Podcasts about jewish messiah

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

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

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

Title: God's Appointed Evangelist: YOU! Text: Acts 21:37-22:21 FCF: We often struggle feeling adequate enough to share our faith with others. Prop: Because God providentially equips us to share the gospel, we must be excellent at submitting to His prompting to share the clear truth of the gospel. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 21. In a moment we'll read from the LSB starting in verse 37. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Last time in the book of Acts Paul was dragged out of the temple and accused of violating a cultural law which prohibited all gentiles from entering the temple grounds. The crowd attempted to kill him. But he was rescued by the Roman commander who was merely trying to keep the peace. We noted last time that because the gospel is offensive we must be ready to endure slander and persecution for it. But we also must be ready to use such opportunities to share the gospel. Today we will see Paul doing just that. From his example we'll be able to understand what that looks like and how the Lord has providentially helped us to do this. So please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God starting in verse 37 of Acts 21. Invocation: Heavenly Father, because we know that nothing happens outside of your decreed will and that all comes about to accomplish your purposes, we can rest assured that everything we have experienced in this life has been guided and directed by your providence. Therefore, we know that we are where we are because you have arranged it and that You have equipped us to do what You ask us to do. Let us then rest in this hope and strive to do all that You have asked us to. To make disciples and teach them all that You have commanded. Help us to see all this and more from the text this morning we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, so we must look out for opportunities He gives to share the gospel. (21:37-40) a. [Slide 2] 37 - As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? i. As they neared the Barracks, probably ascending the second stair case, Paul wishes to speak to the Jews, desiring to show compassion on them and share the gospel to them. ii. In this process he very politely addresses the Roman commander in Greek. Something that clearly catches the Roman officer off guard, but we are not exactly sure why. iii. The common language used in Judea would have been Aramaic. Hebrew would have been used in religious conversation and instruction, especially among Judean Jews. iv. Judean Jews in general would have avoided Hellenistic entanglements, chief among them being the Greek language. v. That being said, most Jews would have known at least a little Greek and been able to speak well enough to get by. vi. What makes this even more perplexing to us is what the commander says next… b. [Slide 3] 38 - “Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” i. The translation of this question is something that is disputed. ii. We can talk more about it on Thursday. iii. But the guard clearly thinks or has thought up to this point that Paul is an Egyptian Assassin. iv. Again, we can go into the history of this on Thursday, but suffice it to say, something in Paul's speaking Greek has led the guard to ask this question of Paul. v. Paul quickly corrects the commander in the following verse. c. [Slide 4] 39 - But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” i. Paul lays out his pedigree. He is a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia and a citizen of that city which is by no means a backwater no name city. ii. Tarsus was an important city for trade throughout the empire. It also had a rich history of education. It was also granted “free city” status, meaning it was permitted to govern itself within the Roman Empire. iii. In other words – Paul is definitely NOT the Egyptian assassin. iv. Furthermore, Paul's heritage and citizenship to a prominent city indicated that his social status was actually above even the commander himself. v. It is probably because of this that the commander permitted him to speak to the crowd who up till recently tried to kill him. d. [Slide 5] 40 - And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, i. The Commander no doubt standing next to him in approval helps to hush the crowd. ii. Then Paul begins to speak to them in the Hebrew language. Although there is a possibility that this means ancient Hebrew which we know was still known and spoken at that time, we also know that it was spoken mostly in religious situations and probably was not the common man's language. Indeed, Jews from Asia would probably not even know Hebrew. So most likely Luke means that Paul spoke Aramaic. e. [Slide 6] Summary of the Point: Today we see Paul taking the opportunity he is given to defend the gospel. But what gave him that opportunity? Paul's unique background, providentially ordered by the Lord, gives him the opportunity to defend the gospel. Paul having the pedigree he had, where he even had a higher social standing than the Roman commander arresting him, equipped him to be allowed to share the gospel that day. And the same is true for us. God has uniquely equipped each of us to share the gospel to people who other believers will never have opportunity. To the extent that where others may be silenced or killed, we will be permitted to at least provide a defense. Therefore, we must be like Paul and have the boldness and determination to speak up when we have an opportunity. Paul could have gone into the barracks and been safely secured against their attack, Instead, he used his social standing to gain an audience and defend the gospel. We should look for similar opportunities to share the gospel that are provided to us through our backgrounds which God arranged. Transition: [Slide 7(blank)] But what is Paul going to say? The crowd isn't exactly friendly. What is his responsibility in conveying the gospel to such a hostile group? Can he just be like Jonah and warn them that in 40 days they'll be destroyed? II.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, so we must clarify misconceptions about the gospel. (22:1-16) a. [Slide 8] 1 - “Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.” i. Paul begins his defense with a similar address that Stephen gave to the Sanhedrin when he was brought before them. ii. Of course, Stephen was accused of speaking against the law of Moses and against the temple too. iii. And Jesus before them was accused of blasphemy and speaking against the temple. iv. What is clear is that the Jews had created a trinity of their own. They worshipped God, the law, and the temple. All of which were intricately connected. v. And bound up into that trinity is their national pride of being the chosen people of God. To attack one of the three is to attack all and to attack their Jewish identity as a whole. vi. It is no accident that the charges brought against everyone the Jews wanted dead were the same. This is the way they can make sure that they can stir up every Jew against the one they want gone. vii. Paul begins his defense which is not only a testimony of his salvation and commission to ministry – but also a rich defense of his own Jewish heritage and standing. b. [Slide 9] 2 - And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter; and he said, i. Right off the bat, the people understand that this is not a Hellenized Jew – at least not entirely. ii. To speak Aramaic, and to do so well enough to make a defense before a hostile crowd, means that he is not rejecting Jewish heritage or culture. iii. The crowd responds with affording him their attention. c. [Slide 10] 3 - “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought up in this city, having been instructed at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today, i. Notice that Paul doesn't deny his birth city, but quickly moves past it to recount his early life. ii. From a boy, Paul was brought up in the city of Jerusalem. iii. While in the city, Paul was instructed according to the strictness of the Mosaic law by none other than Gamaliel. iv. The last time we heard that name was at Peter and John's trial before the Sanhedrin. v. Gamaliel's advice was to leave the apostles alone and see what happens of the Nazarene sect. If they are not of God, then they will dissolve to nothing. If they are of God, then the council would be caught fighting against God's will. vi. Pretty sound advice. Advice that they did not heed. vii. Still, from historical records, we know that Gamaliel was a Rabbi and head of a Rabbinical school in Jerusalem and even though they did not listen to his advice on that occasion, we know he was well respected in the Jewish community of that time. viii. Paul indicating that he was zealous for God just as the Jews were on this very day, is indicating that Paul does not see his persecutors as enemies. He too is zealous for God. And has been since being instructed in the ways of the Pharisees. ix. How devoted was he for God? d. [Slide 11] 4 - I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons, 5 - as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. i. He was so zealous for God that he persecuted the Nazarene sect called “The Way” to death. ii. Perhaps at this time some rumor or lie was being spread around indicating that Paul never really did this. But Paul appeals to the testimony of the high priest and all the council of Elders. iii. They can give you their testimony that this is the case. iv. They can also tell you how they gave him letters to Damascus to bring those following The Way back to Jerusalem to be imprisoned and punished. v. Paul was once the exact same as they are today. To the extent that he did to others what they have done to him. vi. Paul doesn't see them as his enemy. Because he was just like them at one time. vii. So this begs the questions… what happened to make him different today? And how different has he become? e. [Slide 12] 6 - But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, i. Visions from God have been and continue to be recognized as important ways that God communicates corrective truth to people in the middle east. ii. As Eric Lundquist was saying last week, Iranian Christians converting from Islam frequently speak of visions they have received from God imploring them to seek Christ. iii. Some of the greatest prophets of Israel's and even Islam's history have or have claimed to see visions from God to reveal truth. iv. If someone today said something similar to Paul, we would be right to test them thoroughly for signs of God working in their life beyond simply a vision. And Paul will provide that too. v. But the Jews would not be skeptical of this sign merely because it was a vision from heaven. f. [Slide 13] 7 - and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 8 - And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.' i. Voices from heaven are rare in the Old Testament. But when someone hears from heaven it is never anyone but God Himself who speaks. ii. This is probably why Paul assumed that this was the Lord speaking. iii. This is similar to the time when Moses asks what he should call God when he goes back to the Israelite captives to inform them that God was going to rescue them. Which God? iv. God says, tell them “I AM” has sent you. Yahweh. The proper name of God. v. By Paul asking Who are you, Lord – he is looking for confirmation that the God with whom He speaks is Yahweh Himself. vi. How shocking then… Is the answer? vii. I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting. viii. In heaven, with God, is this one Jesus the Nazarene. ix. Without actually saying the words, Paul testifies clearly here that Jesus and Yahweh are one. They are One God in three distinct persons. x. The God who addressed Moses from the burning bush is the same God who addressed Paul on that road. xi. But to make such a claim that Jesus spoke to him from heaven, it would be necessary to have witnesses, wouldn't it? Especially since the name given was not Yahweh. xii. Who else was there to hear or see what happened? g. [Slide 14] 9 - And those who were with me beheld the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. i. The guards who went with Paul that day, did see the light. ii. And here we have our first discrepancy regarding the story of Paul's conversion. iii. In Acts chapter 9 it says that these guards did hear the voice, but here Paul says that they did not understand the voice. Now before you start pointing out to me that hearing and understanding aren't the same things… iv. The Greek word IS the same. The LSB, for some reason, translates it here as understanding instead of hearing. What a crummy translation… well, hang on. Let's investigate. v. So how do we deal with Luke recording that the men heard the voice but didn't see the person speaking, and Paul saying that they did not hear the voice? This seems to be quite the contradiction. vi. There is an easy explanation that we can actually demonstrate using a similar word in English. 1. If I, in the midst of giving a command to my daughter, ask her if she is listening, and she says yes… in one sense we can see that she did listen to me. But if that story goes forward and we find out that she did not obey the command I gave, we could say that she did not listen. 2. Well how could she have listened and not listened at the same time? It is a matter of different definitions of the same word. Correct? 3. Listening can mean hearing and it can also mean obeying. vii. In a similar way, the semantic range of the word ἀκούω includes not only hearing the noise of something but also comprehending it. viii. So, in Luke's earlier account It is clear that he records that the soldiers heard the voice. ix. By Paul saying that they did not hear, we must take the second definition of the word which means to listen or to understand. x. Thus the LSB records for us the appropriate meaning. That the guards with him did hear the voice but were not able to comprehend what was said to Paul. xi. In short, he had witnesses to this event. And even though they did not understand the voice which spoke, they did hear it and they certainly heard and understood Paul's responses. h. [Slide 15] 10 - And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been determined for you to do.' 11 - But since I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus. i. Jesus the Nazarene instructs Paul to go to Damascus and wait for someone to come to him to tell him what to do. ii. The miracle of this would not be lost on anyone, since Damascus was a large city and all those of The Way would have feared Paul to the point of avoiding him. Who is going to come and talk to Paul in this state? iii. Paul continues the story of how he was blinded by this light and had to be led to Damascus. Once again this is something the guards could have borne witness to. i. [Slide 16] 12 - Now a certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well-spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 - came to me, and standing near, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!' And at that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. i. Notice what Paul is doing with his testimony of conversion. ii. He is highlighting the important, Jewish, law abiding, zealous people who helped to shape and form him. iii. Now he moves to a man named Ananias, who is well known to be a devout law-abiding Jew, known by Jews who lived in Damascus. iv. But Ananias was CLEARLY of The Way. v. What is Paul saying? vi. They are not mutually exclusive. You can be zealous for the law of Moses and still be a follower of Christ. vii. That is not to say that they are the same thing or that the law is equal in importance to Christ. But it is to say that there is no conflict between abiding by the law of Moses and following Christ. viii. One must simply hold them in their appropriate places of importance. ix. Ananias commands Paul to regain his sight and at that moment his sight returned. j. [Slide 17] 14 - And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from His mouth. 15 - ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 - Now why do you delay? Rise up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' i. Notice what Ananias says. The God of our fathers – Yahweh of course, has appointed, chosen, elected you to know His will and to see the Righteous One (Jesus the Nazarene) and to hear a voice from His mouth. ii. The Righteous One title is interesting because it is a title given to Yahweh's servant who is called Righteous and will justify many by bearing their iniquities. iii. The title “The Righteous One” implies sinless perfection having no blemish or spot in moral uprightness. Truly no person could claim such a thing. And so this human must be more than merely human. iv. Paul is commissioned to go to all men and bear witness of what he has seen and heard. v. At that moment Ananias commands him to rise up and be baptized and wash your sins away calling on His name. vi. Although many camps within Christendom would see the teaching of water baptism in view here whereby we are actually, as they would say, washed from our sin – it is clear that Ananias means not a literal physical washing only, but an inward, Spirit baptism. To be baptized by the Spirit is to be converted, to be justified, to be indwelled by the Spirit. vii. Baptism of the Spirit refers to the moment when a person who has been made alive with Christ repents and receives Him as Lord and Savior. viii. Notice that Ananias says to be baptized, wash your sins away, while calling on His name. ix. Thus, Paul is converted in this moment. x. And notice what the good Jew says to Paul… Get up, be baptized, be washed of your sins by calling on His name. xi. Whose name? xii. Is it the God of our Fathers or is it the Righteous One? xiii. Yes. Calling on Jesus' name IS calling on Yahweh's name. k. Summary of the Point: Notice still God's providential hand on Paul's testimony of salvation. The charges against Paul are primarily his rejection of the law, the Jewish people and their customs, and the temple itself. But he was zealous for the law, even opposing The Way, but was rebuked by a Jewish Messiah who spoke from heaven, a place higher than the temple, and led to faith in this Jesus by a well-respected Jew in Damascus. You can't get much more Jewish than that story! God providentially provided all of this to Paul in his conversion testimony, so that he could systematically cast down and defend the gospel he preached against all the accusations of being anti-Jew, anti-law, and anti-temple. We too must cast down arguments and defend the gospel against false caricatures of its teachings. We must do apologetics to prove that such things are lies. And God providentially provides each of our testimonies of faith as arguments against those false views. Transition: [Slide 19 (blank)] Paul has successfully defended the gospel. But what about the other component here? What about the Gentiles. Why is Paul mixed up with them? III.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, but we must trust His leading not our own wisdom. (22:17-21) a. [Slide 20] 17 - Now it happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18 - and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness about Me.' i. Although Luke does record Paul going back to Jerusalem in Acts 9, we are not told about this event. Luke there is focusing on Paul's relationship to other believers. That isn't what's happening here. What does he say? ii. While I was in the temple praying. iii. Well how much more devout could a Jew be to be praying in the temple? iv. And during a visit to the temple is when he sees another vision in a trance. v. In this vision, the Lord Jesus again speaks to him commanding him to get out of Jerusalem because “they” will not accept your witness about Me. vi. Who is they? vii. Paul's response to the Lord at that time makes it clear. b. [Slide 21] 19 - And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20 - And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and guarding the garments of those who were slaying him.' i. The “they” is the non-believing Jews. ii. Paul's rebuttal to the Lord Jesus is that he seems like the perfect candidate to send to the Jews. iii. Afterall, there are few in Jerusalem who do not know who he is. They know how he used to fight against the people of The Way and even stood in approval over the stoning of Stephen. iv. He has a powerful testimony toward these people. They SHOULD believe him. v. Why? vi. Because he used to be one of them. vii. But Jesus points out that often it is the opposite. viii. The Jews, as we have seen throughout the book of Acts, have either believed Paul's gospel message – or they have sought to kill him. And there really isn't any middle ground. ix. Jesus at this time commands him to leave. c. [Slide 22] 21 - And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” i. You aren't the perfect person to go to the Jews. They are going to reject you and your message. ii. Instead I am sending you far away to the Gentiles. iii. First, to those in Tarsus… your home. iv. Then to those in Antioch of Syria. Then to Asia. Then to Greece. v. And soon to Rome and even Spain. vi. Paul would go to the Gentiles. vii. What a marvelous mission. viii. If only the Jews were not full of bigotry and hatred at this time… but more on that next week. d. [Slide 23] Summary of the Point: Here we see an interesting point that counterbalances all we have seen thus far. God providentially put Paul in a great position to share the gospel on this particular occasion. But keen observers would have noticed that all of his background was true before he left Jerusalem to go and preach the gospel to the Gentiles. So, we, and perhaps even his audience, would be wondering why Paul ever left if his background makes him an ideal candidate to share the gospel. Paul reveals in his testimony that he also wondered the same thing. From his perspective, he would be the ideal candidate to preach the gospel to the Jews. Nevertheless, God had other plans for him. Jesus commanded him to go. Why? Because the Jews would reject him and the gospel and because God had ordained him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. We too must be careful that we don't trust our own wisdom in analyzing who we are best equipped to take the gospel to. Instead, we must be sensitive to the Lord's leading in when and to whom we share our faith. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned and how shall we live? What are some basic teachings of belief and practice from this text? Basics of Belief and Practice: [Slide 24] The primary point of belief we should gain from this text is that God Himself providentially equips us to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. From this doctrinal point, revolving around God's role to sovereignly guide our backgrounds so we are the right tool for the job… we have several applications for us. First, is to seek and take opportunities to share the gospel. Second, we must clarify any known misrepresentations of the gospel as we give a defense for the hope we have in us. Thirdly, and serving as a counterweight to this, although God does providentially equip us to share the gospel, we must be careful that we don't make assumptions from our background of to whom we might be called to bear witness to the truth. But let me see if we can expand these truths out a little by first heading back to the text and then out from it to our lives. 1.) [Slide 25] 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 God providentially equips us to share the gospel with unbelievers. a. We see this in Paul's life as everything he is doing is completely in keeping with the scope of Judaism, the law, the Jewish nation, and the temple itself. b. Paul has been uniquely equipped to take the gospel to the Gentiles while continuing to cherish and observe the teachings of Judaism. c. Paul is not only the right man to preach the gospel to the Gentiles he is also the right man to stand before the Jews at this very moment and confront them with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. d. And of course, he is only allowed to do this because God providentially gave him a social standing that supersedes the Roman commander who was trying to arrest him. e. You and I also have been providentially, from the beginning of our lives to this very moment, supplied with a unique background which equips us with all sorts of experiences, values, morals, virtues, and passions. And each of these are given both negatively and positively. f. Modern psychology attempts to tell us that our backgrounds shape us and mold us for the worse. We are a product of our environment and our upbringing. But this isn't the way Paul saw it. g. And this isn't the way the scriptures frame God's sovereign control of all things. h. All our background, positive and negative, serves to shape and form and mold us to be uniquely equipped to serve the Lord and His Kingdom and His righteousness. i. Paul even uses his shameful persecution of Christians as a point in his gospel presentation to prove that the gospel is NOT anti-Jew. j. Everything we have experienced and gone through, everything that has shaped us, was not done by some blind force or shapeless entity we call “the universe”. k. Instead – EVERYTHING that has happened to us has been guided and superintended by a Good and Loving God who prepares us to serve Him as Soldiers of the Cross of Christ. l. You may not use every experience in every situation where God has called you to share the gospel – but make no mistake, God has prepared you to bring the truth of the gospel to bear upon the souls of those who do not believe. m. Not everyone needs a scholarly presentation of the gospel. Not everyone needs a story presentation of the gospel. Not everyone needs a hyper logical presentation of the gospel. But everyone needs the Word of God shown to them in ways that your unique background can help to explain. n. There is no Christian that God has providentially prepared to sit in the pews. There is no Christian that God has providentially prepared to keep quiet while the others talk. o. You have a mission field that few if any will ever be able to reach. p. So, what do we do with this truth? 2.) [Slide 26] 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 jump on opportunities God gives to share the gospel. a. Paul could have stayed quiet. b. In fact, many counselors may have advised him at this time to quit while he was ahead. c. It seemed like the Roman commander was going to deliver him safely from the mob. d. Instead, he uses his social influence to convince the commander to allow him to address the crowds who were just moments ago trying to kill him. e. We too must seek and boldly capitalize on evangelism opportunities that come our way. f. Unfortunately many of us choose to hide in the shadows hoping someone else will speak up concerning the gospel message. g. We are tortured by fears of inadequacy and rejection. h. Paul's example, at least this week helps us. Of course they did reject Paul – we'll get to that next week. i. Ultimately this shows us that our fear of inadequacy is unfounded and our fear of rejection must be rebuked. j. Inadequacy cuts directly against the point we just looked at, where God uniquely equips us to share the gospel with others whom we come into contact with. k. And Rejection is actually something we are guaranteed we will experience. Fearing rejection for preaching the gospel is like fearing getting dirty if you clean out the pig pen. If fear of getting dirty stops you from cleaning out the pig pen, then you don't understand what it means to own a pig. In the same way if fear of rejection stops you from preaching the gospel, you may not even understand the gospel in the first place. l. Let me try to help you out to know whether or not God is calling you to step up and share the gospel with someone… m. If you are a Christian in the room when people misconstrue the gospel or ask questions concerning its teachings… guess what… You can just take that as God's call for you to speak. You don't have to wait for a sign. You don't have to pray about it to make sure it is God's will. n. You can just go for it. Speak from the heart, speak about what God did for you, and make sure that you speak with words the scriptures use. Stay away from trite phrases not found in the bible. Like… i. Ask Jesus into your heart. ii. Say yes to Jesus iii. Accept Jesus into your life iv. Pray this prayer v. Make him the Lord of your life vi. Etc. o. Also… stay away from non-universal experiences that are not common to every single person who comes to Christ in the bible. Like… i. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders… ii. I felt warm all over as if I was being hugged by God iii. I wept uncontrollably iv. I started convulsing on the ground because I realized how sinful I was v. I heard an audible voice from God calling me to believe. vi. I saw Jesus holding out his arms to me. vii. Etc p. Instead, focus on what the bible actually says – stick to the words it uses as closely as you can while still being clear… i. All men are wicked and have evil hearts which cannot be cured. All men are dead in their trespasses and sins and are enslaved to their passions and their lusts. All men love their evil deeds. All men do not seek God. ii. Jesus died for sinners. Jesus became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus was the substitute which absorbed sin's penalty for sinners and gave them a right standing before God. Jesus is the new representative for all who place their complete trust in Him. iii. Jesus was raised the third day and has ascended to the Father's side where He now continues to be with and help all those who are His people. And all who are in Him will also be raised and live with Him forever. iv. Repent- turn from your sin and believe and depend on this gospel. q. In short – we must understand that since God has prepared us for this very purpose, if we are lazy or afraid, we are falling short of God's calling on our lives. We are failing at one of the very reasons we are still on earth. r. We aren't here to work a job, support our family, or enjoy retirement. These are inherently part of being what God wants us to be – but it isn't why we are here. s. We are here to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Triune God and teaching them to observe all the things He has commanded. 3.) [Slide 27] 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 clarify and defend the truth of the gospel. a. Paul, by his own testimony, proves without a doubt that everything about his conversion and his mission is NOT anti-jew. b. So we too must be apologists, seeking to defend the gospel against misconceptions and false summarizations of its teachings. c. Although the details are different, generally speaking all Christians are saved the exact same way. d. Romans 8 clues us in to some of that process and the 5 Solas of the reformation help to expound what the bible teaches on that process. e. Since this is the case, each of our testimonies serve as an anecdotal proof that all the misconceptions about the gospel fail when it is compared to the universal shared experience of all who are truly believers. f. We can go to the scriptures to show exactly what God did for us and how He accomplished it. g. We may not have understood it when we were saved – but we certainly understand it now or at least, we should. h. In this we can counter all the accusations of being brainwashed, deceived, or otherwise conned by this religious teaching. i. With the bible we can also address misconceptions about the gospel where people assume it is a works based salvation that is similar to other faiths, or an unnecessarily narrow religion of intolerance. j. In short, it is incumbent upon us as those who bear witness to the gospel of Christ, to clarify and defend the truth of the gospel. For if the gospel is tainted by untruth it stops becoming the gospel and is therefore unable to save anyone. k. But If we are to clarify and defend the truth of the gospel, we must be diligent in our study and understanding of it. We cannot be satisfied with a rudimentary understanding of nature of the gospel. For even though it is simple enough for children to believe, it is infinite enough that scholars still admit there are things we can't quite explain about God and what He has done for us. l. Just because it is simple enough for a child to believe, doesn't mean you should preach it with the understanding of a child. m. No Christian has an excuse. We must be theologians and understand as much as we can about this gospel we preach. 4.) [Slide 28] 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 stop assuming our background limits or reveals God's will for our mission field. a. Paul thought he was uniquely equipped to share the gospel with the Jews. b. And that is true in Acts 22. c. But this was only after God sent him to the gentiles. d. Because this is where God wanted him to go and because generally the Jews would see him as a traitor and not as an example to follow. e. Sometimes we can be abundantly convinced that we are best equipped to share the gospel to certain mission fields. Or that we are ill equipped to take the gospel to others. f. But this may be a terrible assumption which is counter to God's will. g. Former Mormons or Jehovah's witnesses can make excellent evangelists to some – but they can also be perceived as traitors and apostates and dismissed without even allowing them to speak. h. Former drug addicts could be effective at sharing the gospel to those still addicted – or they may be seen as a Christ figure, someone to be followed instead of Jesus Himself. i. In every case, as we consider where God would have us minister, our background can help to inform us where we might be best used, but ultimately, we must listen for the Lord's leading. 5.) 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?” Why do you delay? Rise up, be baptized in the Spirit! Wash away your sins by calling on Jesus' name! a. Perhaps you are here today and the testimony of Paul and the songs about God's salvation and all that Jesus has done, have stirred your heart. b. Perhaps you have realized that you are a sinner in danger of the Lord's judgement and wrath? c. Perhaps you like Paul have opposed Christ at every turn. d. What are you waiting for? e. Call on the name of Jesus and wash yourself clean in His sacrifice for you. Follow Him and be His. Let me close with a prayer by the Scottish Reformed theologian Robert Rollock Lord, when we stand up to speak of the resurrection of Christ to others, give us grace so that we may be persuaded of it in our own hearts. May we find his gracious Spirit working in us, and as we speak of heaven and these joys to others, may we also find that joy in our own hearts. So that after this life is ended, we may reign with him in glory forever with Christ! To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honor, praise, and glory forevermore. Amen. Benediction: And now let all people in Zion declare his gracious name, With one accord, So that all nations will fear the name of the Lord, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. Until we meet again, go in peace.

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 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 11 – The Gog-Magog War Part 1: Intro and Timing"

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 10 – Will the Antichrist Claim to Be Jesus?"

Series: Signs & GloryTitle: "What does authentic faith look like?Scripture: John 4:43-54John 1:9-12; 8:31-32Bottom line: Authentic faith looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed belief, and a growing dependency of God.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDMy opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. INTRODUCTIONToday we're answer the question, "What does authentic faith look like?" When I think of the word authentic, I think of collections where value is based on the something rare being authenticated or declared the real thing.The most valuable American coin today is a 1794 silver dollar called the Flowing Hair Silver Dollar. It has lady liberty on one side and an American eagle on the other. Many believe that it was the first coin minted by the US government. There were only 1800 made and experts think only about 120 remain. It last sold for 12 million dollars. But it's only worth 12 million dollars if it's an authentic Flowing Hair Silver Dollar.The question today is what does authentic faith look like. We're asking this question to setup the more important question, "Is my faith authentic?"CONTEXTJesus has been talking with the woman at the well. He and the 12 got to see a whole town come to Christ. It has been an amazing day. The enemies of the Jews (the Samaritans) have trusted the Jewish Messiah! There is no earthly reason why they would do this. Only God.John will use this town of people in Sychar to expose the contrast with the way the Jews are responding (en masse) to Jesus. (Cf. John 1:11-12)John will also contrast the nobleman's growing faith with the hesitant faith of Nicodemus.What does authentic faith look like?Is my faith authentic?SERMON Bottom line: Authentic faith looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed belief, and a growing dependency on God.What does authentic faith look like? (Help from Matt Carter's commentary)I. Actual commitment--not just spiritual curiosity.Nobleman embraced Light of the world and Savior of the world.Overall response is rejection of Jews (cf. John 1:9-12); still some exceptions; not unlike us today.This contrast shows us what authentic faith looks like.Spiritual curiosity ≠ Authentic faithJesus condemns them for lack of faith and desire for "signs and wonders""You" is plural meaning the Jews and not just the nobleman. Maybe even in further contrast (like the Centurion)Samaritans have authentic faith in that town--they took Jesus as his word. No signs and wonders needed.II. Informed belief--not just emotional feelings.Requires understanding certain truths about Jesus.Content of our faith. Word > ExperienceAre you a follower? Why? For what he did or who he is?Nobleman looking for a miracle? Yes, but takes Jesus at his word instead of having to see it happen instantly. Similar to Samaritans.We aren't called to a blind faith or emotional faith, though it can be emotional. We have a reasonable faith. Who is Jesus? Title so far in John include:Son of GodSon of ManMessiah/ChristWord of GodKing of IsraelLamb of GodIII. Growing dependence--not just a single decision.2X it says nobleman "believed." (4:51-53)Same with Samaritans. (39-41)In neither case are we told WHEN they were saved. John shows it's a continual belief that truly saves or demonstrates authentic faith. It starts with a moment and decision--but it never ends. We persevere in the faith over time.Pointing to a past decision isn't enough if not walking in it. We'll know your status based on your fruit. Cf. Hebrews 3:12-14; Galatians 5:23-24John 1:!2 those who are believing (present tense) in his name.John 8:31 if you "continue" in my word.To "continue" or "hold to" his word is to "abide" or "remain" in Christ.Applications/questions:Are you spiritually curious? That's fine. Just don't think you're secure and good with the Lord just because you're spiritual or open. Christ calls us to follow him the rest of our life. Until you surrender to that, you're just curious. It's not a convenient faith that he calls us to--it's a costly faith. He calls us to ultimately come and die. Is your faith rooted on how you feel? I feel close to God today but not tomorrow. Emotions are a legitimate part of the human experience--even in our spiritual life. But we root our faith in truth--God's word is truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth..." We have an informed faith; a reasonable faith; not a blind faith. Is your faith growing? Are you abiding in Jesus daily? Are you walking with God daily? These are different ways of asking the question, am I growing in dependence on the Lord?CONCLUSIONBottom line: Authentic faith starts with an actual commitment, and an informed belief on the word, and a growing dependence. What about you? Is your faith authentic?Here's another way to look at it.How do you know that you're married?Well, you might say, I have a wedding ring and a marriage license. I could respond, well, I know people who have a marriage license and maybe even still wear their wedding ring. But they are no longer married.The only way to truly know you're married is because you live the married life with your spouse. You raise the kids together. You take care of the house together. You do life together.The same is true with authentic faith. What does authentic faith look like? It looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed faith, and a growing dependence.What about you? Is your faith authentic?If not, what can you do?Repent--turn from the way you're living life and turn back to the trust and follow Jesus' words, ways and works.Believe--Rest on the calling you've received; build on the word of God; pray towards growing in Christ.`Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬InvitationHow do we respond? Answer 2 questions:Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions: What is God saying to me right now?What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper. What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don't have to get too specific to give him praise.Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)PrayNOTES"Jesus was saying, "Your experience with the Samaritans is one of reaping where you did not sow," and that surely was the case. They had not sowed, but they reaped. In our age some of us may sow, and some of us may reap. The thrust of these verses is that there is going to be a good deal of reaping, but the implication also is that sometimes we may sow and never see the results. I am reminded of the story of George Müller who founded many orphanages in the last century. Early in his life Müller made the acquaintance of three men, and he began to pray for their salvation. Müller lived a long time, but when he died, none of those men had yet trusted Christ. It is recorded in his diary that he prayed for these men daily during all those years. But that is not the end! The glorious fact is that all three of those men did meet Christ-two of them in their seventies and one in his eighties! Müller sowed, but someone else reaped. Whether we find ourselves sowing or reaping, our lives are to be permeated with a sense of urgency. Jesus' harvest mentality was part of the secret of his life. We also are meant to be harvesting!" -Kent Hughes, p. 139"This reality should motivate us to labor with all our might to make Jesus Christ and his gospel known and loved throughout the world. Augustine wrote this beautiful reflection about Jesus Christ:You are ever active, yet always at rest. You gather all things to yourself, though you suffer no need. ... You welcome those who come to you, though you never lost them. You release us from our debts, but you lose nothing thereby. You are my God, my Life, my holy Delight, but is this enough to say of you? Can any man say enough when he speaks of you? Yet woe betide those who are silent about you! (Confessions [IX 1], 181)May we, by the grace of God, never be silent." -Matt Carter"I'll Do It Later (v. 35):Jesus asks the disciples a pointed question: "Don't you say, 'There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest'?" (v. 35). He's saying, "Do you guys think you need to wait before reaping the fruit of the gospel? Are you hoping it will come later? You're wrong; look at the Samaritans coming right now. What are you waiting for? The time is now!" Jesus is driving the urgency of the gospel home to the hearts of his disciples. We don't wait for a different time or a better time; the harvest is now. Go, do the work of sharing the gospel right now. Charles Spurgeon, preaching on this passage, challenged his congregation:Some of you good people, who do nothing except go to public meetings, the Bible readings, and prophetic conferences, and other forms of spiritual [indulgence], would be a good deal better Christians if you would look after the poor and needy around you. If you would just tuck up your sleeves for work, and go and tell the gospel to dying men, you would find your spiritual health mightily restored, for very much of the sickness of Christians comes through their having nothing to do. All feeding and no working gives men spiritual indigestion. Be idle, careless, with nothing to live for, nothing to care for, no sinner to pray for, no backslider to lead back to the cross, no trembler to encourage, no little child to tell of a Savior, no grey-headed man to enlighten in the things of God, no object, in fact, to live for; and who wonders if you begin to groan, and to murmur, and to look within, until you are ready to die of despair? (Cited in Hughes, John, 132) - Matt CarterOUTLINESN/AQUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhat do I want them to know? Why do I want them to know it?What do I want them to do?Why do I want them to do it?How do they do this?DISCUSSION QUESTIONSDiscovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/Read the passage together.Retell the story in your own words.Discovery the storyWhat does this story tell me about God?What does this story tell me about people?If this is really true, what should I do?What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)Who am I going to tell about this?Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcastAlternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:Who is God?What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)What do I do? (In light of who I am)How do I do it?Final Questions (Write this down)What is God saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it?MAIN REFERENCES USED“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent HughesExalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh WredbergThe Gospels & Epistles of John, FF BruceJohn, RC SproulJohn, KöstenbergerThe Gospel According to John, DA CarsonThe Light Has Come, Leslie NewbiginThe Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.orgThe Bible Project https://bibleproject.comNicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersionClaude.aiChatGPT Google Gemini

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. 

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.

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 9 – Will the Antichrist Be an Assyrian?"

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 8 – Will the Antichrist Be a Roman?"

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. 

In the closing chapter of his book, Zechariah writes of the wonderful promise of the return of Yeshua the Messiah. He states, "...his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east..." (Zechariah 14:4).If "his feet" are to stand on the Mount of Olives then he must appear in an incarnate state. To be sure it will be his resurrected and glorified incarnate self, but it will be his incarnate self.One day soon, Yeshua's feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives once again. When they do, they will be the feet of the Jewish Messiah who has come to rule and to reign.Link to download Zechariah chart: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BkFtNcDKe32mzcqZGek_HXqXlVUVEO7C/view?usp=sharingYouTube: https://youtube.com/live/KBkm4Du8DVYSend us a text

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 7 – The Disastrous Results of Jewish and Islamic Eschatology"

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 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 6 – Islamic Eschatology"

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 5 – Jewish Eschatology"

A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany St. Matthew 8:1-13 by William Klock   Have you ever met someone with leprosy?  Probably not.  Today it's extremely rare.  We hardly give it a thought.  But in the ancient world it was one of the most dreaded diseases.  It began with the loss of feeling in your extremities and nodules that would turn into ulcers.  The loss of feeling spread.  The ulcers never healed.  Your hair would fall out and your eyes would go blind.  Ulcers would form on your vocal cords, leaving your voice hoarse and rasping.  Gangrene would set in.  Eventually you would lose fingers and toes and sometimes whole limbs.  Sometimes it led to madness.  Eventually it would lead to death, but not quickly.  Some forms of leprosy would take a decade to run their course and others twenty or thirty years. But as bad, if not worse than the physical misery was the fact that it was contagious.  That made lepers outcasts.  The Jewish historian Josephus tells us that lepers were treated “as if they were, in effect, dead men”.  When a person was diagnosed with leprosy, they were immediately banished from family and community.  In Leviticus 13:46 the Lord had commanded, “He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”  And people didn't get better from leprosy.  That's why it was a miracle when the Lord intervened to heal Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy.  Consider that in medieval Europe, before he was cast out, a leper was brought to the church one last time so the priest could read the burial service over him.  So to be a leper was, for all intents and purposes, to be dead.  Not, of course, to yourself, but dead to your family, your friends, and your community.  In Israel lepers were barred from Jerusalem and from any walled town or city.  The law described over sixty types of contact that would render a person unclean and contact with a leper was second only to contact with a dead body.  If a leper so much as poked his head through the door of your house, your house would be rendered unclean.  One rabbi boasted that he threw stones at lepers to keep them at a distance, because that's where they belonged.  Keep that in mind as we look again at today's Gospel.  Look with me at Matthew 8:1-4. When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.  Suddenly a leper came to him and knelt down in front of him.  “Lord,” he said, “if you want, you can make me clean!”  Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.  “I do want to,” he said.  “Be clean!”  And at once his leprosy was cleansed.  “Take care,” Jesus said to him, “that you don't say anything to anyone.  Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering which Moses commanded.  That will be the proof to them.”   For the last three chapters Jesus has been preaching the Sermon on the Mount.  So he's been preaching to the crowds about the kingdom of God—what it's going to be like and who's going to be part of it.  And I can imagine the people in the crowd nodding in approval as they listened—but the real weight of it not really sinking in.  It's often like that when he hear God's word.  Something like “Love your neighbour.”  We agree.  We think, “Oh, that's good.”  But the real radicalness of it doesn't sink in.  And then something happens—we're faced with a choice, we encounter a person—and the Spirit brings that lesson to mind and we realise just how much God and the gospel expect of us.  Sometimes we fail the test.  Imagine the crowd that had been listening to Jesus preach, now following him into town and this leper approaches Jesus.  And everything Jesus has been saying about the kingdom is forgotten.  People are thinking, “Stupid leper!  Doesn't he know he shouldn't be here!  How dare he come so close to the rabbi!”  They've just heard Jesus preaching at length about the kingdom, but I expect at least some of them saw the leper and were thinking to themselves that if Jesus were a good rabbi, he would tell this man to take a hike—to obey torah and get out of town—maybe even throw rocks at him. Imagine their surprise when instead of quoting Leviticus at the man and telling him to get lost, Jesus stops as the man kneels at his feet.  That says something right there.  When this leper saw Jesus he saw the Messiah.  Jews didn't prostrate themselves before any old person.  This posture was reserved for the Lord.  In some way, shape, or form he saw in Jesus the God of Israel.  And with his hoarse and damaged voice he rasps out, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean!  Please make me clean.”  And to their horror, Jesus reaches out and touches the man.  The law said that a leper could come no closer to a healthy person than a cubit and Matthew makes a point describing Jesus reaching out, stretching out his arm to its full length across that distance to bridge the gap between himself and the leper, so that he could make contact with him, to touch the untouchable, to draw in the outcast.  And Jesus says to him, “I want just that.  Be clean.” Uncleanness should have passed from the leper to Jesus.  Obviously you couldn't see something like that, but everyone knew that that was the law, ever since the Lord had spoken it through Moses.  Touch a leper and you become unclean.  So imagine their surprise when they did see something happen.  They saw cleanness pass from Jesus to the leper.  As they watched the man was healed.  His sores healed and disappeared.  His sight cleared.  His voice became whole again.  Maybe fingers and toes even grew back before their watching eyes.  The leprosy was gone.  The man was restored.  His death sentence was lifted. Now, the sermon on the mount wasn't just an abstract ethical manifesto that Jesus delivered to a group of people who could have been from anywhere or any time.  It was a declaration that the kingdom of God had come in fulfilment of the prophets, a declaration that the Messiah had finally come to set God's people to rights.  They desperately need and longed for that.  Ever since they had been called in Abraham, ever since they had, as a nation, been adopted by the Lord as his covenant people, they had in one way or another failed him and failed to be the people he had called and delivered them to be.  They gave their hearts to idols.  They gave their hearts to kings.  They put their trust in horses and chariots.  They oppressed the widow and the orphan and took advantage of the poor and the stranger.  Their rabbis threw stones at lepers who dared get too close.  The nation had repeatedly known the Lord's discipline.  The faithful remnant amongst the people had cried out for centuries to the Lord for help and through the prophets he had promised that he would come, that he would deliver, that he would forgive, that he would put his own Spirit in the hearts of his people and turn them away from sin and self and fill them with love for him and for their neighbours. And now, here it is.  There's a reason we read this Gospel during this season in which we recall and celebrate Jesus' epiphany, his manifestation.  Jesus has just preached about the restoration of fallen Israel, the adulterous bride, to her Lord and the first person he meets as he heads down the mountain and into town is this poor man, cut off from his people, for all intents and purposes dead.  He has lost his covenant status.  He has lost his family—not just his biological family, but his covenant family.  He hasn't known the temple or the Passover for who knows how many years.  In the Lord's providence this man is symbolic of the whole nation of Israel.  Israel hadn't heard the Lord's voice or known his presence in the temple for almost six hundred years.  She was governed and oppressed by pagans.  But as he has humbled himself so far as to take on human flesh, to be born of a Jewish woman, to become one of his own rebellious people, to reach out to them, just so Jesus stretches out his hand across the distance between himself and this believing leper and makes him whole.  This lost son who was dead is alive again. And Jesus doesn't leave it at that.  He sends this man—in accordance with the law—to see the priest so that the priest can see that he has been healed and so that he can restore him to the covenant family.  There are other times in the Gospels that Jesus bypassed the temple and the priests to make a point, but early here in his ministry he instead sends this man to the priests.  It backs up the message he had just preached when he said that he had come not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them.  And, too, it sent a message to the priests of Israel.  Like I said, people didn't recover form leprosy.  If they got better and the diagnosis was lifted by a priest, it was probably because it wasn't leprosy in the first place.  I doubt this priest had ever seen a bona fide healing from leprosy.  They might talk about Naaman the Syrian, but no one had ever seen a healing like that for themselves.  And now this man shows up at the home of the local priest—maybe even the priest who had diagnosed him and declared him unclean—and he served as a message from Jesus: the kingdom is at hand.  Israel was about to be set to rights and restored.  And it was all centred in Jesus the Messiah.  The people—and their priests—had a choice before them: Repent and believe in Jesus or find yourself weeping and gnashing your teeth in the darkness when judgement comes—on the outside of the covenant family as this leper had been for so many years.  Repent and believe that in Jesus the Lord was finally here to visit his people, to answer their prayer, and these lost sons and daughters would be invited into their Father's great banquet.  Jesus had come to set Israel to rights. Many of the people in the crowd watched this with joy.  The Messiah really had come.  That great feast Israel had been waiting for was being prepared.  According to one Jewish tradition the main courses at that feast would be Behemoth, the great mythical land monster, and Leviathan, the great sea monster.  Some in the crowd, having heard Jesus preach and having seen the leper healed could already smell the great beasts roasting in the oven like Thanksgiving turkeys.  And then as they reach Capernaum a Roman centurion approaches Jesus.  If the Lord's great banquet was being prepared, this man certainly didn't belong there! Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army and a reminder to the Jews that they were a conquered people.  Matthew doesn't tell us if this centurion was a kind man or a cruel one or how he used his authority.  None of that really matters.  He could have been the kindest man in the world, but he was still a local representative of Rome and a gentile.  He didn't belong in that joyful messianic throng.  But down the main street of the town he came.  Look at Matthew 8:5-9. When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came up and pleaded with him, “Lord,” he said, “my son is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”  And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  But the centurion replied, “Lord, I don't deserve to have you come under my roof!  Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  I know what authority is all about, you know—I've got soldiers answering to me, and I can say to one of them, “Go!” and he goes, and to another “Come here!” and he comes, and I can say, “Do this,” to my slave, and he does it.”   The centurion appeals to Jesus.  Matthew's word choices stress the man's desperation.  He addresses Jesus as “Lord”.  He'd surely heard the talk about Jesus being the Jewish Messiah—the Lord—but being a Roman he probably didn't care about that.  He simply knew that Jesus could heal, that he could fix his desperate situation.  He'd heard the stories.  Maybe he'd even seen the leper, running into town to show himself to the priest.  Exactly who or what Jesus was, that wasn't really his concern.  He simply saw in Jesus a man with power and authority.  A man who could, as Tolkien once put it, make the sad things of this world come untrue, and such a man, Jewish or not, Messiah or not, was worthy of respect.  “Lord, my son is at home, paralysed, sick, and suffering.”  As Luke and John tell this story, the young boy was near death.  But if Jesus could heal others, he could heal this man's son. And Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”  At this point everyone—the Centurion, the Jewish crowd following Jesus, everyone—they stopped and gasped.  They shouldn't have, but I'm sure they did, because that would have been the natural response of anyone when an upright and godly Jew—a rabbi no less—went to the house of a gentile.  The Mishnah declared in no uncertain terms, “The dwelling places of gentiles are unclean,” and even though it came centuries later, we know the Jews of Jesus day thought no differently.  Gentiles were ritually unclean, but everyone present should have known that this wasn't a problem for Jesus.  Jesus touched the leper and instead of contracting his impurity, passed purity to the leper, restoring him to the community of the people of God.  Jesus could enter the home of a gentile and do the same thing. So the Centurion was shocked by Jesus' offer to come to his house.  He refuses with those words so often misused in celebrations of the Lord's Supper: “No.  Don't come to my house.  I'm not worthy that you should come under my roof.”  It's not that the Centurion thought he was personally unworthy, but that he knew the Jewish customs.  His job was to maintain order and the last thing he wanted was a ruckus resulting from a popular rabbi entering his house.  That would just stir up trouble and that was the last thing a Centurion wanted.  His job was to the keep the peace.  And so he says to Jesus, “You don't need to come to my house.  You and I are alike.  We both have authority.  I know how it works.  I have authority over the men in my command.  I send orders for this man to come and he comes.  I send orders for this man to go and he goes.  If you truly have the authority over sickness and demons that I think you have, then you can do the same.  If you order this disease to go, it will go.  If you order that demon to come, it will come.  Give the orders and my little boy will be healed.” Now it was Jesus' turn to be surprised.  Matthew says he marvelled.  He was amazed by what he'd just heard.  Look at verse 10: When Jesus heard this, he marvelled and said to the people who following him, “I'm telling you the truth.  I haven't found faith like this—not even in Israel!  Let me tell you this: lots of people will come from east and west and join the great feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  But the children of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness, where people will weep and gnash their teeth.”  Then to the Centurion he said, “Go home.  Let it be for you as you believed.”  And his son was healed at that very moment.   Notice how Jesus turns to the crowd, to his fellow Jews.  Here they are, following Jesus down the mountain, ready for him to lead them into the age to come when everything is set to rights, ready to sit in his presence at that great banquet and feast on behemoth and leviathan.  And the parade is stopped by this dog of a gentile who has no place in that feast.  When the day comes, they're thinking, the Lord will take care of men like him.  He may strut around Capernaum, in charge of the place today, but one day he would be out in the darkness, weeping and gnashing his teeth.  Some probably thought—maybe even expected—Jesus to give him a little foretaste of that right now.  But instead, Jesus turns and commends the man's faith to everyone.  (This is why people didn't like Jesus!)  He contrasts the faith of this gentile—a pagan they considered the enemy—Jesus uses it to expose the lack of faith he has seen in Israel.  And he quotes from the Old Testament.  Psalm 107:3 and Isaiah 43:5 (and Baruch 4:37) all speak of the Lord's promises to restore scattered Israel, bringing her lost sons and daughters from east and west.  But here Jesus puts a twist on those prophecies and promises.  “When Israel is restored,” he's saying, “When you sit at the Lord's great feast with your fathers, with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and feast on behemoth and leviathan and celebrate your restoration and the great faithfulness of the Lord, your brothers and sisters from east and west will be there, and this man represents them.  Yes, the Lord will bring Jews from east and west, but he will bring others and they, too, will have a share in the Lord's new covenant and in the age to come.  And many of those who think that by birth alone they have a right to be in that banquet…well…they will find themselves out in the dark, weeping and gnashing their teeth.” Jesus knew that it wasn't yet the time for gentiles to come flooding into the kingdom, taking hold of the robes of Jews, as Zechariah had prophesied, and saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”  But in this centurion he saw a foretaste of that day not so far off.  It was a promise most of his fellow Jews had forgotten—or deliberately ignored—in favour of the promises of the great banquet, the setting things to rights, the restoration of Israel.  But this was the reason for Israel's existence as a people, even if few remembered it.  Simeon was one of those who remembered and having met the infant Jesus at his presentation in the temple he sang those familiar words: Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou has prepared before the face of all people; to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.  (Luke 2:29-32) Jesus would be the glory of Israel in that he would fulfil their mission to be a light to the nations—bringing them to the God of Israel.  In that he would fulfil the law and the prophets and manifest the faithfulness of God.  Again that great theme of epiphany. Jesus commended the centurion's faith and sent him home to his healed little boy, the firstfruits—after a fashion at any rate—of the nations who would see the faithfulness of the God of Israel manifest in Jesus, come to him in faith to give him glory, and would themselves not only be healed and set to rights, but incorporated into this covenant family as sons and daughters of God, seated at the great banquet to feast on behemoth and leviathan. So, Brothers and Sisters, come to the Lord's Table this morning.  In the bread and wine we recall and participate in the great exodus that Jesus wrought at the cross, here we remember and are assured that we belong to him.  Here we take hold of his blood-stained robe and say, “Take us with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”  And here the veil is lifted on the age to come as Jesus gives us a foretaste of the great banquet that awaits us on the day when he will, finally and once and for all, set us and all of his creation to rights.  In the meantime, Friends, take the grace you have found at his Table out into the world and live it for all to see.  Take the good news of Jesus, crucified and risen, with you and proclaim it to all.  As sons and daughters of God, you are stewards of the gospel.  Let every day be Epiphany.  Make the Gospel, make the life of Jesus and the Spirit manifest in what you do and what you say so that the people around you will say, “Take us with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Let's pray: O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Our next guest on A2 THE SHOW is Noah Kennedy, a writer, researcher, and historical myth explorer. He challenges the narratives we often take for granted, from ancient biblical myths to modern geopolitical ideologies. In this episode, we uncover how ancient scriptures began as political tools, the influence of figures like David and Solomon in shaping Jerusalem, and the enduring impact of religious traditions on global conflicts. With a deep understanding of history's complexities, Noah reveals how myths shape political power—and why questioning these stories is more crucial than ever. Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion!

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 4 – Mystery Babylon"

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 3 – The Wars of Antichrist"

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 2 – Biblical Support"

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 1 – Intro and Early Church"

In his study of the Bible, including the Torah, Jonathan Bernis, a respected Messianic Rabbi found overwhelming evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really was the Jewish Messiah. With warmth and transparency, he will talk about discovering Jesus in history, and how it was that the Jewish Yeshua became the Gentile Jesus. By presenting historic evidence that Jesus is Messiah and refuting common Jewish objections, our guest gives Christians the knowledge and tools needed to share their Lord with their Jewish friends in a loving, effective way.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy Ferrier is Representative of the Midwest Messianic Center. Andy is burdened with reaching Jewish people with the good news that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Jewish Messiah. Andy served on the staff of a small Christian College in Israel while living and working on a kibbutz, an Israeli farm. He previously served 25 years with the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.As we read the narrative in Scripture regarding the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, we do so through our Western eyes without considering Jewish culture. Today our guest unfolds some of these matters to help us better understand the goings on at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ.

This sermon by Greg Boyd explores the Christmas story of the Magi's search for Jesus. Greg provides historical background that opens our eyes to seeing the surprising and radical nature of their journey to find the Jewish Messiah. In addition, it reveals implications about who God is and how he relates to us. 

This sermon by Greg Boyd explores the Christmas story of the Magi's search for Jesus. Greg provides historical background that opens our eyes to seeing the surprising and radical nature of their journey to find the Jewish Messiah. In addition, it reveals implications about who God is and how he relates to us.