Podcasts about Unleavened bread

Message for 11/17/2024 "Jesus Starts a New Tradition" by Madison Tompkins. *All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted* What is your favorite holiday tradition? What is your favorite holiday tradition? Matthew 26:17-29 (ESV) Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” Luke 22:19 (ESV) And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1 John 1:7 (ESV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. Exodus 2:23-25 (ESV) During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Exodus 11:1-6 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. 4 So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. Exodus 12:1-13 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. John 6:48-51 (ESV) I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Colossians 1:19-22 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, John 6:52-60 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

This sermon was preached by Justin Rogers on October 21, 2024 and is the first sermon in the series Feasts and Festivals. 

We invite you this week to come to the table and deepen your experience of the feasts that Jesus celebrated, by exploring together the timeless significance of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the heart of the Christian and Jewish traditions lie two sacred week-long holy feasts: Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As Scripture and tradition invite us into the intricacies of these feasts, we invite you to connect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to the rich tapestry of Jewish Torah and tradition. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread stand as inseparable pillars within Jewish celebrations. Passover, the most important Jewish feast, serves as precursor to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For Christians, the former marks the sacred observance of the Lord's Supper as the Lamb of God, while the latter points to Jesus' sinlessness.  The perfect alignment of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2025, an unusual thing, offers interesting connections we invite you to explore. For example, the Jewish tradition of inspecting and setting aside the unblemished lamb for sacrifice intertwines with the events of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The parallel between the Passover lamb and Jesus, the sinless lamb of God unfolds, as Holy Week draws us into the divine plan of salvation.  We also explore how Jesus' cleansing of the temple showcases his authority to safeguard the spiritual dwelling places of believers. Jesus' encounters with religious leaders during Holy Week also reflect his absolute integrity and absence of blemish, mirroring the unblemished Passover lamb. He is proving the true Lamb of God indeed! The interweaving of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is an original way, in 2025, to highlight God's eternal redemptive plan.  Jesus is indeed the sinless lamb who fulfills the ancient prophecies, opening for us the path of salvation. We invite you to join us as we find ourselves steeped in the timeless tapestry of God's divine love, giving glory to Jesus, our only source of salvation. Our hope and prayer is that, through the original connection in 2025 between Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we will together experience the divine truth of Scripture, anchoring our faith in  the sinless lamb, Jesus Christ, for our redemption. Amen! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In this episode, Father Genard explores Acts 12:1-5, focusing on the persecution of the early Christians by Herod, who killed James, the brother of John. He raises the question of why God allows such suffering, suggesting that it serves as a warning to the Jewish people and demonstrates the triumph of faith even in death. Father Genard emphasizes that James's martyrdom reinforces Christ as the true head of the church. He notes that Herod delayed Peter's execution due to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, possibly to create a spectacle. Crucially, he highlights the community's response: they offered earnest prayers for Peter, illustrating their unity and love. Father Genard underscores that prayer serves as a refuge, a source of joy, and protection against despair, reminding us of its power in times of trouble. For info, feedback or topic suggestions please visit https:// linktr.ee/doubleedgedsword If you'd like to make a monetary contribution to this ministry please visit: https://double-edged-sword-podcast.cheddarup.com

Mark 14:12–31 (Listen) The Passover with the Disciples 12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Institution of the Lord's Supper 22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the1 covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. Footnotes [1] 14:24 Some manuscripts insert new (ESV)

Mark 14:12–31 (Listen) The Passover with the Disciples 12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Institution of the Lord's Supper 22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the1 covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. Footnotes [1] 14:24 Some manuscripts insert new (ESV)

Pastor Nathan delivers a comprehensive sermon on the significance of the biblical feasts outlined in Leviticus 23. He explores the spiritual and prophetic meanings of feasts such as Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Pastor Nathan delves into their fulfillment in the New Testament, emphasizing how these ancient traditions prefigure Christ's sacrifice, resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The sermon also addresses the concept of the Church Age and the prophetic implications of the unfulfilled feasts. For more on LifePoint Church go to lifepointaz.com Find all our links in one easy spot https://linktr.ee/lifepointaz Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lifepointaz Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifepointchurchaz/ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:41 Message Introduction and Baptism Announcement 01:22 God's Feasts and Celebrations 02:06 Understanding the Feasts in Leviticus 05:58 The Sabbath and Its Significance 07:34 The Passover Feast 12:13 The Feast of Unleavened Bread 18:02 The Feast of First Fruits 19:35 Understanding Firstfruits and the Resurrection 20:11 The Feast of Weeks and Pentecost 21:59 The Golden Calf and God's Patience 23:34 The Feast Gap Period and the Church Age 26:12 The Unfulfilled Feasts: Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles 34:37 False Teachings and True Worship 40:02 Final Thoughts and Prayer

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” 10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. 11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. 17 “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal. 18 “You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. 19 All that open the womb are mine, all your male[b] livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty-handed. 21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. 23 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year. 25 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning. 26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.” 27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.[c] 29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.[d] 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them.32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded,35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Today I started over a cycle of reading the Bible in a year.  https://hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/read-bible-in-a-year-2024-2025.pdf Wikipedia on Rosh Hashanah https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah In the first reading of the yearly Bible reading in Genesis it's shows how God seems to have built this concept of cycles into the fabric of His creation. Day Week Month Year - disputes around the proper calendar - 12 months Shmita - 7 years - let land rest Jubilee - 50 years From Revival Ministries International Publish date: 03/30/2003  The Lord began dealing with me recently about the Year of Jubilee. I believe that this is our Year of Jubilee! In Nazareth, at His local Synagogue, Jesus was handed the book of Isaiah and He read from chapter 61:  The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed one, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19 To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.] Luke 4:18-19 AMP  Jesus preached that the acceptable year of the Lord was here—the Year of Jubilee, which took place every 50th year—the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound (Leviticus 25). What Jesus was really saying was, "I am your Year of Jubilee!"   THE LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 Say to the Israelites, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits. 4 But in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap and the grapes on your uncultivated vine you shall not gather, for it is a year of rest to the land. 6 And the sabbath rest of the [untilled] land shall [in its increase] furnish food for you, for your male and female slaves, your hired servant, and the temporary resident who lives with you, 7 For your domestic animals also and for the [wild] beasts in your land; all its yield shall be for food.8 And you shall number seven sabbaths or weeks of years for you, seven times seven years, so the total time of the seven weeks of years shall be forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound abroad the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month [almost October]; on the Day of Atonement blow the trumpet in all your land. 10 And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his ancestral possession [which through poverty he was compelled to sell], and each of you shall return to his family [from whom he was separated in bond service]. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall not sow, or reap and store what grows of itself, or gather the grapes of the uncultivated vines. 12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat the [sufficient] increase of it out of the field. 13 In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his ancestral property. 14 And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. Leviticus 25:1-14 AMP Under the Old Covenant every seventh year was a time to let the ground rest so that it could recover and come back stronger, producing a stronger, healthier, more abundant harvest. But the fiftieth year—Jubilee—was an extra special year. It was a Holy year. In the last year, before the year of rest, God caused the ground to produce three times as much fruit so that His people could eat and be satisfied whilst the ground rested and whilst they rested in His goodness.   Jubilee is a year of faith—where you rest from your own labors and your own efforts—allowing God's goodness to lead you and feed you. God wants us to remember that it is He Who watches over us, feeding us, guiding us, and providing for us. If we forget this, we will wear ourselves out with our own efforts, but if we remember that He is the source of our life and every good thing in our life, then we can relax in Him and focus on worshipping Him and yielding to Him.  Jubilee is a time to let slaves go free, to redeem what has been lost and to reach out and help both family and neighbors and those who cannot help themselves. In the year of Jubilee, even though you do not plow or prune or sow, you are still able to eat of the fruit that the ground produces.  You cannot reap from a field that you have never sown, but when you have faithfully sown and sown and sown and then God calls a Jubilee year for you, then you know that it is a year of rest for you, a year of extra blessings, a year of eating from the abundance of the provision that your Father has provided for you as you rest in Him.  When Jesus said, "Today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," the people of Nazareth were very angry with Him and did not receive Him, but I declare to you today that Jesus is YOUR Jubilee—if you receive Him you will go free! Jesus has come to restore your joy, your family, your property and your inheritance. Every promise that God has made you in His Word is yours.   So receive Him as your Jubilee—rest in Him and enjoy His blessings.  https://www.revival.com/a/287-jesus-our-jubilee#:~:text=Jesus%20preached%20that%20the%20acceptable,profusely%20abound%20(Leviticus%2025). Continuing on with cycles: Beyond Jubilee? 1 day is as a thousand years. Plan for His creation built into the first week of Creation Why the Jubilee? Freedom, pointing to Yeshua Messiah 2030 https://youtu.be/4AG_nJNcTjM?si=4ONS-wbC3oOqQM3A Uses many prophesies and the concept of the Jubilee Entering into year 5785 What is purpose of cycles? Virtuous vs vicious cycles Do not just a mindless pattern but an opportunity to repeat and through our choices either improve or get worse, evolve or devolve, become more like God or less like God, more holy or more wicked, more wise or more foolish How does our culture generally and Christianity specifically treat cycles Main difference is degree to which they are specifically tied to God and His ways as defined by God Himself With time, our week begins on Monday and ends on Friday defined by our work, followed by a 2-day weekend, defined by our priorities (fun or home projects), if you're church goer that weekend also includes church on Sunday.  What do we ask Monday morning and how do we answer? Our months vary in length of days, are named after Greek Gods. The year is mostly defined by a mix of civil and religious holidays, none if which were prescribed in the Bible and none of which significantly improve our understanding of God, His ways, and His grand plan for all time including His future plans, second coming of Christ and how we will spend eternity.  Some other ways, depending on our interests, our cycles are defined are by sports or politics. There is no concept or even awareness of a Shmita or Jubilee year and there is no recognition of the moedim or appointed times throughout the year, namely the Lords Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles. One exception is the Christian church celebrates Pentecost or Shavuot but because there is no attempt to understand how it was originally practiced much of its richness and meaning is lost. Why is this important?  Virtuous cycle. By our definition? Improving financially? More educated (know more of what we think is important to know)?  More loving? Love is the common agreed upon worthy goal, but how should love be defined, by us? By the creation or the Creator? One of Gods desires for us, as stated by Yeshua, is for us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The New Covenant as described in prophesies like Jeremiah as well as by Yeshua and writers of the New Testament is for the law to be written on our hearts.  My limited understanding of this is that God wants us to love Him and others, and to do it in the way He wants us to do it.  I've only been participating in and practicing the Lord's Feasts and observing His Sabbath on day 7 for a handful of years.  I'm certainly no expert. But with my limited exposure and understanding I can see how following His law and His cycles of life, to the extent that I'm doing so, puts me into a virtuous cycle. Each day, week, month, year I'm learning more about the Fathers ways and how wonderful, and simultaneously complex and simple they are. I also am learning more about His great plan for all time including what to expect in the future.  This is incredibly important at a time when the future of our nation and the world, as well as the future of our own personal lives, can seem on the surface to be so uncertain. We may at times feel like we've made no “progress” in our lives, especially if we're going a difficult season.  With the proper perspective, though, we can see how God works what appear to us to be tragedies and “bad” events for our good, helping shape us to be more like Him, understand His character better, and be more dependent on Him. Praise: Malachi 3:6 "I am the LORD, I change not" James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Thank You Abba that You do not change.  We're not trying to figure out how You changed, but rather than how WE need to change to be more like You, and more like the person You made us to become. Help us to understand how Your cycles which You built into the fabric of Creation are important, and why You asked us to follow them as You have commanded.  And when we don't understand the why, Father help us to obey even without the full understanding and trust You that Your ways are best, best for us individually as well as best for all of mankind.     Psalm 110:4: "The LORD has s

20.10.24 Unleavened Bread by Maretul Har UK

Mark 14:1–11 (Listen) The Plot to Kill Jesus 14:1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” Jesus Anointed at Bethany 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii

Mark 14:1–11 (Listen) The Plot to Kill Jesus 14:1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” Jesus Anointed at Bethany 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii

In this special broadcast I go into the Feast of Tabernacles.Now I realize that the conditions set forth by Yahweh differs from what He set forth in the beginning. What caught my interest into these 7 Holy Feasts was the Prophetic Message contained within them.We find that within these 7, 4 are in the season of the spring, while the remaining 3 are in the fall or “harvest. In studying the Prophecy aspect of Yahweh's Words, we realize and conclude that these 7 Holy Feasts play an important role in the Prophecy of Yahshua Messiah concerning the past and the present. Let's take a brief view of the first 4 Feasts:The Feast of Passover pointed to Yahshua's death on Calvary as “the Lamb of Yahweh, who taketh away the sin of the world”, John 1:29The Feast of Unleavened Bread attested to the fact that Yahshua's body, unlike all others would not decay in the grave. The Son of Yahweh, in speaking with His Heavenly Father said, “for Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt Thou permit Thine Holy One to see corruption” Psalms 16:10The Feast of Firstfruits proclaimed the certainty of His bodily resurrection. The acceptance by Yahweh of the Firstfruits [sheaf] of the spring barley harvest guaranteed a full harvest to follow. By virtue of the resurrection of Yahshua Messiah, He is the Firstfruits and guarantees that all the Saints within Him will one day rise from the grave.The Feast of Pentecost, which occurs exactly 50 days after Firstfruits [the resurrection of the Messiah] anticipated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the origin of the “Ek-kelsia”. We read in the Jewish Talmud, in the tractate of Sotah, foli #48 it reads in part “when Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi died, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel; nevertheless they made use of the Bath Kol.” [a divine voice from Heaven]These 4 events in the life of Yahshua Messiah, which the 4 spring feasts depicted, are history. We can look back at these events and they can be examined as historical facts. We can say that the first 4 set the foundation for the remaining 3. [As I think on this foundation, I think of the Tabernacle, which is to come, and when this Tabernacle comes, then all of His Elect come to dwell in the eternal]The fall Feasts have not yet occurred! They are yet future and predict with absolute certainty, events that will most assuredly unfold. As the 4 spring Feasts were fulfilled literally and right on schedule in connection with the Messiah's first coming, the 3 Fall Feasts will likewise be fulfilled literally and right on schedule in connection with His second coming.Beginning at Sunset on Wednesday October 16, 2024 starts the Feast of Tabernacles which ends at nightfall on Wednesday October 23, 2024. Then on the evening of October 23, 2024, begins the 8th Day, which is called Shemini Atzeret. (Numbers 29:35), simply as ‘the 8th day of assembly'. [the sages interpreted this to mean Yahweh asks all who made pilgrimage for Sukkoth to tarry (atzeret, which come from the Hebrew root word meaning ‘to hold back' with Him one additional day.The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) points to the final phase of Yahweh's plan of redemption for mankind—the Second Coming of Yahshua Messiah and the Millennium.Something very special happened on this Feast of Tabernacle. Some miracle from Yahweh was about to change the views of the future world!Is it possible that Yahshua Messiah was BORN on the Feast of Tabernacles?Join with me as we “Unravel the Words of Yahweh” on keeping The Feast of Tabernacles!Have any questions? Feel free to email me keitner2024@outlook.com 

The sermon discusses the significance of biblical feasts and their prophetic fulfillment in the life of Jesus Christ. It highlights how the feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost were not only historical events but also foreshadowed key events in the New Testament, such as the crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The message emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs of the times and being prepared for the end times by repenting, turning to God, and being baptized.

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He travelled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms round him. ‘Don't be alarmed,' he said. ‘He's alive!' (Acts 20.1-10, NIV)

23 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. 4 “If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. 6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. 9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 10 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield,11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard. 12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed. 13 “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips. 14 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God. 18 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning. 19 “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk. 20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. 22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. 25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he[a] will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets[b] before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates,[c] for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Friday October 11 2024, sundown Ending nightfall of Saturday October 12, 2024Last Wednesday October 2 to Friday October 4 2024 was the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah or the Blowing of the Trumpets!This morning we shall discuss the “Day of Atonement” or known as “Yom Kippur” [ Yom = the day, Kippur = ask for forgiveness].  Other words this is a special Feast in which you and I ask our Heavenly Father for all those sins which we may have over looked throughout the past year.In recognition of Yahweh's Words, we are instructed to honor and respect His 7 Holy Feast periods. Now I realize that the conditions set forth by Yahweh differs from what He sets forth in the beginning. What caught my interest into these 7 Holy Feasts was the Prophetic Message contained within them.We find that within these, 4 are in the season of the spring, while the remaining 3 are in the fall or “harvest. In studying the Prophecy aspect of Yahweh's Words, we realize and conclude that these Holy Feasts play an important role in the Prophecy of Yahshua Messiah concerning the past and the present. Let's take a brief view of the first 4 FeastsThe Feast of Passover pointed to Yahshua's death on Calvary as “the Lamb of Yahweh, who taketh away the sin of the world”, John 1:29The Feast of Unleavened Bread attested to the fact that Yahshua's body, unlike all others would not decay in the grave. The Feast of Firstfruits proclaimed the certainty of His bodily resurrection. The acceptance by Yahweh of the Firstfruits [sheaf] of the spring barley harvest guaranteed a full harvest to follow. By virtue of the resurrection of Yahshua Messiah, He is the Firstfruit and guarantees that all the Saints within Him will one day rise from the grave.The Feast of Pentecost, which occurs exactly 50 days after Firstfruits [the resurrection of the Messiah] anticipated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the origin of the “Ek-kelsia”. We read in the Jewish Talmud, in the tractate of Sotah, foli #48 it reads in part “when Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi died, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel” These 4 events in the life of Yahshua Messiah, which the 4 spring feasts depicted, are history. We can look back at these events and they can be examined as historical facts. We can say that the first 4 set the foundation for the remaining 3. As I think on this foundation, I think of the Tabernacle, which is to come, and when this Tabernacle comes, then all of His Elect come to dwell in the eternalThe fall Feasts have not yet occurred! They are yet future and predict with absolute certainty, events that will most assuredly unfold. As the 4 spring Feasts were fulfilled literally and right on schedule in connection with the Messiah's first coming, the 3 Fall Feasts will likewise be fulfilled literally and right on schedule in connection with His second coming.What about the future of the Day of Atonement?Let's keep in mind, that the Levitical Sacrifices were a shadow of the good things that are coming.Read Hebrews 10:11   Those laws of the Old Covenant could never remove sin! Even the scapegoats figuratively removed sin from the house of Israel only for a year.Hebrews 9:6-146  this would be the services of the High Priest under that first Covenant going into the front part of the Temple.7  second = that's to say, into the “Holy of Holies”8   signifying = “deloo” to make clearway = literally “the way of the Holy” made manifest = “phaneroo” to render apparent. This word is taken from the Greek word “fan-er-os”, meaning shinning. The Greek word “fan-er-os” is taken from another Greek word, “fah-ee-no” which means “to lighten” or “shine”. This Greek word, “fah-ee-no” is taken from the Greek base word, “foce”, which mean to shine or make manifest.Have any questions? Feel free to email me keitner2024@outlook.com 

Nothing screams cozy quite like fresh baked bread. And with a quality sourdough starter bread baking is actually super easy. That's because a mature starter is "alive" and will work its way into all of the dough in comes in contact with. Which is why in Scripture leaven to likened to sin.Listen in for a quick look at the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Leviticus 23 and a tutorial on no frills baking with sourdough. ****Kira's super basic sourdough recipe:Pull your recently fed starter out of the fridge (as long as mine has been fed within a week its good to go!)Add 3-3.5 cups of King Arthur bread flour, half a cup of starter, a teaspoon of salt, and a cup of warm water to your Kitchen Aid with the bread hook attached. Feed your remaining starter equal parts flour and water (usually a cup to half a cup of each. Make sure to either weigh or pack your flour down). Leave on your counter until doubled in size. Then pop back in the fridge for next time.)For the bread, turn the Kitchen Aid on to medium speed for about 5 minutes until everything is combined and your dough is somewhat soft.Cover bread for between 5-9 hours.Place in a dutch oven on parchment paper and bake in oven at 425 for about 25-30 minutes with lid on.Take lid off and bake until golden brown and delicious (20-25 minutes)Let rest for a bit and serve! Magic!Kira's Italian Inspired Coconut Soup (Gluten and Dairy Free!)Mild Italian sausage Carrots Onions Garlic Potatoes Can of coconut soup Can of tomatoes Peas MushroomsSimmer the above ingredients on medium heat in the order listed until delicious. 

"God's Salvation Shapes our Lives" Exodus 13:1-16 October 6, 2024 Pastor Tony Felich  Exodus 13:1 The LORD said to Moses, [2] “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” [3] Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. [4] Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. [5] And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. [6] Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. [7] Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. [8] You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' [9] And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. [10] You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year. [11] “When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, [12] you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD's. [13] Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. [14] And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?' you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. [15] For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' [16] It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”  Our lives are to be informed and shaped by God's redeeming work. Rites of Remembrance and Shaping: • The Feast of Unleavened Bread (3-10)  • The Consecration of the Firstborn (1-2, 11-16) What do we have today for remembrance and shaping?

Send us a textUnlock the profound spiritual insights hidden within the Jewish Days of Awe and discover how ancient traditions resonate with enduring faith today. Ever wondered how the seven feasts of Israel find their fulfillment in the life of Jesus Christ? Journey with us as we unravel the deep connections, from the liberating message of Passover to the sinless sacrifice symbolized by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and explore the Feast of First Fruits' tie to the resurrection. We'll guide you through the spiritual significance of the Feast of Pentecost, marking the birth of the Church, and the yet-to-be-fulfilled Feast of Trumpets, which stirs anticipation for the rapture and the gathering of saints.As we pause to reflect during this sacred time, we turn our focus to the solemn Day of Atonement and the introspective Days of Awe. These days offer a time to reflect on the past year, seeking repentance and spiritual renewal. Drawing from the teachings of prophets like Zachariah, we'll explore the intriguing concept of God's books and the potential for repentance. This episode invites you to compare ancient traditions with the Bible, offering a compelling call to personal reflection and spiritual growth. Tune in for this enlightening discussion that weaves together history, prophecy, and faith.Support the show

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 97Dominus regnavit1The Lord is King;let the earth rejoice; *let the multitude of the isles be glad.2Clouds and darkness are round about him, *righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.3A fire goes before him *and burns up his enemies on every side.4His lightnings light up the world; *the earth sees it and is afraid.5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, *at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.6The heavens declare his righteousness, *and all the peoples see his glory.7Confounded be all who worship carved imagesand delight in false gods! *Bow down before him, all you gods.8Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, *because of your judgments, O Lord.9For you are the Lord,most high over all the earth; *you are exalted far above all gods.10The Lord loves those who hate evil; *he preserves the lives of his saintsand delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11Light has sprung up for the righteous, *and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.12Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, *and give thanks to his holy Name.Psalm 99Dominus regnavit1The Lord is King;let the people tremble; *he is enthroned upon the cherubim;let the earth shake.2The Lord is great in Zion; *he is high above all peoples.3Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *he is the Holy One.4“O mighty King, lover of justice,you have established equity; *you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”5Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our Godand fall down before his footstool; *he is the Holy One.6Moses and Aaron among his priests,and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.7He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.8“O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *you were a God who forgave them,yet punished them for their evil deeds.”9Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our Godand worship him upon his holy hill; *for the Lord our God is the Holy One.Psalm 100Jubilate Deo1Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.2Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.3Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.4For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Chronicles 29:1-3English Standard Version29 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.2 Chronicles 30English Standard Version30 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”10 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.13 And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron. 15 And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16 They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. 18 For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. 22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.1 Corinthians 7:32-40English Standard Version32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 21O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

/> ### MESSAGE NOTESIn The Way | Politics | Week 4 | September 29, 2024Teacher: Pastor Dave Brown/> Tradition helps us remember God's faithfulness./> This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance…Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on the this very day that I brought your division out of Egypt…Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.  When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.  And when your children ask you, “What does this ceremony mean to you?” Then tell them, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.—Exodus 12:14, 17, 24-28 /> One thing we can learn from this is the importance the Bible places on ritual.  The Old Testament repeatedly refers to teaching Israelite children who God is and what he has done.—Peter Enns/> Tradition gives us anchors for belief./> Repetition and familiarity work.  What is repeated becomes familiar, and this becomes a part of us…Far too many equate ritual with spiritual dryness.  True, ritual and liturgy can be dead but only when the significance and power of those rituals are forgotten.  Spiritual death is not a property of ritual itself.  To the contrary, ritual has always been and will always be a means of securing for future generations the power and reality of the gospel…Ritual breeds familiarity.  It seeps into one's subconscious and, however subtly, begins to exert a formative influence.—Peter Enns/> Tradition “gets in the way” when we misunderstand the why behind it. /> Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being.They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.—Isaiah 1:13-17 /> As with the Israelites, our worship practices and religious activities are intended to be symbolic of deeper realities.  There is no necessary connection between these and the realities.  But there is a direct connection between those realities and our ethical behavior.  We can be very religious and yet be living our lives for ourselves.  We can give the appearance of obedience and yet be living a self-centered life that is nothing but rebellion.— John Oswalt /> Tradition “gets in the way” when it no longer accomplishes its why. /> Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”—Acts 15:1 /> Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?  No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are…It is my judgement therefore that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.—Acts 15:10-11, 19

Biblically, it is called the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23) and not Rosh HaShanah or the First of the Year. It is the Feast of Blowing Shofar blasts. If Yeshua kept Passover as the Passover Lamb, and if Yeshua kept Unleavened Bread, as the unleavened Bread of life put into the oven of the earth before dark, and if Yeshua arose from the abyss (having preached to the Spirits in Prison) on the Feast of FirstFruits (always on a Sunday), and if Yeshua blew in to the Upper Room on Shavuot or Pentecost, how will Yeshua fulfill the Feast of the Trumpets, ten days later Yom Kippur, and five days later, Sukkot or Tabernacles? Yeshua is Coming. Whatever you do, don't miss the coming of Messiah in the clouds!

God has redeemed Israel, His “firstborn” from slavery in Egypt and while traveling out of Egypt He has instructed them on how to consecrate and remember His redemption through the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread and the dedication of the firstborn. Now, as they journey to the Red Sea, God miraculously leads Israel with a pillar of fire and cloud, and in doing so reveals the nature of how God leads His people.

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.[a] 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. 17 And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. 18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.” 21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?'27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. 31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!” 33 The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.”34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. 35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. 37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. 40 The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. 43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, 44 but every slave[b] that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. 45 No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. 46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” The Tenth Plague: Death of the FirstbornThe ExodusInstitution of the Passover50 All the people of Israel did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

In this episode, we dive into the complexities of ministry that reaches beyond conventional discipleship, exploring the challenges of navigating miracles, doubts, and societal expectations. Through biblical insights and modern parallels, we examine how faith and leadership intersect with skepticism, division, and the human need for validation.To contact Antonio T. Smith Jr.https://www.facebook.com/theatsjrhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Antonio-T.-Smith-Jr/author/B00M3MPVJ8https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniotsmithjrhttps://antoniotsmithjr.comhttps://www.instagram.com/theatsjr Week One: Ministry Beyond DisciplesFocus: Ministry sometimes extends beyond those who should be doing the ministry.Key Insight: People who claim to be good may not always be genuine.Example: A contrast between people proclaiming their goodness and those who are not genuine.Week Two: Ministry Beyond TalkFocus: Addressing when people react negatively to others' healing or success.Example: A man healed from blindness faces criticism instead of celebration.Insight: People may struggle when others succeed, particularly when it challenges their comfort zones.Week Three: Ministry Beyond DoubtFocus: Doubt in ministry and people's reactions to miracles.Biblical Story: Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath, causing division among the Pharisees.Discussion: How people react when miracles challenge religious norms.Key Insight: Sometimes, those who should recognize the work of God are the first to question or doubt it.The Crucifixion of JesusReason 1: Rome's need to maintain order by eliminating anyone posing a threat to stability (Jesus).Reason 2: Religious leaders' need to preserve their traditions and prevent Passover from being disrupted.Historical Insight: Jesus was crucified during Passover week due to both political and religious pressures.The Role of the PhariseesPerception of Jesus' Healing: The Pharisees debated whether Jesus' actions were from God or evil.Division Among Pharisees: Some Pharisees questioned how a sinner could perform such miracles, while others remained skeptical.Importance of Passover and TimingJewish Tradition: Passover and its preceding festival, Unleavened Bread, are crucial.Urgency: Religious leaders felt a strong need to deal with Jesus before Passover began.Cultural Insight: No trials or executions could take place during Passover, pushing for a rushed trial.Political and Religious MotivationsRoman Governance: Pontius Pilate was tasked with preventing riots and collecting taxes, leading to pressure from both sides.Jewish Leadership: The Sanhedrin made a strategic decision to eliminate Jesus to avoid unrest during Passover.Metaphorical InsightsThe Scapegoat: A reference to the Jewish tradition of the scapegoat, symbolizing how Jesus took on the sins of the people while Barabbas was released.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/secret-to-success-law-of-attraction/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

[Luke 22:7-13 ESV] Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. [8] So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it." [9] They said to him, "Where will you have us prepare it?" [10] He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters [11] and tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' [12] And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there." [13] And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. The Last Supper wasn't just a final meal, it was a _____________ of something ___________________ to come. [Acts 1:3-5 ESV] He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. [4] And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; [5] for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Sometimes God calls us to _______________ and ________________ before showing us what's next. [Acts 1:12-13 ESV] Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. [13] And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. Obedience in the waiting always leads to ___________________. [Acts 2:1-4 ESV] When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. [2] And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. [3] And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. What Jesus ___________________ at the Last Supper, He ___________________ at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit transforms ___________________ ___________________ into bold witnesses of the gospel. The same power that came in Upper Room is still ___________________ to us today! [Isaiah 11:1-2] Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot--yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. [2] And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

“The Exodus Begins” Exodus 12:14–51 September 15, 2024 Pastor Tony Felich   ----more---- Exodus 12:14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. [15] Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. [16] On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. [17] And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. [18] In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. [19] For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. [20] You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.” [21] Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. [22] Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. [23] For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. [24] You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. [25] And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. [26] And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?' [27] you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. [28] Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. [29] At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. [30] And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. [31] Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. [32] Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”  [33] The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” [34] So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. [35] The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. [36] And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. [37] And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. [38] A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. [39] And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. [40] The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. [41] At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. [42] It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. [43] And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, [44] but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. [45] No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. [46] It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. [47] All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. [48] If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. [49] There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” [50] All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. [51] And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.  There is no salvation outside the blood of the Lamb        • Instruction (14-20)      • Preparation (21-23)      • Future Considerations (24-28)      • The Destroyer Visits (29-32)      • The Exodus (33-42)      • The Passover (43-51

God gives the final of three messages before His people cross the Red Sea into the wilderness. Each message focused on remembering an aspect of God's salvation from Egypt—the Passover remembered God's sacrifice, the feast of Unleavened Bread remembered God's salvation, and this final lesson on the consecration of the firstborn focuses on the passing along of God's salvation to subsequent generations. In fact, the firstborn itself is a symbol of salvation. Found out why.

It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,…

God gives the second of three lessons to His people after delivering them from slavery in Egypt after the death of the firstborn. After giving instructions for who can and cannot partake in Passover, God now gives instructions on the Feast of Unleavened Bread and will conclude by giving instructions on dedicating the firstborn. All three lessons touch on an element of God's salvation from Egypt, and point to God's salvation from sin. In instructions on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God explains that doing so is part of the process of consecrating the firstborn to Him. Join us and find out how the way parents lead their families impacts the spiritual future of their children.

Talk 42  Mark 14:12-26  The Last Supper Welcome to Talk 42 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 14:12-26. The subject is the Last Supper. It was to be the last meal that Jesus ate with his disciples before he was crucified. It was the feast of the Passover when the Jews annually remembered the way in which God had led their ancestors out of Egypt. You will of course remember that the Israelites had been in captivity in Egypt and how Moses had constantly demanded of Pharaoh to let God's people go. In the end, God said that he would smite all the firstborn of Egypt because of Pharaoh's constant refusal to do as he demanded. The Israelites were told to daub the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses so that the angel of death would pass over them and their firstborn would not die. Now Jesus, the Lamb of God who was to take away the sin of the world by the shedding of his blood on the cross, gives the Passover meal a whole new meaning. In fact, his followers who are to become the new Israel, will have a far greater deliverance to celebrate, their deliverance from the bondage of sin, and will regularly share bread and wine together to remind themselves of all that Jesus has done for them. The Christian communion service replaces for us the Passover meal. The Gospel accounts vary a little in places, but we'll concentrate on Mark while noting a few extra details that we find in Matthew and Luke. As we now read through the passage, I'd like you to notice the many things that Jesus already knew about all that was going to happen. 12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there." 16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me." 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?" 20 "It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."     22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. In this passage I see five things that Jesus clearly knew: ·       He knew the details of where they would eat the Passover ·       He knew what Judas would do and what would happen to him ·       He knew that scripture must be fulfilled ·       He knew that he was going to die and why it was necessary ·       He knew that God would vindicate him. So now let's look at the passage in a little more detail and see what we can learn from each of these aspects of Jesus' knowledge. He knew the details of where they would eat the Passover The disciples ask Jesus where he wants them to make the preparations for the Passover meal. So Jesus sends two of his disciples (who, incidentally, we know from Luke 22:8, were Peter and John), and tells them to go into Jerusalem where they will meet a man carrying a jar of water. They are to follow him and go into the house he enters. They are to say to the owner of the house, The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show them a large upper room, furnished and ready. It's there they are to make the final preparations for the meal. And Mark tells us that the disciples found things just as Jesus had told them. Of course, some of these things Jesus could have known at a natural level. He could have made previous arrangements with the owner of the house, and he could have known that the owner had a man servant who sometimes carried water for him – something unusual in those days as normally it was the women who carried water. But it seems far less likely that Jesus, without supernatural knowledge imparted by the Holy Spirit, would have known that the man would be carrying water at exactly the time the disciples went into the city or even that the disciples would have crossed paths with him. But the disciples found everything just as Jesus had told them, just as they had when he had sent them to find the donkey on which he was to ride into Jerusalem in Mark 11. Jesus was a man, and as man there were things he knew in the same way that all human beings know them. But he was a man who lived in close fellowship with his Father, God – indeed, he was God – and there were things he knew by divine revelation. And such revelation is available to us too, as we are filled with the Spirit and in live in close relationship with our heavenly Father. And when we receive such supernatural revelation, it's possible to know that we know, just as certainly as we know that we know some things at a natural level. He knew what Judas would do and what would happen to him Verses 10 and 11 tell us that Judas had already gone to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them and that they were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So Judas was looking for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them. There are many theories as to why Judas did this, but in my view it's pointless to speculate. But two things are clear. First, whatever his motivations, Judas was responsible and accountable for his own actions. In verse 21 Jesus says: …woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. But secondly, it's clear that Judas' betrayal of Jesus was already predicted in Scripture. Jesus says: The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man!... And in Acts 1:16, no doubt remembering what Jesus had said, Peter says: Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as a guide for those who arrested Jesus… But, people ask, was this fair? How could God hold Judas responsible for his actions if, long before he was born, the Scripture predicted that he would do so? For me, the key to the answer to such questions lies in the understanding that, although God knows in advance the things we will do, it does not mean that he makes us do those things. If I watch a video of my children that I've already seen, I know what they're going to do next, but that does not mean that I made them do it. The choice was theirs and they, not I, are responsible for their actions, whether good or bad. The only difference with God is that he doesn't need a video because he's omniscient. But returning directly to our passage, one of the saddest things we learn about Judas is his hypocrisy. When Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him, all the disciples, including Judas, say, Surely not I? or Surely you don't mean me? And Matthew adds a detail not shared with us by Mark. In Matthew, Judas is the last to say it. He says it after all the others, as if reluctant or ashamed to do so. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he did it anyway. And in Matthew all the other disciples call Jesus Lord, but Judas calls him Rabbi or Teacher. He had already made the decision that Jesus was no longer Lord in his life. But Jesus knew all this. He knew that he would be betrayed. He knew who would betray him and he knew what would happen to him. But why didn't he try to stop Judas? Because he knew that scripture must be fulfilled, he knew why it was necessary for him to die, and he knew that ultimately God would vindicate him.   He knew that scripture must be fulfilled In verses 20-21, after each of the disciples have said, Surely not I? Jesus says: It is one of the Twelve, …one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." This is probably a reference to Psalm 41:9 where David says: Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Of course, this is not the only detail that the Scriptures predicted about what would happen to Jesus. Again and again the Gospel writers make reference to Old Testament verses that they saw fulfilled in the life of Jesus, especially regarding events surrounding the time of his death. But the important thing to notice here is that Jesus knew that Scripture must be fulfilled. He had confidence in its authority. Through his close relationship with his heavenly Father, he knew which verses applied prophetically to him. And he conducted his life accordingly. And if we really want to be his disciples, we should surely follow his example. He knew that he was going to die and why it was necessary We've seen in previous talks that there were several occasions when Jesus already told his disciples that he was going to die. In fact, in Luke 24:7, after his death and resurrection, while talking to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he reminds them how he had told them while he was still with them in Galilee, that: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again. And then they remembered his words. We know from all we have seen so far, how bad the disciples were at remembering. And so, to help them, and us, to remember his death, he instituted the meal that came to be known as The Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, or the Eucharist. That its primary purpose was to help us to remember is made clear in 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 where we're told to eat and drink in remembrance of Jesus. So the bread and wine are simply memorials, aids to memory. When Jesus said , This is my body (v22) and This is my blood (v24) he never intended it to be taken literally. The bread doesn't turn into his body as we eat it, nor does the wine turn into his blood as we drink it. Why am I so sure about this? Because the bread he gave his disciples at the last supper clearly did not turn into his body then, neither did the wine turn into his blood. His blood was still throbbing in his veins! And Jesus said, This IS my blood. He did not say, This WILL BECOME my blood (after I have died and risen again). Just as the Passover meal was a memorial of how the Lord had delivered his people from Egypt, so the bread and wine are memorials of what Jesus has done for us. They remind us of the new covenant that God has made with us through the shedding of Jesus' blood. (For more on this, see You'd Better Believe It, Ch. 14). Yes, Jesus knew he was going to die, and why it was necessary. That's why he was determined to see it through, and he gives thanks (vv22-23) for it. How could he do so? Because he loved God and wanted to do his will. Because he loved his disciples and wanted them to be saved. And because he knew that God would vindicate him. He knew that God would vindicate him Notice what he says in verse 25: I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God. He knew that he would die, but he knew that his death would not be the end. He knew that God would vindicate him. He would enter the kingdom of God. He knew of the joy that lay ahead. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us that: For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. And he knew that he would share that joy with us! Matthew 26:29 includes two words that Mark has left out. Here Jesus says that he will drink it new with you. But let's finish by considering the meaning of that little word anew. In Greek it's kainon. Its basic meaning is new, but in the context here it means of a new character or species. Mark uses it this way in: ·       1:27 when the people apply it to Jesus' teaching because he taught with authority ·       2:21-22 when Jesus says that no one puts new wine into old wineskins to illustrate that he had come to introduce something entirely new that would not only break free from the old (Judaism) and, if it didn't, would ultimately destroy it (See Talk 8). ·       14:24 where Jesus says that the wine is the blood of the new covenant ·       16:17 where Jesus says that those who believe will speak with new tongues. All these verses suggest that Jesus is using the word new to mean something of a different and better quality than we have known before. He came to introduce a new and better covenant and in the kingdom of God things, even the wine, will be new and better. And it's available to us just because Jesus was willing to be betrayed, denied, forsaken by all his disciples, and to go to Calvary to die for us. So in this talk we have seen five things that Jesus clearly knew: ·       He knew the details of where they would eat the Passover ·       He knew what Judas would do and what would happen to him ·       He knew that scripture must be fulfilled ·       He knew that he was going to die and why it was necessary ·       He knew that God would vindicate him. And if we have acknowledged Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we can be certain of our own future too.

Messiah: Our Passover Lamb. In episode three of The Biblical Feasts of the LORD and their Prophetic Fulfillment, host Chaim Goldman, “The Watchman”, talks about Passover, Unleavened Bread, Wave Sheaf, and First Fruits. What counts as three days and three nights? And much more!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talk 41   Mark 14:1-11   Mary's Extravagant Worship   Welcome to Talk 41 in our series on Mark's Gospel. We've now reached Chapter 14 which records the events immediately before the crucifixion of Jesus which Mark describes in Chapter 15. Today we'll be looking at Mark 14:1-11 where we read how:   1.    the Jewish leaders are still looking for a way to arrest Jesus and kill him (vv1-2), 2.    a woman anoints Jesus with a very expensive perfume which Jesus says she has done to prepare for his burial (vv3-9), 3.    and Judas goes to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them (vv10-11). We'll be concentrating on verses 3-9 and considering what we can learn from this woman's extravagant devotion and how we can apply it to our worship today. But first, to put this passage in its context, it will be helpful to outline the contents of the rest of the chapter:   12-26 The Last Supper 27-31 Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him 32-42 Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane 43-52 Jesus is arrested 53-65 Jesus is tried before the Sanhedrin 66-72 Peter denies Jesus.   So today's passage is firmly set in the context of Jesus' imminent death on the cross:   1. Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."   3. While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5. It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.   6. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."   10. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Bearing in mind the frequent references to the Jewish leaders' constant hostile attitude to Jesus (e.g. Mark 3:6, 8:11, 10:2, 12:13), we're not surprised that they are looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him (v1), and that they are delighted to hear of Judas' willingness to betray him (vv10-11). Whatever their different motives, Judas and the Jewish leaders were all looking for their opportunity (cf. vv1 and 11). How different was the motivation of the woman, who wanted to express her devotion to Jesus while she still had the opportunity. In John 12 she is identified as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and as I read this passage I am challenged by the extravagance of her worship. I trust you will be too.   3. While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.   Bethany lies on the opposite slope of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. You may remember that in Chapter 11 Jesus and his disciples were staying in Bethany and travelling into Jerusalem each day. The day of Passover, the day when Jesus was crucified, was only two days away, and Mary expresses her love for Jesus by breaking open a jar of perfume worth more than a year's wages (v5) and anointing Jesus with it.   In doing so, she was showing how much Jesus meant to her, and that is surely what should lie at the heart of our worship. We are telling Jesus how much we love him. From this one verse there is so much we can learn about worship.   Our worship should be motivated by love In John's account the story of Mary's worship comes at the beginning of Chapter 12 immediately after the raising of Lazarus in Chapter 11. We need look no further for a reason why Mary acted in the way she did. Jesus had shown his love for her by raising her brother from the dead.  Of course she was grateful. Of course she loved him. 1 John 4:19 tells us that we love (him) because he first loved us. Our worship should be uninhibited Mary was not concerned about what others might think about her. There is almost an abandoned recklessness about her actions. Who cares about what it cost? Who cares what others might think? Who cares what they might say? She loved Jesus, and nothing and nobody would stop her expressing her love and her gratitude to him.   Hopefully you worship in a church where not everything is dictated from the front and where there is ample opportunity for spontaneous expressions of praise from members in the congregation. For more on this, see my book, When you come together – God's plans for when his people meet. But even in churches where opportunity is given for individual expressions of praise and thanksgiving, in my experience relatively few participate in this way. Perhaps we need to be more like Mary, cast aside any inhibitions we might have, and publicly tell Jesus how much we love him. Of course, we all have different personalities. We're not all like Mary. Some of us are more like Martha, who expressed her love for Jesus by serving him and offering hospitality to others. So be yourself in the way you worship. There's no need to copy others!   Our worship can be expressed by actions without words There is no mention in this story of Mary saying anything. But her action is worth a thousand words. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul challenges us, in the light of God's great love for us, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This he says is a spiritual act of worship, or as the old AV says, our reasonable service. We show our love for God not only by our words, but by our deeds. How can we not love him when we remember all he has done for us? And because we love him, we are able to love others too. Acts of loving service to others are an expression of our love for him.   Our worship should be our lifestyle, not just limited to what we do in church on Sundays Mary was worshipping Jesus in someone's home, not in the synagogue and not on the Sabbath. Whenever and wherever we are, our lifestyle should be an expression of our devotion to the Lord Jesus. Notice what Paul says in Colossians 3:16-17:   16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.   Verse 16 seems to refer to when we are gathered as a church. We are to remember what Christ has taught us. We are to teach and admonish one another. We are to sing with gratitude in our hearts. But verse 17 takes us beyond what happens in church to our everyday living. Whatever we do, we are to do it with gratitude to God for all that Jesus has done for us. That certainly applies to what we do in church, but our whole life should be an expression of what we profess in church. Worship should be our lifestyle.   Our worship may cost us something There was, of course, an immediate financial cost to Mary's worship – more than a year's wages. But it also cost her the criticism and condemnation of some of those who watched her. 4. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5. It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. John's account identifies one of those present as Judas. One lesson we can learn from these verses is that concerns about cash can lead to distraction from Christ. If our hearts are not right it's all too easy to criticise the way that others worship Jesus. Notice how one thought can lead to an outright attack on someone else's integrity. Judas's heart wasn't right. This led to a critical thought in his mind. Then it was vocalised, and he discovered he wasn't the only one thinking that way, and so they ganged up on Mary and rebuked her harshly. It's not only wrong to criticise others in this way, it can have serious consequences. Remember Michal? But even if we recognise that it's wrong to criticise others for the way they worship God, that doesn't mean that others will not sometimes criticise us. And that's something we should be prepared for. If we really love Jesus and want to tell him so publicly, we shouldn't hold back for fear that people will find fault with what we say or the way we say it. Hebrews 13:15 tells us that we should continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. Mary was criticised for her worship, but the compensation she received for it was the approval of Jesus.   Our worship brings delight to the heart of Jesus   6. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."   Notice how Jesus defends Mary from their criticism. What Mary had done she had done for him. And Jesus knows it. He says, She has done a beautiful thing to me. Jesus should always be the reason for our worship. Mary had not broken that jar of perfume over him to show others how much she loved him. She did it for him. And he commends her for it. A single word of commendation from Jesus more than compensates for a thousand words of criticism from others.   Notice too that Jesus says, She has done what she could. Mary had taken the opportunity while she could, while Jesus was still physically with her, to express her devotion to him. And all he asks of us is that we do what we can, whether it's in worship or in witnessing to others. He doesn't ask more, but he does expect us to do what we can.   And sometimes, whether we realise it or not, there may a prophetic dimension to what we say or do. As one of Jesus' close disciples, Mary would surely have heard his frequent predictions of his death, but it's not clear that she knew quite how soon Jesus was to be crucified. What is clear is that her actions had a prophetic significance. She was anointing Jesus' body beforehand to prepare for his burial. If we act or speak out of love for Jesus, although we may not realise it at the time, God can speak powerfully and prophetically through us. I can't remember how many times people have told me, after the event, how what I have said has impacted them greatly, and yet I may have completely forgotten what I had said or had no idea at the time how relevant it would be for them.   And finally, we need to remind ourselves that Mary's act of devotion was done in the context of Jesus' death. That's what her actions prophetically proclaimed. The cross was the reason for her worship, and it is surely ours too. We worship God for many things, but in the final analysis, all our love for him and all our devotion to him are because of the cross. I love Jesus because he loved me enough to die on the cross to save me from my sins. That's why I'm living for him. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.