Sacrifice is the heart of love and the way God intends His people to live, and the Feast of Tabernacles is where it is meant to be practiced most fully. God required 189 sacrifices from Israel at this Feast, more than at all other feasts combined, and no one was to appear before Him empty-handed. Sacrifices symbolize something given up at a cost to oneself for another's benefit, as the Father gave the Son and Jesus laid down His life. A Christian is to be a living sacrifice, serving God and others rather than human nature. Love is action, and the days of sacrificing have only changed into spiritual sacrifices. Just as Israelites brought sheaves of harvest to share (Psalm 126), believers are to bring the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5 and 6) produced through the year's good works and share it with others. This takes no money, only a mind set on serving, kindness, and generosity. Rejoicing is commanded and so is a matter of choice, and it is linked with sacrifice. A Feast attended only to please oneself, as the speaker's own was, is spiritually empty. Conduct before the Feast carries into it, and problems should be met with a godly attitude. Worship means imitating God by outgoing concern, giving, serving, and sacrificing.

Brethren, the Feast of Tabernacles is a time for us to meticulously examine and renew our total commitment to God. We come with our second tithe to the place where God has put His name, utterly destroying the false gods within ourselves. This week, we must carefully inventory every aspect of our lives over the past year to see if we are as committed to God as He is to us in blessing us. We should ask ourselves: Are we still holding back from a 100% commitment? Have we compromised with the world to make peace? Are we running as close to the edge as we can without going over? Are we focusing on others rather than on God? Are we expecting to be blessed without full dedication? God separates us from this world to keep His Feast so that we can recount what He has done for us and His commitment to His purpose. This is the time to recount our journey, both before us and behind us, and our part in God's plan. Our commitment must be of faith, which grows by seeing God's hand in everything. We are to share with each other the miracles, both good and difficult, that have happened in our lives over the past year, bolstering our faith and total dedication to God's purpose. The sacrifices offered during the Feast of Tabernacles are more than all other holy days combined, given from the blessings God has provided. We are to eat, drink, and rejoice with purpose, spending time together recounting personal blessings and problems, sharing experiences with God and each other. God has blessed us beyond measure, and the only thing He seeks is our hearts and our commitment. We must be living with a poor and contrite spirit, trembling at God's Word, ensuring we do not miss the opportunity to fully dedicate ourselves during this precious time.