Finding Jesus in the Feasts of Israel (Pentecost)

By:  Dale Weckbacher   

Exodus 34:22

22 "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end.

NKJV

The third of the Jewish feasts is the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.  It is one of the three feasts which every male in Israel was required to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate (Deuteronomy 16:16).  Because of this mandatory pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the city of Jerusalem would be filled with men from all over the country.  Whereas the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a celebration of the first harvest, the barley harvest, Pentecost was a celebration of the final harvest.  It is in this context that we must view the events of the Day of Pentecost that occurred after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Prior to His ascension, Jesus had commanded his followers not to depart Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father.  That promise was that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit “not many days from now.”  (Acts 1:4-5).  The reason Jesus did not want them to leave immediately and begin sharing the Gospel was that Jesus knew the persecution and oppression they would incur and wanted to insure they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit prior to beginning their ministries (Acts 1:8). 

What occurred on this particular day of Pentecost has caused controversy and division throughout church history.  This is unfortunate for it has provided a means for the enemy to bring division in the church.  Therefore, let us take a moment to look at the events of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 for when we do, we will see Jesus and His grace and mercy at work. 

1)      A rushing mighty wind – In John 3:8, Jesus compares the Spirit of God to the wind.  At creation, God breathed His Spirit into man equating the Spirit of God to life giving and sustaining air (Genesis 2:7).  Knowing this, the 120 in the upper room at Pentecost would have equated a sudden rushing mighty wind as the Spirit of God entering the room

2)      Tongues of fire – Fire symbolizes the purging of sin from our lives (Ezekiel22:17-22).  Since we all have sin in our lives (Romans 3:23) we all must go through the purging fire of the Spirit for the sin in our lives to be burned away.  After entering the room symbolized ty the rushing wind, each person in the upper room experienced tongues of fire over them (Acts 2:3).  Prior to entering into ministry endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit, each one in the upper room needed to have the sin in their lives purged.  We too need to allow the Spirit of God to purge the sin from our lives.

3)      Speaking in tongues – One of the most divisive theological debates in the church is the debate over whether it is necessary for one to speak in tongues as a sign they have been filled with the Holy Spirit.  I find it interesting that those that believe the speaking in tongues as a necessary sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit, do not also claim one must see tongues of fire, or experience a rushing mighty wind as well.  However, we still have to wonder why those in the upper room spoke with tongues.  To answer that question we must place things in context. 

      The events in Acts 2 occurred during the observance of the Feast of Pentecost.  Pentecost was one of the three feasts each male was required to come to Jerusalem to observe.  As such, the city of Jerusalem would have had people in it at this time from all over the country and even other parts of the world (Acts 2:5).  When these people heard people praising God in their own language, from people not normally speaking that language, they knew something miraculous had occurred the they became curious and confused (Acts 2:6).  With their curiosity peeked, the door was open for Peter to speak to them and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-47). 

Ancient Rabbis also believe Pentecost is the day Moses received the law on mount Sanai.   This presents another interesting parallel for with Moses receiving of the Law, the covenant of the law began.  With the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, we have the beginning of the covenant of grace and the church age.  Jesus also spoke of a great harvest of souls the first harvest of which was the 3000 people saved after Peter’s message. 

Pentecost is the last of the spring feasts.  The next three feasts of Israel are the fall feasts.  The first three feasts symbolize the first coming of Christ to die as the Lamb of God, rise from the dead as the Firstfruits of those rising from the dead, and Pentecost or empowerment of the church to harvest lost souls.  The gap in time between the two sets of feasts symbolizes the church age.

This gap in time also demonstrates the mercy and grace of God as he provides time for all to have an opportunity to receive Jesus as their savior (2 Peter 3:9).  If you are reading this and have not made Jesus your savior, know that God is holding back the return of Jesus for people like you so you can have the opportunity to live eternally with God.  Please take a moment to pray with me and settle where you will spend eternity. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you prayed this prayer, know that your sins, no matter how great, are now forgiven.  In essence, the computer file with your sins is now deleted, never to be viewed by God again.  Now, ask God to empower you with the Holy Spirit so you will have the boldness to share with others what Jesus has done for you. 

Next Saturday we will begin looking at the fall feasts and how they point to Jesus' second coming.  

Values, Beliefs, and Philosophies: The Platform From Which a Candidate Will Govern

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 4:23

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

NKJV

As we have seen in earlier postings, God the Father is seeking people to worship Him in the spirit of love for God and each other built on a solid foundation of truth, the Trinity and The Word of God.  Worship in spirit only without a solid foundation of truth becomes estranged from God and leads to the formation of cults.  People worshiping in spirit only without a solid foundation of truth are also easily deceived.  History is full of well-intentioned men and women suckered into some cult that fleeces them of their wealth, happiness, and most importantly a close relationship with God.  However, worship in truth only without any spirit is dry and unattractive to people.  Finding a balance between spirit and truth in worship of God is what we must seek and what pleases God. 

Next year is another Presidential campaign year in the United States.  The scriptural concept of worship in spirit and truth is also applicable to political campaigns and I believe something we must apply.  As a nation, the United States can no longer afford to elect a President that is all hype and an empty suit when it comes to governing.  However, a candidate without some charisma or excitement can quickly bore voters causing them to either stay home and not vote or vote for the exciting empty suit candidate.  In the 2016 election we must find the balance between charisma and a solid Constitutional governing platform if the United States as we know it is to survive.

The spirit of the United States is found in the Declaration of Independence and is summed up in the following statement,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.  (1)

The spirit of the United States is in the belief that rights, that is the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, come from God our creator.  That governments are not formed for the purpose of granting rights but to secure the God given rights of citizens and that the power of government comes from the consent of the governed. 

After fighting the bloody Revolutionary War and gaining independence from Great Britton, the newborn nation had the task of forming a government to protect the citizen’s God given rights.  However, they wanted to insure the new government would have a solid foundation insuring the nation did not once again fall under the oppression of tyranny.  

After a failed brief experiment with the Articles of Confederation, (2) the leaders of the new nation assembled to write the U.S. Constitution.  (3)  The document they crafted formed a representative republic form of government with power divided among three co-equal branches of government and a system of checks and balances designed to insure the nation did not fall under an oppressive tyranny once again.  (4) (5)

Unfortunately, the authors of the Constitution did not envision the combination of a President overstepping his constitutional power coupled with a cowardly Legislature and Judicial branch.  In addition, we now have an unelected fourth branch, the Administrative Branch, that writes thousands of pages or onerous regulations affecting the lives of citizens who are powerless for unelected bureaucrats head these agencies.  (6) 

In the upcoming election, it is imperative for voters to elect leaders that believe in both the spirit of liberty expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional foundation of government they all swear to protect when sworn into office.  For those running that currently hold office, we must look at their voting records if they are legislators or the laws they signed into law if they are governors.  We also must look at those supporting them financially in order to determine if they will be obligated to grant any unconstitutional favors.  We also must look at those they associate with as a way to measure what the candidate highly values. 

This was the error voters committed when electing Barack Obama.  Obama ran on a simple message of hope and change and his supporters were so euphoric with the spirit of the message that they failed to look at the platform of socialist associations behind the spirit of the message.  Let us not make that mistake again. 

Our nation faces many serious issues.  We have a stagnant economy that is on the brink of another collapse.  We have out of control illegal immigration threatening to reduce wages and take much-needed jobs away from those chronically unemployed.  In addition to the economic threat posed by illegal immigrants, we also have the criminal element crossing the border that threatens the security of us all. 

I therefore want to urge voters not to become caught up in the spirit of euphoria of campaign slogans but to instead dig deep to determine the values, beliefs, and governing philosophies of candidates.  Doing this will help insure we learn from the mistakes of 2008 and 2012 and begin the process of restoring the spirit of liberty and the constitutional rule of law that made the United States a great nation. 

1. age-or-the-sage.org. The Declaration of Independence. www.age-of-the-sage.org. [Online] [Cited: July 2, 2013.] http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/philosophy/declaration_of_independence.html.

2. Kelly, Martin. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? americanhistory.about.com. [Online] About.com. [Cited: October 1, 2013.] http://americanhistory.about.com/od/governmentandpolitics/f/articles_of_confederation_fails.htm.

3. The Constitutional Convention of 1787. law2.umkc.edu. [Online] [Cited: November 23, 2013.] http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/convention1787.html.

4. Kelly, Martin. Checks and Balances. americanhistory.about.com. [Online] About.com. [Cited: October 1, 2013.] http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/checks_balances.htm.

5. —. Separation of Powers. americanhistory.about.com. [Online] About.com. [Cited: October 1, 2013.] http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/g/sep_of_powers.htm.

6. Newman, Alex. Obama Imposed 75,000 Pages of New Regulations in 2014. www.thenewamerican.com. [Online] Thenewamerican, December 30, 2014. [Cited: August 18, 2015.] http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/19803-obama-imposed-75-000-pages-of-new-regulations-in-2014

Finding Jesus in the Feasts of Israel (Feast of Firstfruits)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Corinthians 15:20-22

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

NKJV

The second of the annual Feasts of Israel is the Feast of Firstfruits.  Historically, it commemorates the barley harvest or first harvest of the season.  In the ancient agrarian society of Israel, this would have been a celebration of God’s provision for their material needs.  However, for those seeking a deeper spiritual meaning for this feast, we only need look at the event that occurred three days after the crucifixion of the Lamb of God, the resurrection. 

Christians typically celebrate Easter on the Sunday following Good Friday.  Easter, or as I like to call it, Resurrection Sunday is the most important day, in my belief, in the Christian faith.   It is like the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Playoffs, The World Series, and NBA Championship all wrapped into one.  Without the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, he would be just another great prophet or teacher.  However, with his resurrection from the dead he demonstrates his mastery over death (1 Corinthians 15:50-57) making it possible for anyone believing in Him to enjoy eternal life (John3:16).   

One can travel to Israel today and even though there are two sites that could be the empty tomb, they both have one thing in common; they are tombs of rich men that have no one in them.  This would fall in line with the prophecy of Messiah having his grave among the rich although he was poor (Isaiah53:9).  This also reminds us that Messiah must die but since Messiah cannot remain dead, he must rise from the dead as the Firstfruits of those rising from the dead or fallen asleep (1 Corinthians15:20).  Unlike Buddha, Mohammed, and even Jewish Old Testament prophets who pointed forward to Messiah, who are dead, our Messiah, Jesus Christ, is alive and seated at the right hand of God the Father. 

What this means for us today is,

1)      Our God is alive and not dead – Unlike other religions that study and worship someone who is dead in a tomb, the tomb of our savior is empty for He is alive. 

2)      Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father - Not only is the tomb empty, Jesus, who was seen by many after his resurrection, now sits at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for the saints (Romans 8:34).  Intercession is not a word commonly used in our modern language.  A better way of saying this today might be that we have an advocate or someone pleading our case before God the Father.  In other words, when we pray, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father presenting our petition. 

3)      Jesus is alive and coming back again – Since Messiah is not dead and sits at the right hand of God the Father, we have the hope and assurance that he is coming again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  Jesus is indeed coming again but this time it is not to die but to establish his Millennial Kingdom upon this earth.  This hope would be meaningless if were a hope in someone whose body remained in a tomb.  However, when this promise is in someone who conquered death and even sits at the right hand, the hand of power, of God Almighty, the promise has teeth and something upon which we can stake our lives. 

We have a natural fear of death for our finite perspective does not allow us to see what happens after we die.  However, this is not the case with Jesus Christ for not only is he God, he also experienced death and conquered it.  We therefore may not know the specifics of what occurs after death but we have no need to fear it if we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ. 

If you have not done so already, I want to invite you to pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

For those who find themselves at a point in their lives where they seem separated from God or God does not seem to be listening remember,  Jesus is alive and seated at the right hand of God waiting to hear from you.  Cry out to him now and allow him to minister to your needs. 

Finally, remember, God’s not dead, he’s surely alive.  

Solid Foundations

By:  Dale Weckbacher   

John 4:23-24

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

NKJV

A true worshiper of God the Father is one who has learned the balance of worship in spirit and truth.  Their worship is one full of the spirit of a love for God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.  It is a worship flowing out from a heart full of the Spirit of God and as such, is a spirit reaching out to the lost and hurting of this world.  It is also a spirit without hate for it knows Jesus Christ died for all humanity, desires that none should parish but that all would come to him, and receive the gracious gift of salvation.  However, this spirit of love must stand upon a solid foundation of truth for we live in a world dominated by evil and as such, God’s people have suffered throughout history and must have a solid foundation of truth upon which to stand. 

If you have ever had the opportunity to witness the construction of a tall building, you have seen how the construction begins with the digging down into the ground to find solid bedrock upon which to lay the foundation for this building.  This is because the architects know that the building will have to endure stormy winds, floods, and even earthquakes.  Without building upon a solid foundation, we could end up with a modern day leaning tower of Pisa, or worse. 

Solid foundations upon which to build our faith as believers in Jesus Christ are just as important as the solid foundation upon which we build a building.  As statements of the solid foundation of truth of the Christian faith, several creeds have developed.  (1)  Most notable of these creeds are the Nicene Creed (2)  and the Apostles Creed.  (3)

Both of these creeds are similar and state the belief in

1)      God Almighty (The Father Almighty) with the Nicene Creed going further by declaring Him the creator of heaven and earth.  (2)  Without this foundational declaration of truth, humanity is left to its own devices which history had shown to be devices of destruction and not love and peace.  This is precisely why God was required to boot both Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden before the evil in their hearts resulted in the destruction of all of God’s creation.  Fortunately, this Almighty God is also merciful and instead of obliterating humanity from the planet, gave them the promise of a savior (Genesis 3:15) before booting them out of paradise. 

2)      Jesus Christ the only Son of God with the Apostles Creed declaring He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  (3)  The Nicene Creed declares that Jesus was begotten of his Father God before all worlds “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made.”  (2)  It might appear these two creeds have a disagreement about whom Jesus was the begotten of.  However, the foundation of the Christian faith is the belief in one God, manifested in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  There is therefore no disagreement here for whether Jesus was begotten of God the Father or the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the begotten of God and part of the Trinity.   The Nicene Creed does provide some clarification of this supposed discrepancy by stating that Jesus was “made incarnate” or became flesh by the Holy Ghost (i.e. Holy Spirit).  (2)  Both creeds declare that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, was buried, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven, sat down at the right hand of God the Father, and is returning to judge the living and the dead.

3)      The Holy Spirit who the Nicene Creed declares as the giver of life (Genesis 2:7) who proceeds from God the Father and God the Son and together with them is worshiped, a further declaration of the Trinity,  (2)

4)      The remission of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting.  These speak of the atoning work of salvation offered to humanity through the blood of Jesus Christ, the hope of resurrection of the flesh upon the Lords return and the promise of life everlasting with God (John 3:16). 

These are the solid foundations, the bedrock of the Christian faith.  Faith built upon this solid foundation is a faith that can withstand any storm, trial, tribulation, or persecution it encounters.  Church history has demonstrated that people and churches built upon this foundation stand.  However, the Enemy is crafty and has managed to creep into many churches today, eroding away this solid foundation. 

Many churches seem more interested in big numbers and attracting these numbers instead of building upon a foundation of truth.  These churches have softened their stand on issues like gay marriage, abortion, etc. so as not to offend potential members.  In essence, these churches are building in a spirit of tolerance of sin, at the expense of eroding the solid foundation of truth upon which they are to stand.  Should we allow this to occur, our churches will become like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and eventually topple over and fall. 

A recent Pew Research Center poll showed that those professing to be Christians have declined.  (4)  However, further study of the numbers shows that this decline is occurring mainly in denominations that have allowed the erosion of the foundation of truth the church is to stand upon.  People are seeking truth and stability in their lives, a truth and stability only offered by faith in Jesus Christ and the truth of God's Word.  Our duty as believers is to build our lives and churches upon the solid foundation of truth expressed in the Nicene and Apostles Creeds and the Word of God and then share that belief so they too can build their lives on this solid foundation. 

1. The Hall of Church History. Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms. www.spurgeon.org. [Online] The Hall of church History. [Cited: August 15, 2015.] www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds.htm.

2. Spurgeon.org. The Nicene Creed. www.spurgeon.org. [Online] Spurgeon.org. [Cited: August 15, 2015.] www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/nicene.htm.

3. —. The Apoostles' Creed. www.spurgeon.org. [Online] Spurgeon.org. [Cited: August 15, 2015.] www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/apostles.htm.

4. Pew Research Center. America’s Changing Religious Landscape. www.pewforum.org. [Online] Pew Research Center, May 12, 2015. [Cited: May 17, 2015.] http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/.

Finding Jesus in the Feasts of Israel (Passover)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Exodus 12:13

Now 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 the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

NKJV

Many Christians make a resolution each year to read through the entire Bible in a year.  In fact, there are one year Bible’s one can buy and even online applications where one can set up a plan to read through the Bible in a 12 month period.  However, many good intentions of reading through Scripture are derailed when the reader comes to the numerous Levitical laws and rituals contained in the book of Leviticus.  The main reason for this is that we as Christians are no longer required to practice these rituals due to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross that once and for all forgives us of our sins (Hebrews 10:1-4). 

I remember being bored in school when it came to studying history.  My belief was why should I study history, after all, there is nothing I can do to fix it.  However, as I have gotten older I have come to realize that the study of history is important because it teaches us valuable lessons.  The Book of Leviticus also teaches us valuable lessons, especially when it comes to the feasts of Israel for in these feasts we see a picture of the ministry of Jesus.

There are six Jewish feasts, Passover, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the  Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:4-44).  Over the next six Saturday’s we will look at each of these feasts and see what they tell us about the ministry of Jesus. 

The first of these feasts is Passover.  The first Passover feast occurred when the Israelites were under Egyptian bondage or slavery.  After commanding Pharaoh nine times to let the Israelites go followed by Pharaoh’s continued disobedience, God is about to unleash one final plague.  This plague would be the most deadly as it would kill all the first born in Egypt.  The only way to escape the plague was to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and put some of the blood on the doorposts of your house.  Those that did this and remained in the house would escape this deadly plague (Exodus 12:1-28).

Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, came to this world.  He came to sinful man and even though he knew no sin, Jesus died a brutal death and shed His blood for our sins.  However, this blood sacrifice is not a blanket pardon on all humanity for just as people had to stay in their households with the blood of the lamb on the doorposts to escape death, one must accept the sacrifice of Jesus for their sins to be pardoned from the death penalty for sin. 

For those that lived before the birth of Christ, the Passover was a look forward to the day when the ultimate Lamb of God, the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 would provide a permanent atonement for sin.  For those of us living after the crucifixion of Christ, Passover reminds us that it was always God’s plan to provide the unblemished Lamb of God to provide permanent atonement for sin.  Hebrews 7:26-28 reminds us that the sacrifices of atonement for sin in the Old Testament were temporary but that Jesus, the perfect high priest and Lamb of God once and for all provided atonement for our sins and is why we no longer are required to celebrate Passover. 

However, the requirements of Passover remain in our Bible today to remind us that none of the sacrifices or work we can do is sufficient to atone for our sins and escape the penalty of death.  It is only through the blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, that we can have total forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 2:8). 

In 2014, I had an opportunity to attend a Messianic Seder dinner.  If you are a Christian and have not attended one of these feasts, I urge you to do so.  During this dinner, the pastor took time to explain how each component of the dinner pointed to Jesus and his death on the cross.  It is this Seder dinner that Jesus and the Disciples were having at the last supper.  Interestingly, however, Jesus skipped the cup of wrath during the last supper for he alone was preparing to drink that cup by his death on the cross. 

Jesus, Messiah, has paid the total price for our sins but to escape the wrath for our sins, we must come under the protection of the blood of the Lamb of God by accepting Jesus as savior.  If you have not done so already, I want to invite you to come under the protection of the blood of the Lamb and escape God’s wrath by praying this prayer with me.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You are now under the protection of the blood of the Lamb of God and will escape the wrath of God and enjoy eternal life (John 3:16).  Next Saturday we will discover Jesus in the Feast of First Fruits.  

The Culture of hate v. The Culture of Love and Truth

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." 

NKJV

If an alien race were to come to our planet, there is little doubt they would conclude we live in a culture of hate with love relegated to its sexual definition.  It would only take a cursory look at the news to see the hatred that exists and only a few minutes of viewing the Kardashians and the Bachelor or most reality programs to arrive at this conclusion.  Even our advertising demonstrates the over infatuation of our society with sex. 

Radical Islam continues to vow death to Israel, (1) the United States, or anyone else not converting to the religion of Islam.  The culture of radical Islam condones killing infidels, or those choosing not to convert to Islam, and even promises a reward for those carrying out the deed even if it means killing themselves in the process.  Yet, our leaders believe if we can negotiate with these radicals believing they will honor their agreement with us and not carry out their plans of ending the world of all infidels. 

Planned Parenthood, an organization known for its support of abortion is now accused of killing babies, (2) or fetuses as they put it, and selling their body parts for medical research.  (3)  This demonstrates their hatred towards the unborn, relegating them to a commodity that can raise funds for more abortions.  In addition, those on the pro-choice side of the debate have hatred towards pro-life people.  (4)  Unfortunately, some radical pro-life people also have hatred towards pro-choice people.  (5)  All the while, the debate goes on while more unborn human babies are murdered by abortion.

Then we have the hatred stirred up by racial tensions in our nation evidenced by the riots in Ferguson Missouri and Baltimore Maryland along with the uproar over the Confederate Flag, claiming it was the cause of a tragic church shooting.  (6)  The truth is that race baiters fuel racial tensions for profit.  (7) 

There is also political hatred between Democrats and Republicans, which makes it virtually impossible to solve the nation’s real problems.  Granted, there are ideological and political differences but in today’s culture of hatred, instead of debating these issues we resort to hateful rhetoric and name-calling.  The country faces serious problems in all areas and hateful rhetoric is preventing leaders from coming up with solutions. 

In contrast to this culture of hatred, we have the words of Jesus in John 13:34-35 that we are to love one another.  Left to these words only, this could be interpreted to mean that we are only required to love fellow believers.  However, Jesus follows these words by telling his Disciples that this love will demonstrate to all men that they are followers of Jesus.  In addition, by calling this a new commandment, Jesus is in essence clarifying the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves by defining neighbors as not just those living next to us but anyone. 

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17) even though he knew one, Judas, would betray him and the others would desert Him.  Jesus also died on a cross even though he had no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) in order to give all humanity the opportunity to enjoy eternal life (John 3:16).  In Luke6:27 we are told to love our enemies and those that hate us.  This means today that we as Christians must love radical Islamists, abortion doctors at Planned Parenthood, racists, and people of the other political party.  The culture of love as defined by Jesus in Scripture seems to be at odds with Christians taking a stand against evil in our world but this is not so.

In His discourse with the women at the well, Jesus told her the following,

John 4:24

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

NKJV

As Christians, we are to worship God in the Spirit of love following the example of our savior who died for those that hated Him and truth, the truth of the Bible, the Word of God.  In other words, we are to love the sinner and condemn the sin for Jesus did not come to the world to condemn it but to save it (John 3:17). 

If you are reading this and are a member of radical Islam, someone working at Planned Parenthood who participated in the butchering of unborn babies, someone who is racist, or someone filled with hatred towards those not agreeing with them politically, I love you and want to invite you to accept the gift of eternal life from Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Now I encourage you to begin studying the Bible, the Word of God for now that you have accepted Jesus as savior and have the Holy Spirit within you, the Bible will unfold for you and you will understand it as never before.  This will mean the discovery that some of our beliefs or things we do are contrary to God’s Word but we must remember that it is when we confront these issues and deal with them in our lives, our relationship with Jesus grows stronger.  It is how we move from a diet of spiritual milk to solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2). 

1. AP, Times of Israel Staff and AFP. Amid Chants of 'Death to Israel,' Iran Leader Calls for 'Win-Win' nuke deal. www.timesofisrael.com. [Online] The Times of Israel, February 11, 2015. [Cited: July 19, 2015.] http://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-chants-of-death-to-israel-iran-leader-calls-for-win-win-nuke-deal/.

2. McLaughlin, Steve Almaxy and Eliott C. Planned Parenthood exec. fetal body parts subject of controversial video. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, July 15, 2015. [Cited: July 19, 2015.] www.cnn.com/2015/07/15/health/planned-parenthood-undercover-video/.

3. Ertelt, Steven. 5th shocking Video Catches Planned Parenthood official selling "Fully Intact Aborted Babies. www.lifenews.com. [Online] LifeNews.com, August 4, 2015. [Cited: August 9, 2015.] www.lifenews.com/2015/08/04/5th-shocking-video-catches-planned-parenthood-official-selling-fully-intact-aborted-babies/.

4. Teenbreaks.com. Pro-Choice Hatred Toward Pro-Life Views. www.teenbreaks.com. [Online] Teenbreaks.com. [Cited: August 9, 2015.] www.teenbreaks.com/abortion/prochoice-hatred-prolife.cfm.

5. Booth, William. Doctor Killed During Abortion Protest. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, March 11, 1993. [Cited: August 9, 2015.] www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/abortviolence/stories/gunn.htm.

6. Jenkins, Jack. How the Charleston Shooting is Linked To The Confederate Flag, According To A South Carolinian. www.thinkprogress.org. [Online] ThinkProgress, June 19, 2015. [Cited: August 9, 2015.] www.thinkprogress.org/culture/2015/06/19/3671684/charleston-shooting-confederate-flag/.

7. Lopata, Andrew. Al Sharpton Cashing In On Ferguson Franchise By Announcing 25 New Locations To Protest. www.business2community.com. [Online] Business 2 Community, November 20, 2014. [Cited: December 2, 2014.] http://www.business2community.com/us-news/al-sharpton-cashing-ferguson-franchise-announcing-25-new-locations-protest-01074949.

Old Testament Foreshadowing of Jesus

By: Dale Weckbacher

John 5:39-40

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

NKJV

Theologians have said that the New Testament is in the Old Testament contained and that the Old Testament is in the New Testament explained. To fully understand the Bible, the Word of God, one must consider the entirety of scripture and not just the Old or New Testament. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case with many.

Those adopting replacement theology view the Old Testament as a book of history and prophecy, telling a story of Israel’s rejection of God. This rejection of God reached its climax when the High Priest called for the crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 16:6-15). With this rejection of the Son of God, replacement theology believes that the Jews have somehow committed an unpardonable sin and no longer have a place nationally in God’s plan. However, each individual Jew can receive salvation by renouncing Judaism and adopting Christianity. Is it any wonder many Jewish people will not accept Yeshua as their Messiah since it means almost certain banishment by family and lifelong friends?

This, along with many other heinous crimes against the Jewish people is why their religious leaders teach that Jesus is the God of Christianity but not the God of the Jews. As such, they refuse to include the New Testament as part of God’s Word. As such, Jewish people are deceived and wait for the arrival of their savior when their savior already came, died, and rose again for their sins making it possible for them to have eternal life (John 3:16).
Some, who believe in both the Old and New Testament, unfortunately, believe they provide two paths to salvation. These are those adopting dual covenant theology. However, this would make Jesus a liar and disqualify Him from being the perfect Lamb of God for He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The truth is that many accounts in the Old Testament are a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ and His ministry. Let us take a moment to look at some of these foreshadowings.

1) God calling upon Abraham to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22:1-18) – Just as God offered His only Son as the sacrifice for all our sins, God asks Abraham to offer up his son Isaac. Another parallel here is that Isaac was actually the second born son of Abraham with Esau being the first. This parallels the first man, Adam, who was the son of the flesh, and Jesus the promised one of Genesis 3:15. It is through the sacrifice of the promised Son of God, Yeshua, that humanity receives salvation from sin.

2) The life of Joseph – Joseph, the favorite son of his father was despised and rejected by those of his family. This rejection led to his imprisonment and the presumption he was dead by his father. However, in a turn of fate, those that rejected him eventually, in their time of greatest need, turned to and found deliverance in Joseph. Jesus was also rejected by those of his family lineage, the Jews and his heavenly Father who allowed Him to die. However, Jesus did not stay dead forever and rose from the dead. In the Great Tribulation to come, the nation of Israel will look upon the one they pierced (Zechariah 12:10), Jesus Christ and turn to Him in their greatest time of need.

3) The Children of Israel’s journey to and deliverance from Egypt – The children of Israel came to Egypt to escape a devastating famine and when the time was right, left Egypt. Jesus too escaped to Egypt with his earthly father Joseph to escape the massacre of Jewish children and later returned when it was safe (Matthew 2:16).

4) The passage of Israel through the Red Sea – The Jews escaped the attacking Egyptian army by passing through the Red Sea after God parted it. However, the Egyptian army, who followed them into the sea, drowned. This is symbolic of the waters of baptism, which symbolize the death of the flesh and the resurrection to new life of the believer. The Israelites also left the waters of baptism at the Red Sea and wandered 40 years in the wilderness. Jesus left the waters of baptism and fasted 40 days in the wilderness before being tempted by the Devil (Luke 4:1-13)

5) The receiving of the Law – Fifty days after crossing the Red Sea, Moses ascended Mount Sinai and received the Law, initiating the covenant of the Law. Similarly, 50 days after the resurrection of Christ, the 120 receive the Holy Spirit in the upper room, initiating the New Covenant (Acts 2:1-4).

When we look at these interesting parallels in the Old and New Testaments, we can see that the New Testament is indeed contained in the Old Testament and that the New Testament indeed explains the Old Testament. There is therefore only one conclusion to be reached, God remains true to his promises to the Jews and just as the sons of Israel turned to their deliverer when in great need, a day is coming
when the nation of Israel will look upon the one they pierced and accept their messiah. If you have not already done so, take a moment to pray this prayer with me now and make Jesus, Yeshua, your savior,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9). I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Jesus, Yeshua, is now your savior and Messiah and you now have eternal life. Now, go out and share with others what Jesus has done for you so they too can have forgiveness of their sins and eternal life.

Next Saturday, we will begin looking at how the Jewish feasts point to Jesus.

Surviving Storms of Radical Change

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 6:16-21

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

NKJV

This story is probably one of the most well known accounts of Jesus ministry recorded in the Bible.  We also find this account recorded in Luke 14:22-33 and Mark6:45-52.  However, unlike the storm recorded in Matthew 8:23-27 where Jesus was asleep in the boat with the disciples, this time Jesus is high on a mountain top praying.  However, even though Jesus is seemingly separated from the Disciples, he is actually high on a mountain top where he can see what is happening to his Disciples.  This provides a great lesson for us today for even though we may not see Jesus with us physically, he is always with us seated high at the right hand of the God the Father and aware of our every struggle. 

Radical change is occurring in our world with the reversal of institutions and traditions held by humanity for centuries and replaced with perverted values that are a slap in the face of God.  For example,

1)      Marriage – Traditionally marriage has been a union of one man and one woman.  However, with the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding Gay Marriage (1) and the recent legalization of gay marriage by referendum of citizens in Ireland, (2) we are now asked to believe that these long held traditions that have survived for centuries are somehow wrong.  In reality, what is occurring here is a group of individuals with no regard for God’s Word attempting to change it.  What I have to say to them is good luck for people have been attempting to change God’s Word for centuries and it has withstood all of these efforts.  This effort too will fail.

2)      Life – God has a high esteem for life for when Adam and Eve sinned, the penalty for their sin was death.  However, instead of just killing Adam and Eve for their disobedience, God gave them the promise of a savior in Genesis 3:15 and allowed them to live banished from the Garden of Eden.  Instead of allowing humanity to die in their sins, God sent his Son to take the death penalty in humanities place (John 3:16).  However, we are now asked by society to condone the murder, not abortion, of the unborn and even condone the selling of their body parts, in the interest of medical research.  (3)  One of the 10 commandments says, “thou shalt not kill.”  (Exodus 20:13)  The Hebrew word translated kill in this verse is ratsach or to murder or slay.  Murder’s legal definition is “the killing of a human being by a sane person with intent, malice aforethought (prior intention to kill the particular victim or anyone who gets in the way) and with no legal excuse or authority.  (4)  Granted, in the United States, Roe v. Wade provided legal precedent condoning abortion.  However, I believe the legal excuse, authority in the definition of murder speaks of killing with the excuse of self-defense, or the authority granted an individual in time of war and is not condoning the killing of an unwanted unborn child for convenience.  Therefore, abortion is murder and murder is something most societies through the centuries have ruled illegal. 

3)      National Security – The primary role of any government is the safety and security of its citizens.  However, the recent Iranian deal (5) and the invasion of illegal immigrants (6) into the United States represent a national security threat.  Iran, along with working in developing a nuclear program, also possesses Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles callable of delivering a nuclear warhead to any part of the globe, (7) including the United States.  However, the wizards of smart, or should I say idiocy, believe that the Iranian regime, a regime that believes in death to America, is somehow not intending to use these missiles to deliver a nuclear bomb to the United States.  This is no different from Chamberlain believing Hitler would honor the Munich Accord, However, this time with much more serious consequences.  (8)  We are also asked to believe that people illegally crossing the border intend no harm and are beneficial to the economy of the United States when there are evidence many, not all, of these individuals commit crimes, including murder, against citizens of the United States (9) and take jobs away from citizens who have dropped out of the U.S. workforce.  (10)

These political storms are dangerous and threaten the very fabric of our civil society but we must have faith knowing that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father and totally aware of the situation.  I encourage God’s people to pray earnestly for our world and nation as it is in the middle of this storm, knowing that Jesus will come to us at just the right time to calm the storm.  This speaks of the return of Jesus to the earth to establish His millennial kingdom but also speaks of Him coming to calm the storms in each of our lives.  However, He will only calm the storm if we willing let him into the boat (John 6:21).

If you are experiencing storms in your life today or troubled by the storms plaguing our society and want to experience relief, I encourage you to invite Jesus into the boat of your life so he can calm these storms for you.  In addition, continue to pray for our world and nations that God will reverse these ungodly and dangerous trends in our society and calm the storms disrupting our civil societies.   

1. Chappell, Bill. Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal in All 50 States. www.npr.org. [Online] NPR, June 26, 2015. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/26/417717613/supreme-court-rules-all-states-must-allow-same-sex-marriages.

2. Hjelmgaard, Kim. Ireland Legalizes Gay Marriage in Historic Vote. www.usatoday.com. [Online] USA Today, May 24, 2015. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/05/23/ireland-gay-marriage-referendum/27833821/.

3. Whalen, Jeanne. Use of Fetal tissue in Research Back in the Sporlight. www.wsj.com. [Online] The Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2015. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.wsj.com/articles/use-of-fetal-tissue-use-in-research-back-in-the-spotlight-1438382094.

4. Law.com. Murder. dictionary.law.com. [Online] Law.com. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=1303

5. Krauthammer, Charles. The fatal flaw in the Iran deal. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, February 26, 2015. [Cited: March 7, 2015.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-fatal-flaw-in-the-iran-deal/2015/02/26/9186c70e-bde1-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html.

6. Tenn), Rep. Phil Roe (R -. Illegal Immigration is a Serious Threat to America's National Security. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, April 26, 2012. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/judicial/224051-illegal-immigration-is-a-serious-threat-to-americas-national-security

7. Devaney, Jason. Report: Iran Has Ballistic Missile That Poses Threat to United States. www.newsmax.com. [Online] News Max, January 22, 2015. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/620245.

8. Wolfmanwill. Neville Chamberlain - Peace in our Time. YouTube.com. [Online] YouTube, November 15, 2010. [Cited: March 22, 2015.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO725Hbzfls.

9. Hoven, Randall. Illegal Aliens Murder at a Much Higher Rate Than U.S. Citizens Do. www.americanthinker.com. [Online] American Thinker, July 13, 2015. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/07/illegal_aliens_murder_at_a_much_higher_rate_than_us_citizens_do.html.

10. Greenberg, Jon. Economist: Immigrants Have Taken All New Jobs Created Since 2000. www.politifact.com. [Online] Tampa Bay Times, December 2, 2014. [Cited: August 2, 2015.] www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/dec/02/peter-morici/economist-immigrants-have-taken-all-new-jobs-creat/.

Beware False Theology

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Colossians 2:8-10

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

NKJV

The philosophies of the world are full of deceit and emptiness.  This is why the secular world must continually change their philosophies as it becomes evident they are unable to deal with the tough questions in life.  Believers who have the Word of God have no reason to resort to these failed philosophies. 

Unfortunately, many false philosophies have crept into the church and have resulted in many false theologies.  Among these are liberation theology, dual covenant theology, and replacement theology.  Let us take a moment to point out the fallacies of these theologies.

1)      Liberation Theology – This theology is a school of thought exploring the relationship between Christian theology and political activism, particularly in the areas of social justice, poverty, and human rights.  The main methodology of liberation theology is to do theology (i.e. speak of God) from the viewpoint of the economically poor and oppressed of the human community.  (1) The starting point of this theology is the social text or suffering of the poor and then a turning to scripture.  (2)  This is the theology of Jeremiah Wright’s church in Chicago and we are beginning to see it creep into the Catholic Church with the Pope’s recent condemnation of capitalism.  (3)  This theology is against the teachings of the Bible which promises eternity with God for those believing in Jesus as savior (John 3:16) and urges believers not to focus on earthly gain at the expense of one’s soul (Mark 8:36).  Liberation theology is flawed because it over emphasizes the social plight of people on earth and in its extreme even condones violent uprising in an effort to eliminate the suffering of the oppressed.  (2)  Jesus does call on the church to reach out to the poor (Matthew 25:31-46) but the main mission of the church is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16).  Liberation theology is an attempt by the enemy to distract the Church from its true mission.

2)      Dual Covenant Theology – This theology is a liberal Christian theology that holds that Jews may simply keep the Law of Moses and be saved because the law is an “everlasting covenant (Genesis 17:13).  (4) However scripture debunks this theology for it says

a.       Jesus came to save the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24)

b.      Jesus said he was the way and that no one could come to the Father but through Him (John 14:6).  Since Jesus was addressing Jewish people here, if Jewish people could find salvation some other way, Jesus was a liar.  However, what about the Jewish Law, is it now null and void?  Absolutely not for the purpose of the Law is to demonstrate how humanity is unable to live up to God’s high standard in their own power and needs a savior (Romans 7).  In saying he was the way, Jesus was declaring he was that savior.

3)      Replacement Theology – This theology teaches that due to the rejection of Jesus by the Jews, the church has replaced them in Gods plans.  (4)  The flaw in this theology is that if God can renege on His promises because we disobey Him, we are all guilty (Romans 3:23) and God’s promises to each of us are null and void.  As a result of this disobedience, we all are sentenced to death (Romans 6:23).  Fortunately, however, God is a merciful God and sent His Son to save lost humanity.  As such God’s promises to the Nation of Israel will be fulfilled.  However, each individual Jew and Gentile must accept Jesus as his or her savior to be saved.  I therefore urge anyone reading this to pray this prayer with me and make Jesus your savior.

 Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

As the return of Jesus Christ draws nearer, more false theologies will crop up and attempt to infiltrate the Church.  That is why each of us must study the Word of God so we will be able to discern these false teachings for as the Word reminds us.

John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

NKJV

1. Theopedia. Liberation Theology. www.theopedia.com. [Online] Theopedia. [Cited: July 26, 2015.] www.theopedia.com/liberation-theology.

2. John Coffy. 'To release the oppressed': Reclaiming a biblical theology of liberation by John Coffy. www.jubilee-centre.org. [Online] Jubilee Centre. [Cited: July 26, 2015.] www.jubilee-centre.org/to-release-the-oppressed-reclaiming-a-biblical-theology-of-liberation-by-john-coffey/.

3. The Guardian. www.theguardian.com. Unbridled capitalism is the 'dung of the devil', says Pope Francis. [Online] The Guardian, July 9, 2015. [Cited: July 26, 2015.] www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/10/poor-must-change-new-colonialism-of-economic-order-says-pope-francis.

4. Hagee, John. John Hagee and Dual covenant Theology Telling the Jews They Don't Need Jesus. www.nowtheendbegins.com. [Online] Now The End Begins. [Cited: July 26, 2015.] http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pages/deception/john-hagee-and-dual-covenant-theology.htm