Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Romans part 158 - One in Messiah 47

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Romans 11:16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

"First fruits!" One word or two, hyphenated or not? In Hebrew, bikur takes on a plural form, bikurei, a first fruits offering. Yeshua, Himself, is identified as a "Firstfruit" of the resurrection ... 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Likewise, we also must bear that label with Him. Jacob 1:18 By His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.

God sent His Son to be set apart (made holy), and to bring forth a people who would join Him in being set apart unto God. Our purpose is to likewise affect the whole world. We give the world its flavor; Yeshua calls it salty.

Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt should lose its flavor, how shall it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

This brings us to the Kiddush, the sanctification of the fruit of the vine. That's the blessing, not for good grapes or sweet juice (or even excellent wine) but for "fruit of the vine" created by God. Yeshua spoke these words. It's a little long, but what would you have me to leave out? Pray into it, and catch the depth of Paul's letter.

John 15:4-9 Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and is dried up. Such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you. Abide in My love!

Simple, yet profound. Live in Yeshua's love and fulfill your calling as a first fruit person. Shalom shalom.