Let Him Deny Himself (Luke 9:23)

It’s easy to say you are going to commit to change, but, as I found out recently, following through can be another story altogether.

After re-reading Luke 9:23  I was all excited about focusing on dying to self (denying myself and putting others first). This was to be my prayer and my meditation. I was so excited for this next step in my walk with G-d.  I knew it would be a challenge, but I was ready—‘anything for you, my Lord, my savior’,

But later that day when I was driving home from work, my wife called. Our dialogue went something like this:

Wife: “Honey, can you pick up the pizza on your way home?”

Me:  (tiredly) “I guess so.”

Wife: (sensing my hesitation) “Oh, never mind, I guess I can do it. BUT it would really, really help if you could stop by the vet and pick up the prescription cat food.”

Me: (to myself: NO WAY! I was tired, I was hungry, and all I wanted to do was get home and start my weekend) “Um..uh..are we completely out of cat food?”

Wife: (exasperated) “No, not yet….I guess I can call the vet and tell them to hold it until Monday. I can go and get it after school.”

Me: (to myself: YES !!!!!!!! Another errand dodged. Let my weekend begin!). “ Great, honey, thanks.”

End of conversation.

After we talked a still small voice in my head said, “Great job, Ken, you really did a good job of denying self and putting others first.”

It was like a punch in the stomach.

All that talk and excitement about my new spiritual discipline and I failed miserably at the first opportunity. Here I was thinking G-d was going to have me immediately embark on a great religious duty, that maybe I would have to give the shirt off my back to some impoverished man, or that I would be compelled to hand over my lunch to a hungry orphan. I had imagined that others would see my works and say, “That guy is so humble and selfless.” Ha!

Thankfully, Adonai is a great teacher who is patient and longsuffering.  He knows where we are in our walk with Him.  Our life lessons are already there, waiting.  G-d started my lesson with the person I’m one in the flesh with (my wife). So I got the message: Start dying to self at home and be faithful in the small things.

Shalom

FAQs About the Torah Reading Cycle

First Fruits of Zion does a great job answering questions if you are interested in a balanced understanding of the Torah Reading Cycle.  Here is the link: http://torahportions.org/faqs/

Shalom!

Yeshua (Jesus) Revealed In the Hebrew Scriptures

How many times have you heard 2 Timothy 3:16-17?  All Scripture is breathed out by G-d and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of G-d may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Have you ever stopped to think that when Paul wrote this to Timothy he was speaking about the Hebrew Scriptures?  During Paul’s ministry the New Testament did not exist nor was it canonized.  Of course Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the aforementioned passage (in his epistle to Timothy) and G-d in His infinite wisdom knew that Paul’s words would be later quoted as scripture.

Various sources say that 60%-70% of the bible is the Old Testament and that 10%-32% of the entire New Testament either directly quotes or alludes back to the Old Testament.  Most new believers are told to begin studying the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament to learn about the Savior and their new-found Faith.  The Gospel of John is lauded as a great place to start.  But look at the very first sentence in John, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d.  ( John 1:1) In this verse I think G-d is giving us a hint  to revisit the very beginning: the book of Genesis and the rest of the Torah (first 5 books).

The Torah should be a Believer’s foundation for New Testament understanding. We can see The Messiah throughout the Torah in people, things and events.  Yeshua affirms what I’m saying in this next text.  Read this account starting in Luke 24:13  after the resurrection.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ That very day two of them [Jesus’ disciples] were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Did you catch the last two verses? Yeshua reveals Himself beginning with ‘Moses’ which is another way of saying ‘the Torah’ (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and the Prophets.  These men on the road to Emmaus were his followers, they heard his teaching, but Yeshua had to open their eyes concerning the Torah and what it revealed about Himself.

Here is another example. At the end of Luke 24 we read Yeshua’s final words to His disciples before he ascends.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Maybe you have heard about types and shadows of Yeshua in the Hebrew Scriptures. Here is one definition of a Type:  A type is a real, exalted happening in history which was divinely ordained by the omniscient G-d to be a prophetic picture of the good things which he purposed to bring to fruition in Christ Jesus.  Based on this definition I believe Joseph is a “Type” of Messiah. When you go back and read his story look for Yeshua all throughout.  Here are some parallels:

Joseph was……

1. Shepherd

2. Mediator

3. Beloved of the Father

4. Raised with sons of “weakness”

5. A son of wisdom

6. (Firstborn)

7. Hatred without a cause 

8. Physical & Spiritual rule

9. Sent by the Father

10. Arrived in “the field”

11. “My brothers do I seek”

12. Found them in “double law” (the town of Dothan meaning legalism)

13. They conspired to kill him

14. Was stripped of his garment – (lots cast?)

15. Was placed in the ground

16. Betrayed by “Judas”…

17. …for silver

18. Came forth from the ground

19. Went among the Gentiles (the “slaughterers”)

20. Garment was dipped in blood…

21. …and presented to the Father

22. Was the opposite of Satan

23. Brought blessing wherever he went

24. Was tempted …

25. …but did not give in

26. Was falsely accused (2X)

27. Lost his garment

28. Was silent before his accusers

I’ll stop there because there are many more.  These are the some of the things I believe Yeshua revealed to his disciples to open their minds and along the way showing the Messianic Prophecies that He fulfilled.

I encourage you to go back and read the bible with new lenses. Never forget–Yeshua’s words are not just in the New Testament; Yeshua is the Living Word from the beginning, cover to cover! AND PRAYFULLY, IN YOUR HEART AS WELL.

Side Note:  Check out the Torah Portions link.  The annual Torah reading cycle starts on 7 -13 Oct.  I’ll do another post to explain how this works.

Shalom

  

Tradition balanced with The Spirit

I often come in contact with people who are so locked into religious traditions and customs that the Holy Spirit has little liberty to flow. Then, on the other side, there are those who say everything they do is Spirit-led and they refuse to let themselves get ‘caught up’ in traditions or customs. So, how does one reconcile these two extremes?

As I was pondering this question, I thought of  Luke chapter four where Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), after being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, is driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.  After Yeshua powerfully overcomes Satan with the Word, we read in Luke 4:14 :

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

Then in Luke 4:16 :

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.

Let me stop there to point out a few things. First of all, according to Jewish tradition, one does not arbitrarily decide to stand and read. In Yeshua’s time (and still today) a synagogue service includes pre-appointed readers and scheduled scripture portions (these are called Parshiot readings. I will soon include a link if you’d like a listing of this year’s Parshiot readings). Traditionally, seven readers would/will be called on any given Sabbath to stand and read from the Torah scroll (what Christians know as the first five books of the bible). In addition, a portion  thematically-connected to the Torah reading is selected  from the books of the Prophets (Haftarah) and was/is also read.  This Jewish custom dates as far back as the days of Ezra.

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?  Well, it certainly provides a greater understanding of the significance of Yeshua’s words and actions in Luke Chapter 4 (and in all the New Testament, actually).  Stick with me here as we read the rest of the story:

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  (from Isaiah 42 and 61:1-2)

 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (Luke 4:17-20)

In keeping with tradition, the reader would also give a commentary on the scriptures they just read.  The following is Yeshua’s commentary.

And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)

Many Christians (including myself at one point) will often read this passage thinking Jesus randomly walked up, flipped through the Torah until he found the scripture he wanted to read (Isaiah 42 and 61:1-2 ) to make a point. But knowing that the Torah and Haftarah (readings from the books of the Prophets) portions are pre-determined ahead of time, shines a greater light on the significance of G-d’s timing.

Back to my original question: How does one reconcile tradition/customs and being led by the Spirit?  Let’s examine how Yeshua did it. Remember, when he came out of the wilderness he was Spirit-filled, yet he still adhered to His custom, which was attending synagogue on the Sabbath and reading from the Torah and The Prophets. Notice Yeshua did not disrupt the order of the synagogue service because he was Spirit-filled.  He saw nothing wrong with this tradition, in fact, the tradition of the scheduled Torah readings compounded with the infilling of the Holy Spirit brings about a powerful effect.  Yeshua submitted to G-d’s divine plan and a great proclamation was to be heard from the scriptures.  In this example the tradition did not make the Word of G-d of none effect (Matt 15:6 and Mark 7:13) and the Holy Spirit had liberty.

Wow! Is G-d amazing or what.  He used a tradition with the Spirit to bring a marvelous revelation.  Blessed be the Holy One to bring truth with balance.

Shalom