Introduction

Ron Weinland

September 28, 2015

Feast of Tabernacles – 2015

Greetings to everyone at this year's Feast of Tabernacles! It's great to be able to talk to everyone here today at the opening here of this Feast.

As you know, sermons for the Feast were prepared far ahead of time, and I believe that all were completed by the end of July this year, except for the one, and that's me. So, anyway, there's a lot of work that follows these with transcribing into the PDF files, getting them on site, on the site there for everyone to be able to read, and of course the translating that has to take place as well into different languages. So this year we tried to give those who are doing all that work a little more time, and so that's why the sermons were done as far in advance as they were this year. So everything, I think, has worked a lot better this year than what it did last year.

So, anyway, I've waited a little bit longer, as we're now just starting into the second week of August as I am recording this.

So, again, this year we've been consolidated to different sites; different than what we've done in recent years. The United Kingdom and Ireland will be at the site in The Netherlands this year. New Zealand, obviously, is over in Australia. And then just the one site in Canada, that's the same as last year. Then there's the larger site in only one location here in the U.S. this year. So this is quite consolidated, especially, the United States. People have had to travel farther, and because of that, some haven't been able to come. Obviously, there are a lot of people who are scattered this year all over the different areas of the world, actually, that couldn't attend. Most of those because of health reasons, obviously, and age. Sometimes that just takes too much out of people when you get to a certain age, and if your health isn't good enough to travel long distances it can take so much out of a person that they wouldn't get out of the Feast what they really need.

So, anyway, a special greetings to all of you as well that are scattered and we're really looking forward to hear about how everybody's going to have a fabulous Feast.

So, again, greetings to every one of you at all the sites. We are family!

Well, brethren, I'm not going to take much time in this first official "Welcome to this year's Feast." The main reason is because this year I have prepared a message (though much shorter than a regular sermon); nevertheless, it's kind of a mini-sermon for the last message of this year's Feast on the Last Great Day.

So I'm saving more of the time for that, to be able to get that completed. Again, it won't be as long, not nearly as long as a regular sermon. It probably won't even be as long as a split-sermon, but nevertheless, the final message for this year's Feast. And I am immensely excited! I tell you, I'm just... I'm really excited that this has worked out this way this year, that I'm able to bring you that last message. I've been working on some of that today. It's awesome some of the things I get to share with you. I'm really looking forward to it. And the Feast will go by fast enough and you'll be able to hear all those things.

But, anyway, since my heart attack, God has been revealing a lot of things to me that go beyond all that He and Christ have given me in the previous years that we've been here, and all the posts that have been written; there's just so much! And I'll probably have more to say about that on the last day.

But, now, maybe, that will help to stir you up even a little bit more for the excitement for what's coming. Because I have been dumbfounded. I really have. It hasn't been that long, just a little over two months now, and literally, in that two-month period of time there's been so much more given than was given in the whole time that I've been here. And you have been given a lot during that period of time!

So, anyway, I do want to state, however, please do not jump ahead and listen to that sermon. I think I'm even going to have it probably uploaded toward the middle of the Feast. But anyway, don't jump ahead and listen to it. Wait until it's time that you do so on the Last Great Day. And as always, in such a case as this, do not call or email ahead of those in other sites, who are going to be located in other sites and sharing that with them. That would truly rob them of what they will be able to receive in just the one setting there while on the Last Great Day. So, anyway, keep it to yourself when you do hear it.

So, you're going to hear a few times throughout this Feast about what God has commanded us. It's going to be mentioned by several, and that is to rejoice! So don't let human nature nor a demonic world stir you up in any wrong attitudes or feelings towards anyone during this Feast. It's God's Feast. We are God's children. And to have any wrong feelings or attitudes towards anyone else is to have that directly against Jesus Christ and God our Father. So let's really watch ourselves. If you get out of bed grumpy, you know, you feel grumpy, then just stay there! Stay there until you become a little more un-grumpy.

You know, it reminds me of a Feast preparation meeting that was taking place in England one year, but I was there my first couple of years at Ambassador College when I was over there, and we were told about this minister’s meeting that was taking place for one of the Feasts one of those years. I don't remember which one. And one of the evangelists told everyone – he was conducting a meeting – and he told everyone that in the previous year there had been too much complaining, even among the ministry, and he was encouraging and admonishing everyone that they should be on guard against that. So they were all seated and being served a meal at that meeting, and it was right after they had just been admonished about not complaining, that one of the senior ministers took his first spoonful of soup and blurted out, "Wow! This is so salty!" And everyone just stopped and looked at him and he paused a moment and then said, "Just the way I like it!" Anyway, I always got a charge out of that.

But, anyway, brethren, this is just a short welcome to everyone at the Feast. Keep close to God throughout this Feast. This is a very special Feast in the midst of a very special year for God's Church, this "Year of Dedication." So let's make this a special Feast for everyone around us and let's dedicate ourselves mightily to our elder brother, Jesus Christ, and God our Father as we rejoice. Because that's what God tells us to do at this Feast.

So, brethren, have a great Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. And as you do so be very thankful to God for giving you the time in which to rejoice before Him.□

Table of Contents

Chapter 1