Podcasts about jewish messiah

Check out all the great resources below that CEO Aaron Abramson mentioned in the interview. The Jews for Jesus Classroom Aaron's Book Mission Design Jews for Jesus' Website In this enlightening episode of the Radio Coffee House, host Clint Armitage sits down with Aaron Abramson, the CEO of Jews for Jesus, to delve into the unique mission of this organization and its impact on the Jewish community. Aaron shares the inspiring history of Jews for Jesus, founded by Moishe Rosen in the early 1970s, and how it seeks to connect Jewish people with their Messiah through various outreach efforts, including community coffee shops and digital resources. Listeners will gain insight into the challenges faced by Messianic Jews, including historical rejection and modern-day anti-Semitism, as well as the growing openness among Jewish communities to discuss faith and the Gospel. Aaron discusses the significance of understanding Jewish customs and holidays, highlighting how these traditions connect deeply with the teachings of Jesus and enrich the Christian faith. Throughout the conversation, Clint and Aaron emphasize the importance of building relationships and showing genuine love and support for Jewish individuals, especially in light of current global tensions. They explore the transformative power of faith and the hope that can emerge from understanding and dialogue between communities. Join Clint and Aaron for this thought-provoking discussion that not only sheds light on the mission of Jews for Jesus but also encourages listeners to engage with their Jewish neighbors in meaningful ways. This episode is a call to action for Christians to share the love of Jesus and foster understanding across cultural and religious divides.

In this inaugural episode of the new series "Kingdom Now," Pastor Karl introduces an in-depth journey through the Gospel of Matthew. Titled after Jesus's prayer in Matthew 6, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," this series explores the unique perspective of Matthew's Gospel, emphasizing the kingdom of God in an upside-down way that challenges expectations. Pastor Karl sets the stage by providing background on the four Gospels, highlighting Matthew's distinct focus on Jesus as the royal Messiah from the line of David, written specifically for a Jewish audience. He delves into Matthew's identity as a former tax collector, illustrating how Jesus transformed his life, changing his identity and direction. Through Matthew's story, Pastor Karl introduces the discipleship process of "belong, become, give, and go," encouraging listeners to reflect on their own spiritual journey. The episode focuses on Matthew 1:1-17, exploring Jesus's genealogy and its purposeful inclusion of unexpected figures, reinforcing the message that when God writes the story, nothing is a mistake. Join us as we begin this transformative study, learning how God uses broken backgrounds for His kingdom purposes. Watch all our sermons on our youtube channel "Flipside Christian Church"Join us in person 9:00am & 10:30am every Sunday morning.37193 Ave 12 #3h, Madera, CA 93636For more visit us at flipside.churchFor more podcasts visit flipsidepodcasts.transistor.fm

Did you know Jesus' identity is under attack? In this episode of the Curt Landry Podcast, Rabbi Curt and Darrell Puckett discuss the biblical and historical evidence for Jesus' Jewish identity, its significance, and the power of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah for all people. Jesus' Hebrew name, Yeshua, means “salvation.” It's only through the blood covering of Jesus and His salvation that we have reconciliation with God and others. God loves all people – Jews, Arabs, every tribe and tongue. He has a beautiful plan of redemption for all humanity, and when we operate in love towards one another, we testify to this hope that we have within us. Join Rabbi and Darrell as they talk about the truth about Israel's society and humanitarian aid, God's love and plan for Jews and Arabs, and how to be anchored in biblical love and truth. Resource Mentioned: Grow your faith through the One New Man app: https://app.onenewman.com Disclaimer: Curt Landry Ministries will never send you a direct message or comment asking for donations, or, request to move the conversation to Telegram or any other third-party application. Any and all donations are solely collected through our website, https://www.curtlandry.com, or, through one of our YouTube fundraisers. For tithing and giving, please visit: https://shop.curtlandry.com/donate/ Listen to The Curt Landry Podcast: https://www.curtlandry.com/podcast/the-curt-landry-podcast/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRSNGrZ4oXOEYHMxBkZO94A/join · Website: https://www.curtlandry.com · Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtlandryministries/ · Twitter: https://twitter.com/curtlandrymin · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curtlandrymin/ Get the resources you need to stand firm in your inheritance… · Jewish Roots Guide… https://curtlandry.com/Jewish-Roots · One New Man Guide… https://curtlandry.com/ONM-Guide · Psalm 91 Prayer… https://curtlandry.com/Psalm91Prayer · Goals to Grow… http://curtlandry.com/Goals2024

Title: Good News Reviled Text: Acts 28:17-22 FCF: We often struggle making the gospel the only offender of the world. Prop: Because the gospel offends sinful men and our character can hinder the gospel call, we must be blameless in our character. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 28. In a moment we will read starting from verse 17 from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. By the hospitality and brotherly love provided to him by fellow followers of Christ, Paul has made it safely to Rome. He has been set up with a rented room and is under house arrest being guarded by a Roman soldier. Still, he is afforded a good deal of freedom, and today we will see that he really doesn't waste a lot of time before he sets out to work in the city of Rome. But where will Paul begin the ministry in Rome while he waits to see Caesar? Let's find out. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Oh Heavenly Father, we come to you today with hearts that desire that the whole world hears the good news of Your Son and His sacrifice for His people. We know that no man is without excuse having all the signs of nature around them. Yet we desire to share with them the hope of Christ crucified for sinners. We confess and know that you alone save the hearts of men. We cannot be persuasive enough to convince men to believe. You must give them a new heart to first. Still, we desire to be Your servants in delivering this call to the nations. At times we can live in ways that keep us from doing this. May we be shown by Your Spirit today, Lord, how we can live blamelessly so that we can be granted an audience with those who need to hear. We pray this in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] Richard Own Roberts: “The nature of the gospel is that it divides.” Charles Coleson: “The gospel is good news. But Jesus never said it was easy news.” Oswald Chambers: “There is nothing attractive about the gospel to the natural man; the only man who finds the gospel attractive is the man who is convicted of sin.” Since the gospel is this way… we must be sure that we don't provide even more reasons for natural man to turn aside from the gospel. May our offense be from the gospel alone and nothing else. Let me show you how this was Paul's concern… I.) Violating laws of government or using the legal system for vengeance harms the church's gospel witness, so we must be blameless in our character. a. [Slide 3] 17 - And it happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, i. So, Paul spends a little time settling in, no doubt getting accustomed to his new living arrangement and getting some specifics of what he can and cannot do. ii. It seems as though he is sequestered to his home and if he is permitted to go out, it would only be for essentials. iii. All the interactions we see in the book of Acts are when people come to Paul. iv. Because of Paul's love for his fellow Jews, and as was his custom in every new city he arrived in, if there were Jews present, he took the gospel to the Jews first. v. Normally he would go to the synagogue, where he would find the leading Jews of the city. However, because he cannot leave his home, he found it necessary to call them to him. vi. It is necessary for us to do a bit of historical background to fill out some of the context for this last segment of the book of Acts. 1. First, in regard to the Jews in Rome. a. In AD 48, Emperor Claudius responded to growing tensions in Rome between Jews and Jewish Christians by expelling all the Jews from Rome. b. When Paul entered Corinth for the first time on his second missionary journey, he met Aquila and Pricilla there. They were said to have been Jewish Christians who were expelled from Rome due to Claudius' edict. c. Before the expulsion there were probably around 40-50 thousand Jews living in Rome. d. Emperor Claudius died in AD 54 but Nero did not reinstate this edict. e. So, for the last 6 years or so, Jews had been steadily making their way back. f. It is estimated that there were around 20,000 Jews living in Rome at this time. g. Because of the recent expulsion though, history seems to indicate that the returning Jews tried to maintain a low profile within the city of Rome. There were at least 5 synagogues but they did not seem to be highly organized and the social status of the Jews living in Rome seemed to be rather low class and probably largely illiterate. h. Nevertheless, The Jews' influence over the Romans was not insignificant. Indeed, many high-profile Romans had converted to Judaism, which would have been quite scandalous for pagans to go from polytheism to monotheism. i. It is believed that Nero's second wife, which he would have been married to at the time of Paul's arrival in Rome, was at very least a Jewish sympathizer if not Jewess herself. 2. We also know that a thriving Christian community exists within the city of Rome. a. We glean this not only from the church existing in Rome for many years but also because of Paul's letter to the Romans indicating a thriving church albeit somewhat theologically imprecise. b. Luke has already shown us the interaction Paul had with some Christians from Rome as he made his way to the city. c. But Luke chooses not to focus on Paul's interaction with the church once he arrives. Instead, he focuses on Paul's desire to go to the Jew first with the gospel message. d. Luke does this in order to show yet another major theme in the book of Acts. Christianity is not a new religion. And no one thought so. Not even the Jews in Rome. More on that in a bit. b. [Slide 4] and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. i. Paul, wisely, tries to get ahead of the issue for which he has been sent to Rome. ii. In a sense, Paul is trying to put a truthful spin on the events that have led him here because he knows that those who have opposed him have not been the kind to value or always tell the truth. iii. So, what does he say? iv. He says first, that he has been a good Jew. He has not done anything against the Jewish people nor has he done anything against the customs of their fathers. v. Is this true? 1. We know that Paul has overtly violated the somewhat cultural law not to eat with gentiles. We also guess that he has himself violated the dietary laws while with Gentiles. 2. He has even advocated in some of his letters that the eating of meat offered to idols is not necessarily or inherently sinful so long it does not cause others to violate their conscience and so long as it is not consumed at the worship feasts for these idols. 3. Again, this goes back to what God has said about the dietary laws in the first place in Acts chapter 10. It is not that these laws are no longer in force. It is that God has purified the unclean animals. Therefore, the list of animals which are unclean is populated by exactly zero animals. 4. We have recently discussed something similar in foundations. When something ritually unclean interacts with God's presence, the ritually unclean thing is made clean. This is another aspect of Christ fulfilling the law of Moses. Ceremonial aspects of the law are completed, fulfilled. The picture they illustrated now has come to full fruition. 5. God making the unclean animals clean, is a signal that God's Kingdom is invading and permeating the world – whether the world wants it to or not. 6. But despite Paul probably not following dietary laws, we have seen him encourage Timothy to be circumcised. He has made great effort to regularly be in Jerusalem for ritual feasts and celebrations. He has even endured purity rites after having spent large amounts of time in gentile lands with gentile people. And he did this specifically to assuage the fears of Jewish Christians that he was teaching that the Jews should stop following the ceremonial aspects of the law of Moses. He wasn't. 7. And that brings us to what most recently happened in Jerusalem. 8. Did Paul do anything against the law of Moses or against the culture of the Jewish Fathers while he was in Jerusalem this past time? 9. The answer to that question is a resounding… NO. 10. They accused him of bringing gentiles into the temple courts, which is not actually in the law of Moses but would have been a tradition dating back to the late second temple era. 11. And, of course, Paul hadn't brought a gentile into the temple courts. vi. This is what Paul is referencing. He obviously cannot mean that he has never done anything to upset the Jewish sensibilities or cultural mores. Because he has definitely done that. vii. But Paul, in the most recent events in Jerusalem, was innocent of even doing that. viii. In spite of his innocence, they still delivered him to the Romans. ix. It is unclear which Romans he is talking about here, but it matters little because at every stage the same thing happened… c. [Slide 5] 18 - And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. i. Now when the Sanhedrin examined Paul – they wanted to find cause to put him to death. ii. In the midst of that trial, Paul pivoted the discussion to center on the resurrection of the dead. A matter that is both core to the gospel and highly disputed among the Sanhedrin between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. iii. But in every stage of Roman imprisonment, Luke dutifully records the testimony of each judge-like-figure to be a declaration of Paul's innocence. At least innocence of anything for which he would be executed. iv. This is what Paul recounts. v. No Roman official saw any evidence of a charge which would lead to his execution. vi. Of course, this begs the question… well then how did you get here? d. [Slide 6] 19 - But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. i. This is a very quick summary of what took over 2 years to play out. ii. Festus saw no grounds to hold him on anything Roman, so he attempted to compromise with the Jews to curry their favor, and have the judgment of Paul take place in Jerusalem. iii. Paul had seen this play out before and did not trust Festus to be just in his dealings with him. iv. So, Paul was forced to appeal to Caesar. v. Paul knew it was because of the Jews' insistence that Festus desired to move the trail to Jerusalem. vi. And Paul knew the Jews wanted him dead any way they could because he actually discovered at least one of the two plots to kill him during this time. vii. But Paul assures these Roman Jews that he did not have an accusation against his nation. viii. If a Roman citizen is appealing to Caesar they can do so on a couple of grounds. ix. Either they feel as though the judge has acted unjustly or the ruling is unjust… or that those accusing are doing so unlawfully or with intent to not honor the legal system and harm the prisoner. x. Thus, Paul could bring a countersuit against the Jewish leaders for their sham of a trial. And he would be just to do so. xi. But Paul wants the Roman Jews to know that he did not appeal because he wanted to submit a countersuit. xii. He simply desired to go before Caesar because he did not feel that the justice he deserved would have been granted to him otherwise. e. [Slide 7] 20 - For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” i. Finally, Paul wants to make it very plain why he is here as a prisoner of Rome appealing to Caesar. ii. What exactly was the beef was between him and the Jews in Judea? iii. It is because of the hope of Israel. He was given over to the Romans because of a theological dispute. iv. Specifically, he took the side of the Pharisees, which insisted that there was a hope for Israel in that there would be a future resurrection of all those who were God's people. An eternal kingdom made up of all those who were true Israel. v. Couched in this, of course, is the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth being the Messiah who was the first born from the dead. vi. This seems to be one of Paul's primary strategies to lead into presenting the gospel to Jews. To speak of this theological issue where he takes an established and very popular position in the debate and then expands it to speak of Jesus. vii. We'll see that he will do just that next week when he meets with the Jews again. f. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Luke begins this final segment in the book of Acts centered around some of the key themes he has been developing since the beginning. Indeed, everything in this text this morning is centered on the expansion of the church. In this first point specifically we see Luke zero in on the reason that Paul is here in Rome under house arrest set to appear before Caesar. It is incredibly important for Paul to clarify to the Jews of Rome why he is really in chains. Indeed, in order for Paul to have an audience with them to preach the gospel, he must clear his name from any hint of wrongdoing from the authorities of the Jews and of the Romans. If Paul is to preach the gospel to them, he cannot be viewed as a criminal. And so, Paul sets out to clarify that he is neither in chains for violating the Mosaic law and the customs of the Jews, nor is he in chains because he had committed some crime worthy of death according to Rome, nor does he plan to seek vengeance upon the Jews by filing a countersuit against them. Instead, Paul insists that he is in chains for the sake of the hope of Isarel. He is in chains because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This becomes our primary point of application today. We must be sure that our character is blameless and holy. Not as a replacement for preaching the gospel… but to keep ourselves from setting up unnecessary hindrances to people hearing the gospel. If we are criminals violating laws of men that do not directly contradict God's Word, or we use the legal system to seek vengeance on others, we should expect the gospel witness of the church to be hindered. So, we must live holy and upright lives, only suffering disdain for the sake of the gospel. Transition: [Slide 9(blank)] Being blameless affords us opportunities to give the call of the gospel to unbelievers. Does this mean that if we are blameless they will listen and receive the gospel? Will they even like us or see us as blameless? Let's look at the next two verses as the Roman Jews respond to Paul. II.) Stirring up disputes and social unrest while preaching the gospel cannot be helped, so we must be blameless in our character. a. [Slide 10] 21 - And they said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. i. After Paul explains his side of the story hoping to control the opinion of the Roman Jews, somewhat comically they inform him that this is the first they are hearing about it. ii. In fact, they haven't received any letters from Judea that indicate anything about Paul good or bad. iii. And they certainly haven't seen any brothers from Judea reporting or speaking anything bad about Paul. iv. This is quite comical because it is so anticlimactic. v. Perhaps Paul wasn't laughing. It had been around three years of his life, spent in prisons and shipwrecked, only to find out that the Jews in Judea had not even followed up with the case. vi. Now why might this have been so? vii. The most likely reason is that the Judean Jews had little interest in actually standing before Caesar and attempting to prove that Paul is guilty of a crime worthy of death. 1. If they were having difficulty proving it to local officials, they would certainly have even more difficulty proving it to Nero. 2. Also, this would have required a trip from Judea to Rome in order to accuse the apostle. 3. They were no doubt satisfied that he was no longer in Judea and wouldn't be for the foreseeable future. viii. Another reason they don't pursue it is probably because Festus rules well in the region for the next two years before dying unexpectedly. 1. While Paul travels to and waits in Rome, they enjoyed relative peace and harmony with the local Roman governor. 2. Traveling to Rome and accusing Paul before Nero could have repercussions that may even include Festus being removed from office. 3. They don't want that. ix. This report is also Luke's way as a storyteller to foreshadow the release of Paul after he meets with Nero. 1. It is difficult to know if Luke writes up to the point he knows or if he writes with the shared knowledge that Paul is released and freed to continue his missionary journeys. 2. But since Luke ends his book saying that Paul spent 2 years in Rome preaching without hindrance – it seems like Luke knows the end of the time in Rome, meaning he knows that Paul was released. 3. This would have been a detail that Theophilus was already well aware of. Perhaps because it had happened very recently, and perhaps because Theophilus was part of Roman legal system which acquitted Paul. 4. So, Luke recording this communication between the Roman Jews and Paul is a subtle way to foreshadow that no Jew from Judea is going to show up for Paul's trial. 5. More than likely this means that Paul will stand before Caesar and plead his case, but the trial will probably be very short. 6. Around AD 62 Nero's tutors had died. He loathed dealing with these appeals in the first place and without his tutors insisting that he perform this duty, he was very slow to deal with the backlog of appeals. History records that he rushed through many of these trials. 7. Paul was probably one of them. x. But the Roman Jews, although not knowing anything bad about Paul, are interested in the hope of Israel he spoke of, but not for the reasons we might think. b. [Slide 11] 22 - But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” i. It is interesting that they understand what Paul says about the hope of Israel. ii. They know that he is a well-known teacher in this sect of Judaism known as “The Nazarene Sect” or “The Way” or “Christianity”. iii. They connect this hope of the resurrection with what the Nazarene sect taught. In many ways, to the Jews, the Nazarene sect would have seemed like an offshoot of the Pharisee party. iv. Learning this it isn't that hard to understand why there would be a Pharisee party within the church like we saw back in Acts 15. v. And once again, Luke reinforces the concept that Christianity is not a new religion. Even the Jews don't see it as a new religion. They see it as a sect of Judaism. Meaning that it is part of their own religion. Of course, the apostles would argue that it is TRUE Judaism and only those who receive Jesus as their Jewish Messiah remain TRUE Jews. But the point is well taken. vi. But why do they wish to know more about this sect? vii. They obviously have some idea of the resurrection being central to its teaching. But the main thing they've heard about it… is that it is causing problems everywhere. viii. And if they were in Rome before Claudius' edict, they would have witnesses this firsthand. ix. And so, we do find out that the Jews around the empire are talking bad about those who followed what Paul taught… not necessarily about him specifically. x. Having set aside the legal concern that he might be executed at this trial, now Paul will get a chance to preach the gospel to the Jews in Rome. xi. We'll see how that goes next week. c. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Luke conveys a similar point in verses 21 and 22 as he did in the previous section, only this time from the perspective of the Jews in Rome. They did not know any different of Paul. They had not received letters or any person saying he was a bad person. But they had heard rumblings from all over the empire of the problems that The Nazarene sect had been causing. Having read all of Acts up to this point, we know that they couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, we know that the unbelieving Jews had actually been the cause of all the strife. Primarily because they would not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of this, they stirred up crowds, instigated riots, beat and dragged Christians before judges, and pursued Paul and his team from town to town persecuting them and attempting to prevent them from preaching the gospel. Even if we are blameless, the church will still inevitably cause strife and civil unrest. This is all the more reason for us to ensure that our character remains blameless and that only the gospel offends and not our actions too. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC that corrects and informs our beliefs and shapes and guides our lifestyles. Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 13] Today we've seen two truths that flow out of the same thought. The reputation of the church is quite important. When individuals in the church seek out trouble, become lawbreakers themselves, unnecessarily push the boundaries of legality, and/or use the legal system to punish their enemies, this actually hinders the church's ability to share the gospel. And yet, the church's witness to the nations will always cause civil unrest and stir up strife. Why? Because what the church preaches is naturally offensive to the world. So why guard our reputation at all when the message we preach will cause unrest anyway? When it is only the gospel that is offensive it validates and draws attention to its truths and not to us as lawbreakers. So, we must be blameless people. But let me apply this a little more specifically today. 1.) [Slide 14] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that our character can hinder the general call of the gospel. a. Peter and Paul both express in their letters that if you suffer for doing wrong things, there is no reward. You have gotten what you deserve. b. But as Jesus says, if you suffer for my name when you are accused falsely, then you are blessed. c. There is a saying floating around evangelicalism today which says “Preach the gospel and if you must, use words.” d. This represents a tension we must maintain. e. In one sense, the gospel cannot be preached without the Word of God. So, we must use words… always. f. But the point of this saying is well taken and proven by this text. g. The gospel preached without a life lived in blameless character, can severely limit the general call of the gospel. h. The general call is the when the gospel is preached to everyone. This is different than God's effectual call which will be heard by those whom He is drawing to repentance and faith. i. The effectual call is God's job. The General call… is ours. j. And our civilly malevolent behavior can heavily restrict or even eliminate our ability to deliver the general call of the gospel. k. Just as Paul was concerned that the Roman Jews knew that he did nothing to earn the chains he wore, nor did he plan to seek legal vengeance on those who falsely accused him, so too we must concern ourselves with blameless and upright character which becomes the perfect complement to our gospel proclamations. l. At the council of Nicaea, in AD 325 (which incidentally is the most blamed council for all the bad things the Roman Catholic church did. I've heard people say that this is where they decided the books of the bible, this is where they edited the bible to say what they wanted. And many more. But none of that is actually true.) At the real council of Nicaea, and not the one from fantasy, 220 bishops gathered together at the request of Emperor Constantine to define the nature of God and eliminate confusion within the church. m. It is here that Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria brought one of his Elders before the council with whom he could not agree on a particular definition of the divinity of the Son of God. n. Arius argued that Jesus was not fully God and had a beginning, not being eternal. o. He argued so strongly that a bishop known as Nicholas of Myra slapped Arius across the face for his heresy. p. Although never having a history of violence and generally being an example of generosity and giving (yes this is the Nichoas from which the Santa Claus story evolved) Nicholas was immediately stripped of his Bishop status and imprisoned for his actions. He was eventually released and the council did end up condemning Arius' beliefs as heresy, while also clarifying the hypostatic union of Jesus in the writing of the Nicaean Creed q. Still the church universally disapproved of Nicholas' action. r. This serves as a good illustration for us to harmonize this tension. s. I also hate Arianism. And if you are a follower of Christ, you should too. Why? Because Arianism can't save anyone from the judgment of God. t. That's ok, Arianism being declared a heresy means that it has been snuffed out of existence, right? u. No! v. Arianism is still alive and well. w. Modern Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses and many more cling to a form of Arianism today. x. But if I were to set out to stamp out Arianism using every means available to me… if I went around slapping Mormons and Jehovah's witnesses, not only would they not listen to my call for them to repent… but other unbelievers would not listen either because of reprehensible behavior. y. Though I preached the gospel to them… pure truth… my actions would cause others to dismiss all that I had to say as something not worth hearing. z. This illustrates the point quite well. aa. Our character can adversely affect whether or not someone is open to hearing the general call of the gospel. bb. This is why Paul went to great lengths to clear his name. cc. But we must not pendulum swing too far here. 2.) [Slide 15] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the world will accept the gospel if we are loving, kind, and winsome in our proclamation. a. Although poor character can adversely affect whether or not someone hears our gospel proclamation, loving, kind, and winsome character does not guarantee that the world will accept the gospel message. b. All blameless character gives to us is the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. c. It merely gains us an audience. d. If we enter into the ministry of evangelism with the expectation that people will accept the gospel if we are loving and kind, we will be sorely discouraged very quickly into that endeavor. e. Why is that the case? Well, we will get to that in a moment. But before we do… what should we do since our blameless character gives us opportunities to proclaim the gospel? 3.) [Slide 16] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must be blameless in character to ensure that the gospel is the only thing causing offense. a. Why do we do this? What is the motive of our having blameless character and being loving, meek, and winsome. b. Because this is what our Lord has commanded and demonstrated to us. c. We don't live with blameless character for the result of winning people to Christ. God alone saves. d. Our blameless character is in service to our Lord and merely to eliminate possible stumbling blocks to being heard. e. We will still be blamed for much and accused falsely. But when we live as blameless people, eventually the world will have to recognize that it is our message itself that is offensive, and not our methods. f. Friends, when the world hates us for our message – we are doing something right… not wrong. g. But if we offend them before we are even able to speak the message, this will not do. h. We must be above reproach and ensure that the only reason someone will not listen to what we have to say, is because of what we are saying. i. But what comfort can we find in this? 4.) [Slide 17] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” Knowing that we will cause offense to sinners even with a meek and blameless presentation of the gospel, gives us more realistic expectations of how we will be received. a. Many people never or rarely share the gospel with others because they are afraid that they will be rejected. b. They are terrified that the person will oppose the gospel message and raise many objections that they are not equipped to answer. c. They are frozen by the very real possibility that they will be despised because they affirm the truth of the Word of God. d. How comforting to know… that you will be rejected, you will be objected to, and you will be despised. e. Wait a minute, that doesn't seem comforting. f. Oh but it is. g. Knowing that something may happen can freeze us completely. Knowing that something will happen removes the fear of the unknown. h. When we know that we will be rejected, despised, and objected to, merely because of the things we say – we can put aside the fear of what might be, and trust the Lord for what will be and obey Him anyway. i. It removes the doubt and uncertainty and allows us to depend on our Lord to sustain us. j. But why is our blameless character not enough to convince people to receive the gospel? 5.) [Slide 18] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The gospel is good news that no one wants until they know and believe the bad news. a. The gospel teaches all men that they are sinners by nature and subject to the judgment of a Holy God who is a Just Judge and will ensure that every single sin against Him is paid in full. b. This is the first word of the gospel. And generally speaking, men do not like anyone telling them that what they love and cherish is worthy of judgment and death. c. The Roman Jews had heard from various parts of the Roman Empire that the Nazarene sect had been causing problems. d. In reality, it was the rejection of the good news of their own Messiah that had stirred them up. e. Because the gospel confronts mankind with their wickedness and declares that the things they love are an abomination to God who is holy – many never make it beyond the bad news of the gospel. f. But even if they do somewhat believe that this is true, the good news is that Jesus has come as their substitute to free them from sin and to righteousness. g. That also is news that natural man has no interest to hear. h. If mankind loves their sin – they certainly don't want anyone freeing them from it to live differently. i. The gospel is good news to those who believe that they are condemned by a Holy God and desire mercy to be forgiven and grace to be made new. j. To everyone else… it is detestable. k. So, my friends, here is a question to consider – is the message that Jesus Christ was made sin so that you might become the righteousness of God – is that good news? l. If it is and for the first time you see it that way… I'd invite you to talk to an Elder and we can show you how you can become the righteousness of God. [Slide 19 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the English Reformer Myles Coverdale who assisted William Tyndale and many others in translating the bible into English. God of mercy, help us to cling to you and follow your commands. Tame our bodies in honest labor, so we escape the pull of bad habits. Draw our hearts always upward, so we set aside all worldly things and focus only on you. Gracious Father, give us faithful fishers, true and careful in their calling. With the net of your holy word, may they draw us out of the raging sea, so that we with them, and they with us, may enjoy the everlasting banquet. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Benediction: May your days be like the inscribed cooking pots in the Lord's House, setting them apart as HOLINESS TO THE LORD. As God Himself sanctifies you completely so that your spirit, soul and body be preserved without blame until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Hi Folks,This is Art Wolinsky. I hope you're all doing well today and thanks for tuning in.We're going to finish our discussion of Covenant Theology today. We'll come back to it again if necessary in the future. But I want to let you all know that next time we'll talk about something different and perhaps more basic. But no less profound.Last time we talked about how Covenant Theology tore the heart out of the Abrahamic Covenant and its major unconditional promises to the Jewish people by allowing the substitution of the words your descendants with the words the Church, thus disinheriting the Jewish people and setting the stage for replacement theology and antisemitism to occur. A very clever strategy of Satan. Of course, God knows what He promised and He will have the final word. His plans and promises will never be frustrated. But regarding the Abrahamic Covenant, there's one more thing that I'd like to address. It's a tactic used by some Covenant Theologians. I'm going to read a New Testament verse, which has relevance here:Romans 4:13 NIVIt was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.Now some folks who believe in Covenant Theology and Replacement Theology try to twist this verse to make it say that the Land that Abraham will inherit is not the Land of Israel but rather is the whole world. But, they say, since there is just one people of God and Abraham and his descendants are the Church, it is the Church that will literally inherit the whole world. Folks, we need to understand what this verse, Romans 4:13, actually means in order to know if what the replacement/covenant theology people are teaching has any basis in fact.Many people correctly believe that if the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense. I certainly believe that. So, does the plain sense of Romans 4:13 make common sense? I don't think so. Does that mean that the Bible is wrong? No. But it may mean that this verse has not been translated correctly. What then was God saying to us here through the Apostle Paul? What does the verse mean? I think it means this:Abraham's heirs are the world, meaning all people, that is all people who have faith, i.e., faith in the Messiah (Christ).But how could this verse mean what you are saying, Art? Bear with me for a moment and I believe that you will see how. Grammatically speaking, the issue has to do with something called a possessive case, also known as a genitive case or in this instance something the scholars call a subjective genitive case. Possessive cases can sometimes be confusing. How so? Let me try to show you. Please pay close attention:Romans 8:35 says this: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” It really means this: “Who shall separate us from Christ's love for us?”Now with regard to our verse in question:Abraham's heir is the world. But the world doesn't have an heir. World is a figure of speech here in that it represents all the people in the world. And in the context of this verse it means all the people in the world who have faith, namely faith in Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah. And that fits perfectly with this passage:Romans 4:11–12 NIV11 And he (Abraham) received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.The bottom line is this: All people who follow and trust the Messiah, those who have faith in Him, are spiritual children of Abraham. Romans 4:13 has nothing to do with land.So I believe Romans 4:13 should read like this:“It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be the spiritual father of all people who have faith in the Jewish Messiah, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”Folks, let's look at one other passage today that is often twisted by those who do not subscribe to Israel's elect status and who teach that when a Jew believes in Yeshua, he is no longer a Jew:Galatians 3:28–29 NIVThere is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.It's important to note that this passage is not referring to physical or material things. How could it be? Is there no male and female today? Is your wife a man? My wife isn't a man. And there are definitely Jews and Gentiles today, too. And sad as it is, there are slaves and free people today. Folks, this passage is referring to spiritual things. When Jews and Gentiles and men and women and slaves and free people are saved they are all saved in the same way - through faith, by the blood of Jesus the Messiah. And they are then spiritually the same. But Covenant Theology which teaches that there is and always has been only one people of God removes all distinctions thereby eliminating the Jewish people as a people along with certain distinct promises made to them by God. And Covenant Theologians use this passage to bolster this false teaching. So Folks, when a Jewish person believes in Yeshua, he or she does not cease to be Jewish.Let's sum up what we've learned today:* Abraham is the spiritual father of all true believers in Yeshua. Abraham is not the heir of the world. The world doesn't have an heir.* There are indeed still men and women, slaves and free people, and Jews and Gentiles in the world. But in Christ Jesus, all people are spiritually the same. No argument there.Folks, I hope this has been helpful to you today. See you next time. Until then, this is Art Wolinsky. Thanks for listening. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

Title: Love One Another Text: Acts 28:11-16 FCF: We often struggle remaining self-focused even with our Christian brothers and sisters. Prop: Because hospitality and brotherly love in the church is needed by all in abundance, we must love one another like Christ loved us. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 28. In a moment we'll begin reading in verse 11 from the New English Translation. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Since chapter 27, Luke has been telling us the maritime adventure story of Paul on his way to Rome. The greater story of Paul going to Rome actually began all the way back in Acts chapter 19 when Paul decides to go to Jerusalem on the leading of the Holy Spirit. So, we have been in this final narrative of the book of Acts for quite some time now. Although it has only been 7 months for us to learn about Paul's journey to Rome, it has already taken Paul about 3 years having arrived in Jerusalem around AD 57 and now having wintered in Malta, arriving in Rome in AD 60. Today we will see the completion of this adventure and see the providence of God to use His church to bring Paul safely to Rome. Please stand with me to focus on and give honor to the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Our Father in heaven. Your name is of more value than any name that has ever been or ever will be. May Your Kingdom permeate this world so that Your will reigns in the hearts of all people. We ask as Your children that Your Spirit might feed us today on Your Holy Word and help us to love one another as Your Son has loved us. Father do not allow us to be overtaken with the temptation to love ourselves or to be self-focused. But deliver us from the deceptions of the Evil One who walks about like a roaring lion waiting to feast on us. Instead, let us take up Your armor to extinguish his fiery darts. We seek all these things from You, because to You belongs the Kingdom, the power, the glory, forever and ever. We pray in Jesus' name – Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] The Puritan Richard Sibbes once said, “No man can love a saint as a saint but a saint.” In other words, the only way it is possible for a Christian to be loved as a Christian ought to be loved, is if he or she is loved by another Christian. The English Evangelist of the Great Awakening George Whitefield said, “As soon as the love of God was shed abroad in my soul, I loved all, of whatsoever denomination, who loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity of heart.” Truly being a follower of Christ requires and naturally produces unconditional and self-sacrificing love for others who are followers of Christ. This… is what we will see today. Let's start in verse 11. I.) Hospitality and brotherly love should abound in the church, so we must love one another as Christ loved us. (11-14) a. [Slide 3] 11 - After three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” as its figurehead. i. And so, the final leg of the journey to Rome begins. ii. After wintering on Malta for 3 months the passengers of the Alexandrian grain vessel which was no more, no doubt split up between various ships on Malta to go to various destinations. iii. But Paul, his companions, the soldiers, Julius the centurion, and the rest of the prisoners all board another Alexandrian ship headed for Rome. iv. This ship had wintered in Malta, arriving well before the storm no doubt. v. But then Luke includes a final detail about the ship, and for a casual 21st century western reader of the text, it would very easily slip past unnoticed. vi. Luke records that the ship had on the bow a figurehead. Now this could be carved wooden images or perhaps an engraved or painted image. We are not exactly sure. But regardless, Luke dutifully records that on the bow were “The Heavenly Twins.” vii. Which should lead us to ask two basic questions. viii. First, who are the Heavenly twins? And second, what is the significance of Luke mentioning this? 1. [Slide 4] So, who are the Heavenly twins? a. In Greek mythology the Heavenly twins, or The Sons of Zeus, are two heroes named Castor and Pollux. b. The story goes that their mother Leda was seduced by Zeus who posed as a swan. On the night she conceived her children her husband was with her too. c. She produced 2 children hatched from an egg. d. Castor was the son of the human father and Pollux was the son of Zeus. Yet they were identical twins. e. Both sons were renowned for their prowess in battle. They were patron deities of navigation and protection of travelers and are represented in the constellation Gemini. f. This answers the question as to why they would be included on a sea faring vessel. g. The way the story goes… The twin brothers abducted two sisters, and because of this two of the women's cousins came after Castor and Pollux. Pollux killed his pursuer but Castor was not so lucky. h. Zeus killed the man who killed Castor and then gave Pollux a choice. i. Pollux was his son and asked if he would rather stay with him on Olympus forever or share his immortality with his brother. j. Pollux chose to share his immortality and he and Castor alternated days being either immortal or bound in the realm of the dead. 2. [Slide 5] So, why does Luke mention this? What is the significance of this figurehead? a. Is Luke simply recording details to reinforce the reliability of his information? i. Adding this detail would mean that a person could go and look up this ship in the future to confirm the story was true. ii. In fact, some older commentators suggest that this was actually the name of the ship or even the owner of the ship. But that is not a very common interpretation. iii. Assuming it isn't the name of the ship or the owner of the ship, mentioning this figurehead would not have been a great way to increase reliability, since so many ships which sailed the Mediterranean would have a figurehead of the Castor and Pollux. iv. Furthermore, not many people would question the believability that Paul and his companions sailed safely to Italy from Malta. v. It would have been the fact that they all survived a Nor'easter that would have been the far-fetched maritime tale. vi. No. I don't think this is an instance where Luke is detail dropping to increase the believability of his story. b. Is Luke praising Castor and Pollux? i. Another possibility is Luke recognizing some kind of authority of these gods to actually impact the world around them. ii. We know that Paul and his companions arrive safely in Rome and even, as we'll see, experience a favorable south wind to make their travel swift. iii. If Luke is praising these gods for getting Paul to Rome, then we probably need to dismiss the entire book of Acts and Luke from our cannon of scripture or we need to radically change our monotheistic view to recognize that other gods should be looked to for various things and not Yahweh alone. iv. So no, I do not think that Luke is saying that the success of their trip was due to Castor and Pollux blessing them. v. If anything, Luke might be making a somewhat comical comparison to these impotent gods of paganism and how they are really only able to save these sailors when the weather is good and only Yahweh can save His people through bad weather and storms. c. [Slide 6] Is Luke including this detail to further contrast the state of unbelieving Gentiles and unbelieving Jews? i. Theophilus is the recipient of Luke's two scroll tome. ii. Luke begins his gospel expressing that the things he writes are to reinforce what Theophilus has come to believe. iii. Theophilus is probably not the true name of the person Luke is writing to. More than likely Theophilus is a gentile who probably knew quite well who the Heavenly Twins were. He also was probably relatively high up in the Roman government, and has come to know Christ as Savior and Lord. iv. As such, Luke has tried to emphasize a few themes in the book of Acts. v. One of these themes is that Christianity is not a direct threat to the Roman Empire. 1. Over and over again, although Christianity is at the center of unrest throughout the empire, Luke has shown that it is actually the unbelieving Jews who are stirring up trouble because they will not accept their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. 2. Unlike the zealots and the Jews in Judea at the time of his writing this book, Christians are not actively opposing Roman rule. 3. In fact, the Christians are generally peaceful and submissive toward the Roman government. 4. Christian beliefs and ideology stand opposed to the paganism of Rome in many ways… but not in every way. vi. Pagan gentiles share some common practices with Christians that unbelieving Jews seem to lack. 1. The story of Castor and Pollux emphasizes the brotherly love and hospitality valued in Roman culture. 2. Values that are directly associated with paganism. 3. Luke connects the Maltese brotherly love to this figurehead which stands for the same thing. 4. And soon he'll be talking about Christians who show similar love and hospitality. 5. But by the end of the book of Acts, the unbelieving Jews do not afford the gentiles a similar love. 6. In fact, they are absolutely appalled at the thought that the Jewish Messiah would be offered to Gentiles. 7. Which leads us to another reason Luke would include this detail. vii. Paul has not allowed his Jewish sensibilities to prevent him from giving the gospel to the Maltese or from getting to Rome to give the gospel to Emperor Nero. 1. Throughout the three months on Malta, Paul certainly ate with gentiles. 2. And more than likely, he ate whatever was set in front of him. 3. Meaning that Paul did not follow the Jewish dietary laws while on Malta. 4. Now he boards a ship with obvious idols at the bow. 5. These practices would have been repudiated by every good Jew. Indeed, to even eat with gentiles (even if the food was kosher) would have been culturally taboo and somewhat illegal, especially in Judea. 6. Remember, Paul is headed to Rome because of the Jews' hatred of gentiles being welcomed into the Nazarene sect of Judaism known now as The Way or Christianity. 7. Paul forgoes these sensibilities to do what the Lord Jesus had commanded him to do. 3. So, to take a long answer and make it very short, Luke includes this detail to continue his comparison between three groups of people. 4. Unbelieving Jews, unbelieving gentiles, and Christians. 5. And his point is clear. 6. In many ways, unbelieving gentiles are more receptive to the truth of the gospel, and closer to the teachings of Jesus, than unbelieving Jews are. 7. This seems to conform to Paul's point that he has already made in his letter to the Romans that the Gentiles coming to Christ in droves are part of God's plan to make the Jews jealous. 8. We are praying, even still today, that there would be an awakening among the Jews to the one whom they have pierced. 9. So, what's next on the trip? b. [Slide 7] 12 - We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. - 13 - From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium, and after one day a south wind sprang up and on the second day we came to Puteoli. i. Largely we merely see itinerary here. ii. [Slide 8] The band of travelers make their way through the Strait of Messina. They land first in Syracuse on Sicily. Then on to Rhegium in Italy. iii. After staying there a day, a south wind favored their travel and they made it to Puteoli the next day. A trip which would have probably taken a little longer. c. [Slide 9] 14 - There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. i. And so here we have the comparison and contrast between Christians and the Maltese people. ii. How are they similar? Both groups welcome Paul and his companions and the soldiers and the other prisoners to stay with them. iii. They were shown hospitality as strangers. iv. Publius entertained them for 3 days and the Maltese villagers took them in after they were shipwrecked. v. Here we see a subtle difference. vi. Publius was a leading man. A man who probably had a good deal of wealth. vii. Luke doesn't mention anything about the station of these individuals. He only says that they were brothers. They were believers. viii. And they hosted Paul, his companions, Julius, the soldiers and the other prisoners, for an entire week. ix. Julius would have had the right and responsibility to requisition a room and provisions from the cities they went to, but this would have no doubt been a tedious task and the rooms they got would have no doubt been quite unpleasant. x. Discovering people who willingly desired to host them, without force, for an entire week, would have been a perplexing but welcome surprise. xi. Lengthy stays like this among pagans would have been generally discouraged. Two or three days was the typical threshold for social etiquette. xii. Indeed, to commit to an entire week's stay would have been very rare and reserved only for family or very close friends. xiii. But we get the impression that these Christians are not following some social convention or cultural requirement – but rather this is the heart of Christians welcoming and caring for other Christians. xiv. As though they are very close friends or family. xv. So, we can see and understand that the pagan sense of hospitality is rooted in social norms and moral examples of their somewhat morally ambiguous gods. But the Christian form was rooted in mutual love as we are one in Christ and follow His perfect example to love others. xvi. And now after a long maritime adventure, Luke rather modestly reports how Paul arrives in Rome. Luke isn't saying this as though Paul had already arrived. Rather he is saying this as a way to close out the sea travel and indicate that they approach Rome by land on the Appian Way, the main road leading to the great city of Rome. d. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: In a world where culture seemed to value hospitality and brotherly love, we might wonder what Jesus might mean by His statement to His disciples that the world will know that they are His disciples by their love for one another. Certainly, if our love for one another merely parallels the love that pagans show each other, then the world would not see us as any different. But by way of direct comparison to the Maltese unbelievers' hospitality and care, we see the brothers in Puteoli taking in and caring for Paul and his companions for an entire week. This shatters the social convention and proves that something is indeed different about the way Christians exercise hospitality and brotherly love toward one another. Indeed, hospitality and brotherly love in the church should be in abundant supply. And as our culture devalues these traits or limits them to family and friends, it becomes even easier for God's people to separate themselves from the culture and love one another abundantly. For this is what we must do. We must love one another. How? As Christ has loved us. Transition: [Slide 11 (blank)] So we see that loving one another is a normative practice in Christ's church that should be so abundant that the world recognizes it as peculiar and different than what they can find anywhere else. It is a love based on connection in Christ which transcends and goes deeper than all the normal things that usually bind people together. But is this something that only weak Christians need? Do only weak Christians need to be loved and cared for abundantly? Let's take a look at the last couple verses of Paul's journey to Rome. II.) Hospitality and brotherly love is needed by all in the church, so we must love one another as Christ loved us. (15-16) a. [Slide 12] 15 - The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul thanked God and took courage. i. So, the brothers here are referring to brothers from Rome. Rome was referenced in the last verse. ii. [Slide 13] We see on the map behind us that in reference to Rome and Puteoli the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns are roughly ¾ of the way to Rome. iii. The Forum of Appius is about 43 miles from Rome while the Three Taverns was about 33 miles away. iv. No doubt these brothers were either two separate groups of believers or 1 large group that went to meet Paul. v. The first group stopped at Three Taverns knowing that Paul would certainly travel through there on the Appian Way to Rome. vi. The second group went on to meet him at the Forum of Appius. vii. But what are these places? viii. They are two famous way stations along the Appian way as one traveled to and from Rome. ix. The Forum of Appius is really not a Forum at all. It is actually a market town where people rested during their travels. x. The Three Taverns is another rest stop along the Appian Way which included shops, booths, and inns. Tavern for us indicates a bar – but that was not the meaning at this time. xi. [Slide 14] When Paul saw these Christian brothers, he thanked the Lord that he was being received to Rome with such love and care. xii. He also took courage for the time he would remain here knowing that he would certainly be provided for and have the ability to connect with the church in Rome. Something he had desired to do for quite some time. xiii. Notice that Paul the apostle who this entire trip has trusted God to get him to Rome… thanks God and takes courage at the sight of Christian brothers. xiv. Even Paul, though he had the promise of God, took comfort in the fact that there were people he could see, hear, touch, and speak with that would care for him and see him to Rome. b. [Slide 15] 16 - When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. i. And so, Paul's journey to Rome officially comes to a close. ii. He arrives in the city and is permitted to rent a house for himself. iii. He would be kept under guard of a single soldier. But he would enjoy a significant amount of freedom in the city of Rome while he awaited his meeting with Caesar Nero. iv. We'll see a bit of that freedom next time in the book of Acts. c. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: So once again we see highlighted for us the brotherly love of these fellow Christians who traveled 43 miles to meet with and escort Paul safely back another 43 miles to Rome. But unique in these last couple verses is the need Paul had for Christian brothers to surround him and see him safely to Rome. Paul trusted God without question. During the storm, he may have been one of the few who kept on believing God's Word. But now, on his last leg of 120 miles from Puteoli to Rome, Paul finds great comfort and courage in Christian brothers surrounding him and caring for him. If PAUL needs this kind of hospitality and brotherly love, it seems like no one in the church would be without this need. So, since the weakest to the strongest of us need love from one another… we must love one another as Christ loves us. Conclusion: So, CBC, what have we learned today that informs or corrects our beliefs and guides and shapes our lifestyles. Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 17] In chapter 28 Luke has shown us the general hospitality and care that unbelieving pagans were capable of. But since beginning the church on Malta, Luke has transitioned to showing us the necessary and abundant hospitality and brotherly love of the body of Christ. First with the Maltese sending Paul away with wealth and provisions. Then with the brothers in Puteoli putting Paul and his companions and even Roman soldiers and other prisoners up for a week. Then with these brothers who traveled over 40 miles to ensure that Paul and his companions arrived safely in Rome. So, we see how necessary abundant hospitality and brotherly love is to the church. We also see that every member of the church needs this necessary and abundant love from time to time. In seasons of doubt, lack, and hardship – this love is especially necessary – even by those who we would say are spiritually… strong. Strength does not mean invulnerability. The obvious application for both of these truths today, is that we as believers must love one another as Christ has loved us. This implies not only that it is necessary that we love one another but that we must love one another abundantly. But let me apply these teachings and applications a little more specifically this morning. 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that abundant brotherly love is required in the body of Christ. a. Jesus told His disciples that He gave them a new commandment. That they should love one another. b. Now that in and of itself is not a new commandment at all. c. In fact, that is a command given in the Old Testament Mosaic Law. d. Jesus affirmed that law during his ministry when the Pharisees were trying to set him up for failure by asking what is the greatest Old Testament law. e. He said to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and the second is like it (or similar in importance and value) which is to love your neighbor as you already love yourself. f. Then He said that on these two laws hang all the law and the prophets. g. So why did Jesus call His command new? h. His command no longer required for His disciples to love one another as they already loved themselves. His command required His disciples to love one another as He loved them. i. To be plain, Jesus said to love other disciples of Christ unconditionally and self-sacrificially. j. Then Jesus goes on to say that if we love each other this way – the world will know we are His followers. k. Real, abundant, unconditional, self-sacrificing love is absolutely required of all the members of the body of Christ. l. So much so that if you are not loving your brother, the apostle John points out that you cannot love God. For how can you love God whom you haven't seen if you can't love your brother whom you have seen? 2.) [Slide 19] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that strong Christians do not need abundant brotherly love from other Christians. a. Another way we might say this is that our real, abundant, unconditional, and self-sacrificing love for other believes is not selectively applied to any category of person. b. All Christ followers need this love. Who among us does not need the love of Christ? Any hands? c. If we are to love one another like Christ loved us – does Christ truly love His bride? Is there any of His sheep that He has despised? d. The goats He will turn away to be sure. But will any of the sheep His Father has given to Him be lost? e. My friends, this pastor needs Christians loving him. f. Your Elders need Christians loving them. g. Our missionaries need Christians loving them. h. Paul, an apostle, thanked God and took courage from the hospitality and brotherly love given to him by the believers in Rome. i. God should have been enough for him. God should be enough for all of us. j. But Paul needed assurances. God gave him the love of other believers. k. We all need the love of Christ to flow through us. l. These truths give us one application and one warning. m. First, by application… 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must love one another as Christ loved us. a. If you are actually a Christian, you should love other Christians the way Christ loved you. Without question. Without excuse. Without pause. Without complaint. b. That is why you are here. c. You aren't here to have your career. d. You aren't here to be parents. e. You can have these goals but it isn't your primary purpose here. f. You are here to build the Kingdom and lay up treasures in that kingdom that cannot be destroyed. g. Think of it this way, you will spend the rest of your eternal life with these people. h. You might as well start loving them now! i. And now is when we get to practice loving them the way Christ loved us. In the New Kingdom there will be no sin, which means that to love unconditionally will actually be quite easy. j. It is very difficult to love other believers when they are selfish. When they are immature. When they hurt you. When they are acting sinfully. When they don't deserve it or don't think they need it. When they love you conditionally, it is very hard to love them unconditionally. k. But we get to be refined in fire in this life. We get to love when it is hard now. l. And this is how people will know that we are Christians. Because in spite of all our differences and in spite of whether someone has earned it – we still love them. m. That is weird. REALLY weird. n. Our culture tells us to write people out of our lives who treat us this way. o. Jesus says to love them. p. Our culture calls them toxic. q. Jesus says to love them. r. Our culture says you have to protect yourself. s. Jesus says to love them selflessly and sacrificially. t. Now part of love is rebuke. As Christians they don't get a free pass to live this way forever… and that is the warning… 4.) [Slide 21] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not become self-focused or self-serving in our love for one another. a. Because abundant, unconditional, self-sacrificing love is required by all believers, we must not allow our love to become self-serving or self-focused. b. Imagine we have two cables attached to posts stretching out in a V shape. c. Unconditional, self-sacrificing love is when two people stand on either of these cables and lean on each other to walk toward the end. d. But when one of us becomes self-focused or self-serving, when one of us stops giving love and only seeks to take love… what happens? e. It is like if one person stopped leaning in and began to shift their weight back to protect themselves from falling face first. f. What does that produce? What hurts does that cause? g. I will suggest to you two hurts come from this. i. First, the Christian who has become self-serving and self-focused will feel as though others are not loving them the way they had before. 1. When you lean in on someone else, you feel all their weight against you. But when you pull back it seems like they aren't leaning in the way they should. 2. The more self-seeking and self-focused we become in the church, the less we will appreciate the love others offer to us. 3. In an effort to care for ourselves and protect ourselves, we actually end up ensuring that we won't feel loved or cared for. 4. And that might lead to bitterness and resentment. ii. Second, the Christian who is loving unconditionally will be hurt in one of two ways. 1. Either we will also become self-focused or self-serving in our love… since this Christian has stopped loving us unconditionally, we will stop loving them unconditionally. 2. OR, we will fall flat on our faces and wonder what happened. We will become gun shy about loving someone unconditionally in the future because we know the hurt that can be caused when that relationship is not characterized by mutual unconditional love. h. Can you imagine what we would do if Jesus loved us like this? i. We must love one another. We must do so unconditionally and in a self-sacrificing way. j. Because the moment we make it about what we get rather than what we give… we will hurt ourselves and others. 5.) [Slide 22] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God has provided Spirit indwelled human ministers to encourage and care for us. This is the necessity of the local church. a. We ought only to need the Lord. b. But we are weak. c. And God knows our weakness. He knows that although He is enough, that we would need Spirit indwelled flesh and blood to come alongside us and love us. d. That is why He built His church. e. When it works the way God designed it… we have a perfect relationship where we lean in on one another and we can walk this life all the way to its end… together. f. And God's grace can give us the strength to love each other in this way. g. And this is the greatest argument for the local church. h. As believers in Christ, we are all part of the universal church. i. But the universal church which is spread throughout the world and throughout time, doesn't know my hurts and failings. The universal church doesn't see me in my weakness. The universal church can't tell that my countenance has fallen. j. And I can't meet the needs of the universal church. Those needs are too great for me. k. But here… as a local assembly… we can know each other… well. l. And without derision and without judgment we can cling to one another for help when we are at our weakest. m. People who insist that it is normal to do church from their couch. People leaning heavily into their immediate family rather at the expense of gathering with their local church. n. You need to hear me. Your couch will burn up. And your family relationships won't exist any longer in the New Kingdom. o. You know what will? p. The church. q. The late Voddie Baucham said, “Church membership is the most important aspect of lifestyle evaluation. Let that statement sink in for a minute. I'm arguing that the most important thing for a family shepherd to do—when he's evaluating how he's leading his family—is to ensure they're healthy members of a healthy church. This is more important than his assessment of their financial status, their use of time, where and how they live, what they drive, where and how their children are educated, or any other lifestyle issue. None of those things is as significant as church membership." r. The local church is a gift to us and we cannot survive without it. s. Which brings me to the nature of the church and its reflection of the gospel… 6.) [Slide 23] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The church is completely different than any other organization or group because we love one another deeply, many times in spite of our differences. a. Any human made organization can engineer connections and friendships around common interests. b. In fact, many churches do this on purpose thinking that they are helping people in the church to form lasting relationships which will make sure they stay at the church. c. But all they do is segregate the body of Christ into likeminded interest groups that are essentially separate churches operating within a larger church. d. The body of Christ is different than any other human organization in that we may be completely different people. e. We may have different interests, different hobbies, different social statues, different ethnicities, different cultures, different upbringings. f. We might be in different places in life, either a kid, a young adult, a young married couple, a young married couple with kids, a middle aged married couple with older kids, a middle aged couple with grown kids, an older couple with adult children, an older couple with grand children, widows, widowers, single and never married, and the list goes on… g. And in spite of all these differences… we are still here together… worshipping God. h. Why? i. Because of Jesus. j. He connects us more deeply and more fully than any other common interest we may share. k. And indeed the intergenerational nature and diversity of the church is essential. We don't need to be divided into what earthly circumstance we have in common. Instead, we must be united based on what we all have in common. l. That is Christ has saved us from our sins! m. If we are united with others around our common interests we may as well be a club. A VFW. A fraternal order. Why? n. Because that is what everyone does. o. But to intentionally disregard common interests and unite together under the commonality of Christ… is to truly grasp what it means to be the church. p. To have such deep unconditional and self-sacrificing love for someone who isn't your age, who doesn't like the things you do, who isn't in the same place in life that you are, who isn't your family… THAT… is WEIRD! q. And that is what Jesus meant when He said they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another. r. The 12 disciples were made up of i. Fishermen ii. Tax collectors iii. Zealots iv. Some were family, being brothers v. Some were from Galilee, others from other places vi. Some of them were fiery vii. Some were skeptical viii. Some were warm and winsome ix. Some were given an elevated status x. Some were wealthy when they were called to follow Jesus xi. Most were poor s. They were a diverse crowd to be sure… t. But you know what… u. All but one of them were tortured and killed for preaching Jesus Christ crucified, risen, and coming again. v. And all of them suffered for the name of Jesus. w. What does that mean? x. It means that this entity known as the church… is no man-made thing. Because it shouldn't work. We don't have enough in common to love each other this way. y. Yet… we do. z. If you desire to know this gospel that binds us all together in love – Speak to an Elder today. [Slide 24 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the church father John Chrysostom. Lord, help us never to distance ourselves from you. Instead, let us hold tightly to the care of our souls, and to love each other. Let us not injure other members of our own body, as that would be insane. But let us be kind to others even more as we see them feeling poorly. Though we often see many persons physically suffering from difficult or incurable illness, we never stop offering possible remedies. What is worse than painful arthritis in the foot or hand? Would we just cut off the limbs? Not at all! We do everything possible to relieve the pain, even if we cannot cure the disease. Let us do the same for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if they have an incurable disease, help us to still tend to them, and let us bear one another's burdens. That way, we fulfill the law of Christ, and obtain the promised good things, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Benediction: May He Who has revealed to every nation His everlasting righteousness, Who sits enthroned in ageless splendor, Rule in your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace. Until we meet again – go in peace and in love for one another.

In this Bible Story, Jesus speaks hard truths about being the bread of life. He speaks of how he was sent by God from heaven, and whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood would inherit eternal life. Although Jesus spoke metaphorically, his words cause many to leave. However the disciples stayed, for they knew that only Jesus held the words of eternal life. This story is inspired by John 6:22-71 & Matthew 15:21-28 & Mark 7:24-30. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 6:35 from the King James Version.Episode 194: The very next day as He and His disciples were on the other side of the sea, the crowd had tracked Him down. They wanted another miracle but Jesus cared more about their hearts than their bellies. And as Jesus was trying to teach them these things, they became confused and frustrated. The teaching was too hard for many of those in the crowd to accept, so they left. Later on, the disciples that stayed learned a lesson about God's grace to those outside of the family of Israel, as a Canaanite woman begged the Jewish Messiah for help, hope, and healing.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Jesus of Nazareth an Apocalyptic Preacher? What is the Apocalypse? E142. Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman podcast at https://amzn.to/46zMgCx Did Jesus Exist? by Bart D. Ehrman at https://amzn.to/455AEqu Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet by Bart Ehrman at https://amzn.to/3TTcLy1 Bart Ehrman books available at https://amzn.to/46EU0U4 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Mark's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio Credit: Misquoting Jesus podcast with Bart Ehrman (episode 11apr2023, titled: Did Jesus Even Exist?); The Bart Ehrman Blog Podcast (episode 01nov2020: The Jewish Messiah; The Bart Ehrman Blog Podcast (episode: non-apocalyptic Christianity, 27dec2020). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Jesus God? Is He the Jewish Messiah? Why did He come? What did He mean when He says that He, Himself, is the Good Shephard? Join us today in our study John 10 and learn about how Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads us to pastures of abundant life!

Was Jesus of Nazareth the Jewish Messiah? What is a Messiah? E136. Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman podcast at https://amzn.to/46zMgCx Bart Ehrman books available at https://amzn.to/46EU0U4 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's TIMELINE Video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credit: Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman podcast, episode “Is Paul the Founder of Christianity?” Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since October 7, 2023, the tide of antisemitism has been rising around the world. Bluntly, antisemitism is Jew-hatred. Sadly, the spread of Jew hatred is emerging even within our Jewish Messiah's community, the Christian Church. In this episode, Dr. Jay takes this topic head-on and refutes some recent accusations against the Jewish people.Frothy Thoughts with the Truth BaristaVisit HighBeam Ministry, The Truth BaristaCheck out the Frothy Thoughts Blog!Check out The Truth Barista Books!Check out The Truth Barista YouTube Channel!

Do Jews need Jesus? It's an age-old debate with eternal ramifications. If Jesus is not the Jewish Messiah, if He is not the savior of the world, if He is not the promised redeemer God sent to restore Israel and redeem the nations (Isaiah 49:6), then bringing His message to the Jewish people is a grave threat to their security. Join us as Avi Synder teaches us that believing in Jesus isn't apostasy; it's obedience, and it leads to eternal blessing.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

While taking a selfie at a sprint car race, Jennifer was struck by a car going over 50 mph. Meanwhile, when Eric's wife Bonnie claimed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he turned to the Scriptures in search of the truth. See how these ...

The Gospel of John Week 7 Scripture: John 4:31-5:29. Our study this week begins with a look at people beginning to realize that the Jewish Messiah has come, but He has come to be the Savior of all - not just the Jewish people, but ALL people! Jesus has been in Samaria and now returns to Cana where a high official in the government seeks Jesus out to heal his son who is dying.  Jesus heals the man's son and the official and his whole family came to faith in Jesus. 
Pastor talks about the feasts mentioned in the Gospel of John and how each finds its fulfillment in Jesus.  The feast mentioned in John 5:1-3 doesn't specifically mention which feast event is going on at this particular time, but Pastor speculates that it could be the Feast of Trumpets - Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year - a time when the Jewish people are focused on this feast's call to repentance.   As we continue we see Jesus is at the Pool of Bethesda that had 5 colonnades.  Pastor talks about the discovery of this pool in 1890 and shares some photos of his from a visit there in recent years. He also shares additional discoveries and info that are quite interesting regarding deeper insights into the use of this pool and by whom. As Jesus approached the pool, hundreds of people may well have been at the pool.  Jesus says to an invalid of 38 years “Do you want to get well?”  There were many there but Jesus chooses to speak to just one person. Jesus, on this Sabbath Day, tells the man to get up and walk and the man walks away carrying his mat. The religious leaders had added many additional specific regulations to God's Sabbath Day - rest day. They had added 39 additional man made rules and the 39th rule was that carrying a piece of property from 1 location to another location was not allowed and what this man just did in carrying his mat broke their Sabbath regulations.  Jesus had deliberately provoked the religious establishment's petty laws saying in effect “How dare you substitute the goodness of God with your own petty regulations and rules.” And the religious leaders become incensed when they hear it was Jesus that healed him and so now they are after Jesus and they begin to persecute Him and desire to kill Him. Not only had Jesus broken their religious man-made rules by doing the work of healing this man on a Sabbath, but also because Jesus called God His own Father making Himself equal with God.  Jesus claimed deity - Jesus is the Living God come to earth!! Yet they desired to reject this truth! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

One of the things that many Christians don't realise, is that the New Testament is actually a very Jewish book. However, it was written by Jews, to Jews, about a Jewish man who was in fact the Jewish Messiah, descendant of Jewish kings, foretold in Jewish Scriptures by Jewish prophets. That's our focus today on Foundations.Your support sends the gospel to every corner of Australia through broadcast, online and print media: https://www.vision.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born into a lineage of rabbis dating back to the 1500s, Rabbi Ira Brawer turned from his Orthodox Jewish roots to atheism, drugs, and heartbreak—until his Southern wife Gloria had a supernatural encounter that changed everything. What followed was a divine pursuit, a crash that nearly killed them, and an unexpected revelation that led Ira to discover the Jewish Messiah in the very Scriptures he once dismissed. This powerful journey from rebellion to redemption proves no one is too far gone for Yeshua's love.To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/885/29 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1489/29

Today Al Fadi and Bro. Mel discuss who was Salman Al Farsi from a Jewish point of view. The Muslims say that he was a Persian who was Muhammad's right hand man who translated part of the Quran into Persian. Mel thinks that he was Shalmon; the brother of Nehemiah bin Husiel whom the Jews thought he was Messiah bin David. Then they discuss the word Uzair in chapter 9 of the Quran. Who was that person or is the word missing a dot which changes the meaning in Arabic? They find an early Quranic manuscript with the word Uzair/عزير with an extra dot on the last letter of the word, عزيز which could give it a meaning of a messianic figure. Listen to gain more insight to the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miki grew up in a Conservative Jewish family.  As a child, she remembers once looking in a Catholic Church and being terrified when she saw a crucifix. After college Miki worked as a Physician!s Assistant and became friends with a co-worker's wife. She noticed that they were different than other people she had met. They were very generous and were always taking in exchange students. Also they talked about God and having a relationship with Him. Eventually, Miki met Jewish believers in Yeshua, read the scriptures for herself and learned the truth.   She learned that the world wouldn't “blow up” if she walked into a church or read the New Testament and then it was a very Jewish thing to believe in a Jewish Messiah!

Messianic Apologetics editor John McKee reviews Titus 2:13-14, where some significant labels regarding Ancient Israel and its vocation were applied to non-Jewish Messiah followers. This is then followed by a review of important stories and issues from the past day or so, largely witnessed on social media.

In this episode Al Fadi and Bro. Mel discuss more titles that the Quran refers to that are Jewish; example 1. Jaloot /Galoot (Sura 2:251), which is a Jewish Exilarch; a Jewish leader of the diaspora. 2. Illiyun/ a reference to the Jerusalem Talmud. 3. Sijin (Sura 83:7) a reference to the Babylonian Talmud. In the seventh century Mehmed was a Messianic title, and in the seventh century the Jews believed in two Messiahs ; Messiah bin Joseph( a suffering servant who dies for the Jews . the other is Messiah bin David who is a triumphant king who will destroy Israel's enemies. Also In the seventh century the Jews had a chain of Messiahs/ Mehmeds . So could've the title Mehmed started as a historical name and with lots of distortions ended up being the Muhammad of Hijaz? Listen to hear the details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this new series Al Fadi and Bro. Mel are going to discuss who is this 7th century person called Muhammad according the Standard Islamic Narrative. Is he one person or a combination of different people. They say that this person was a companion of a Jewish leader in Iraq. They also mention a name referred to Uzair in the Quran; is it the word Ezra or is there a mistake of one missing dot that could be the word Azeez/ a word similar to Mehmed which is a Messiah title? They conclude that if the Quran is written by an Arabian prophet way down in Mecca , why is he referring to Jewish leaders that are in Syria and Iraq? Other examples are Ginn, kafir, and Nasi. Listen to learn to more details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Segment 1: IRS Says Pastors Can Endorse Political Candidates A new IRS interpretation allows pastors and churches to openly endorse candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. Dr. Chaps explains what this means for religious freedom and the pulpit's influence on elections. Segment 2: Attorney General Bondi Sues California Over Transgender Sports Policies Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi files a lawsuit against the state of California to stop what she calls abuse in transgender sports participation. We examine the legal battle and its implications for student athletics. Segment 3: Interview with Rob DiMaggio – A Vision of the Jewish Messiah Dr. Chaps interviews Rob DiMaggio, who shares his personal story of encountering the Jewish Messiah. What did he see, and how has it changed his life? Get free alerts at http://PrayInJesusName.org © 2025, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes and www.PrayInJesusName.org

In chapter 4 of his book,  J. Warner Wallace covers a fascinating topic--prophecies that pointed to the coming of the Jewish Messiah and how Jesus fulfilled them all. purchase book here I'm Gary Zacharias, a professor of English, avid reader, and passionate follower of Jesus Christ. This podcast is for anyone curious about the intellectual foundation of the Christian faith. Each episode, I feature a key book on topics like the existence of God, the historical evidence for Jesus, science and Christianity, or the reliability of the Bible. These are the books that have earned a permanent place on my apologetics bookshelf—and I want to share them with you. contact me: theapologistsbookshelf@gmail.com

Mark presents Yeshuah as a great teacher and healer. Faith healers were numerous in Yeshuah's time, and Kris points out that even today, we sometimes think of our suffering as caused by metaphorical demons, for example, "the demon of guilt". Although the stories in Mark show Yeshuah as having the miraculous powers expected of a Jewish Messiah, his teachings were critical of traditional Jewish law and the expectation that the Messiah would become the earthly ruler of the Jews. Listen on to hear how these teachings can be helpful on your spiritual path, even if not taken literally.

At just 4 years old, Joshua Alvarez had a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit—and by 5, he was preaching with supernatural power. Born in Puerto Rico with Jewish heritage, Joshua shares jaw-dropping stories of angelic visitations, healing miracles, and a heavenly trip to God's throne room. Discover how understanding Jesus as the Jewish Messiah ignited his calling and released the glory of God in unprecedented ways. Get ready for bold faith, prophetic insight, and a glimpse of heaven on earth!To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/885/29 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1489/29

Mordechai “Moti” Vaknin was born in 1984 in Haifa, Israel, as the only child of an Orthodox Moroccan Jewish family. Growing up in a vibrant cultural and spiritual environment, Moti developed a deep appreciation for his heritage. As a young adult, he pursued radio broadcasting and served in the Israel Defense Forces from 2003 to 2006, gaining valuable life experience and discipline.In 2007, Moti traveled to the United States to follow his dream of becoming a photographer. While taking classes at Photo Manhattan in New York City, he worked as a kosher supervisor on the Upper West Side. During this transformative time, he encountered Chosen People Ministries and was challenged to read the Bible independently and seek a personal relationship with God. Through prayer, study, and reflection, Moti came to the conviction that Jesus (Yeshua) is the promised Jewish Messiah.Moti returned to Israel in 2010. Over the years, Moti has developed a thriving service ministry, working with youth, soldiers, and students across Israel. He and his wide Orel are devoted to sharing the good news with their fellow Israelis, with a special focus on mentoring young believers and equipping them to grow in their faith.Today, Moti continues to inspire and guide the next generation, helping new believers embrace their Messiah and encouraging others to explore the transformative truths of the Bible.

Pastor Rob McCoy delivers a passionate Communion Sunday message from Luke 22:14–20, connecting the Lord's Supper to its Passover roots as an antidote to rising anti-Semitism. Sharing personal anecdotes from a San Diego Padres game and his upcoming Israel trip, he challenges believers to reject replacement theology and embrace their grafted-in heritage. Pastor Rob outlines moral, historical, identity, and prophetic tests facing the church, exposing the myth of a Palestinian state and condemning anti-Zionist ignorance. He calls for bold support of Israel's ancestral homeland, using communion to remind Christians of their Jewish Messiah and to evangelize Jewish friends, urging persistent prayer for restoration and truth in a world deceived by lies.Verse References: Luke 22 verses 14–20, Genesis 12 verse 3, Genesis 15 verse 18, Deuteronomy 1 verse 8, Ezekiel 37 verses 21–22, Ezekiel 37 verse 25, Matthew 2 verses 20–21, Amos 9 verse 15, Jeremiah 31 verses 35–37, Jeremiah 33 verses 20–22, Jeremiah 33 verses 25–26, Romans 11 verses 17–18, Acts 3 verses 19–21, 1 Corinthians 5 verse 7, Mark 14 verses 25–26, Jeremiah 31 verses 31–34Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

This is the audio from the DVD.To watch the video you can order the DVD HERE Is there a tie-in between the Rapture and the beginning of Daniels 70th Week, which is known as the Great Tribulation?Consider the Global rapture. Every Born Again believer will be instantaneously snatched from this dimension. Will be like a strong magnet passed over a bed of steel and aluminum fragments. What happens? The steel flies through the air to attach themselves to the bottom of the magnet while the aluminum pieces remain in the bed.Jesus Himself will appear in the air over the Earth and utter a strong shout for His Church. At that instant, believers will be snatched from their earthly dimension and will fly through the air to meet Jesus, getting a glorified body along the way.The 70th Week is the 7- Year Tribulation, whose major purpose is to further purify Israel to accept Jesus as their Messiah. The Christian Church is not in view here because Gods purpose is to finally deal with Israel.Once God removes His Church, He can deal with Israel's last punishment and her preparation to receive Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.Exciting times. Do not miss the Rapture of the Church!Support the show Sign up for our free newsletters at the bottom of our home page Visit our book and video store Check our Daily News Updates

It is hard for us to remember that Christianity isn't our religion, but we were outsiders who have been adopted into the Jewish family, by the Jewish Messiah.

Paul recounts the dramatic encounter with Jesus which resulted in his radical transformation as a believer in Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish Messiah. [29 minutes]

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible. This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this podcast. 

If the Holy Spirit is not the third person of the Trinity, what is it? This week's episode examines how the biblical authors repeatedly describe the Spirit of Yahweh as his power. God's powerful Holy Spirit is shown to be active in creation, empowering key human beings, and even equipping the human Jesus for his ministry as the Jewish Messiah. Visit Amazon to buy your copy of my book Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John: https://a.co/d/6nFEbZg                      Please consider supporting this Podcast and future projects by donating at: https://www.paypal.me/10mintruthtalks                           To view the notes from this episode please click the link below: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wsafmPM9Jm5nDoOOLBP3BHZXVi_0NX73g2PjpZKtxl8/edit?usp=sharing  Check out some of my videos on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@BiblicalUnitarianPodcast              Follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/OneGodPodcast 

Will antisemites enjoy the afterlife? In this ironic episode, Levi Hazen reviews biblical passages on the millennial kingdom and eternity future, where God's heart for the Jewish people will be as prominent as the Jewish Messiah seated on the throne.

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible. This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this podcast. 

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Appendix – Two Horns Like a Lamb"

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible. This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this podcast. 

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Chapter 14 – Faking the Gog Magog War and Armageddon"

Download study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible. This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this podcast. 

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Chapter 13 – Problems with the “Psalm 83 War”"

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible. This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this podcast. 

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Chapter 12 – The Gog-Magog War Part 2: Which Countries Are Involved?"

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Chapter 11 – The Gog-Magog War Part 1: Intro and Timing"

Followers of Yeshua are called to take up their cross—to become martyrs. This mandate inspired one filmmaker, Reed Smith, to explore the lives of those disciples who are risking everything to follow Yeshua. In the process, he found that the gospel message was inextricably tied to the exile and redemption of Israel. In this episode, filmmaker Reed Smith discusses the themes of his new film, Sojourners and Exiles, which explores the cost of discipleship for modern-day disciples of Yeshua. – Episode Takeaways – • The Call to Martyrdom and Discipleship – Followers of Yeshua are called to take up their cross, a theme that inspired filmmaker Reed Smith to explore modern discipleship and persecution. • The Gospel's Connection to Israel – Smith discovered that the message of the gospel is deeply tied to the exile and redemption of Israel, emphasizing that God's plan is Israel-centric. • "Sojourners and Exiles" Film – The documentary explores the cost of discipleship, focusing on real-life martyrs and their sacrifices for faith. • Western Christianity Lacks a Theology of Martyrdom – The podcast discusses how many Western Christians have not seriously considered martyrdom, while believers in other parts of the world face real persecution. • The Film's Unexpected Shift – While initially about martyrdom, the film evolves into a broader message about the Gospel of the Kingdom, the role of Israel, and the Jewish Messiah's return. • A Palestinian Jordanian's Journey – The film features a Palestinian Jordanian Christian who, despite cultural and religious opposition, embraces an Israel-centric gospel, demonstrating deep personal sacrifice. • Persecution for Supporting Israel – The discussion highlights how supporting Israel is becoming increasingly controversial, even within Christian circles, leading to potential persecution in the West. • The True Meaning of Matthew 25 – The film presents a compelling interpretation that Jesus' "least of these my brethren" in Matthew 25 refers to the Jewish people, challenging traditional Christian views. • Torah Club's Role in Spiritual Growth – Smith shares how joining a Torah Club has deepened his understanding of the Jewish context of Scripture, reinforcing the need to see Jesus within His Jewish identity. – Episode Resources – Sojourners and Exiles Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqSp8VmjHV0 Sojourners and Exiles Film: https://49tenfilms.vhx.tv/ I See Nations Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvgNZir8ns8 I See Nations Film: https://youtu.be/mDun8p4u9LM?si Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (https://ffoz.org) in conjunction with Messiah Magazine. This publication is designed to provide rich substance, meaningful Jewish contexts, cultural understanding of the teaching of Jesus, and the background of modern faith from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Messiah Podcast theme music provided with permission by Joshua Aaron Music (http://JoshuaAaron.tv). “Cover the Sea” Copyright WorshipinIsrael.com songs 2020. All rights reserved.