The Best Feast Yet

Thank you very much for that special music. We really appreciate it. I'll say good afternoon to everyone. I spilled my batteries from the microphone. That's what you heard up front. So I'll just use this and try not to move around too much. I used to be known in Toronto, Canada, when I was young and vigorous, as one who paced a lot. So I always have a lapel mic. I would go from one side of the stage to the other back and forth quite a bit when I spoke.

So I was known as the one who used the lapel. So this time I'll try to restrict myself. And my age is making me restrict a little bit more here at the lectern. But it's nice to be with you in Southern California. We almost went to Hawaii this year. But we decided to come to Maui East again. So we almost ended up in Hawaii. But we really loved being here. It's been so wonderful to get to see and meet several people that we know and know really well.

Over the years, many ambassador students, former students, former ambassador Bible college students that are here that we're delighted to get to see and know and meet again. And spend time with them, some of them that we knew from maybe 20, 30 years ago. And in fact, we were in Pasadena, and we happened to be going out to dinner at the Panda Inn. And as we were walking through the bar area, I hear my name called by one of the former students from about 30 years ago. Mr. Antion, we were just talking about you, and hopefully it was good. But anyway, they were sitting in the bar, and they both of them, actually three of them, I didn't recognize one.

But the other two I recognized well, and so they were very kind and very congenial. And then we sat down, then Mr. Turgeon, who came up and asked the blessing, he came over to our table. And they were sitting at another table.

So the Panda Inn in Pasadena was a haunt. We really loved it. It was the best Chinese food in the world. And if you ate over at Panda Express, that's a spin-off from it, but not nearly as good as the actual Panda Inn. So we really had a nice time getting a visit with those brethren. Well, many feasts have been labeled the best feast ever. And that's just the way it seems like every year they would write, This is the best feast ever. This is the best feast ever. And as Mr. Weber aptly mentioned, this is the best feast we hope yet. But we're just starting, so how can you know it's going to be the best feast yet for you?

I'd like to share with you three R's that you might have the best feast yet. Now, those three R's, if you know anything about school in the early days, how many of you know what the three R's were back in the old days? Yeah, reading, writing, and arithmetic. The only problem is they should have been the R-W-A. Not the three R's, right? They should have been the three S's, spelling, science, and social studies. Because, as you know, reading begins with an R, writing begins with a W, and arithmetic begins with an A.

So I'm not going to give you some wrong treatment of those three R's. I am going to give you literally three R's. Three R's that you might enjoy the best feast yet. And so, if you're ready to go, I'm going to share those with you.

Number one, first one, the first R is rejoice. You don't realize how many times, unless you're reading through all the... I've read through a number of the areas that talk about the Feast of Tabernacles. And how many times God says, rejoice, and you shall rejoice, and you shall rejoice, and you shall rejoice over and over again. God emphasizes we're supposed to come here and be happy.

Who knows one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that's related to rejoice? Joy. One of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit is joy. I like to study people, and I like to watch faces on people as they come. I like to watch the chorale when they come up. I like to see if they're smiling when they come up. Or if they're coming up on stage. I like to watch. You have to be careful when you're coming up to steps, you're concentrating.

When you come up, you should be smiling. You sing better when you smile. It's better to smile, but rejoicing is more than smiling. Rejoicing is something that we have that begins from the inside. And that joy bubbles over. And so the first point to enjoy this feast and to make it the best feast yet is to enjoy it. Enjoy the time you're here. Philippians 3 and verse 1. Philippians 3 verse 1, we had it very well presented by our first sermon speaker, Mr.

Knutzman, where he talked about how happy this world's going to finally be to be saved, to be rescued, to be redeemed, to be delivered from their bondage, from their oppression, from their sickness, disease, from warfare. Do you think those people are going to be happy finally when Jesus Christ comes back and turns things around?

I say so. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 1. Philippians 3 and verse 1, we read this, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. This is God's feast. This is sort of the combination of everything we hope and dream about. If somebody says to you, what's your goal in life spiritually? You probably would say, the kingdom of God. Matthew 6, 33. The kingdom of God. Well, here we are at a time picturing that kingdom of God functioning on this earth, with Jesus Christ beginning to turn things around.

That's a good reason to rejoice. He says, rejoice in the Lord. He said, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. We are to joy in God. And that word rejoice carries with it to be glad, to be happy, to be delighted, to be full of joy. It means to be calmly happy. It means to joyfully rejoice. That comes from Strongs. It can mean a farewell, or it can mean a greeting. Rejoice, or rejoice as you leave. But from the Greek word kairou, kairou rather. So rejoice.

There's no greater opportunity to practice it than here. Deuteronomy 14, verse 23, God calls this His vacation plan for you. And I know we don't want to emphasize it's only vacation, but for many of us, brethren, it is the only time that we have as vacation. And it is the time to you want to rejoice. You'll see that. God says, no greater thing than you can do than to rejoice with you and your family. God wants that. That's one aspect. One of the three R's is to rejoice. Deuteronomy 14, verse 23, we read this, And you shall eat before the Lord your God.

He talked about the tithes. Now, one of the tithes is holy to God. You wouldn't be eating His tithe. But here's a tithe that you can eat. You shall eat before the Lord your God in the place which you shall choose the place His name there. He says, the tithe of your corn, of your wine, of your oil. He says, of the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. And I'll come back to that.

And He talks about if the way be too long for you, then you shall not... that you can't go, can't carry all your produce and all your animals, turn them into money. Then you shall... if it be too much for you, then you shall sell them, turn them into money. And then notice what He says in verse 25, Then shall you turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and you shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose.

There were certain designated places, primarily Jerusalem. There were other times there were others designated. We have a whole article years ago on how do you know God chooses this place, and there are certain things that we look for in order to choose a place to place God's name. When I first came to the church, it was baptized back in 1959, I remember my first feast in 1959. Do you know in 1959 there was only one feast site in the entire United States, and it was Big Sandy, Texas.

And there were about five to seven thousand, maybe seven thousand that year, I think. Because they had built the first part they had to add more to it. It may have been ten thousand, seven to ten thousand. They had to add more, an additional part, I think, add another third to that metal building in Big Sandy, Texas. But I remember going to the feast that was the only place we had.

And then we said, well, you know what? People on the west coast have to get all the way over there. Maybe there's a better place where they found Squaw Valley. And then they found, and they said, how about on the east coast? Well, what about Jekyll Island? So he ended up having three feast sites. Now you have several feast sites. With that in mind because of travel, because of economics, and because of availability.

So we used to think we had to build our own feast sites. They had to be built by people who were in the church, converted people. We built these huge feast sites, which we used eight days out of the year. Maybe we used them seven days during Unleavened Bread. So 15 days out of the year we built this facility. We paid to keep it going, paid to keep it heated, paid to keep it up. It didn't make sense. When you have all these convention centers that are being built, longing to have people flock into them.

I happened to run the feast as the coordinator in Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls was held at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, which is about a 35 million dollar building. And we got it for like 2,000 dollars, 2,000 a week, or whatever it was.

We paid very little to have that facility. We could never have built one like that. And yet we could use it because they wanted our business in Niagara Falls. So it was a feast site for a period of two years, I think 74 and 75. I looked after those two years. So again, we go to the place where God chooses. Notice what he says when you go there. Verse 26, You shall bestow that money for whatever your soul lusts after or desires, for corn, for sheep, for... You want lamb chops? You want rack of lamb? You want corn on the cob? You want corn on the side? You want corn fritters?

Whatever you want. Corn bread? For oxen? You want steak? You want filet? You want sirloin? Whatever you want. Or for wine? Do you want a nice wine with your meal? You want some strong drink, which at that time would have been more a fortified wine. It would have been more like a liqueur. Or for whatever your soul desires. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God, because you're at his feast. And you shall rejoice. But just you? Oh, boy, I can have a great feast.

It's all about me. God says, man, you can go to the feast, leave your wife at home, you have more money to spend on you. That is what he says. You and your family, you and your household, go to the feast to rejoice. It's God's vacation plan for you. Philippians 4, verses 4 and 10.

The Apostle Paul loved the Philippian church, and so you can read in there. He loves them the way he writes to them. They were good to him. They looked after him and they loved him. He loved them back because he was in prison. They still tried to minister to his needs. But in Philippians, chapter 4 and verse 4, we read this. Rejoice in the Lord always. That includes the Feast of Tabernacles after the Feast of Tabernacles.

But especially at the Feast of Tabernacles, we need to make sure we rejoice. Oh, rejoice always. Be glad. Be happy. And again, I say rejoice. Happiness is something you have to decide. Is this going to be a dismal day or a happy day? I don't care what it's like outside. I don't care if it's raining. I don't care if it's smoggy. I don't care if it's...you're in a traffic jam. It tests you, but you have to decide what you're going to put on.

Happiness? Are you going to put on a frown? Are you going to be discouraged? Are you going to let yourself be beaten down? Are you going to tune into the negativity of this world? And let me tell you, there's no greater negative being than Satan the Devil. Why? Because Satan the Devil knows he loses. Do you ever play against somebody? You just know you're not going to beat them. We played basketball. When I was in high school, I played basketball. I played against teams. They were so much better than we were.

I mean, we got on the floor and we tried our best, but we basically knew we were going to lose. They were just way too good for us. Maybe Class A, we were Class B. They had bigger guys and more practice time, whatever you want to say. It doesn't make you feel very good to go into the game feeling you're going to lose.

Satan the Devil already knows he's a loser. He would like you to feel like a loser, too. And losers tend to be negative. They tend not to see light. They tend not to see that things can work out well for them. Instead, they say, nothing's going to work. Nothing's going to turn out all right. It's up to each of us to make sure we choose the happy root, that we choose the joyful root, that we want to rejoice. He says in verse 10, But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.

We need to rejoice in the Lord greatly. Have joy in your life. Meet people with a smile. Just smiling to them helps. We were on the airplane coming out, and there was this one lady. We were sitting close to the first class section, but not in first class, and this lady was close to the first class section. She wanted to go to the bathroom in the first class section, which they don't really like you doing, but she was close by.

So she started to go into the first class, and there was a guy coming out of the bathroom. There was only one bathroom. He was coming out of the bathroom, and he saw her waiting there, so he was waving her to go in. Go through the special curtain, you know, to get her. So she started to go through, and then one of the stewardesses or flight attendants said, No, go back and stand.

And then she started, and that guy said, She started to go forward, and then this lady would go back. The poor lady, she was bouncing back and forth, so I said to her, Do you feel like a yo-yo? And she looked at me, and then I just said, Hold on, they'll get away. Maybe you can sneak in or something. I was trying to tease them. And she smiled, and she was really happy that somebody smiled and was happy about her. And finally, when she got to go, and then she went to the bathroom, she came by and she said, Thank you.

Tap me on the arm. And she went by. Just to help. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt at all. In fact, it helps relax those muscles if you smile. So, again, joyful, but you feel it from the inside, and you do it because you know, you know what life's about. You know what God has in store for you. You have a tremendous hope in front of you that God wants you to be in his kingdom, that God loves you as his child, that God gave his only Son for you, and that baptism only for you.

That's reason to be happy and joyful. It is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Family time and fun. While you're at the feast, determine to do something nice with your family. Don't neglect them. Don't run off. Look at all your buddies and pals, as you know, and forget about your family. Do things with your family, too. Ecclesiastes 9, verses 7 to 9. Ecclesiastes 9, verses 7 to 9. We read what God inspired Solomon to write. He said in verse 7, Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart.

For God now accepts your works. Go ahead. Let your garments be always white. Whatever you do, remember, you're supposed to keep those garments white. You don't want to be dirtying them, soiling them, dumping your food, whatever food. You don't want to be sinning, in other words, keep those garments white, and let your head lack no ointment. So use what you need to have to keep yourself fresh and happy.

Verse 9, Live joyfully with the wife whom you love, all the days of the life of your vanity. What does he mean here? All the days that you spend as a human being are ultimately vain, right? Because you're going to die. But he doesn't say, he's useless. He's just saying, you're going to die if this life is the only thing you see.

But during this life, God wants you to be happy. God wants you to have joy. Not that that's going to last in this life, but it'll carry over into the world tomorrow. He says, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity. That is how many years? 70? For that is your portion in this life, and in your labor, which you take under the sun. God wants us to be joyful. He wants us to remember our families. Chapter 3, verses 12 and 13. Chapter 3, verses 12 and 13, in Ecclesiastes, he puts it this way.

I know that there's no good in them, he said, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life. Verse 13, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. The gift of God. But share that gift with your second tithe that you have. Share that gift with others as you are able. Not just yourself alone, either. In Deuteronomy 14, verse 29, God said we should remember to take care of those who are less fortunate than we are. I recommend for you to rejoice at this feast that you do something nice for someone.

You pick whoever you want. Just one person. Do something nice for them. Buy them a box of candy. Buy them a flower. Do something nice for someone else. Surprise them! We were humbled when we went to Saratoga Springs as a family. We went out to dinner, and before we left, I said, Oh, I'd like to have our bill, please. He said, Your meal's been paid for. I said, What? I said, Who? I looked around the room, and I tried to see if I could see anybody with a smile, and I couldn't see anybody.

I have no idea who did that for me. But it was a really nice gesture, and it made me smile. I could have paid for it. I wasn't in poverty or anything else, but they did it just to be nice. Do something nice for someone. Buy them a little gift. Something. And we can all muster something that costs us absolutely nothing. A smile. A smile, a hearty hello.

How are you doing? Sit on. Chat with someone. Give. Serve. You know, the Bible talks about, by love, you should serve one another, and when you do something else, remember what Jesus Christ said, it's more blessed to give than to receive. Rejoice at the feast. I put it this way. Make their day. Make their day. Do something nice. Help someone. Help someone else. Rejoice. So that's the first point. If you do that, you are going to be miles ahead already.

On the way toward having the best feast yet. Number the second R is revere. Revere. I chose this word guardedly. Revere. Revere means to regard with deep respect, to love and serve, and to venerate. It means to regard with deep respect.

Do you revere God? The main reason we go to the feast is not for a vacation, though God tells us He wants us to rejoice. It's that we may learn to fear Him, that we may worship God. When they come, Zechariah 14, they're going to come at the end, and they're going to come to Jerusalem to do what? To worship God. We need to revere God. We need to worship Him with deep respect and love and serve Him. We need to show that respect. We need to show that praise. We need to show that appreciation through worship. Proverbs 15, 8, one of my favorite scriptures that I found in my study of the Proverbs in my early years at Ambassador College, I was excited to find that verse. Proverbs 15 and verse 8, The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. That's not the part I was excited to find, although it did remind me not to be wicked. But the prayer of the upright is His delight. God delights in hearing you pray to Him. Do you want to give God some delight? Do you want to worship Him? Pray to Him. Pray to Him. Pray to Him for the success of the feast. Pray to Him for the sermon speakers, the sermonette speakers. Pray to Him for the special music. Pray to Him for the weather. Pray to Him for protection. Pray to Him to keep Satan the devil away. But laud Him and praise Him and worship Him and tell Him you love Him. Tell Jesus Christ you love Him. Don't hold back. Pray to God. You'll bring great delight to Him. The prayer of the upright is His delight. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 1. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 1, as we learn from this book of wisdom. Another way we worship God is to be at church. Be at church. Keep your foot when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear. I'm going to stop right there. Keep your foot when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear. When you come to services, are you ready to hear? When you come rushing, get ready. If you find a seat, I'll get you books. Did you pray? Did you ask God's blessing on the service? Did you come anticipating, I'm going to learn something today. I wonder what I'll learn today. I know what all the messages are going to be about, because Mr. Weber is very organized. We had a meeting, and we talked about all the sermons and sermonettes, and they sound really good and right on target. So I'm excited to hear how they come out, and I heard the outlines of them. And so, come to services anticipating. Be more ready to hear. What am I going to learn? Am I going to learn something that impacts my life, something that will affect my future, something that I can grow and change and overcome, something that inspires me, that motivates me, that lifts me. What will I hear? So when you come to the feast, be more ready to hear. Keep your foot. Don't let your feet go rambling here, there, and everywhere, or not be in your seat on time. But keep yourself. That doesn't mean you come in, you sit on, you never move. But when it's time for services, find your seat.

Find your seat. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the minister never had to say, Okay, brethren, find your seats. Okay, brethren, it's wonderful. Let me say, I think it's wonderful that he has to interrupt you, frankly, because I think it means you love each other. But can you love God too? Say, you know what? Let's get about three o'clock, I better go get in my seat. Or it's two o'clock, I better go get in my seat. Or it's ten o'clock, no warning, I better go get in my seat.

Keep your feet. Be more ready to hear. And Nehemiah chapter 8 verses 1-3 talks about when they discovered the books of the law. And he talked about the Feast of Trumpets, but he also talks about the Feast of Tabernacles. But Nehemiah 8 verse 1, he says, And all the people gathered themselves together as one man, there's unity, as Mr.

Salcedo was bringing out, into the street that was before the Watergate, and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the book, the law, before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, and upon the first day of the seventh month. So that was on Trumpets. Let's skip down to verse 8. He said, So they read in the book, in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

So ministers are not supposed to bring their own ideas and then try to fit them into the Scriptures, but they read the Scriptures and give you understanding of what that is by expounding them. It's called exegesis, not isegesis.

Isegesis is, I have an idea and I read it into the Scriptures. Exegesis is, here's what the Bible says, now how can I amplify what it says to help the meaning come across more clearly? And so they did. They worshiped God at the feast. Verse 14, he says, And they found written in the law of Moses, which he had commanded them, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month.

There you have the feast of tabernacles. And in verse 18, verse 18, Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. So they read out of the first five books of the Bible, and they kept the feast seven days. And on the eighth day, it was a solemn assembly according to their manner. But what did they do? They expounded the Scriptures. You get how many Sabbath services here? It's a great time for spiritual renewal.

It's a great time to say, wow, that's good. Let that message impact you. See, I want to check this out. I get many ideas during sermons of what I can speak about. I've got lots of notes in my Bible, a note here and a note there, about what I can give some different ideas, perhaps, that I get from others.

But take time, take time to listen, listen to the messages that are given. Be more ready to hear. As we heard, one way you worship God is to sing with gusto, to sing with all your heart. As a song leader, it is a delight to stand up here and have to see people singing to God. I'm looking around there, singing to God. That's what you're doing, and it's your only opportunity as a congregation to say anything to God during services. We don't have you stand up and repeat the Apostles' Creed. We don't have you stand up and repeat the Lord's Prayer.

We don't have you stand up and do this, and we don't have you stand up and do that. But it is your opportunity for you, personally and collectively, to sing to God, to express your gratitude, your thankfulness, your heart, your feelings through the Psalms. Most of them are right from the Scriptures. So sing. I appreciate it, Mr. Salcedo's message. I won't comment further. Another way you worship and revere God is by offerings. We did it already today. We'll have one more on the last day.

In Deuteronomy 16, verses 16 and 17, he mentions this. Deuteronomy 16. So how do you revere God? You revere God by doing what he says. Scripture talks about, Why do you call me Lord, Lord? And do not the things that I say.

Luke 6, 46. And not everybody that says to me, Lord is going to be in the kingdom. You can't just talk the battle. You must live it. I don't know how many of you watched the Pope. I don't think you can miss it. It was on TV so many days. The man was humble. He was trying to bring people, at least trying to show his humility. He ride in a little small car, wear black shoes. I have black shoes that qualify me for humility.

No, it doesn't necessarily come with things. It's a hard inward heart. He does love people. He would get out and meet people. But the point being, it isn't just the trappings. It isn't just the same thing. And I know what Catholics teach. And I know they teach the same thing over and over again. The whole service, every Mass, it's the same thing.

Except for whatever the little sermon is. And depending on the time of the year it is. Same thing again and again and again and again. And memorized, read prayers. Is that what God wants? He wants your heart. He wants you. He doesn't want something done by rote. He doesn't want you to memorize your prayers. He wants you to talk to him. He wants you to pray to him. He wants you to worship him. He wants you to give offerings to him.

And so we find in Deuteronomy 16, again as a church, we never take up offerings on a weekly basis. You know that. But we do take up offerings, special times of the year, three times. We translate that to be three seasons. Because they have three clusters of holy days, unleavened bread time, Pentecost time, and the seventh month. And so those are the only times we take up offerings that are special. But he says in Deuteronomy 16, in verse 16, Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God, in a place which he shall choose, the place his name shall choose rather, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty.

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which he has given to you. He has given to you the opportunity to come before him and offer. And most people worship, most religions worship their gods by presenting something to their God, by giving something to their God. That's how they worship. Worship is done with sacrifice, giving something to God, to God that they think is God.

We do too. We worship the true God. Your God is God. He said to Moses, Moses is God, is God. Daniel's God is God. Worship him. Show him that worship. Philippians 2 verse 12, another way you worship God is by obeying him. We mentioned that in Philippians 2 verse 12. Again, Paul likes the Philippian church, and I love the book of Philippians. Philippians 2, 12, Wherefore I be, love it, as you have always obeyed. It's a hallmark of the church. It's a hallmark of God's people. They listen to God. They follow what he has to say.

Philippians 2, Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And yes, there is an individual part. There's a collective part. We come together to worship God together. There's an individual part that each of us has to do. In our personal worship to God. And always it has to be done. Remember John, how do you worship God? John 4, 22 to 24, in spirit and in truth.

Worship God in spirit and in truth. Don't worship Him falsely. Don't try to put on. You can't fool God. He sees your heart. Sees my heart. Sees all of our hearts. But tell God genuinely from your heart what you think. Walk genuinely. Walk congruently. Walk in truth. That's how you worship and honor God. The final R is reflect. Reflect. I'm going to read you what reflect means. These all come from Webster's New World dictionary.

Reflect means to think seriously, to contemplate, to ponder. It also means to bounce back light or throw back light. A reflector is a person or thing that reflects. So what I ask you to do is your third R to have a great feast, the best feast yet.

Is to reflect on God's kingdom and to reflect God's kingdom. To reflect on it, to ponder and think about it. I wonder how things are going to be. How's that going to be taken care of? I wonder how it will deal with that. I wonder how that's going to take place. I wonder how we'll implement this. I wonder how God's way will be put in here. I wonder how God's going to reach these people.

Reflect on the kingdom and reflect God's kingdom by how we act. You are a light of the world. How can you be light? Jesus Christ in you, the hope of glory. Jesus Christ in you is also the source of light. He came into the world to be your light.

Reflect his light. As we walk, as we go, as we move, as we talk, as we... whatever we do. Mr. Weber mentioned it. Do all to the honor and glory of God. Will people in this area know there's a difference? When you're in the restaurant, you don't complain. When you're there and you do your job. And I've seen people complain. We ate at... what was it?

What was the Northwoods Inn? The famous one. My wife always liked their salads. They're wonderful there. So we were having our salads at Northwoods Inn in Pasadena. And the people behind us, this lady, she was a really nice waitress. And she... that's good. She went to the person behind us. I didn't ask for that. Why'd you give me that? I didn't mean that. Take this back. I don't want this. She didn't... I asked you for this. She brought me this. I thought, why, that poor lady, that waitress, what did...

She didn't deserve it. If you didn't like what she brought you, say, I'm sorry, this is not what I ordered. Could you please make... you know, bring me what I asked. But it was just nasty. So when she came to me at the end, she was bringing me my bill. I said, you know what? Everything was good, but that was no good. I want you to take a pen. She started to get a pen. I said, I'm teasing you. You're a good waitress.

Thank you so much for what you did for us. You make a difference because you have God in you. If you're converted, if you're not, you have God with you. God in you or God with you gives you light. And you know what he wants us to do? He wants us to be an example to this world. He wants us to show the world what his way is like. Sometimes we put it this way. We're living the kingdom. We're leaving the kingdom of God now.

We're living like the world tomorrow, but we're still in the world today. That's what we have to do. And God wants us to do that. We want to reflect it. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 20. We're called ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 20. Chapter 5 verse 20 says, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, and ambassador was a herald.

As one who ran before us, as one who carried us, it's the sign saying, He's coming, He's coming. We are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead that you be reconciled to God. Make sure you're right with God so that you could be His proper ambassador wherever you go.

And whatever you do, realize you are God's servant on your back, your uniform. It says, Christian. Wherever you go, it's on there. Christian. And remember, the rest of us are trying to be Christians, too. And if one Christian messes up, you know what they think about all Christians?

All those Christians are nasty. All those Christians are bad. All those Christians are grumpy. All those Christians are demanding. All those Christians are unhappy. We have a responsibility to reflect as ambassadors, to be the lights to the world. Ephesians 5, I like this scripture, too, in Ephesians 5, verses 1-4. I like to say to myself sometimes when I start to get out of sorts and I catch myself, when I get a grip of myself, and gratea, by the way, it means to get a grip of yourself. Don't say that. Don't get upset. Don't do that. Christians don't do that. When I get ready to horn somebody for doing something, then I say, maybe they're like my dad and mom in their older years.

Maybe they're like my dad doesn't see as well when he was driving the car. And he goes slower than he normally would go. Before you get upset, think about it. Take a grip of yourself. Read over in the scriptures in Ephesians 5, verses 1-4, he says this. Be you therefore followers of God as dear children. Follow God. Walk in love as Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.

But fornication, all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as become saints. Don't let anybody say you are a fornicator. Don't let anybody say you are unclean. Don't let anybody say you're filthy or you're rotten. Don't let anybody say that. Don't give them reason to say that about you, your faith, your Lord, your Savior, whom each of us represents. Christians don't do that. Christians send back the light. They reflect that light of God.

Truth, friendliness, cooperation, participation. You know, the feast is called the Feast of In-Gathering. It's not called the Feast of Separation. It's not called the Feast of Rejection. It's about gathering in. It's about welcoming as you reflect on it. Zechariah 1416 talks about in the actual time of the millennium, people will be keeping the feast. Zechariah 1416, I'll read it. It was already referred to. But I'll read it again, Zechariah 1416.

And it shall come to pass that every one that has left for all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall even come from year to year to worship the King and the Lord of Hosts and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

So here we are, opportunity at the Feast of Tabernacles, to reflect on that beautiful, awesome, wonderful time when God's Kingdom is going to be established. Do you look for a city that has foundations? Hebrews 11, verses 8-10. Hebrews 11, verses 8-10. Talking about Abraham and those other saints, he says, talking about Abraham, here he said, and Isaac and Jacob, he looked for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God. He didn't look to the society he was in.

He was reflecting on the kingdom to come. And notice what it says down in verse 13, what Paul wrote to the Hebrews, I believe Paul wrote it. These all died in faith, not having received the promise but were persuaded of them and embraced them. They hadn't received the promise yet of eternal life. They hadn't received the promise yet of God's kingdom.

And yet they could reflect on it. Notice, he says, but they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, verse 14, plainly declare that they seek a country. What country? The kingdom of God. What country? That better country that's going to break in pieces and consume all these others.

Final Scripture, Titus 2, verse 11. Brethren, God has called us to rejoice, to revere, and to reflect. Titus 2, verse 11 to 14.

Paul writes to the young minister, Titus, I think he was young, verse 11, probably younger than Paul. Verse 11, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. God's grace is available to anybody that God is calling now, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And they will see the difference, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Verse 14, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So brethren, how can we have the greatest feast yet?

By rejoicing with our families, with others, by our example to others. How can we do it? By sharing that joy with others, too, by being a light to the world.

By rejoicing before God, revering God through big at services, being ready, singing, being a part of it, making the feast a success because it's for us and for God. God has it for us to learn about the plan of salvation, but it's directed toward him who put it out. He wants to be pleased with what we do.

And finally, by reflecting, thinking about the meaning of the feast, thinking about why God's kingdom needs to be here. And boy, does it ever need to be here now, with all the happenings in our world today. I don't mean just today. I mean in general, in this day and age.

We need God's kingdom, and reflect on the God who's going to bring it, and reflect on the example that we need to be to show people the kingdom of God in the world today. Use the three R's. Rejoice, revere, and reflect. And for you, it will be said. This is the greatest feast yet.