can thank Him that we've been given this opportunity now. We have the opportunity to be in the harvest of firstfruits that we'll celebrate when we get to Pentecost. And so, as Unleavened Bread ends, let's dedicate ourselves to live with that goal in mind, and look forward to the ultimate, look forward to the resurrection, to be changed to spirit at the return of Jesus Christ.