Messianic Teachings From Nachamu Ami Messianic Synagogue

This is really what it all comes down to: What do we do with the Spirit we have received? All the talk of theology, history, and practice is useful in identifying how we’ve gotten to the current point of many people’s understanding of that answer. There are some problems with it as discussed. But what should the body of believers look like when the Spirit is functioning as intended. What does the fruit of the Spirit mean for us today?

How do we use the gifts of the Spirit? They are so very important and they get a lot of recognition, supposed use, and … abuse. In Evidence of the Spirit, Part 4: The Gifts, we examine what the Holy Spirit is NOT. More than simply being critical, this is a heart-warming, personal approach to the work of the Holy Spirit.

In this continuing look at the Spirit of God, we discuss three reasons for the strong desire to “have” the Holy Spirit: excitement, energy, and experience. We also begin to explore the spiritual gifts in our modern times.

One-fourth of the world’s Christian community is connected to some version of Pentecostalism. That means they have had, and still have, a LOT of influence on how the Holy Spirit has been understood. Is this good? Where did Pentecostalism derive their understanding? Has it affected our own? We should find out!

The spring holidays of God’s calendar are in full swing and the Festival of Weeks is fast approaching. Most people know the holiday as Pentecost, celebrating the giving of the Holy Spirit. It’s a day of great significance in the community of Yeshua’s disciples. But there’s something missing. A Torah understanding will help us find it. This series will take us into a more meaningful celebration of God’s appointed time, Shavuot, and a more powerful experience with the Holy Spirit.

Father Time has been murdered and you have 24 hours to find the killer. But little do you know that once the villain is apprehended, his victim will be miraculously resurrected from the dead. No, this isn't a murder mystery or an escape room. It's a lesson of missed opportunities and misplaced priorities. It's about a special time between Passover and Pentecost that contains blessings that many people miss out on. Can time die? Can it be resurrected? Join Darren Huckey as he explores this mystery and helps us learn a valuable lesson about Counting the Omer.

Yeshua’s disciples are looking forward to sharing a meal with him. It’s called the Wedding Feast of the Lamb and it’s going to be a doozy of a celebration. But what can we do until then? Shouldn’t we be living with excitement and expectation in the present? Of course, but how? Judaism has an answer and it’s a beautiful celebration connected to Passover, centered on Messiah, and filled with hope for redemption.

We’ve been through a lot over the last year. 2020’s Passover celebration was really anything but celebratory. That was then, this is now. Passover starts this Saturday night and after basically missing the holiday last year, what can we do in 2021 to make it the most meaningful seder we’ve had? Can a year of COVID help us be more grateful? It’s possible!

WWJD? We’ve spent the last 5 weeks understanding what He would do—No, even better, what He did. That question has been answered. It’s in the Gospels. There’s a more important question—once we know what Jesus did, what are we going to do? The series' conclusion offers some insights and encouragement for our journey together in Messiah.

Did Jesus have the authority to change the Sabbath? The answer seems obvious, right? Ever heard it said that Jesus was a rebel, intent on tearing down traditions of men, and at war with the Jewish leaders of his time? Maybe you’ve also noticed that one of the main topics where Jesus seemed to come to blows with the Jewish leadership of his day was the Sabbath? He’d had enough of bondage and legalism that the common people were being put under and he was going to turn over some tables and fix the problem. And why not? After all, he’s Lord of the Sabbath. But this answer has serious implications that you might not have heard about. This message will make sure you do.

Last week we considered the background of Jesus teaching by looking at the Jewish root from which it sprung. This message discusses some specific examples — Sabbath, dietary laws, and even the message of the Gospel itself — to show how Jesus’ words stayed connected with the word of God spoken in Torah. And maybe more importantly, to show that he never set out to change what God has previously said, only to return his people to it.

The word "Rabbi" means "teacher." The word has a somewhat different connotation today than in the 1st Century. Jesus was a "rabbi", which means he taught. But what was he teaching? Did he come with a radical new message designed to upend his disciples from the Jewish faith they knew? Was he waging war against the Pharisees and their Jewish teaching? Or was he sharing a message rooted in Judaism, that resonated within the Jewish world he sought to impact?

WWJD — What Would Jesus Do? In its day, this acronym connected deeply with disciples of Yeshua, and the reason is obvious — we want to do what Jesus did, right? But what if the world has no real idea what he actually did? What if the Jesus we think we’re emulating wouldn’t actually recognize the things we do? Part of knowing Jesus is to understand the life he lived on this earth, his Jewish life, and consider how that should matter to us.

We all know about the Great Commission. But what about the Great Omission? It sounds so simple and obvious: The Jewish Jesus. But this essential truth has been lost to nearly all of his followers. Why has the Jewishness of Jesus been downplayed or even denied throughout a large part of history? Why is this one simple fact critical to our relationship with him? Join Rabbi Damian as he walks us through the history of anti-Semitism, Replacement Theology, and the reinvention of Jesus in the first installment of our mini-series, The Jewish Jesus.

“Baptizing them in the name of …” These are familiar words with a very powerful message behind them. The meaning and significance of baptism “in the name of …” would have been communicated to new disciples in the elementary principle known as “instructions about washings.” After this message, you’ll know what they knew.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” It’s the Great Commission and its central to the instruction is to “baptize.” Is it a surprise that an Elementary Principle of Messiah then would be “instructions about washings?” No, but how much do we actually understand even the basics of this process? It’s not what you might think.

“They believed in the Lord and also in his servant, Moses.” That’s Exodus 14. In John 14, Yeshua says, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” Wow! That’s pretty similar. But Moses and Jesus? What do they have to do with each other? You’ve likely heard this answer — absolutely nothing. That’s wrong. Seeing the similarities illuminates so much and that’s the purpose of this teaching which concludes the elementary principle of faith toward God.

There is likely nothing more important in the relationship between God and his people or between Messiah and his disciples than faith. It is certainly no surprise to see it listed among the “elementary principles of Messiah” in Hebrews 6. But do we really understand what it means to have “faith in God” as Hebrews describes it? Is my belief in God the same as my faith toward Him? This is our topic in the 8th installment of "Got Milk?".

Considering the January 6 assault on Congress that ended in 4 deaths, as well as new outbreaks and mutations of the COVID-19 virus and other current events leading to panic and confusion across the globe, can we really be certain God is in control? In the United States we have the motto, "In God We Trust" written on our currency. But do we really believe this if we consider our responses to recent events? Join Rabbi Damian as he shares a word of clarity and comfort to help us through these dark and uncertain times.

Does the Bible condone slavery? Was the United States founded on slavery? Is the concept of biblical slavery any different than what we saw in our country before the Civil War? Join Lance Slater as he expounds on each of these questions in his eye-opening message, "Is Slavery Kosher?"