You Can Have Peace of Mind This Shavuot
I have a question that I want you to think about. What does fat, your brain and Shavuot, or in the Greek language Pentecost, have in common?
First, let’s deal with Shavuot or Pentecost. Shavuot is one of seven Jewish feasts recorded in Leviticus 23 that are to be celebrated each year. But I often get asked the question, why should Gentiles study these Feasts? They are Jewish Feasts and thus are for the Jewish people. So why, pastor, would you choose to talk about them each year on the dates of their celebration? I respond to that question with what the Holy Spirit had penned in the above verse in the book of Romans. Everything that was written in the Tanakh (what some call the Hebrew Scriptures while others call it the Old Testament, I prefer Act 1 of a 2 Act play – but that is for another day), which is what Paul meant by the word “Scripture” in Romans as it was the Scriptures he had before him, was for our instruction.
The Holy Spirit is telling us that the words, the images, the phrases of the New Testament are found in the Tenach, so we must spend time understanding the Tenach if we are going to understand the New Testament. I like the phrase, “The Tenach is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Tenach revealed.” Both go hand in hand with each other.
Therefore, we must understand the 7 Major Jewish Feasts if we are to understand many of the images of the New Testament. We must understand that every word in the Tenach and the New Testament are loaded with truths that need each other for fuller understanding. As the entire Book speaks of Yeshua/Jesus, we must understand these images if we are to follow Him on a daily basis.
I believe the answer to the question, “What does fat, your brain and Shavuot have in common?” is just another example of the truth that we have one Book, written by one G-d, with one message – love and follow Yeshua. The answer to this question will further strengthen your trust in this Book from cover to cover as it talks about the same thing – King Yeshua and our walk with Him.
Now let’s discuss one aspect of the 4th of 7 Feasts – Shavuot. Shavuot is the only one of the Feasts where a peace or fellowship offering was specifically required (Lev. 23:19). It is not that other feast days couldn’t have a peace offering (Numbers 29:39), but Shavuot is the only Feast day where it is specifically mentioned. Now, this should pose a couple of questions, “Why is that so?” and “What is so important about a peace or fellowship offering that G-d puts it here on this particular Feast day and not on the rest of them?”
Part of the answer is found in Lev. 3:1-5, where G-d instructs Moses how to do various offerings, one of which was the peace or fellowship offering. The peace offering could be of cattle, sheep or goats. The person would lay their hands on the animal, identifying themselves with it, and then they slaughtered it at the Tent of Meeting. Aaron was to then sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.
Now comes the fun part. All the fat, inner parts and certain organs (at least kidney and liver) were removed from the animal and burned on the altar. It didn’t matter what animal it was – the main issue here is fat (3:16, “All the fat is the L-rd’s). The people got to eat the meat, but never the fat when it came to the peace or fellowship offering.
On Shavuot, the peace offering was made where all the fat of the animal was given to the L-rd. Keep in mind that it is a peace offering; meaning that we and G-d are okay. We are at peace with G-d so now He can come live inside us, which also took place on Shavuot as the Holy Spirit came to indwell all believers (Acts 2:17-21; Eph. 1:13-14). Now what does that have to do with our brains?
The answer I believe is found in Romans 12:1-2. In 12:1, Paul states that we are to “offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to G-d.” If you look back at Leviticus 23:18, you’ll see this same phrase, “an aroma pleasing to the L-rd”. Is this just a coincidence? Maybe, but I don’t believe in coincidences when it comes to the word of G-d. Was there a connection here? My interest was perked so I did a little more digging.
Here is what I discovered. The word Paul used for “pleasing” (euareston) comes from a word (arestov, which comes from areskw) that means to make peace, to reconcile two parties! The word carries the idea that we are to walk pleasing before G-d. It also conveys the truth of being holy to the L-rd. It shows both the goal and motive of the Christian life. The goal is to be holy and your motive is to live pleasing to the L-rd.
How do you do this? We discover this in 12:2. And it is here where I believe Paul is linking something together, so hold on with me. Paul instructs us that we are to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Interesting phrase.
Paul first tells us to make peace with G-d – “living sacrifices…holy and pleasing to the L-rd”. What does a peace offering do? It brings two opposing sides together. What can tear apart a peace treaty? It is broken by doing something opposite of what is written in that treaty. In other words, by walking contrary to the Word of G-d or by walking like those who don’t know Yeshua (“pattern of this world”), we can destroy that peace with G-d. This is what Paul now talks about in 12:2.
We are to live differently – not like the world – not like the crowd, not like those on the wide path going in the opposite direction towards destruction, but we are to live G-d’s way, the narrow road. How? By seeing our behavior changed through changing the way we think! We don’t change our behavior, we change our thinking. We change from the inside out. When our thinking changes, our behavior will follow suit and thus bring the freedom that Messiah promises (Gal. 5:1).
But you still might be asking, where in the world are you going? I’m glad you asked as now this is where it gets fun and we tie it all together. Paul just got done telling us that we should transform our minds. Guess what your brain is made up of? 66% fat! What part of the peace offering, made on Shavuot, was given to the L-rd? The fat!
I believe Paul is thinking about the peace offering here in Rom. 12:2 as he is penning these words. If you look at Leviticus, all the fat around the organs as well as at least the liver and kidney’s were given to the L-rd on this day. Folks, the brain is an organ. The brain, the way we think, must be given, must be sacrificed to the L-rd if we are to have peace with G-d. The brain must be changed if we are to live pleasing to the L-rd, which brings peace.
How do you live at peace with someone? Do what pleases them. How do you know what pleases them? Your learn it and store it in your brain so you can act upon that information. What word does Paul use in Rom. 12:1 for pleasing G-d, but a word that means to be at peace with G-d, to walk in a way that pleases Him. How can you do it? You walk in the Spirit’s power. And when did the Spirit come to live inside all believers? Shavuot. Isn’t that cool!
So what does fat, your brain and today have in common? Our brains consist of 66% fat, which is part of the peace offering sacrificed on Shavuot. As we make “living sacrifices” of our brains daily to the L-rd, we will know how to live pleasing to Him and stay at peace with G-d.
The Holy Spirit came to live inside all believers for the first time in history on the Shavuot recorded in Acts 2. It is the Spirit’s job to guide us into truth, or how to live and then give us the power to live in such a way that pleases G-d, which means staying at peace with Him.
This truth can also be seen in the Tenach in Isaiah 26:3 that states, “You (meaning G-d) will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.” Again, there are those words again – mind and peace. As the mind (fat sacrificed to the L-rd) stays focused on G-d, one will find peace with G-d. Romans 5:10 reveals that we were enemies and now are at peace or reconciled to G-d because of what Yeshua did for us; and, if we keep our mind focused on Yeshua, we will stay in that peace. Why? Because as Romans 12:2 states that if we change the way we think, we will change the way we act and thus live in such a way that keeps peace between us and G-d – no guilt, no stress, no worries!
So what principles can you take home from this understanding of the 4th of the 7 Jewish Feasts? First, commit to walking each day pleasing to the L-rd. Who are you living for – others or Him? All your fat, your brain, belongs to the L-rd. Will your life be a sweet aroma or a stench in the nose of G-d?
Second, decide to pass everything you think, feel, see and hear through the Biblical truth-filter. You can’t always control your circumstances. However, you can always control your attitude, approach, and response. How? By taking control of what you think! A filter allows what you want through it and keeps out what you don’t want. What do you want to enter your brain? Truth. What do you want to keep out? Lies.
What goes into your brain will come out in your behavior. What are you allowing into your brain, including how you talk to yourself? Decide today to filter out Satan’s lies that put you into bondage by using the Word of G-d to filter out those lies and allowing only the truth into your brain, for Yeshua said, “The truth will set you free.”
Third, rely upon the Spirit’s power, not yours, to live each day. Ask for help! It seems the hardest words to say in the English language are, “L-rd, help me!” On Shavuot, the Holy Spirit, G-d Himself came to live inside every believer in Yeshua – men, women, children and teenagers. This was not true before the Shavuot 2000 years ago. Yet today we have an unlimited power source – tap into it. You do this by filtering your thoughts, giving your “fat” head to Him, then asking the Spirit to strengthen you to do what He shows you to do.
Fourth, grab a bunch of people – both Jewish and Gentile – to walk with you. On Shavuot, the Spirit made one body of all kinds of people (Eph. 2:11-22). He put you into this body (1 Cor. 12:13) the moment you became a believer in Yeshua. He didn’t leave you an orphan, but put you into a family that He would use to develop Messiah-like character in you.
I know, I know, I’ve heard the statements before, “But people have hurt me!” Okay, say it’s true, which it probably is. But are you going to let that hurt done by others hold you back from living a life pleasing to the L-rd? Are you going to let others continue to hurt you? It’s my recommendation that you put your “buts” behind you and go forward by asking the Spirit to bring at least one person to your mind for you to start to developing a trust-based relationship. Read James 5:16-20, you’ll be glad you did.
Lastly, stay focused on Yeshua’ purpose for your life – expanding His kingdom. On Shavuot, a little over 2000 years ago, about 3000 people came to faith in Yeshua as their Messiah. And Yeshua wants more! As we live lives pleasing to the L-rd, others will want what we have, or I should say Who we have – Yeshua. So let’s give Him to them this Shavuot!
