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The Torah reading called "Pekudei" (for the "accounts" that summarized the making of the 'mishkan,' or Tabernacle in the Wilderness, from Exodus 38:10 through the end of the Book) is the final parsha the the opening saga of the Exodus. And while the story has only really begun at that point, it's an inspired summary of what mattered then, and still does: the phrase "as YHVH commanded Moshe [Moses]" is repeated eighteen times in this parsha alone, and the level of repeated detail on the work the 'mixed multitude' did together is, in large measure, also repeated, but with a change of tense: that which they were TOLD to do, they, and Moses, DID -- and, again, "as YHVH commanded Moshe." There is clearly a message there. While most of us who have attended the vast majority of 'denominational churches' have probably heard the term "Old" Testament, and even that "the Law" was somehow away with later, as if it no longer applies, and what matters instead is the 'spirit' that is in our hearts, Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa suggests we had better understand the MANY other admonitions in Scripture, including warnings from Shaul, or Paul, that have been twisted. He starts with a look at the First Letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and chapter 3. But it is undeniable, to those with "eyes to see," that the ReNewed Covenant, in places like Jeremiah 31:31 is not quite what most of us have been taught, either. As we see the battle lines being drawn in a world which has largely rejected the True Messiah in favor of "another jesus whom we have NOT preached," Mark suggests it has never been more important not only that we know WHICH Spirit is "holy" and how to know, but that we understand why what "Yahuah commanded Moshe" is still the Foundation -- just as Yahushua HaMashiach, the Messiah, said, and taught. He never changed so much as a "yod or tiddle." And He summarized it all simply, too: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Which? All of 'em. The ones He Wrote, and Taught, and has never changed. If we are now to be His "temple," and His Holy Spirit is to dwell within our hearts, we need to understand what that really means. The Erev Shabbat Reading of the entire portion: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SSM-3-28-25-Pekudei-teaching-podcast-x-1.mp3 Pekudei: As YHVH Commanded Moshe - so we still had better DO https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WT-CooH-3-29-25-Pekudei-As-YHVH-Commanded-Moshe-so-WE-had-better-DO-podcast-xxx-1.mp3 The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WT-CooH-3-29-25-Pekudei-As-YHVH-Commanded-Moshe-so-WE-had-better-DO-podcast-xxx-1.mp3
John 2:13-25,13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. The setting of a story is one of its most important parts. If you want to fully understand the significance of an action, then you need to know the when and where that the action takes place, and so that's where I want to direct our attention right away.The SettingJesus is in Jerusalem at the temple during Passover week (and this is a very different setting than that wedding at Cana we just saw last week). Jerusalem during Passover week was the busiest time of the year because worshipers from all over would have flooded the city to visit the temple and make sacrifices — and John tells us that Jesus is right in the middle of this. He's at the temple. Verse 14:“In the temple he [Jesus] found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.”Put your imaginations to work for a minute and try picture this:First of all, the temple was a massive building. It was a total of about 36 acres, which is like 27 football fields combined. And again because it was Passover, the normal population of Jerusalem would have swelled to be around 2.5 million people. So think: big number of people in one city and a lot of them are coming to this big building — that would have been the first thing you noticed if you were there — but then John tells us that Jesus found people at the temple who were selling stuff. There were some selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and there were others who set up basically first-century ATMs. This was a full-out marketplace set up at the temple, and for a decent reason.If all these worshipers had traveled to Jerusalem to sacrifice, they needed animals for that, and so these animal salesmen had set up shop in the area closest to where the buyers needed the animals. And because these buyers came from all over, the money-changers were there to make sure people had the right currency to buy the animals. What's happening here is pretty basic human reality: Events influence supply and demand, and that supply and demand shapes markets. We see this sort of thing all the time today. This is why parking prices downtown go up when the Wild play at home. We have all kinds of examples of this. There's nothing unusual about it, and nobody at the temple thought anything of it — but Jesus found the people who were doing this and he started making a whip of cords.I don't know the last time you made a whip, but this doesn't seem like the kind of thing you just do in a minute. Jesus has a plan here. Whatever is about to happen, this is a pre-meditated situation. Verse 15 tells us that, with this whip, Jesus drives out all these animal salesmen and their animals away from the temple. So whatever your imagination volume-level has been, crank it up!Try to picture this: Jesus is cracking a whip and oxen and sheep are running everywhere in a crowd of people. Then Jesus dumps out all the coins of these money-changers; he flips their tables, and he tells the pigeon people to get their birds outta here. This is absolute chaos. Honestly, it reminds me of one of those Allstate commercials (you know what I'm talking about?) I'm waiting for Jesus to say: “Get Allstate, and be protected from Mayhem like me.” Jesus is mayhem in this story! He's making a mess. And that's the setting here. We don't get to the meaning of this until verse 16, but already we can tell this is very different from that wedding we were at last week.Two Truths to SeeLast week, at that wedding, Jesus was the hero. This week Jesus is the headache.Last week Jesus provided the wine. This week Jesus cracks the whip. And here's the thing: we need all of it. All of Chapter 2 is meant to show us who Jesus is, and there are at least two things we learn about him in our passage today. And I want you to know that something here could be the most relevant truth about Jesus you've ever heard. I'm not kidding. Because these are not merely truths about who Jesus was, these are truths about who Jesus is … like right now. And when he confronts us, like he does here, it has an effect. And my prayer has been that you open your heart for Jesus to do what he wants. So let's pray that:Lord Jesus, as we study your ways this morning in the Gospel of John, we ask that you would have your way in our hearts and lives, in your name, amen. Here's the first truth we learn about Jesus:1. Jesus is the cleaner of what's his. Again we don't even start to get an idea of what's going on in this crazy scene until the end of verse 16. Everybody, if you can, find verse 16, and look at the end of the verse, the part in quote marks. Jesus says,“Do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” That's a big statement. Jesus is criticizing these animal salesmen and money-changers (and he criticizing everybody else who's okay with what they're doing) — but the problem is not so much their commerce, but it's where the commerce takes place. They were doing all this at the temple. This would have all been happening in the Court of the Gentiles, which was an area set aside for Gentile God-seekers — but instead of that area being open for prayer for all nations it was crowded with money-making. The house of God, the place set aside for the worship of God, had been made into a house of trade. Matthew, Mark, and Luke stress this point. The problem here is misuse, which reveals unfaithfulness, which requires judgment. That's real here. But at the same time, if we're tracking with the Gospel of John, the most important thing that Jesus says in verse 16 is not about the business deals going on, but it's that he calls the temple “my Father's house.” Don't let all the animals distract us from this!Focus on AuthorityThis is the first time in the Gospel of John where Jesus calls God his Father — we already know this about Jesus from Chapter 1 — Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father, and he has made the Father known — but this is the first time where Jesus himself says that. The temple, he says, is my Father's house. And that's why Jesus did what he did. The focus here, John wants us to know, is on the authority of Jesus.And we can tell that's the issue because that's exactly what the Jewish leaders targeted. Right away, after this scene, they wanted to know what grounds Jesus had for doing what he did. They don't argue with him about the “house of trade” comment. They say, basically: Who do you think you are?And it makes sense that they would think this way. We have to understand that these Jewish leaders considered themselves to be the authority of the temple. To them, they were the ones in charge of that place. So it would kind of be like if you got home this afternoon and you went into your house and you found a stranger in your kitchen rearranging what's in your cabinets. The first thing you're gonna say is not, “Why'd you put the coffee mugs there?” You're gonna wanna know Who are you? Who do you think you are?That's the conflict that's setting up the dialogue, but first, by the end of verse 16, as the readers of this story, we know more about what's going on here than the people in the story Jesus is talking to. That's often the case in the Gospel of John. John as the narrator helps us out along the way by telling us little things here and there to give us a fuller picture of what's going on. So as readers, we know the grounds Jesus has to do all this. We know what he means when he says the temple is my Father's house. More than authority, Jesus has ownership! The temple is his.And in simple terms: Jesus has the right to clean what's his. Until It's “My Stuff”And look: nobody would have a problem with any of this until Jesus claims to be in charge of something they thought they were in charge of.We're all fine with Jesus going and cleaning stuff up and rearranging dishes … until it's my stuff, my dishes. This is where we need to zoom out for just a minute and remember New Testament theology. The apostle Paul tells us that as Christians we ourselves become the temple of God because the Holy Spirit is in us. The dwelling place of God is in us by the Spirit! And the implications are clear. Paul says: “You are not your own” (1 Cor. 6:19). Not if you're a Christian. If you're a Christian it means Jesus is in charge. And sometimes that means he's gonna have to overturn a table. He might have to make a little bit of a mess. He's up to something good, but it might be uncomfortable.It might not make sense. It might be a little mayhem. But remember Jesus is the cleaner of what's his, and to be his is a good thing.We learn that right away.2. Jesus is the shame-bearer we need.In order for this to make sense we need to see how this passage is structured. Notice that verses 18–20 is the actual dialogue between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They ask him a question; he answers; they respond. It's straightforward. But then on both sides of this dialogue, in verse 17 and verses 21–22, John chimes in as the narrator to give us a fuller picture of what's going on. Because of the way the paragraphing is laid out in our English translations, it might look like verse 17 goes with verse 16, but it's better to understand verse 17 as setting up what comes after it. Verse 17 and verses 21–22 go together. They're both places where John is speaking.So the dialogue with Jesus is here (verses 19–20), but John introduces here (verse 17) and John concludes it here (verses 21–22).Verses 18–20We're gonna look at both parts. First, the dialogue with Jesus.In verse 18, the Jewish leaders demand an explanation for why Jesus did the whole thing with the whip and tables at “their temple.” They want to know, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?”They rightly interpreted Jesus's actions to be a claim of authority. They got that message. But now they want him to prove that authority. And Jesus says, All right.Verse 19: Jesus answered them,“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”Verse 20: The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” And the dialogue is over. That's it. It's a short exchange. What's really important here for John is that we understand this dialogue through a certain lens.Verses 21–22 and 17That's why John tells us right away in verse 21 that Jesus of course wasn't talking about destroying the physical temple, but he was talking about his own body. Jesus himself is the new temple. He is the dwelling place of God embodied as a man. And the proof that he has the authority to run the physical temple is that he's going to be destroyed (by the very people he's talking to) and he's going to rise from the dead. Whoever has authority over death is the one in charge.Now John admits that the disciples didn't understand all of this when Jesus said these words, but later on, after the resurrection, that's when everything clicked for them.Now why is it so important that John tell us this in verse 22? Why does John have to come in here in verse 21 and clarify that Jesus wasn't actually talking about the literal temple?Verses 21–22 all have to do with how John introduces this in verse 17.Everybody look at verse 17 for minute. It's a short verse, and I want you to see it.Verse 17:“His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.'”This is from Psalm 69, verse 9. Remembering that psalm is what makes sense of the dialogue in verses 18–20. When John says in verse 22 the disciples “believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken” he's talking about Psalm 69. They believed that Scripture and connected it to what Jesus was doing.So then what is Psalm 69 about?What Is Psalm 69?Let me go back and read more of Psalm 69. This is a psalm of David. Listen to this, Psalm 69, verse 7:7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,that dishonor has covered my face.8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,an alien to my mother's sons.9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,it became my reproach.11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,I became a byword to them.12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,and the drunkards make songs about me.Psalm 69 is a psalm of shame. David, the psalmist, is bearing shame and dishonor, and he's speaking as the Messiah. That's how the New Testament authors understood this psalm.A clear example is Psalm 69 verse 21, which says,“They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”Where else do we see that? All four Gospel writers tell us that Jesus, when he was on the cross, was offered sour wine. Psalm 69 is about the Messiah's shame. The Messiah had been speaking up for God's sake. He was zealous for God's house. But in his faithfulness to God, his own people turned on him. “His own people did not receive him” (John 1:11), but instead he became the lightning rod of their insults. The reproach and dishonor the people had directed at God was directed at him. That's what he means: “the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen on me.” God-haters became Messiah-haters. The Shamed MessiahThe Messiah was shamed. He was dishonored. That's the message of Psalm 69 and John wants us to keep that in mind because we see it start to happen in this dialogue. When Jesus says “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” we know what he's talking about — John makes sure we know — but the people Jesus is talking to don't know and they shut Jesus down here. When they reply “It took us 46 years to build this temple” that's a “gotcha” statement. It's a mic-drop. If you were there on the ground, seeing all this happen, you would have thought that Jesus just got roasted. They shame him.And see, John is trying to help us understand Hey, it's okay — a shamed Messiah is the true Messiah. Just in case we think this whole thing is going to be a party … all wedding feasts and high-fives … Jesus just kicking butt and taking names … taking charge … he's the new temple … he's come to show us God … he's manifesting his glory — this thing is going to be easy.No it's not. Not if you want the true Messiah. The true Messiah is a shame-bearer. People didn't hoist him up on their shoulders and trot him around in victory. They esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4). And that didn't just happen out of nowhere on the cross, but that was part of his entire ministry. And the Old Testament would tell us this is to be expected — the Messiah is a shame-bearer — but I want you to know that a Messiah who bears shame is the Messiah we need. How Does He Help Us?Shame is one of the most powerful forces in our world. Right next to death, it is every human's greatest fear. And when I'm talking about shame, to clarify, I'm not talking about a feeling. I don't mean shame as a subjective, personal sense, but I'm talking about shame as a social verdict. Shame is to be exposed as unworthy and rejected. Shame is when your worst nightmare for yourself, true or not, is put on display for everyone to see, and they see it and agree that you deserve rejection.That's what the old medieval village stocks were about. You know that wooden thing you put your head and arms through and people throw rotten tomatoes at you. The whole thing is about public humiliation. So was the dunce cap teachers put on kids 50 years ago. Today it happens all kinds of ways online. Public scorn. To be shamed. It's all downstream from crucifixion. That's what I'm talking about.So how does Jesus bearing shame help us?He shows us there is a reality more powerful than the shame we fear, and that reality is the verdict of God. The eyes of God are the only eyes that really matter — and Jesus knew that whether he was getting pats on the back at a wedding feast or insults in the aftermath of mayhem. Jesus was not defined by man's opinion — he knew what was in man (verse 25) — and he knew that what man would say about him will not be the same as what God says. There's a disconnect, and the same goes for us!“If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household?” (Matthew 10:24)Just like with Jesus, there is a disconnect between what the world says about us (and sometimes what we even say about ourselves) — there's a disconnect between that and what God says. So what does God say? What is God's verdict of us? To all who receive [Jesus], who believe in his name, Jesus gives them the right to become children of God (John 1:12). That's what God says. He calls you “my son” or “my daughter” and that's the reality that will overcome and outlast any shame.And that's what we remember at this Table. The TableAs Christians, we come to this Table each week to remember this ultimate reality of who we are. We remember what Jesus did for us to make us his own. Even if there's a little mayhem going on, we're his and he's good. And so Christian, son or daughter of God, you who trust in Jesus, come to this table, eat and drink, and let us give him thanks.
In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 2:13-25 in which Jesus cleanses his Father's house. In this story, we learn at least two truths about who Jesus is. Jesus is the cleaner of what's his and Jesus is the shame-bearer we need.
Read OnlineAnd their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. Matthew 9:30–31Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It's not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus' mission.Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.My true and saving Lord, I commit myself to You and pray that I will come to know and love You as You are. Give me the eyes I need to see You and the mind and heart I need to know and love You. Remove from me any false vision of Who You are and replace within me a true knowledge of You, my Lord. As I come to know You, I offer myself to You so that You may use me to proclaim Your greatness to all. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: Christ Healing the Blind Man, via flickr
Raised in an Orthodox Jewish home, Dr. Glaser became involved in a lifestyle of drug dealing until a life-threatening experience sparked his search for God and led him to discover the True Messiah. Now, he aims to equip you with resources to stand firm in your faith and be a light to the Jewish community.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
Raised in an Orthodox Jewish home, Dr. Glaser became involved in a lifestyle of drug dealing until a life-threatening experience sparked his search for God and led him to discover the True Messiah. Now, he aims to equip you with resources to stand firm in your faith and be a light to the Jewish community. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/885/29
Pastor Darren continues our sermon series, The Day of the Lord, out of 2nd Thessalonians and today he shows us the amazing contrast of the Anti-Christ and The True Messiah. Thank you for listening to our podcast! We hope you have been encouraged today.Check us out on social media, or to learn more, you can visit our website at www.freedomcanyon.com.
This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed movie Dune: Part Two. This film was released on March 1, 2024 in the United States by production company Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. No copyright is claimed for Dune: Part Two, and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright law. Liquid Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, specifically, a non-denominational Christian Church, and the purpose of using this media is non commercial in nature. The movie Dune: Part Two resonates deeply with audiences because it explores important themes like religion, power, and the use of violence by those in charge. It shows both the harshness and beauty of life, focusing on Paul Atreides, who is seen as a prophesied Messiah. This idea is similar to the Bible's story of a savior, with many Old Testament prophecies about a coming Messiah, which Christians believe were fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The film draws parallels between Paul's journey in Dune: Part Two and the life of Jesus. It contrasts Paul's eventual quest for power with Jesus' rejection of earthly authority and his ultimate sacrifice. Why is this important today? It highlights that while human leaders and false messiahs may let us down, Jesus, the true Messiah, fulfills all promises and offers real hope and healing. Take time to reflect on your beliefs about Jesus, exploring your faith and the nature of true salvation. Watch this message from Pastor Zach Taylor, and discover how God's power is made perfect in our weakness. #LiquidChurch #AtTheMovies #Messiah
Many today are still searching for the true Messiah predicted to come from earth's earliest age. Most people missed Him at His coming 2000 years ago. Who is this predicted One? How was He correctly identified 2 millennia ago and how can He be met today? Listen and learn! #messiah #truemessiah #theChrist #savior #history #biblestudy
Rabbi Daniel ZionOCTOBER 4, 2012 BY DR JACOB GARTENHAUSFrom Rabbis meet Jesus the Messiah – a collection of 24 biographies and testimonies of Rabbis encounters with Jesus the Messiah© Messianic Good News.Included by permission of IBJM from “A Former Chief Rabbi Finds Christ” by Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus.One of the most remarkable conversions recorded in Jewish history since the conversion of that zealous Pharisee, Rabbi Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road, is that of Rabbi Daniel Zion, the former Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria and later the Chief Rabbi of Jaffa, Israel.Perhaps no other conversion in modern times has rocked the Jewish world as has his. He has perhaps been the subject of more controversy in synagogues, temples and churches than any other personality. Scores of articles in both Jewish and Christian periodicals have been written about him. He has been cursed and blessed, denounced and praised. From as far as Australia, India and Africa have come inquiries concerning Rabbi Daniel Zion.When he first openly declared that he was saved, through putting his total faith and trust only in the blood atonement of the True and Living, Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and of the earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One and only True Messiah of Israel, he was immediately discharged from the responsibilities which he fulfilled, being the Chief Rabbi of Jaffa, Israel, and following this, came a siege of persecution.TESTIMONY ON ISRAEL RADIOGod opened the door through “Kol Yisrael,” the official radio broadcasting station of Israel, for Rabbi Daniel Zion to preach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One and only True Messiah of Israel, from the inspired, preserved, inerrant word of God. This was the first time that any person was given the privilege of preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, on “Kol Yisrael.”“More than twenty years ago, I had the first opportunity of reading the New Testament. It influenced me greatly. I began to speak about it in a small circle in Bulgaria. I always regretted that Jesus the Messiah has been estranged from the community of Israel. Jesus the Messiah did nothing but good for the Jewish people. He called them to repentance, proclaimed the Kingdom of God and Divine Love, a love towards all men, even one's enemies. To our great regret we have had to pay a heavy price for the sin of rejecting the true Messiah. But I must confess that my position as a Rabbi did not allow me at once to come out openly before the world in order to declare this truth, until God, in His great mercy, set me free from all fear. He brought me into this country of Israel, where at first I discharged my duties as a rabbi of Jaffa.”“After I gave up my position (as Chief Rabbi of Jaffa, Israel,) I went to Jerusalem, where for a whole month I engaged in fasting, prayer and supplication. It was then that I asked God to show me the right way, and the eternal God heard my prayer. On the first of Shevat, 5710 (January / February, 1950), the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Jesus is indeed the true Messiah, who suffered for us and sacrificed Himself for our sin. A burning fire in my heart gave me no rest until I had publicly confessed my faith in the blood atonement of the True and living God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only Messiah of Israel.”“In spite of all the difficulties, suffering and persecutions, which I have endured incessantly, nothing could dissuade me from my faith. On the contrary, God to whom I had given my heart and to whom I turn in all my needs, has given me the strength and power to continue my witness. He spoke to me through a verse in (the word of God), Isaiah 41:10 – ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, yea, I will keep thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.' By this I understood that a great and important task has been given to me by the Eternal God, which I must accomplish at all costs. Do not think that I have left Judaism. On the contrary, I have remained Jewish, and have become more Jewish because Jesus Himself remained Jewish.”MESSAGE TO JEWISH RABBISThe following is taken from a Gospel message preached by Rabbi Daniel Zion. This message, declaring the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only true Messiah of Israel, from the inspired, inerrant, preserved word of God, was preached by Rabbi Daniel Zion to his colleagues, the rabbis of Israel, before whom he was tried:“I know that according to your knowledge and ideas I go a wrong way, when I accept Jesus as the Messiah and Redeemer. Before the witness stand of Heaven I told you that I prayed to the Lord with tears and fasting for many years that He should lead me in the path of righteousness, that I should do His will only, not my own. I spoke to you about the wonderful way in which He revealed Himself to me, not once only, but many times. You replied that all this was imagination and illusion. Forgive me, please, when I say that the imagination is with you, gentlemen, and the true and real things appear as illusion to you.”“I know that the narrow minded education and the high offices of the Rabbis are a veil, hiding the truth from them. You can no longer judge objectively. I, too suffered from it, but God in His grace has shown me, by the Holy Spirit, the straight path, in spite of my sins. By Him I have been guided for years and He leads me on the path of righteousness. Therefore, I tell you, even if I were the only one to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, I would not consider that to be an imagination; but now I see that millions of men acknowledge Him, among them thousands of highly educated Jews. Some Rabbis too, believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Have they fallen a prey to imagination and deception?”“If you Rabbis would pray to God with your whole heart and read the New Testament thoughtfully, approaching this book and the Messiah Jesus with reverence, I am convinced that God would open your eyes.”“Jesus did nothing but good, He called Israel to repentance and to the Kingdom of God. He did many signs and wonders, as no prophet before Him. He wished to unite people; that they should love each other and also their enemies. Thus He wished to build a bridge between Israel and the nations; there should be peace between them and the prophecies of Isaiah and all the prophets be fulfilled, that the Lord would be King over all the earth.”“The truth must be spoken. Our fathers committed a grave sin, when they condemned to death Him who was without sin. Our fathers sinned and perished. We suffered for their crime. Do we wish to continue to suffer?”“We must bring restitution for the wrong. We must receive Jesus as Jew and Messiah of God. He lived among the Jews and sacrificed Himself for the Jews, to make atonement for their sins with His blood. He is risen and will come again to redeem us with a perfect redemption.”“As a messenger of God, I was to give warning. First, there is the warning, and then the chastisement follows. By this will you know that the Lord has sent me; and that the words I speak are not my own. The days of visitation have come, the days of retribution! If you receive Jesus as the true Messiah, He will redeem us a second time with perfect redemption. If not, much suffering will come upon the people of Israel.”“And to you, Rabbis, be it said: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin!'” (Daniel 5:25) (Weighed in the balances and found wanting.)“….when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13“For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through Him….And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Romans 5:9;11 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com
Have you ever questioned the depth of your faith? Join me as we navigate the profound essence of our beliefs in the Messiah, inspired by Bishop Jacques Bossuet's meditations published by Sophia Institute Press. In a period where reflection is essential, we dissect the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, the revolutionary teachings of Jesus, and the miracles that affirm His purpose. Together, we endeavor not only to recognize but also to embody the teachings of Christ. This episode is a call to action for introspection—to measure our lives against the exemplary model of Jesus—and to discover the serene harmony that emerges from the sacrament of confession and trust in His sacrifice.Support the show********************************************************https://www.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonOdysee: https://odysee.com/@AvoidingBabylon
Dr. Owen Strachan and Joel Berry of The Babylon Bee, discuss the movie Dune Part II and the broader topic of movies and storytelling. They explore the power of movies to communicate truth and provide glimpses of the transcendent. Joel shares his approach of watching movies before reading the books they are based on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This video discusses the topic of the Antichrist in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.It is part of a series of three episodes, each focusing on a different religion's perspective on the Antichrist.This first episode explores the character of the Antichrist in Judaism.
Baptist Church Kempton Park (South Africa) / Baptistekerk Kemptonpark
Ivor Jefferies
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Why didn't the Jewish leadership accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah when He came the first time? Gary explains that the answer, in part, is found in ancient rabbinic teachings and the messianic expectations of the first-century Sanhedrin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
Exactly five days before He would die on the cross, and one week from His resurrection, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt. The crowd’s reaction and declarations are striking, as they lay palm branches on the road in front of Jesus and declare, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” In this moment the Jewish crowd is recognizing an amazing truth. For centuries they had been waiting on the one person who was the fulfillment of all the prophecies, pictures, and promises of God. But now He is here, in their midst, and they are declaring that Jesus truly is the Messiah for whom they had been waiting. From the beginning of the Old Testament, the hope for redemption was to be found in a single person who would come in history. There are hundreds of texts pointing to this truth. These Scriptures are in place to point us to our incredible need for a Messiah and to Jesus as the anointed one of God who fulfills all of Scripture. This sermon will take a journey through some of the prophetic texts and show us Jesus as the True Messiah.
God promised that “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26), yet after 2,000 years of intense opposition to the Gospel, it was difficult to see how this would really happen. TreeofLifeIsrael.orgGod is opening up the eyes of His people Israel more than any time in the last 2,000 years. Find out more about our online and street evangelism and our pro-life work in Israel here!Support the show
And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. Matthew 9:30–31Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It's not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus' mission.Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.My true and saving Lord, I commit myself to You and pray that I will come to know and love You as You are. Give me the eyes I need to see You and the mind and heart I need to know and love You. Remove from me any false vision of Who You are and replace within me a true knowledge of You, my Lord. As I come to know You, I offer myself to You so that You may use me to proclaim Your greatness to all. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2022 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
In this week's study, I continue in Chapter 9 finishing up the 5th trumpet.Last week we read about the sounding of the 5th Trumpet, in which that star was falling from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit which unlocked the door to the demons of hell, being unleashed against those that hate Yahweh's Anointed Elect, deny the True Messiah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!!In our last study in Chapter 9, we were unraveling verse 7, where the description is given on these locust army. What we have concluded is the fact:Their faces look like the faces of men. And this also suggests that these super human evil creatures are intelligent beings capable of facial expression which only adds to the menacing horror of that look that they have.And These are not ordinary locust (Rev 9:7-9). There is an Arabic proverb that says that a locust has the head of a horse, the chest of a lion, the feet of a camel, the body of a serpent, and antennae like the hair of a woman. Each of the items in the description is grounded in the Old Testament and the literature of Second Temple Judaism.Testament of Solomon 13.1 Then I ordered another demon to appear before me. There came before me one who had the shape of a woman but she possessed as one of her traits the form of one with disheveled hair.Apoc. Zeph. 4.1-4 Then I walked with the angel of the Lord. I looked before me and I saw a place there. 2 [Thousands] of thousands and myriads of myriads of an[gels] entered through [it]. 3 Their faces were like a leopar[d], their tusks being outside their mouth [like] the wild boars. 4 Their eyes were mixed with blood. Their hair was loose like the hair of women, and fiery scourges were in their hands.Apoc. Zeph. 6:8 That same instant I stood up, and I saw a great angel before me. His hair was spread out like the lionesses'. His teeth were outside his mouth like a bear. His hair was spread out like women's. His body was like the serpent's when he wished to swallow me.These demonic locust-scorpions are given the power to torment people for five months. Although their sting is painful, the stings of a scorpion in Judea are not usually fatal to humans. These locusts with scorpion tails are only allowed to torment people for five months, but not to kill them.Apoc. Elijah 9.1-7 They will desire death but death will flee from them. They will climb onto rocks and jump down on them, and say, “Fall on us!” And they will not die but death runs away from them.The people tormented by these demonic beings want to die in order to escape the plague but all that awaits them is the lake of fire. Abaddon = The name Abaddon means literally “destruction,” and is the same as Apollyon. Apollyon = From “ἀπόλλυμι” “apollumi” - “to destroy.”1QHa Col. xi:19-20 I thank you, Lord, because you saved my life from the pit, and from the Sheol of Abaddon 20 have lifted me up to an everlasting height, so that I can walk on a boundless plain.1QHa Col. xi:32 The torrents of Belial break into Abaddon. The schemers of the deep howl at the din of those extracting mud.4Q432 Frag. 4 i:4 [And when they rush forth, Sheo]l [and Abaddon open; all the arrows of] 5 [the p]it [make their voice heard] while going down [to the abyss; and the gates of Sheol] «open» 6 [for al]l […] the deed[s of the serpent.In Revelation 9:11Abaddon is not a location but rather the “king of the locust.” In Greek, the name of the king is Apollyon, the destroyer. The Greek is related to the word ἀπολλύναι, “to destroy” but also to the name ApolloJoin me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me at keitner@netzero.net
In this week's study, I continue in Chapter 9, discussing the Locust Army.In our last study we read about the sounding of the 5th Trumpet, in which that star was falling from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit which unlocked the door to the demons of hell, being unleashed against those that hate Yahweh's Anointed Elect, deny the True Messiah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!!The word abyss (ἄβυσσος) refers to an “immensely deep space” (BDAG) and sometimes refers to the place of the dead in the Old Testament and other Second Temple Jewish literature. But this “bottomless pit” is more often associated with fallen angels and demonic forces.5. First them = that locust armySecond them = those which have not the seal of Yahweh in their foreheads, their brain. Otherwords, the Word of Yahshua Messiah, that's to say the True Gospel. That they should = very important note here, make sure you follow the subject matter, the subject changes: the first “they” is the locusts; the second is the unsealed. We are not talking about Yahweh anointed ones but the unsealed. Remembeber what we just read in John 3:3, “he that hath received His testimony hath set to seal that Elohim is true.”5 months = In the Book of Numbers 9:10-11, we read of a second Passover. This Passover was for those that may have been unclean and could not keep the first Passover. Or maye they were on a far journey. The bottom line is Yahweh allowed them a second opportunity. This second Passover was on the 14th day of the Month of “Zif”. Guess what? If you were to count 150 days “5 months” from here, do you have any idea where you would stop at? On the 15th day of Tisri, The Feast of Tabernacles. Do you know what happened on this day? Our Tabernacle was born, the Lord Yahshua Messiah. I personnaly believe that He could return during the Feast of Tabernacles. We read in Zech. 14, that the first feast that they keep is the Feast of Tabernacles.Locust Army = However, on another level, the Locust Army exists even today. We can see this in our world as the mainstream pushes forward an anti-Yahweh agenda.What exactly is eaten by the Locust Army? Deuteronomy 28:38 explains, Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.Read Matthew 13 the Parable of the Tares.Here is the order of rank for the Locust Army.Lieutenant – Media, Corporations, etc.Captain – Governments.Major – Satan's angels (when Revelation 12:7-9 is a reality).Colonel – Satan himself (when Revelation 12:7-9 is a reality).General – Yahweh Himself.Remember, this is Yahweh's Army. Yahweh will place His Will into the heart of Satan's angels (Major's, part iron) so they must fulfill Yahweh's Will, (Revelation 17:17).My intention is to take this study to a deep level. Deeper than most of you are used to! I am asking no one to agree with me; however I do ask that you check every detail that I present out for yourself. Don't end up like those in Hosea 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God (Elohim), I will also forget thy children.'But, be like those in 2Timothy 2:15 ‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God (Yahweh), a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.'Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me at keitner@netzero.net
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Mark 8:27-38 (1) Jesus, our personal Messiah (2) Jesus, our uncompromising Messiah (3) Jesus, our worthy Messiah
Peter had proclaimed Jesus as Lord, but it seems He still didn't fully understand. Today, let's travel up to the mountaintop with Jesus and see His glory is revealed, discovering what God wants us to learn as we study from Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, and Luke 9:28-36. ****** On this, our Wednesday edition of the Women World Leaders' podcast, we are currently walking through the Gospels, studying the life of Jesus' systematically and chronologically, combining the teachings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Recently, we've seen the religious authorities come against Jesus even as crowds' gathered from all around to hear Him teach and to receive His miraculous healings. Then the eyes of the disciples were slowly opened as they began to realize that their Rabbi was more than they even imagined, until Peter recognized and voiced that Jesus is the Messiah that the Jewish people had been waiting for. And then, as we studied last week, Jesus shared that His destiny was death on a cross, but that it would be followed up by His own resurrection. The disciples have now had a week to contemplate this – to let it sink in. But little did Peter, John and James know that they were about see something that would completely blow their minds – something they would contemplate for the rest of their lives. Something we still contemplate today. Today's teaching comes from Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, and Luke 9:28-36 Let's begin with Matthew 17:1 from the New Living Translation… Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. This had the foreshadowing of being a special time. Jesus, alone with His inner circle of disciples, went up a mountain to pray. We read often about Jesus heading off alone to pray, but this time, He clearly wanted Peter, James and John with Him. Hindsight is always 20/20 though, because Luke tells us that when they got to the top of the mountain, the three disciples fell asleep. And they woke up to a glorious sight! Matthew 17:2 continues… As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Mark expands on this, saying that Jesus' clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Put yourself in the disciples' place for a moment. It's nearly impossible to imagine the scene, isn't it? They woke up, and Jesus was glowing. He was as bright as the sun – I'm guessing it was hard to look at him with their sleepy eyes. Maybe they thought they were dreaming. But what they were seeing was the glory of God Himself. They disciples had gotten used to see Jesus as a man – but now His physical being was unveiled before their eyes as they saw Jesus as God. The word used here is often translated as transfiguration. It is the same description used in Revelation 1 that tells of Jesus in all His glory, standing triumphant in the end days. And, it is the same word used in Romans 12:2, that describes how WE are transformed when we offer ourselves to God. Using the description of light for God is nothing new – we contrast the light and the darkness, we know that God met Moses in a burning bush and that a pillar of light led the Israelites out of Egypt. But I don't think we can fully comprehend this scene. And I don't think the disciples could either. Verse 3 continues… Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. Luke adds… They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about Jesus' exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem. Moses and Elijah. First, I want to know HOW the disciples knew that this was Moses and Elijah! Oh my goodness, this event is so far out of my realm of understanding – I feel almost silly doing a “teaching” on it! I highly doubt that Moses and Elijah introduced themselves to Jesus! So…maybe the disciples pulled out their smartphones and asked google to pull up a picture of Moses. That's what I would do! I jest, but the reasonable Christian in me says that when God wants us to know something, He gives us wisdom via the Holy Spirit. We only need to listen to that still small voice that speaks inside us! And what's more, we can request wisdom and information FROM the Holy Spirit whenever we want! We don't need google! So why were Moses and Elijah there? Talking to Jesus? Here's my own take – Jesus was entering into a rough patch of His journey, and He knew it. And Jesus as man needed a community to psych Him up. Jesus had revealed His destiny to His disciples, given them a week to contemplate this, and then He took them up a mountain to pray with Him. And they fell asleep. And God loved Jesus SO MUCH that He sent Moses and Elijah to be with Him. To discuss what was coming and give Jesus, the man, a pep talk. And as they spoke together, Jesus as God was revealed and unleashed on that mountaintop. Theologians have much to say about why Moses and Elijah were there, including that Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the prophets. Additionally, both had suffered because of their obedience to God, were rejected by many but given honor by God, and experienced unorthodox endings to their lives on earth. All that is certainly true and worthy of further study – but I personally believe that God knew that Jesus needed community at that moment, and God always provides what we need. One thing is certain, the disciples didn't know what to think. Luke tells us… Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it's wonderful for us to be here! Let's make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Original translations state Peter's exclamation stating that it is wonderful to be here more as a question asking, Jesus – should we be here? This was indeed a holy moment, and they weren't sure they were qualified to witness it. But Peter offers to make shelters for each, putting Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on equal footing. Which seems odd to us today, but remember, Moses and Elijah were HIGHLY revered and looked up to. Jesus was, seemingly to many, a mere Rabbi. But Peter should have known better. And instead of being reprimanded by Jesus, Peter is reprimanded by God Himself. Matthew 17, verse 5… 5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. God is serious! God sent His SON to earth to DIE a painful death for our sins. Jesus is our Lord and Savior. There is NO ONE above Him. God implores Peter, and He implores us to LISTEN TO JESUS! This is like a father coming behind a mom who is reprimanding their children – saying, Listen to your Mother! Every child knows they better abide by THAT voice! Do we fully realize that GOD commands us to listen to Jesus? Verse 7… 7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don't be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. The moment was over – but it certainly wasn't one the disciples would ever forget. The glory of God shining through Jesus. The appearance of Moses and Elijah as confirmed to them via the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. The voice of God proclaiming Jesus' true identity as God's dearly loved son, and commanding them to listen to Him. And Jesus' gentle touch – bidding them to get up and not be afraid. Verse 9… 9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them “Don't tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man[b] has been raised from the dead.” The world was not yet ready to know. Heck, the disciples weren't yet ready to know, as proven by their next question… “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]” 11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist. We see in this passage that the disciples still had a long way to go in their understanding of what was happening. Jesus took them to the mountain, and they fell asleep. When they woke up, they tried to put Jesus on an even playing field with Moses and Elijah. And then they showed that they didn't understand that John the Baptist HAD come to prepare the way for GOD, JESUS, the TRUE MESSIAH. We can sit in judgement, but the truth is, we have a long way to go to understand what is happening in our world and in the heavenlies, too. Instead, let's take away from this passage what God wanted the disciples to know – because I believe it is what He wants us to know today: Jesus IS God, and we are called to listen to Him. The Holy Spirit is always there to teach and guide us. No matter how much we think we know, God will always amaze and astound us. And despite how much we misunderstand and blurt out the wrong thing, Jesus' gentle hand will always be there to guide and instruct us, and His steady voice will always remind us to not be afraid. God's got this. Let's pray… Oh most amazing God! We can't even begin to imagine the sight that day. We can't even begin to imagine the wonder of you, that we as your children will one day witness with our very eyes. Thank you for always counting us as your inner circle, for never shying away from commanding us and reprimanding us, and for always being there with your gentle touch – pulling us closer to you. God we give you this day, and ask you to use us as you will. For your glory alone. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
The evil and lie-filled writings of the Talmud and the Zohar are the foundation of modern Judaism, not the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. Found in these books which Rabbi's teach from, is the Satanic doctrine that the Messiah they await is a "Holy Serpent" who will come up from the pit and bring illumination so that Jews can rule the world in the future. This is a warning for Christians, and anyone who is decieved by this cult. This episode is merely scratching the surface, but it is a starting point on the topic. Learn about the TRUE MESSIAH here: https://www.turnfromyouridols.com/SALVATION.html
Sailor Noob is the podcast where a Sailor Moon superfan and a total noob go episode by episode through the original Sailor Moon series!A new era begins this week as Mimete inaugurates her reign of terror! The Death Busters have found a new way of stealing pure hearts and it's up to Super Sailor Moon and the Senshi to call "cut" on their production!In this episode, we discuss gun laws in Japan, the Katanagari or "sword hunt", jittes, taiho-jutsu or "arresting art", Mont Blanc cake, Ukai or "cormorant fishing", and Ama divers. Ama divers. We also talk a tale of two Messiahs, a reverse Narnia, philosophies of time travel, shrug sounds, the theory of T2ivity, diner ghosts, a first Peter Parker moment, ee cummings, lip melee, Robert Frost: X-Man, shogun control, drunk burritos, irritated clams, Coco Chanel barfing, squishy tempura, and guns guns guns!This is how you don't get ants!EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode was recorded during an epic thunderstorm so there are sounds of thunder and a bit of occasional electric buzz.We're on iTunes and your listening platform of choice! Please subscribe and give us a rating and a review! Arigato gozaimasu!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sailor-noob/id1486204787Become a patron of the show and get access to our Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon live-action show and our Animedification podcast!http://www.patreon.com/sailornoobSailor Noob is a part of the Just Enough Trope podcast network. Check out our other shows about your favorite pop culture topics and join our Discord!http://www.twitter.com/noob_sailorhttp://www.justenoughtrope.comhttp://www.instagram.com/noob_sailorhttps://discord.gg/49bzqdpBpxBuy us a Kōhī on Ko-Fi!https://ko-fi.com/E1E01M2UA
Miracles happen every day in our world, just as they did in the Bible. But even as we recognize the miracles in our lives, God wants us to look for the blessing beyond! Join Julie Jenkins as she teaches from Matthew 14:34-36, Mark 6:53-56, and John 6:21-40. ******* Welcome to Walking in the Word – the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins, and I am so pleased that you have joined us. As I record this, it is April of 2022 – we just celebrated Easter – as my daughter likes to call it, the Christian's Super Bowl, and we are marching quickly toward May. For us at Women World Leaders, that means a few things. First, the May edition of Voice of Truth magazine will soon be printed! So remember to go to our website – womenworldleaders.com – to register for your free printed version if you live in the United States, and for your free digital version if you live outside of the United States or you'd prefer to read the magazine on your digital device! Second, our 2022 books are coming to life! We have teams of coaches and editors who are guiding both new and seasoned writers who are courageously stepping forward to share their God-story with the world. If God is calling you to share your story, please contact us at info@womenworldleaders.com, we'd love for you to join us. And third – our next live event is just around the corner! Our team is planning an amazing gathering called Renew, that will springboard us into our post-pandemic world! If you are or plan to be in South Florida, be sure to register to join us in person on June 4th, OR you can join us virtually. All information can be found on our website: womenworldleaders.com But now…we want to quiet our minds for the next few minutes as we focus on the Word of God. Each Wednesday, we intentionally take time to study the Bible together, asking God what He wants us to learn today. We are currently walking chronologically through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Today, our teaching comes from Matthew 14:34-36, Mark 6:53-56, and John 6:21-40. Before we begin, will you pray with me? Dear Most Holy God! We are honored to come to you today as we open your Holy Scripture together. Thank you for meeting with us and for guiding us into your truth. We ask you to speak clearly to us and give us a deeper understanding of who you are and who you are calling us to be. God, thank you for knowing and supplying what we each need today. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. As we study the Bible, it is so important to understand the context of the scripture we are reading. That means, in part, seeking to understand the full story – asking, what led us to where we are? So let's quickly look back at where we have come from. Jesus had been teaching the disciples when a crowd of over 5000 gathered. As evening drew near, not wanting to send the people away hungry, Jesus performed a miracle by multiplying the food that was available – 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish – into more than enough food to feed the hungry crowd. The people were grateful and, in response, wanted to make Jesus their earthly king. Jesus reacted to this temptation by first, removing the disciples from the situation by sending them, by boat, to cross the Sea of Galilee; next, by sending the crowds away; and finally, retreating by Himself to pray. As Jesus prayed, a storm formed over the water, threatening the lives of the disciples. Jesus lovingly took a stroll across the water to remind the disciples of His presence. John 6:21 from the New Living Translation reports, that the disciples were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination! I always feel like I kind of missed something when I read that verse. It seems that one minute they were in a storm, and the next, they were at their destination. Fearing that I misinterpreted this, I looked up the word ‘immediately,' wondering if this was like a magician's act. Did Jesus suddenly transport them from one location to another? Well…what I found was that the word translated as ‘immediately,' means immediately, directly, at once, or soon. That being said, if you compare the 80 times it is used in the Bible, it almost always seems to mean ‘instantaneously.' That's crazy to imagine, right? There are a lot of questions I'm going to ask God when I get to heaven, and that is going to be one! But regardless of the timing of the trip…the boat lands exactly WHERE it is supposed to. It is interesting, however, that it doesn't land where the disciples THOUGHT they were going! They were trying to get to Capernaum, but they ended up at Gennesaret. (geh-NEH-sir-eht) I think that most of us can attest to the fact that sometimes things don't look exactly like we think they should when we come out of a storm. We probably have all, at one time or another, ended up in a different place than we were expecting. But when we invite Jesus into the boat with us, we can always trust that we will end up exactly where we are supposed to be! As we read on, we see clearly that Jesus WAS where He was supposed to be. He had work to do. Matthew 14:35 states…. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. And Mark 6:55-56 records that the people 55 ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard (Jesus) was. 56 Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed Wherever He went, Jesus continued to showcase His glory and His dominion over sickness, disease, and physical needs. Today, Jesus no longer walks around the earth in bodily form…if He did, can you just imagine the crowds that would flock to Him? Instead, we are blessed to live in a time when God is everywhere via the Holy Spirit, who knows no physical or spatial barriers. And we can be assured that just as Jesus touched people everywhere He went, God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, continues doing miraculous works via the Holy Spirit… only now those miracles happen everywhere, every single day! And if God is working everywhere, every day, you can be assured that He is constantly working in YOUR life. Sometimes we have to open our eyes and ask God to show us His work to recognize those miracles. But God's miracles are not the endgame…they always have a purpose beyond the obvious. When God works in our lives, He wants us to look BEYOND the miraculous circumstance, because He has something greater to show or teach us…and if we spend time with Him and ask Him what He wants us to know or learn, He WILL tell us! John 6:22-25 reintroduces us to the crowd who saw Jesus' glory the day before – remember the crowd of over 5000 from the other side of the lake who got the free meal. They were back, and Jesus had something for them to learn! The night had passed, and, having traveled across the lake in search of Jesus, the people were hungry… again. It was time for breakfast, and they wanted Jesus to provide another meal for them! But Jesus had something far more valuable for them than breakfast. He offered them the lesson beyond the miracle. John 6:26… 26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[a] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” They were in danger of seeing Jesus as a vending machine. Put a quarter in and hit the right button, receive healing. Put another quarter in and hit the other button, receive food. And although Jesus CAN supply our every need, the glory of Jesus is who He is, not what He can do. Jesus is the King of kings, the Lord of lords. He is the beginning and the end, the Almighty. He is LOVE, JOY, and PEACE. Jesus is more than we can ask or imagine. Simply being in His presence is life-changing and life-fulfilling. And when we look beyond the miracle, we will get a glimpse of His glory. The people loved God and appreciated His goodness. But instead of recognizing the blessing of Jesus Himself, they decided that they wanted to be able to do what Jesus did. The people said… “We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?” To which Jesus replied with a verse all should commit to memory…John 6:29… 29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” Did you catch that? All God wants from us is for us to believe in Jesus! One of the devil's greatest tricks is to instill pride in our spirits. We may start out in humble service TO Jesus, but when it goes well, and WE get the kudos, the devil tries to tempt us into believing that OUR WORKS make us worthy of being God's children. We are just a few days past Easter, as I record this. My kids are 22, 20, and 16. So, we are far removed from Easter egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. With one daughter away at school and the other working for a church, waking up on Easter morning is not what it used to be in our house. But taking my eyes off those “things” that a mom must “do” to celebrate a holiday, allowed me to simply rest in our risen Savior's presence. And it was glorious! Doing what we are called to do for God's glory – mom duties, work duties, or even ministry duties – are not wrong. They are worthy. But we must always remember that we can never replace the glory of being with Jesus with anything we do for Jesus – no matter how worthy the calling. John 6:29 – The only work God wants from you is to believe in the one he has sent. The people still weren't quite getting it…verse 30… 30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'[b]” 32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The people were still thinking of their bread from the day before. In their minds, THAT was miraculous! And Jewish teaching had instilled in them that the TRUE Messiah would offer them bread every day, just as the Israelites had received manna every day. It was a new day…and they were hungry. So they asked again for the miracle, instead of looking beyond the miracle and recognizing that Jesus Himself embodied something even greater than the miracle…Verse 34… 34 “Sir…give us that bread every day.” And being as clear as human language would allow, Jesus replied… “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. And even though the people had not fully turned their hearts to Jesus, and they still couldn't quite understand what He was saying, Jesus then gave some of His most encouraging teaching ever. Continuing on in verse 37… 37 However, those the Father has given me WILL come to me, and I will NEVER reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” Every miracle of Jesus points to the glory of God Himself. And in His glory, we are promised that when we submit to Him, He will never leave us nor forsake us. THAT is what Jesus wants us to see. Jesus offers us Himself. Not only did He give His life on a cross to overcome death for each of us so that we would not die, but He offers us Himself every single day that we may live exceedingly and abundantly beyond our very imaginations. So look for the miracles of Jesus…they are all around you! Expect the unexpected. Rejoice in the impossible. But always remember to look beyond the miracle to the true teaching. The Creator is greater than the created, the Giver is greater than the gift, the Miracle Worker is greater than the miracle…and He has chosen YOU to spend eternity with Him. Dear Most Holy and Righteous God! Thank you for the miracles that you surround us with every day: for allowing us to land exactly where we are supposed to be after the storm, healing us, feeding us, and supplying our every need. But most importantly, thank you for being you and for choosing us. Jesus, you never give up on us and you never leave us. We do give you all the praise and glory as we seek YOU…the blessing beyond the miracle. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
What motivates you? Is it the admiration of people, family, or friends? In this chapter we will see what motivates Jesus as True Messiah. Email: rootedtogetherpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: Rooted Together Podcast Website: podpage.com/rooted-together/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/charles-hegwood/message