Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, September 14, 2019
Shabbat Shalom *|FNAME|*,
The sermon tomorrow is taken from the reading (F-260) for last Tuesday, Luke 14. I picked verse 26 and started to meditate on the value of dying to self. That meditation led me to Romans 6 (the whole chapter) where I read, Romans 6:6 knowing our old man was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be done away with, so we no longer serve sin.
The Law is not sin and obeying the Law is not against God. Our approach to God’s righteous standard is not in the flesh, but in the spirit (see Romans 8:4).
But that is the message for tomorrow. Ultimately, I had a number of thoughts and verses that didn’t make it into the message. That is what I want to reflect on now.
Rabbi Trail: Besides, preaching on circumcision always makes me nervous (like a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs). End RT.
Colossians 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision done not by hand, in the stripping away of the body of the flesh through the circumcision of Messiah. 12 You were buried along with Him in immersion, through which you also were raised with Him by trusting in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Dying to self is a necessary part of living in Messiah. We identify with His death when we enter the waters of mikvah (baptism). This is also evident at the table of the Lord which is in a way a marriage ceremony. Jewish weddings always involve the fruit of the vine.
We found this verse in last week’s Haftarah reading. Isaiah 54:1 “Sing, barren one, who has not given birth. burst into singing and shout, you who have not travailed. For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married one,” says Adonai.
In the Lord, we have spiritual children. These children are possible through our marriage to Yeshua. 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I betrothed you to one husband, to present you to Messiah as a pure virgin.
And, if we return to our subject chapter, Luke 14, we find another reference to communion, this time it’s not fruit of the vine, but bread. Luke 14:15 Now hearing this, one of those dining with Yeshua said to Him, “Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.”
Yeshua then used that quote to teach that not everyone who is invited will choose to attend (the marriage supper of the Lamb). God loves us and we must respond to Him in love. Hear the Word of the Lord. John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Let’s remember, 1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately.
Finally, do we want God’s blessing, or are we like those who tell God, “No thanks, keep your blessing. I’m doing pretty good.” Jacob 1:25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect Torah, the Torah that gives freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts—he shall be blessed in what he does.