Is Union Hill Free Will Baptist undergoing a building renovation by Larry Stamm Ministries? Not exactly, but the Elizabethton church will allow Larry Stamm to come and construct a temporary booth or sukkah on Sunday, Sept. 30, to explain the significance of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Why come to church to hear about ancient Jewish rituals? “Maybe,” poses Stamm, “because those rituals served as a backdrop for the gospel accounts of the life story of Jesus, and because this feast points to Jesus as Messiah and Savior — for Israel and everyone else. That’s why we call the presentation Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Stamm will explain how the Feast of Tabernacles, known also as Sukkot, is a vibrant part of the Jewish community today and how the feast holds great meaning for Christians who value their Old Testament heritage. He will also demonstrate how this Feast of Tabernacles plays into God’s worldwide plans for tomorrow.
This visual sermonic uses a variety of visual aids to show the rich history of the feast and its traditions. Stamm sets up an actual sukkah booth, adorning it with the traditional harvest fruits and foliage. He transports you back to Jerusalem in Jesus’ day and provides the historical context for Jesus’ claims to be the Light of the World and the Living Water from the gospel of John.
“This presentation is a glimpse into the Jewish life that Jesus lived on this earth,” Stamm explains, “For Jesus celebrated this and all the other feasts of Israel during His earthly life.” Additionally, Stamm adds, “Anyone who loves Jesus will feel they know him even more intimately as they learn more about the rituals he and his disciples observed.”
Stamm, director and founder of Larry Stamm Ministries, and author of the newly released book, Into the Gale: Twelve Evangelistic Lessons from the Book of Acts, believes that this holiday points to prophetic events. “While the Feast of Tabernacles is a Jewish holiday, the Scripture tells us that one day people from all the nations of the world will celebrate it together. I believe that will come about when Jesus returns.”
He goes on to say that “…regardless of one’s view on that point, Christians should not miss out on this dramatic experience. Jesus not only celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, he used it as the occasion to reveal something about his nature and his mission.”
Stamm was raised in a Reform Jewish home in Florida, and became Bar Mitzvah at 13. He says he always believed in God, but like many religious, his experience was mostly a matter of social and cultural events and traditions.
It wasn’t until he came to know Jesus in 1987, that his Jewish heritage found a deeper meaning within the context of a personal relationship with the God of Israel.
It is that conversion, combined with a deep desire to share his story and his faith that led him to found Larry Stamm Ministries, a not-for-profit organization that seeks to make the Gospel of Jesus a confident topic of conversation for every Christian.
You won’t have to travel far to see Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles as it will be coming to Union Hill Free Will Baptist Sunday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. There is no admission charge. Stamm will be available after the presentation to answer questions. For more information visit larrystamm.org.
Union Hill Free Will Baptist is located at 125 Lane Hill Road, Elizabethton.