INTRO: The Three Firsts of Jesus!

#1. JESUS is First Cause.

"...for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together." Colossians 1:16-17

"Jesus existed with God before anything was created, and he was with God at the beginning of creation. He was with God as the First Cause of the creation." John 1:1-3

#2. JESUS is First Born.
" Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead." Vs 18

#3. JESUS is First Place!
So he is first in everything.

ANALYSIS: The Principle of First!

"But Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

1. The First born must be Sacrificed or Redeemed.

" When the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”…“And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. Ex. 13:1-2, 11-13

Redeemed (ga’al)- refers to the custom of buying back something a person has lost through helplessness, poverty, or violence.

Redemption (apolutrosis) release secured by the payment of a ransom, deliverance, setting free.

2. The First fruits must be Offered to God.

"And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4: 3-7

"For the first fruit is holy, the lamb is also holy; an if the root is holy, s are the branches." Romans 11:16

“Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine” Prov. 3:9-10


3. The Tithe Belongs to God

“Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.” Deuteronomy 14:22-23

“And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.” Nehemiah 10:38-39 From this passage, we learn that:


APPLICATION: Don’t Just return to God a Tenth of your Income, Return to God the FIRST Tenth of your Income!