Have you been searching for a bunch of Nissan puns, many different versions of the birthday song, and a brand new Birthday New Year Anniversary celebration all in one sermon?  Then listen to this past weeks sermon from Rabbi David.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

--Frederick Lehman

Are you ready? Is that what you’re gonna wear?  This week we see how God has clothed His people throughout Scripture. From the garments of skin given to Adam and Eve in Genesis, to the veil Moses wore after encountering God on Mount Sinai, to Esther’s royal robes, each piece of clothing symbolizes a deeper calling and identity in God. So, consider what we are wearing--not just physical clothing but putting on the attributes of Messiah, the righteousness of Messiah, and the power of the Holy Spirit to live out our priestly roles in the world.

The epistle of Y’hudah (Jude) verse 3 exhorts us:  “Dear friends, I was busily at work writing to you about the salvation we share, when I found it necessary to write, urging you to keep contending earnestly for the faith which was once and for all passed on to God’s people.”  That faith includes the history of the God of Israel and His people as well as those who have been grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel through the death of the Messiah and his resurrection from among the dead.  The historical faith and these historical events don’t depend on us, for our inheritance does not decay, spoil, or fade away; it is kept safe for us in heaven. We did nothing to receive this living hope.  But having received, it is now our duty and privilege to trust and act faithfully.  It’s not something we earned; it’s something we owe.

In the wake of unimaginable personal loss, Haratio Spafford wrote the well known hymn: "It Is Well with My Soul.” Spafford's story, marked by grief and tragedy, invites us to explore how we can find shalom amidst life's deepest sorrows. Drawing on Scripture, including the rabbinic idea of God’s Shekinah (abiding presence), we discover two enduring truths that enable us to say, “It is well with my soul.” First, God is with us, holding our hand through our pain.  And second, He is making all things right.  To learn more, check out…

Just like a toddler develops a will that we must guide and understand, we too face a process of learning to follow God’s Torah, even when we don’t fully grasp its meaning right away. We say: "Na'aseh, v'nishma" – "We will do, and we will hear, or understand" – as Israel committed to obeying God’s commandments perhaps before fully understanding them. Through this, we are reminded that following God isn’t just about doing things because we’re told, but about trusting in His process, growing in relationship with Him, and gaining understanding through on-the-job training and trust. And remember, "It was processed in a processor that used to process nuts." To hear more about this puzzling quote and other helpful tips, click here.

The Lord is on a mission to answer all our questions, to rescue us, and to wipe every tear from our eyes.  God is the one who writes the end of our stories, and the end of our stories is not death, but Resurrection. Now that is good news.

The question is: what day are we on? There were three days between the death of Yeshua and the raising to life of Yeshua.  Sometimes we are in that in-between part. Not only that, but sometimes we are on the third day, and we may not even know it. 

The rabbis saw all of the "Third Days" in the Scripture, from Hosea, to Jonah, to Esther, to Moses.  And they saw resurrection life in the Hebrew Bible.  Yeshua is the fullness of all the third days in the Hebrew Bible; That's how we know that "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

In this week’s sermon, "The Shopping Spree of the Lord," we explore the profound concept of God’s acquisitions or purchases throughout Scripture, with the Hebrew word "kana" serving as the anchor word.  Through the powerful imagery of God's acquiring the people of Israel, the land of Israel, the Torah, and the Temple, we reflect on our own relationship with the Lord as His "acquisition." We are extensions of God’s purpose and our lives, as part of His body, should embody unity and care for one another, thus fulfilling the Torah of Messiah. 

This week we had Reverend Louis Williams from Into the Neighborhood, a local ministry seeking to mobilize prepared people to live out God’s mission for their lives and reclaim, restore and rebuild the landscape of their community. This week, Rev. Louis shared with us on how to trust in the Lord and be anxious for nothing, a great reminder for all of us. 

This week we heard from Victory Avery from Maps Global on the life and calling of Simon Peter.