Outsourcing Charity is Not Part of the Gospel

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 25:44-46

"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

NKJV

Last week the Pope visited the United States and for the first time in history, addressed a joint session of Congress.  The theme of his message to Congress was to repent of the sins of how the United States has treated the underprivileged.  (1)  Perhaps the Pope had Matthew 25:44-46 in mind when making his comments but I have to respectfully disagree with his interpretation of what Jesus meant in this passage of scripture. 

It is a fact of scriptural record that Jesus did have a heart for helping the poor.  For example, Jesus did not pick his disciples from the religious leaders of his day but instead selected them from among the common people in Galilee.   As such, we who are followers of Jesus Christ should follow his example and give to the poor as well. 

Where I differ in my interpretation of Matthew 25:44-46 is in how we are to help the poor.  I see no mention in this passage of giving taxes to the government and asking them to redistribute it to those in need.  In fact, had he said that I am sure Matthew, a tax collector, and the one writing this account in his Gospel would have objected because he was most likely familiar with how government wastes tax revenue, leaving little to assist the poor.  Jesus, in this passage is asking each believer to give as they purpose in their heart (2 Corinthians 9:7) and not to outsource their giving to some possibly corrupt government official. 

Each of us who have decided to make Jesus our Savior has a duty to give to advance the work of God.  For some of us this may be little, for others this may be substantial.  The important thing is that giving to assist the poor is not the duty of government but of each individual believer.  Had Jesus intended for us to outsource charity to the government, He would have told his followers to give their tithes and offerings to the Romans and let them redistribute it. 

Instead of condemning capitalism, we should embrace it as an economic system for it has proven to be the best economic system for the creation of wealth, wealth that is available to assist the poor.  Granted capitalism, just as socialism and communism are economic systems concocted by imperfect men and as such have flaws.  For example, not all people who become wealthy through the capitalist system will be generous and give to the poor out of their wealth.  However, history has proven that the greed of these people is more than offset by the generosity of others for the United States has historically been an extremely generous nation.  (2) 

Socialism and communism are also not perfect and have a history of tyrannical dictators that confiscate the wealth of citizens and use it to enrich their lives.  (3) (4)  These dictators also have a history of brutality towards anyone taking a stand against their regimes.  The truth is that even though the systems of socialism and communism may appear more charitable logically on paper, they forget the corruption that occurs when a centralized regime has absolute power.  (5)

Absolute power does corrupt but in capitalism, this corruption is not centralized and as such limited to individuals who are marginalized as people choose to do business with uncorrupt people.  However, in socialism and communism, people have no choice but to deal with a corrupt centralized government and even face punishment if they speak out against it. 

I believe Jesus would have favored a capitalist system through which He could bless those choosing to be charitable instead of a socialist or communist system, which prohibits people from acquiring wealth.  Matthew 25:44-46 is not a call for government confiscation and redistribution of wealth for history has shown us that such systems lead to tyranny and oppression.  Instead, this passage of scripture is a challenge to us all to be charitable with the blessings the Lord has given us.  The capitalist system represents the best economic system through which God can bless His people.  In fact Malachi 3:10 challenges God’s people to give and see if God does not open up the doors of heaven and pour out a blessing. 

Therefore, if anyone wants to help the poor, begin giving to the Lords work.  However, this requires the acquisition of some capital with which to give, something best achieved through the capitalist system. 

1. Martosko, J. Taylor Rushing & David. Repent! Pope Francis lectures America on gay marriage, ablrtion, immigration, and the Cyrian refugee crisis in first-ever Capital Hill address by a sitting pontiff. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] Daily Mail, September 24, 2015. [Cited: September 24, 2015.] www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3247609/Francis-takes-Congress-task-immigration-abortion-gay-marriage-Syrian-refugee-crisis-insists-Golden-Rule-approach-politics-Capital-Hill-address-sitting-pontiff.html.

2. Smith, Aaron. Americans' generosity has never been like this. money.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, June 16, 2015. [Cited: September 24, 2015.] money.cnn.com/2015/06/16/news/giving-usa-charity-donations/.

3. King, Adrian. Why Socialism Always Results in Tyranical Rule. www.orthodoxnet.com. [Online] Orthodoxnet.com. [Cited: September 24, 2015.] www.orthodoxnet.com/news/WhySocialismAlwaysResultsInTyranny.html.

4. Through The Fringe. A History of Communism: From Idalism to Tyranny. https://throughthefringe.wordpress.com. [Online] Through the Fringe, December 16, 2012. [Cited: September 24, 2015.] https://throughthefringe.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/a-history-of-communism-from-idealism-to-tyranny/.

5. Ph.D., Ronald E. Riggio. How Power Corrupts Leaders: Why and how does power corrupt leaders? www.psychologytoday.com. [Online] Psychology Today, August 8, 2009. [Cited: September 24, 2015.] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200908/how-power-corrupts-leaders.

Empowering the Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

NKJV

After having spent three years with his Disciples, Jesus was all too familiar with their propensity to become full of fear and lose faith when the going got tough.  He probably remembered the evening when he was asleep in the boat and his disciples suddenly awoke Him fearing they were going to perish in a storm (Matthew8:23-27).  Perhaps he recalled walking on the water towards the disciples when they found themselves in another storm.  These fearful disciples once again feared they would perish and when they saw Jesus coming to them, even feared he was a ghost.  Peter was the only one showing courage by stepping out of the boat and also walking on the water towards the Lord, but when he took his eyes off of the Lord he too became fearful (Matthew 14:22-33).  Perhaps he also recalled how Peter, who showed great courage by stepping out of the boat denied Him three times in His time of greatest need (Matthew 26:69-75). 

The context of Acts 1:8 is Jesus preparing to leave to be with the Father in Heaven.  In this context Jesus warns His followers not to immediately go out and begin ministering but instead to wait and receive power from the Holy Spirit (Acts1:4-8).  Jesus knew the persecution that was coming, he knew many of his followers would be martyred for their faith.  He knew that without the empowering of the Holy Spirit, these weak and fearful followers would cower in fear instead of spreading the Gospel.  We are no different from these early followers of Jesus and can easily become paralyzed by fear.  That is why we, as a church community, need the empowering of the Holy Spirit now more than ever. 

Many believers today, like those in the early church, profess their faith in Christ under the threat of death.  I for one am horrified when I hear of the crucifixion and beheading of Christians in the Middle East for their belief in Jesus Christ.  I know these fellow believers are now in the presence of the Lord but I also believe there is no way these individuals can stand for Christ under this type of threat unless they have the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  Truly, our weapons and might I add strength are not of this world (2Corinthians 10:4).

In nations like the United States, Christians usually do not face the threat of death for their beliefs but they do suffer from a form of soft persecution.  Even though this soft persecution does not mean they face the threat of death, they do face the threat of loss of their livelihood or property because of their beliefs.  It would be easy for these people to simply give in and keep their faith and beliefs to themselves but that presents a conflict with the command of the Lord before leaving to be with his father in Mark 16:14-18,

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." 

NKJV

So important is this command that scripture repeats it in Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:44-49, and Acts 1:6-8.  It is clear that Christianity is to be actively practiced and not just something believers do on Sunday.  However, to be effective in carrying out the Great Commission, it is imperative to be empowered by the Holy Spirit as the believers were in Acts 2 for it records the transformation of timid Peter into the first evangelist. 

The Book of Revelation also provides instruction as to how the Church is to function in the Last Days.  Over the next seven Saturdays, we will look at what God told each of the seven churches to which the Book of Revelation is addressed.  God commends each of these churches for the good they do but also has instructions on how they can improve something I believe the Church Community needs today.

It is my hope that as we look at God’s message to each of these churches, we will discover what we must do to become a vibrant, empowered, and effective church in these troubling times.  There is a lost and dying world out there that needs to see the example of a vibrant empowered church.  The question is will we as a Church Community answer the call. 

We Need Leaders That T.H.I.N.K.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

James 1:19-20

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

NKJV

What sets humanity apart from other creatures is our ability to communicate using words.  James 1:19 reminds us that communication consists of two components, the ability to listen and the ability to speak.  It also reminds us to be quick to communicate through listening and slow to speak.  Effective communicators are great listeners who take time to think before speaking. 

Candidates for office must be effective communicators who listen to what voters want and then craft a message delivering what voters are looking for.  It they are successful communicators and can convince a majority of voters that they are the best person for the position, they can win election to office.  Failure to effectively communicate most certainly means defeat. 

Even though I do not agree politically with Barak Obama, he won election to the Presidency twice by effectively communicating a message of hope and change that resonated with a majority of voters.  While Obama was effectively communicating his message, John McCain and Mitt Romney focused on communicating to independent voters taking for granted their base.  (1)  When the base did not show up, (2) coupled with an energized democrat base, GOP defeat was sealed.  The GOP formula for victory in 2016 consists of effectively communicating a message that energizes the GOP base just as Obama was able to energize the Democrat base in 2008 and 2012. 

The reason the insurgent candidates like Trump, Carson, and Fiorina are surging (3) is because people are fed up with candidates that speak empty words without listening to what they the voters want.  Washington DC is ineffectively communicating with the citizens of the nation because they are not listening to voters but instead are listening to donors.  To them money speaks louder than the votes of voters who have the power to elect them to office.

However, even though the insurgent candidates are listening and saying what many voters want to hear, it is also important for them to think about what they are going to say.  Unfortunately, we are beginning to have candidates launching personal attacks at their fellow Republicans.  That is why I want to ask the candidates to use the acronym T.H.I.N.K. before launching any personal attacks and keep the debate on the issues important to voters.  Before speaking take time to insure what you are about to say is

1)      True – Voters have had enough of leaders who lie to them about what they intend to do if they win the election.  They are also tired of candidates concocting untruthful personal attacks against other candidates.

2)      Helpful – Well-informed voters in the GOP base could care less about a candidate’s looks or their hair so I urge candidates not to resort to these sorts of attacks for they are not helpful.  With thousands out of work and on food stamps, with people losing their businesses because of their religious beliefs, skyrocketing health insurance premiums, and taxpayer funding of the brutal murdering of unborn babies at Planned Parenthood, personal attacks levied at other candidates is not helpful.

3)      Inspiring – One of the reasons Donald Trump is surging is his message of ‘Making America Great Again’ inspires voters who are sick and tired of the decline of the United States.  However, Mr. Trump’s recent verbal attacks launched in retaliation against his fellow Republicans are not inspiring.  I believe sticking to the inspiring message he started his campaign with will garner more support. 

4)      Necessary – Personal attacks launched at fellow candidates are unnecessary, especially for the front-runner.  Trump is currently the front-runner and got there with an inspiring message resonating with voters.  As such, I believe it is best if he takes a page out of the Obama campaign’s book and sticks to his inspiring message.

5)      Kind – Campaigns are battles and as such are brutal.  When I refer to being kind, I am not going PC and calling for the elimination of any conflict.  However, the battle is most productive when it is a battle over issues and how each candidate proposes to solve these issues.  Each candidate has been successful in their field of endeavor prior to announcing their candidacies.  Instead of personally attacking each other, candidates should be respectful of each other’s accomplishments and battle over issues.

James 1:19-20 is excellent advice for everyone, but I believe it is especially good advice for candidates running for office.  This is especially true for those running for President of the United States for every word spoken by the President in the age of 24-hour news, and the internet is instantly heard by people all over the world, and therefore, the President of the United States must carefully craft his or her speech.  James 3:6 reminds us that,  “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”  (NKJV) 

We need a President that T.H.I.N.K.’s before speaking so as not to set any unnecessary fires for our world already has enough of them.  Instead, the world needs leaders that can extinguish these fires by being quick to listen and slow to speak. 

1. Dupuis, Dennis. Part 2: Presidential Election Reflection: Republican Missed Opportunities and Alienating the Conservative Base. Moralmatters.org. [Online] Moralmatters.org. [Cited: September 14, 2015.] moralmatters.org/2012/11/10/part-2-presidential-election-reflection-republican-missed-opportunities-and-alienating-the-conservative-base/.

2. Griffin. What went wrong in 2012? The case of the 4 million missing voters. www.redstate.com. [Online] Red State, November 14, 2012. [Cited: July 12, 2015.] http://www.redstate.com/diary/griffinelection/2012/11/14/what-went-wrong-in-2012-the-case-of-the-4-million-missing-voters/.

3. Campbell, Colin. Poll: the Republican Presidential Race is Turning Upside Down. www.businessinsider.com. [Online] The Business Insider, August 17, 2015. [Cited: September 14, 2015.] www.businessinsider.com/poll-the-republican-presidential-race-is-turning-upside-down-2015-8.

Finding Jesus in the Feasts of Israel: The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukot)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Revelation 19:11-16

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

NKJV

Human history is full of many magnificent events.  As a child, I remember sitting in our family room watching the first men walk on the moon.  Not only was it a momentous feat that men could develop the technology to go to the Moon, but it was also magnificent that we were able to see it happen live because of the technology of television. 

Many other inventions have also enriched the lives of people all over the globe.  Without the invention of the printing press, the printed word would remain something only the rich and elites could afford, leaving most of the world illiterate.  The invention of radio, television, computers, and the internet has allowed information to flow at the speed of light and even made it possible for an ordinary person like myself to express his opinions and faith on this blog. 

However, as great as these events and inventions are, they pale in comparison to an event coming in the future, the glorious appearing of the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  This is because in addition to the magnificent events of history, we have also witnessed many tragic events and when the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” appears these tragic events will cease.  The final Jewish feast, the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukot gives us a glimpse of this coming event.

The Feast of Tabernacles is an eight-day feast explained in Leviticus 23:33-44.  It is a joyous celebration celebrating the gathering of the harvest (Leviticus 23:39).  Our modern day equivalent in the United States would be the celebration of Thanksgiving except, this was an eight-day celebration and not a celebration only lasting one day.

The feast occurred in the fall so the weather would have been hot in the city of Jerusalem.  As such, the people gathered to celebrate would have been thirsty.  In this context, let us take a look at what Jesus said when he celebrated Sukot during his ministry.  We find the account in John 7.

Jesus sent his brothers ahead of him to celebrate the feast (John 7:1-8).  Perfect timing was important in the ministry of Jesus and He knew going up at the beginning of the feast was not the proper time for the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were seeking to kill Him.  However, Jesus did secretly go up to the feast after his brothers left (John 7:10). 

In the middle of the feast, Jesus went up to the Temple and taught.  His teaching was with such boldness that many thought he had a demon (John 7:20) but many questioned whether Jesus could be the Christ (John 7:25-27).  He then boldly declares he has been sent by God the Father and accuses them of not knowing Him (John 7:28-29).  However, this is not the boldest statement made by Jesus at this feast.

On the final day of the feast, a day when many may have grown weary and thirsty from seven days of celebration Jesus boldly stood up and cried,

John 7:37-38

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

NKJV

Jesus was not speaking of water to quench their physical thirst but was speaking of living water, the Holy Spirit, which they would receive at their salvation after Jesus arose from the dead.  In order to receive this living water, however, one must go to the well, Jesus, and receive Him as his or her savior. 

Those that make Jesus their savior before the rapture will be caught up with Jesus in the air and be among the those in the army of Heaven riding on white horses (Revelation 19:14).  However, if you are reading this and millions have already suddenly disappeared from the earth, know that you can still receive Jesus as your savior and join the army of God in victory. 

The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukot is a celebration of this future event.  It is a celebration of a coming time when there will be an end to the death and destruction that has plagued humanity.  Imagine a world with no more Holocaust, no more 9/11’s, no more senseless killings.  It will be a time when we finally experience world peace under the leadership of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. 

However, to be a part of this glorious world you must accept Jesus as your savior by praying 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.

Jesus is now your savior.  You have the living water of the Holy Spirit within you and will now join God’s army when Jesus returns to establish his Millennial rein on earth, a rein of peace on earth under the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.  

The Liberating Power of Truth

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 8:31-32

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 

NKJV

The truth Jesus is talking about in John 8:31-32 is the truth of His word and since Jesus is part of the trinity and therefore God, he is telling us that the truth of God’s word will set us free.  True disciples of Jesus are those who study and live their lives according to the Word of God.  I therefore urge the freedom loving individuals reading this to take time out of each day to study the Word of God and strive to live their lives according to the wisdom God’s Word contains. 

When we make a decision to order our lives according to the wisdom contained in the Word of God, we will experience the liberating power of the Word of God.  We will initially experience freedom and salvation from our sins with the reward of eternal life (John 3:16).  As we study deeper into God’s Word with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we will experience freedom from various other things in our lives that hold us back and slow us down (Hebrews 12:1).

The campaign season is once again upon us and with it comes a plethora of campaign ads.  In each ad, the candidate will tout how they are the best one for the office.  If we were just to take the ads at face value, we would have to vote for every candidate.  However, the law only allows us to vote for one of the candidates so it is therefore up to voters to select the one telling the truth. 

Unfortunately, there is no defined standard of truth amongst the majority of voters.  As such, voters often vote for candidates based upon their looks, name recognition, skin color, or gender.  Unfortunately, these are surface issues and tell us nothing about how a candidate will govern once winning office, which is why voters must take the time to dig deep into a candidate’s history in order to determine the truth of his or her values, beliefs, and qualifications.  This digging deep into the candidate’s history will help us arrive at the truth thus liberating us from electing unqualified candidates with values and beliefs in opposition to the values of the nation as expressed in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. 

As Christians, we do have a standard of truth with which to judge candidates for office, the Word of God.  I there want to challenge Christian voters this election to

1)      Study the Word – I know many of you already spend time in the Word but I want to challenge you study more intently so that the Word of God becomes a more vital part of your life.

2)      Compare the candidate’s values and philosophy against the Word of God – Using this standard means we prefer a candidate that is a believer.  However, we will settle for a candidate who may not be a believer but who vows not to sign or vote for any legislation violating the Word of God and our constitutionally protected Christian values.

3)      Show up at the polls – Last election many stayed home (1) and according to Presidential candidate Ted Cruz, many of these absent voters were evangelical Christians.  (2)

Between now and Election Day, we have an opportunity to begin the process of changing the heart of America.  Many in our nation are coming to realize that the current politicians in Washington promise one thing but once in office do not deliver on what they promised.  Voters are tired of politicians lying to them and want truth out of their elected officials but we must insure they have a solid foundation of truth from which to judge candidates. 

I believe Jesus’ words in John 8:31-32 ring true today.  Unfortunately, however, we live in secular society whose education system, and media are dominated by the philosophy of post modernism.  (3)   This philosophy has relegated truth to be whatever each individual believes it should be.  It is this perverted definition of truth that has led to people losing their businesses (4)  because their belief in the truth as expressed in God’s Word that marriage is between a man and a woman (Genesis2:21-24), does not agree with the beliefs of five Supreme Court Justices.  This perverted definition of truth also believes the CEO of a company should lose his job because he contributed to a ballot measure defining marriage as between a man and a woman.  (5)  Now, this perverted belief in truth has led to a public official going to jail because her religious belief prohibits her from signing marriage licenses for gay marriages.  (6)  This perverted definition of truth is not liberating but divisive and creating conflict in society. 

What society needs is more of the liberating truth of God’s Word for it is this truth that forgives men and women of their sins.  It is this truth that teaches men and women to place their trust in God and not some government official or program.  It is this truth that promises eternal life in the presence of a loving God. 

That is where we as believers come in.  We must,

1)      Pray for those deceived by the secular definition of truth.  Pray that their eyes are opened to the truths as contained in the Word of God and that God will send someone their way to share this truth with them.

2)      Live our lives in obedience and service to God.  This includes taking a biblical stand on issues but we must also remember to love those that have been deceived.  Let the way we live our lives loving them while taking a stand demonstrate that those with strong beliefs in God have the strength and peace they want.

3)      Boldly share the Gospel when God provides the opportunity. 

We have the liberating truth society seeks.  The question is, are we willing to live it and declare it. 

1. Griffin. What went wrong in 2012? The case of the 4 million missing voters. www.redstate.com. [Online] Red State, November 14, 2012. [Cited: July 12, 2015.] http://www.redstate.com/diary/griffinelection/2012/11/14/what-went-wrong-in-2012-the-case-of-the-4-million-missing-voters/.

2. Woods, Mark. Ted Cruz appeals to evangelicals in campaign launch – but they may not be enough to get him elected. www,christianitytoday.com. [Online] Christianity Today, March 24, 2015. [Cited: March 28, 2015.] http://www.christiantoday.com/article/ted.cruz.appeals.to.evangelicals.in.campaign.launch.but.they.may.not.be.enough.to.get.him.elected/50645.htm.

3. Post Modern Psychology. Postmodernism and the Academic Disciplines. www.postmodernpsychology.com. [Online] [Cited: December 12, 2014.] http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/main_topics/PM_and_academic_disciplines.htm.

4. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.

5. Hannity, Sean. Was Mozilla CEO Ousted For Stance on Gay Marriage. nation.fox.com. [Online] Fox News, April 8, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/04/08/was-mozilla-ceo-ousted-stance-gay-marriage.

6. AP. Kentucky Clerk in Gay Marriage Case Ordered to Jail. www.6abc.com. [Online] ABC 6, September 3, 2015. [Cited: September 7, 2015.] www.6abc.com/news/kentucky-clerk-in-gay-marriage-case-ordered-to-jail/968407.

Finding Jesus in Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Leviticus 23:26-27

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 27 "Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.

NKJV

Ten days following the Feast of Trumpets, we have the next Jewish fall feast, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.  This feast, unlike the other feasts that call for celebration is not referred to as a feast but a day of atonement.  It is the holiest day of the Jewish year and a time for one to acknowledge their shortcomings and sins before God. 

Since Romans 3:23 tells us we have all sinned, it is symbolic of what we all must do first before receiving salvation; acknowledge our need of a savior.  Fortunately, we do not now need to wait for a specific date on the calendar to receive salvation but can call upon God for salvation at any time.  For this reason, before going any further with this posting, I believe I must give those of you reading this who acknowledges you have fallen short of God’s standard for your life an opportunity to receive salvation by praying 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.

Some facts about the Day of Atonement

1)      The High Priest presents two flawless goats.  One is presented as a sacrifice for the sins of Israel and the other one is prayed over by the High Priest with all of the sins of Israel being placed upon it.  It is then turned lose in the wilderness symbolizing the carrying away of the sins of the nation.

2)      Since the destruction of the Temple by Rome in 70AD, the sacrifices have been replaced with simple acts of prayer, good deeds, and repentance.  However, this system is not scriptural for atonement of sins requires a blood sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11).

3)      People from all over the world traditionally gather in places of worship and recite traditional liturgies, believing the recitation of these words will atone for sin.  (1)

Jesus in Yom Kippur

1)      Jesus fulfills the role of both goats for He not only represents the ultimate flawless blood sacrifice for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), but he also took our sins upon him and did not just take them out to the wilderness, but took them to the heavenly tabernacle never to be seen again (Hebrews 8-10). 

2)      There is no longer a need for an earthly building in which to offer the blood sacrifice for sin because Jesus once and for all offered Himself on the cross and His blood is all we need for atonement (Hebrews 9:11-15).  With the blood sacrifice now eternally completed, one must only repent of their sins and pray to accept Jesus as savior.  Good works are no longer necessary to receive salvation but are a reflection of our faith and love for what our savior, Jesus Christ, has done (Ephesians 2:8-9).  However, a living faith in God will be demonstrated by good works (James 2:20).

3)      Similar to the modern Jewish tradition of gathering in places of worship to recite traditional liturgies, salvation is now available by publically confessing Jesus as Lord and acknowledging his death, burial, and resurrection (Romans10:9-10).  The difference, however, is that confession of the Lord Jesus as savior is an acknowledgement of his blood sacrifice for our sins and not a replacement for an annual blood sacrifice now impossible since there is no Temple or Tabernacle.  (1)

After the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets with the rapture of the church, Israel and the rest of the world will experience a time of Great Tribulation.  It is at this time the prophecy of Zechariah12:10 will come to fulfillment.  It was this day Jesus prayed for in Matthew 23:37-39.  It is this day Jeremiah prayed for Jeremiah 31:34 a prayer God will answer during this time of Great Tribulation. 

It will be soon after the fulfillment of these prophecies and the answer to Jesus prayer that the world will witness the glorious return of Jesus Christ to establish his Millennial Kingdom on earth.  This leads us to the sixth and final Feast, the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot, which we will look at next Saturday. 

1. A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days. Bloomington MN 55438 : Chosen Books, 2013.

Who Was Jesus of Nazareth?

By:  Dale Weckbacher   

Matthew 16:15

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

NKJV

Every Christmas we encounter the Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas controversy.  Those favoring the use of Happy Holidays justify their position claiming Christmas offends those of religions other than Christianity or atheists.  In other words, the word Christ is Christmas is not politically correct (PC).

In spite of media efforts to derail the Trump campaign, he continues to surge in the polls.  (1)  I believe much of the reason Mr. Trump continues surge in the polls is he is not PC.  With this in mind, many retailers who are afraid of offending someone by using Happy Holidays this coming Christmas may want to look at Mr. Trumps surge and consider the damage offending Christians by not wishing them a Merry Christmas may cause. 

In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asks his disciples a very important question, “But who do you say that I am.”  The reason this question is so important is that it is a question we all will need to answer (Matthew 10:32-33).  The question is not just how we will answer this question but when.  People have many impressions about who Jesus was, here are a few

1)      Jesus was a good man (John 7:12) – I believe most people are good people but just being good is not enough to get one into heaven.  In fact Scripture reminds us that any good works we do, no matter how good they may be, are not enough to earn entrance into heaven (Ephesians 2:8, Isaiah 64:6). 

2)      Jesus was an ordinary man (John 7:26-27) – This impression was what many religious leaders of the time of Christ used to dispute his claims of being the Son of God and Messiah.  Many religions today, including Islam, acknowledge Jesus lived and even that he was a good man but do not acknowledge he was anything more than a good ordinary man.  (2)

3)      Jesus was a deceiver (John 7:20) – This is a view atheists and even some Jews have.  They believe Jesus used trickery to perform miracles in order to deceive people into following Him.  If this were the case, however, once Jesus, the deceiver, was gone, why would these people not deny Him when they were facing death. 

4)      Jesus was an evil man (John 7:20) – Some of the religious leaders of the time of Christ justified the miracles Jesus performed by saying he was possessed by a demon and was able to perform miracles using this demonic power (John8:52).  Once again, if that were so, he was abusive towards his fellow demons for he cast many out and even sent many to their destruction in a herd of swine (Mark 5:9-13). 

5)      Jesus is a courageous man (John 7:26a) – There is no denying Jesus was courageous for only a courageous man would stand silent before his accusers when facing death by crucifixion (Matthew 27:13-14).  Believing in the courage of Jesus is a way to admire Him but once again is insufficient for salvation.

6)      Jesus is a prophet (John 7:40) – This is how Islam views Jesus.  (2)  However when we look at John 7:40, it does not just say Jesus was a prophet, it says he was the prophet.  There is no doubt Jesus is a prophet in the biblical sense for he foretold of future events, even his death, and exhorted people by healing the sick, opening blinded eyes, and casting out demons.  However, Jesus is not just a prophet, he is the prophet, the Messiah, and the Way (John 14:6).

7)      Jesus was a great teacher (John 7:14-16) – Many have benefitted by applying the teachings of Christ to their lives.  However, once again just adhering to the teachings of Christ is not enough to guarantee eternal life.  In His discourse with the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22), Jesus told him to obey the commandments in order to receive eternal life.  The man acknowledged that he had obeyed the commandments since his youth.  However, in order to seal the deal, Jesus asked him to sell his possessions and give them to the poor.  This does not mean believers in Christ are to have no possessions but that we must not only adhere to the teaching of Christ but we also must commit our lives to Him. 

8)      Jesus is the Christ (John 7:31) – Granted Jesus was a flesh and blood man, a good man, courageous, a prophet, and a great teacher.  However, for one to be saved and have eternal life, one must believe he is the Christ. 

Someday we will all stand before Christ and he will ask us the same question he asked his disciples.  However, to wait until then to acknowledge he is the Christ will be too late.  We therefore must answer the question before then.  If you cannot answer the question with you are the Christ and my Savior, I want to invite you to do so now by praying this prayer,

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 now can rest and have peace knowing that when you see Jesus face-to-face, you can answer, “You are the Christ” to which he will respond, “Well done good and faithful servant.”  In addition, this Christmas, wish everyone a Merry Christmas and proudly use the name of the one who died and rose again to save you from your sins.

1. Tani, Maxwell. Donald Trump is Blowing Everyone Else Out of the Water in 2 Key States. www.businessinsider.com. [Online] Business Insider, August 25, 2015. [Cited: August 25, 2015.] www.businessinsider.com/poll-donald-trump-leads-new-hampshire-south-carolina-2015-8.

2. Sound Vision. A Comparison of the Islamic and Christian views of Jesus. www.soundvision.com. [Online] Sound Vision. [Cited: August 25, 2015.] www.soundvision.com/article/a-comparison-of-the-islamic-and-christian-views-of-jesus.

Finding Jesus in the Feasts of Israel (The Feast of Trumpets)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Corinthians 15:52

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

NKJV

When Jesus left to be with the Father, the angels gave those that watched him ascend to heaven the promise that He would return just as he left.  This promise is how Christians are to comfort one another, the promise of the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians4:13-18).  The Jewish feast of Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) is a look forward to this event.

Rosh Hashanah literally means head of the year.  In modern Judaism, it is considered the Jewish New Year.  Modern Rabbinic Judaism considers it the day God began creating the world.  (1)  However, the original name for the feast was Yom Teru’ah or the Feast of Shofars or Blowing (A day of Sounding).  This feast is accompanied by the sounding of a shofar or trumpet.  Those who believe in Jesus Christ and anticipate his return look forward to the sounding of the last trumpet that will signal the return of Jesus to take his church away, what Christians call the rapture. 

Even though the word rapture does not occur in scripture, it is derived from the Greek word harpzao, which means to snatch or take away.  (2)  Even though the term rapture does not occur in scripture, it is what 1 Corinthians 15:52 speaks of.  Just as Jewish people look forward to the start of a new year with the sounding of a trumpet at Rosh Hashanah, Christians anticipate hearing the trumpet sound that means it is time to meet the Lord in the air, forever to live in eternity with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17). 

For those ready to meet Jesus in the air, the prospect of the rapture is exciting.  However, for those that are not ready, it will signal the beginning of a time of great trouble on the earth the first of which will be dealing with the loss of friends and family who are now with the Lord.  We can imagine churches filled with people knowing they missed it. 

Most of us who were alive on September 11, 2001, remember how that event impacted the United States, and the world.  Now imagine the impact of literally millions of people suddenly disappearing.  I am sure the conspiracy theorists will have a field day but many, who heard the Gospel and rejected it, will know the truth about what has just occurred. 

This event will occur as 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us in a moment or twinkling of an eye.  In other words, the event will occur without warning much like September 11.  However, just as there were signs pointing to an eminent attack on September 11, there are signs pointing to the eminent rapture of the church. 

In the United States, we have the Constitutional right to freely practice Christianity or any other religion.  Since the ratification of the Constitution, government has protected that right.  However, we are beginning to see that protection vanish with government either turning its back to persecution of Christians or even condoning it. 

Christian owned businesses that cater to weddings must now face the real possibility a gay couple will enter their business establishment and force them into court where they will be fined, putting them out of business.  (3)  CEO’s who do not back gay marriage may find themselves out of a Job with government turning its back to the illegal religious discrimination this firing is based upon.  (4)  The United States also turns its back on the brutal execution of Christians by ISIS (5) and even enters in to deals with countries vowing death to Israel and America.  (6)  Many will know they have missed it after the Rapture occurs but many will also happy those annoying Christians are finally out of the way. 

The good news is there is no need to be here when things go bad and the Great Tribulation begins.  You can instead be with Christ in eternity.  All you need to do is accept Jesus now by praying 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 ready to meet Jesus in the air when the Rapture occurs.  You can now find comfort in these troubling times knowing that they are only temporary and that you have eternity with the Lord to look forward to.  Now, share this with someone else so they too can be caught up with the Lord Jesus when the trumpet of God sounds. 

1. Bernis, Jonathan. A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days. Bloomington MN 55438 : Chosen Books, 2013.

2. Bible.org. Where did the term 'rapture' come from. https://bible.org. [Online] Bible.org. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] https://bible.org/question/where-did-term-8216rapture%E2%80%99-come.

3. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.

4. Hannity, Sean. Was Mozilla CEO Ousted For Stance on Gay Marriage. nation.fox.com. [Online] Fox News, April 8, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/04/08/was-mozilla-ceo-ousted-stance-gay-marriage.

5. Hall, Wunton. Obama Goes Golfing Again as World Mourns Christian Martyrs. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, February 16, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/02/16/obama-goes-golfing-again-as-world-mourns-christian-martyrs/.

6. 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.

Abortion, a Violation of the Spirit of the Declaration of Independence

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Isaiah 44:24

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,

And He who formed you from the womb:

"I am the LORD, who makes all things,

Who stretches out the heavens all alone,

Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

NKJV

With the release of each successive Planned Parenthood video, the activities of this organization become more and more abhorrent and disgusting.  (1)  The brutality of the activities of this organization towards precious creations of God being formed in the womb is little different from the brutality of ISIS or Nazi Germany.  The saddest thing however, is that these barbaric activities are being performed in a country whose founding document, the Declaration of Independence established the right to live as one of the basic God given rights of all humanity along with liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Abortion is therefore a violation of the Spirit of the founding of the United States of America.  Unfortunately, with the Roe v. Wade ruling of the Supreme Court, (2)  the barbaric practice of abortion is legal. 

Abortion and the Supreme Court declaring the barbaric practice legal is an example of the perversion of the law destroying the spirit of the nation its founders believed in for with this ruling, the courts harmed the right to,

1)      Life – The right to life, the life of a baby in the womb is now diminished to its monetary value on the open market.  So-called medical professionals working at Planned Parenthood give no consideration to what that life in the womb could become.  With 57,762,169 abortions performed in the United States as of the 42^nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, (3)  we may have aborted to person that would come up with a cure for cancer, aids, or some other deadly disease.  Perhaps we have aborted the person that would come up with an alternative form of energy that would replace crude oil.  There is no doubt in my mind that the genocide of abortion is destroying creativity in our world and with it creative solutions to problems.

2)      Liberty – Supporters of abortion believe that granting a woman the right to choose to have an abortion preserves her right to liberty over her body.  However, except for instances of rape or incest, a woman had that right to choose when she chose to have sex, resulting in her becoming pregnant.  Interesting that those claiming to support a woman’s right to choose do not also support the right of an unborn life to be born.  Abortion supporters justify their actions by claiming the baby is a fetus and not a human life until it is born.  However, as a recent video has revealed, they have no reservations about removing the brain of a baby with a beating heart.  (1)

3)      The pursuit of happiness – Once again, abortion supporters believe that abortion also preserves the right of a woman to the pursuit of happiness.  After all, President Obama said he does not want his daughters punished with a baby.  (4)  However, just as abortion supporters refuse to consider the life and liberty of the baby in the womb, they also do not consider the happiness of that precious life in the womb. 

Every life, whether in the womb (Isaiah 44:24) or living outside of the womb is precious to God (John 10:10), and he has good plans for each life (Jeremiah 29:11).  Therefore, if the United States is to remain a nation blessed by God, the practice of murdering these lives before they have an opportunity to fulfill God’s plans for them grieves the heart of God. 

Not only does the practice of abortion grieve the heart of God but for those that choose not to believe in God, it means we as a nation are losing future leaders who might have solutions to issues facing our nation and world.  This leadership and brain drain on society affects us all and must stop. 

The spirit of the United States as expressed in the Declaration of Independence was designed to allow individuals the freedom and liberty to pursue their dreams.  Abortion deprives individuals of the right to live, making it impossible for them to pursue their dreams and become productive contributors to society.  Not only does this murdered unborn individual suffer but everyone else also suffers who might have benefitted from these unborn individual’s contributions to society. 

To preserve the spirit of the United States of America, we must stop the barbaric practice of abortion.  Cessation of the practice of abortion will end the barbaric practices of Planned Parenthood and other organizations like it.  This will force Planned Parenthood to either go out of business or focus its resources on real women’s health issues. 

1. Fox News. Baby's Heart 'Still Beating' After Abortion, Doctor Says in New Anti-Abortion Video. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, August 19, 2015. [Cited: August 23, 2015.] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/19/baby-heart-still-beating-after-abortion-doctor-says-in-new-anti-abortion-video/.

2. The Heritage Foundation. Roe v. Wade. www.heritage.org. [Online] The Heritage Foundation. [Cited: August 23, 2015.] www.heritage.org/initiatives/rule-of-law/judicial-activism/cases/roe-v-wade.

3. Ertelt, Steven. 57,762,169 Abortions in America Since Roe vs. Wade in 1973. www.lifenews.com. [Online] LifeNews.com, January 21, 2015. [Cited: August 23, 2015.] http://www.lifenews.com/2015/01/21/57762169-abortions-in-america-since-roe-vs-wade-in-1973/.

4. Brody, David. Obama Says He Doesn't Want His Daughters Punished with a Baby. blogs.cbn.com. [Online] CBN News, 31 2008, March. [Cited: 23 2015, August.] http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/03/31/obama-says-he-doesnt-want-his-daughters-punished-with-a.aspx.