Viewing entries in
General Teaching
Video Teaching
Audio Teaching (Downloadable)
Study Notes and Slides
Reflections of Sinai
Introduction: As we try to observe the culture of Yahushua’s day we cannot miss the strict pattern of Pharisaic observance that revealed to the general population great piety. However it becomes extremely important for us to wonder why the general population were so intensely drawn to Yahshua and would travel from all the regions of Yisrael to hear his teaching. One may argue that it related to his great attention to the miraculous which would attract people like a magic show might but I would suggest unlike a performer that desires to gain an audience it was of least concern to him and his miracles only came from a loving heart as he saw the desperate needs of the people who for the most part were quite poor and he had no other motive than care. As we venture into some of his teachings I hope to infuse us with thoughts that can transform our lives today just like his teachings incited the peasantry of Yisrael which were often deemed as unrighteous rabble by the religiously elite.
Reflections of Sinai
Many today would look to what is called “The Sermon on the Mount” & see no connection that could parallel it with the Sinai experience. “The Sermon on the Mount” being a central theme of Yahushua’s teaching serves as almost a renewal or sort of re-giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. As such within its context there is clear Halachic (Rule or Tradition) imagery.
Yahudaism (Judaism) teaches that when the Mashiach (Messiah) comes, one of his roles will be to clarify ambiguities within halachic matters. Interestingly, this is exactly what Yahshua does within the Sermon on the Mount. Through halachic formulas known from the Second Temple period, Yahshua sets out to clarify and set straight popular misconceptions of specific mitzvoth (Commands).
Before dealing with each specific mitzvah (Command), Yahshua usually begins with the phrase “You have heard that our fathers were told…” This is actually a halachic formula known from the Second Temple period. It was a way that a Sage would state a particular halachic understanding, and then clarify its “proper” interpretation.
This phrase is actually paralleled in a halachic text discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Known as 4QMMT – “Miksat Ma’aseh Torah” (Some rulings pertaining to the Torah), the text introduces disagreements between the Qumran community and their opponents (namely the Sadducees) with a phrase: “You say … but we think/say.”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Yahshua was using a halachic formula known at the time to clarify and give proper understanding to certain interpretations of Torah commands.
The Weightier Matters of Torah
Yahshua in his teaching is in fact drawing his listeners into the areas of most significance and so there are Ethical matters to be explored within this Halactic process which is clearly shown by Yahshua in the following where he reprimands a group of Pharisees who violate ethical considerations.
MatithYahu (Matthew) 23:23 Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe the mint and the anise and the cumin but have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah; Right-Judgement, loving-kindness and Trustworthiness. These you should have done and not left the others undone.
The Pharisees had in fact extended their Tithing to other items. These additional tithes of “mint, dill, and cumin” are actually not even required by mitzvah de-oraisa (commanded directly in the Torah), but rather are supplemental tithes known from the Talmud. Yahshua’s point was not that they did these but that by focussing on these they were neglecting the weightier things of Torah.
Man’s Obsession with Piety:
In Man’s rule we see an obsession with an external imposition of regulations like Halacha (Traditions) designed to so consume an individual’s life in every detail with the hope that this would produce Righteousness. These principles were often a sour point in the Netzarim movement as well and this often led to confrontations over wrong thinking which the Judaizers through legalism were trying to impose as a component to the receiving of Salvation.
Ma’esah Ha Shilichyim (Acts of the Apostles) 15:1 And certain men which came down from Yahudah (Judah) taught the brothers and said: Except you be circumcised according to the custom of Mosheh you cannot be saved.
These men were saying that one had to become a full Ger- Tzadik meaning a full convert to all the beliefs of the Hebrews before being saved even though the converts may have no clear understand of the significance of all these rituals and traditions let alone an understanding of Torah. This was a legalistic way of imposing everything on new converts and though these aspects were significant this heated dispute needed to be resolved before the Elders & Ya’acov (James) in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
This same contention arose when Kepha (Peter) returned to Yerushalayim after entering the house of Cornelius who was a Goyim (a Gentile):
Ma’esah Ha Sh’ilichyim (Acts of the Apostles) 11:2 And when Kepha (Peter) went up to Yerushalayim those of the circumcision were contending with him, 3. Saying, you went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them.
This was the approach of the Yahudim to new converts but this incident taught the believers as did the vision of unclean creatures to Kepha (Peter) that YHWH cleanses the heart when faith comes and that these other components to faith are part of the process of Salvation. Religious observance did not produce faith but rather YHWH cleansing the heart produces faith which then leads to the obedience of the Torah.
It was for this wrong thinking that Yahshua contended so much with the Scribes & Pharisees who had the appearance of Piety but Yahshua saw their wicked hearts for Yahshua says in:
MattithYahu (Matthew) 15:7 Hypocrites! Well did YeshaYahu (Isaiah) prophesy about you, saying:
8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honour Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines thecommandments of men.’ ”
As we look through the Sermon on the Mount we find the criticism Yahshua kept raising was not about the Halachtic traditions but the Hypocrisy that they revealed as found throughout MatithYahu (Matthew) chapter 6 & 7 like:
Sounding a trumpet for charitable deeds’
Praying on street corners to be seen.
Looking disfigured when fasting.
Wearing long Tzititot (Tassels) & broad Tefillin (prayer Phylacteries) to show Piety.
The Kingdom Rule
Rather than drawing away from all the richness of Halacha and obedience to the Torah the section that we wish to draw to actually reveals the beauty of the Rule of Yahweh’s Kingdom that works exactly contrary to the workings of Man. Yahshua is therefore re-establishing Torah & not diminishing it through his approach as we see in what is often called the Beatitudes or sayings of Yahshua:
What is of importance however was that much of these sayings were ascribed to the School of Hillel and Pharisees aligned with them who were poor and strived for right-ruling and mercy, Elder Hillel being a fine example of meekness and humbleness! It is also thought that likewise the thoughts in MattithYahu (Matthew) 23 of Yahshua were directed to the Zealots or the extreme ones of the School of Shammai who were great debaters but lacked humility. They would argue extensively over a minute matters while ignoring the bigger picture.
Yahshua in challenging his followers cuts deep with these extreme words:
MattithYahu 5:20 For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of the Shamayim (Heavens)
Since the Scribes & Pharisees had Piety down to an art form the followers of Yahshua must have been in shock. How about us? How do we see ourselves on the Righteousness scale? Though many of these outwardly looked Pious Yahshua of course saw their Hypocrisy and gave some mighty scathing attacks to shock them back to reality. Maybe it is time for us to consider whether we may have inherited some of the Hypocrisy of the scribes & Pharisees as well?
Shades of Mount Sinai
Just as we imagine Yisrael coming before Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah certainly Mattityahu "Mathew" was calling his readers to be reminded of the Torah being given from Mt Sinai through Mosheh when he notes that Yahshua "went up on a mountain ... and began teaching" his disciples.
Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:1,2 But when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountain. And when He was seated His taught ones came to Him. And having opened His mouth, He was teaching them, saying...
We can surmise this, because the teaching that follows is an elaboration of the meaning and correct interpretation of those Instructions given at Sinai.
In his teaching Yahshua is in fact giving the best interpretation of the walk of Faith in terms of obedience to the Torah. True obedience to the Torah does not begin with outward observance and Yahshua is making that quite clear. It begins in the heart and so MattitYahu (Matthew) chooses to list the blessing of a person who has received the Kingdom in his heart and how that is revealed. Therefore true obedience to Torah begins in the heart and then is revealed outwardly. To understand what the blessings of the Kingdom are we need to address them as found in MattitYahu (Matthew) 5:3-10.
MattithYahu (Matthew) 5: 3-10
- Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
The prophetic utterance which Yahshua is referring when he speaks of the "poor in Spirit" is most likely a reference to the following:
YeshiYahu (Isaiah) 66: 2 "Yet to such a one I look: on him who is poor and bruised of spirit, and who trembles at My Word" (The Scriptures)
The favour of YHWH rests upon those who are "poor in Spirit." YeshiYahu explains very succinctly that those who are "poor and broken in spirit" are those who "tremble at My Word." The poor in spirit are those who honour Elohim and fear him reverently and obey his Torah.
- Blessed are you who Mourn
Yahshua has in mind a more specific mourning. It is a severe weeping over sin, one’s own, one’s Nation and especially over Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
The prophet Yechezqel (Ezekiel) was shown a vision in which those who weep and mourn over Yerushalayim are given a mark and become the only ones who are protected from the judgment of YHWH:
Yechezqel [Ezekiel] 9:3- 4
Then the splendour of the Elohim of Yisrael went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side. Yahweh said to him, "Go through the city of Yerushalayim and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who moan and groan over all the abominations practiced in it." While I listened, he said to the others, "Go through the city after him and strike people down; you must neither show pity nor spare anyone! Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women--wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark! Begin at my sanctuary!" So they began with the elders who were at the front of the temple.
Those who mourn and weep over Yerushalayim are those who truly love Yahweh and desire Messiah's coming to restore right living. Thus, those who weep (over Yerushalayim and over unrighteousness) are blessed because Yahweh has promised to restore Yerushalayim to its former glory when he comes to rule and reign over all the earth from Yerushalayim. Those who were weeping over her will be rejoicing with Messiah in his reign.
- Blessed are the Meek:
Yahshua speaks to those who are objects of injustice, but who nonetheless, serve YHWH faithfully. The meek are those who suffer insult or personal injury because of their faithfulness to YHWH and his commandments. They are "meek" because they tolerate the injustices of wicked men and suffer financially and sometimes physically because they walk in the commandments of the Scriptures. The Psalmist notes this:
But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity (Psalm 37:11).
- Blessed are those who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness:
Those who "hunger" really are blessed because they seek to know YHWH and to understand his Word. And those who seek YHWH’s Word will be filled and satisfied because the Spirit will give them understanding.
- Blessed are the Compassionate:
The "mercy" he is talking about here is at the very heart of the Torah. It is this loving, caring mercy that all followers of Messiah should have in taking care of the needy. The orphans and widows are the needy ones who should be the primary object of rachamim, compassion.
- Blessed are the Pure of Heart
The one with a pure or clean heart is he who honours Yahweh by fidelity or trustworthiness to his Covenant and who obeys his commandments. David, in his time of repentance, longed for the blessedness of having a clean heart:
Create for me a clean heart! O Elohim and renew a steadfast spirit in me.
The Conclusion:
The point of this teaching is to understand that the Kingdom of YHWH is firstly established in the heart and revealed by the previous Characteristics that produce Torah obedience and if they are not manifest as seen through the false Religious Elite that Yahshua rebuked then the heart is far from him though all the garb of Piety exists outwardly.
Just as Yahshua challenged his followers to examine their hearts so we also need to nurture these characteristics of the Kingdom since Yahshua says that they will bring happiness and if we exhibit these the body of Messiah and especially the Netzarim Community will be greatly blessed without so much of the contention that often exists concerning disagreements on small matters and the pride that so often divides.
Even within the words of Yahshua is a great revelation of the Fathers heart who delights in Mercy, who comforts those who mourn, who satisfies those who hunger for Righteousness. It is the Father that brings his presence through his Spirit to bless the humble so as we draw upon these words of Yahshua we are drawing nearer to our heavenly Father and to all he desires for us.
PDF Downloads
If this teaching or any other teachings have been a blessing to you please consider our congregation for donations and offerings.
All our teachings are free and as such rely on the generosity of our community.
Thanking you from Nazarenes of Australia.
Video Teaching
Audio Teaching (Downloadable)
Study Notes and Slides
Mission to the Northern Kingdoms
Introduction: It has been our delight for a long time to believe that one of our prime Missions in life is to bring encouragement, hope and truth to the many places we have felt called to go. This requires prayer, resources and an expectation that YHWH will open to us opportunities to minister and touch lives. Surely as Netzarim the desire to share the truth should always be a smouldering fire within our heart that should never go out. More than our hope we were asked to conduct a Conference that at its heart would primarily focus on the Netzarim faith though it was referred to as the Hebrew Roots but lets not split hairs. This seemed like a rather big challenge as we know how our teachings would be received among the Christian Churches where we all live.
The first part of our Mission included an invitation to preach at an Airforce base in Cebu but we were also trying to contact a pastor friend on an Island north of where we were however no contact seemed to be forthcoming so I emailed him knowing that these people have no home internet and responses often take ages. Amazingly we prayed on a Thursday morning and that day the Pastor felt he needed to read his email at an internet cafe so we were able on the last day of the week to attend his Congregation which had moved to within an hour of where we were staying. You can see his new Congregation in the pictures which by then was only one month old. We did share and pray with him and I shared a bit regarding some area of our faith as well and promised to bring him a Tallit next visit as he truly understood from my explanation the spiritual blessing that it imparted. While praying for this couple I covered them with a tallit and truly felt an anointing of the Ruach (Spirit) as we petitioned the Heavenly Father. Upon that weekend we ministered in the Airforce base and stayed with a high ranking officer belonging to the Congregation who organized with the Commander that we had a gate pass. This particular man we had stayed with before and since I had three years ago encouraged him to study the Hebrew he was well on his way to believing much of what we believe.
This Congregation had a vibrant worship with the young people participating. Though I preached that Sunday I gave a message to encourage people that to be set-apart for Yahweh it is not just about faith but about living a Holy set-apart life which relates to obedience to his word as we begin to understand it.
I was naturally subtle in my approach and at the end I gave Silver the opportunity to share some interesting testimony of her life as a refugee escaping a highly controlling Regime in Vietnam to live for three years in a refugee camp in the Philippines after a harrowing life and death experience at sea concluding with Silver and I praying for a number of people one in particular with stage 3 or 4 cancer encouraging them that YHWH is merciful.
The Two Day Conference at Iloilo Philippines
Stage 2 of our Mission Journey was to hold two days of teaching on the Hebrew roots of the faith, Sabbath, the Feasts of Yahweh as well as Hanukkah to people from many Christian Congregations including a number of Pastors. Even my Pastor friends who had circulated invitations were surprised how many had come but on our posters they had not mentioned Sabbath so at the end of the first day which finished with the teaching on Shabbat I wondered how many would return the next day. To our amazement though the numbers were slow at filling they finally came with up to about 70 people in attendance. I was told that a number of Pastors had raised many questions on the Fall Feasts but fortunately at the end of my teaching many of their questions had been answered. To think that here were strictly Christians being taught the truths from scripture that went against tradition and that they were happily receiving it was truly a blessing and I have come to realise that Yahweh is doing something great is the Philippines by breaking down many walls like he did in our life.
The next Shabbat I was also able to lead and demonstrate the entire Netzarim Liturgy but I also sang for them the songs within the liturgy as we had no music but even that went rather well even if I do say so myself. All in all it was a blessed experience.
Conference in Baguio City Philippines
Following this experience we had been invited to a major Conference in a City that would take a six hour bus trip to reach from Manila. Many of these people that came were rather poor and had to beg and scrap to come but they did, as it required a Plane & Bus trip, as well as Hotel accommodation for three days. Amazingly this Conference comprised at least 150-200 Pastors from all over the Philippines and had as its itinerary teaching revolving around the Sabbath, Kosher and the keeping of the Biblical feasts.
It was so great to see a group of Christian Pastors passionate about blowing the Shofar and living in obedience to Torah though that was a process as we saw. They did lack knowledge but had the heart and were on the road for example of transforming from Sunday worship to the Sabbath. A wonderful example of that was a couple from an island in which Silver had lived in a Refugee camp. These had begun with two services and now they tell us that the Sunday service has 15 people while the Sabbath service had about 70 which is truly remarkable.
I had also been asked to teach one session and the Organizer had asked if I could teach on Sabbath which I did. As I saw the heartfelt desire to break tradition I knew that the Spirit of Yahweh was doing something in the Philippine that is totally unprecedented. When I finished my talk I began to feel like a Celebrity as people were asking me to write down the Hebrew morning prayer that we recite and those sleeping in the Dorm said they all joined in that prayer the next morning.
This has become a yearly Conference and I believe it is changing the face of the Churches and you can see we had a mighty photo shoot at the end of the Conference.
One experience of Significance during this time was when some different couples had spoken to Silver about a special need they had so Silver organized for them to be prayed for but not right then. One couple was to come to our apartment at 4 am and one at 5 am. As this place is high in the mountains it was rather cold but only the 5 am couple came all dressed in snow gear and we had a wonderful time of prayer and even blew the Shofar at that time but seeing the faith and passion of these people was great though following thatthe other couple truly got a roasting from Silver after which they repented because Silver rebuked them and said that since they are Pastors no matter what they should keep to their word.
The Red Carpet Treatment
Upon returning to Manila we decided to stay with the rest in the Church though we had been offered better accommodation. This is Mission life, experiencing whatever the local people experience so we were happy to join with them sleeping on cardboard or the carpet as uncomfortable as that might seem just to fellowship with them.
The following day we at least were able to join together in a Shabbat service in which I used our Liturgy so that was a great blessing again.
After one night we did go to a Hotel for the weekend and had the Helicopter Pilot pick us up for Church on Sunday and we visited a Victory Church not unlike Hillsong. However as often happens Silver felt the Man in front of us needed pray so she asked them, only to discover that two days prior to that he had been diagnosed with a heart condition and was depressed. How she knew that she will tell you is a gift from YHWH. It was interesting also that he was a retired Pastor so through prayer we know his spirit and faith were lifted.
Stage 4- Vietnam Visit
As we all know Vietnam is under a Communist Government so we had no idea what to expect. However this is Silvers old stomping ground and we did have accommodation with a cousin who also picked us up at the airport.
Since it was Chinese and Vietnamese New Year we could experience all the fan fair and decorations which were quite elaborate in Ho Chi Minh City. It was also Silver’s desire to visit people she had done business with over 37 years ago, before she escaped Vietnam as a Refugee but what was most striking was the masses of Motor bikes that flooded the roads with no apparent care for rules. It appears that this place ran by organised Chaos where everyone did what pleased themselves.
As we were aware that some Filipinos had come to Ho Chi Minh from the Church in Cebu we made contact as we like most people thought that Churches were not allowed but to our surprise we discovered that times had begun to change and where they worshipped was an approved Church that housed a Philippine, Vietnamese, Korean & western Congregation though formerly the Filipinos had been confronted by the Police for meeting in a Coffee shop and had been detained by the Police.
We also had the opportunity of meeting the Vietnamese owner & Pastor of the Building & Silver again had the opportunity to Pray for her.
During our time there, Silver did have the opportunity to see how her friends of many years ago lived and see their Business which was still quite active and successful which brightened her day.
Through that Church we were also able to make contact with another Pastor & visit her small Church near where we stayed so we could fellowship and again pray with some.
The Kingdom of Cambodia
Our final destination was the Kingdom of Cambodia and many of us recall the horrific scenes of the killing fields that had made Pol Pot that villain General Infamous. We may not know that he emptied the City of Phnom Penh of people who had to try to live in the country with many dying so he could loot the entire city. Fortunately those days are past and Cambodia is developing much but we discovered that things do not change much. Hun Sin is the Billionaire President and we heard that he had just recently declared all opposition parties Criminals imprisoning some making his Country a one party state but at least there is peace.
A Tuk Tuk
Market Stall
Temples in Phnom Penh
We were able in this visit to experience the life that Silver had left behind as a young Kid and see how things had changed yet still stay the same for many. A typical Fish or Butcher shop is shown in the Slide and according to our standards it does not look too hygienic. Fortunately a bowl of noodles or general plate of Cambodian food would only cost about $1:50 US and our Hotel was only about $20 per night though Silver was able to haggle the price down to $17 good for her.
Most importantly we were able to visit some Churches speaking with the young to encourage them after which we made contacts with a Mission helping the Poorest. Through that contact we gained accommodation for an additional week though it was quite hot and we had only a weak fan and a quilt as a mattress so I used a pillow under my back and sometimes slept on the floor as the floor tiles gave me some relief from the incessant heat.
We were also invited to an outreach in the Country where we were able to pray for many and experience some fellowship but sadly after the meal by the next day I did have a bout of diarrhoea which was not too good so I had to be careful what I ate but fortunately we had some Japanese strong herds which finally helped.
Journey to Siem Reap and Ankor Wat
In the Final leg of the Journey we went to Siem Reap a City in the North about 6 hours by Bus. Fortunately Accommodation was only $12 per night and we organized to visit the Ancient Temples of Anchor Wat. As Silver speaks fluent Cambodian she was blessed in that she was given free entry to all the Tourist spots as they thought she was a local which saved us $37 each time we entered a site. This Temple was quite interesting also because listening to the Tour Guide we discovered some interesting facts. Its construction was quite amazing as it is called a floating Temple as engineers of 1000 years ago had to work out how to maintain the water table during the dry or it would shift. This they did by building a large moat around it. Apart from the huge numbers of workers & the Passion to build such great structures reflecting their Pagan faith not unlike the building of Sh’lomoh’s (Solomon’s) Temple there was a unique truth that goes back all the way to Ancient Babylon. Though it was considered a Buddhist Temple we were told it was actually a Hindu Temple as Buddhism originates from Hinduism. We were also informed that the Towers of the Temples were designed to line up with the Sun during the winter, Spring, Autumn and Summer Equinoxes as the basic belief revolved around the Sun which takes us back to Babylon and the Pagan Worship of the Sun which was prevalent.
The Mission Truths Discovered
- We discovered that YHWH is moving mightily in the Philippines to bring many congregations to realize the need for Torah (Biblical) obedience. I hope we can be encouraged by this & not feel so isolated in our faith.
- The doors are opening wide to bring the full message of Salvation & Righteous living to a hungry people who are opening their hearts to the Shabbat, Kosher eating, the Feasts of YHWH and Torah living and we need to be ready & expectant when it happens here.
- Even in Vietnam that is under Communism a new wind is blowing that sees the message of the Saviour proclaimed freely in registered Congregations unhindered.
- The Trip to the Buddhist Temple of Ankor Wat revealed its Hindu origin but more striking is how its Towers were constructed to line up with the Sun on the Equinoxes revealing a deep seated Worship of the Sun which surely dates back to Nimrod & Babylon.
