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WHAT DID YESHUA TEACH WHILE HERE ON EARTH?
YESHUA CALLED PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE.
“From then on, Yeshua began to preach, ‘Turn from your
sins and turn to YHVH, because the Kingdom of Heaven is
near.’” (Matthew 4:17) Yeshua started His ministry with
the very word people had heard John the Baptist say:
“Turn from your sins and turn to YHVH.” The message is
the same today as when Yeshua and John gave it. Becoming
a follower of HaMashiach means turning away from our
self-centeredness and “self” control and turning our
life over to HaMashiach’s direction and control. The
“Kingdom of Heaven” has the same meaning as the “Kingdom
of YHVH” in Mark and Luke. Matthew uses this phrase
because the Jews, out of their intense reverence and
respect, did not pronounce YHVH’s Name. The Kingdom of
Heaven is still near because it has arrived in our
hearts.
YESHUA DEMANDED COMPLETE COMMITMENT FROM HIS
HEARERS.
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to
abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the
prophets. No, I came to fulfil them”. (Matthew 5:17)
Matthew 5-7 is called the Sermon on the Mount because
Yeshua gave it on a hillside near Capernaum. This
“sermon” probably covered several days of preaching. In
it, Yeshua proclaimed His attitude toward the Law.
Position, authority and money are not important in His
Kingdom; what matters is faithful obedience from the
heart. The Sermon on the Mount challenged the proud and
legalistic religious leaders of the day. It called them
back to the messages of the Old Testament prophets who
like Yeshua, taught that heartfelt obedience is more
important than legalistic observance.
YESHUA PREACHED THE VALUES OF THE KINGDOM OF YHVH.
There are at least four ways to understand the
Beatitudes: (1) They are a code of ethics for the
disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers.
(2) They contrast Kingdom values (what is eternal) with
worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast
the superficial “faith” of the Pharisees with the real
faith HaMashiach wants. (4) They show how the Old
Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new
Kingdom. These Beatitudes are not multiple-choice-pick
what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as
a whole. They describe what we should be like as
HaMashiach’s followers.
YESHUA TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO LIVE FOR THE
KINGDOM OF YHVH.
With Yeshua’s announcement that the Kingdom was near
(4:17), people were naturally asking, “How do I qualify
to be in YHVH’s Kingdom?” Yeshua said that YHVH’s
Kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms.
In the Kingdom of Heaven, wealth and power and authority
are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings
and benefits and they have different attitudes. Are your
attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness,
pride and lust for power or do they reflect the humility
and self-sacrifice of Yeshua, your King?
YESHUA PROCLAIMED HIMSELF AS THE ONLY WAY TO YHVH.
“Yeshua told him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through Me.’” (John
14:6) This is one of the most basic and important
passages in Scripture. How can we know the way to YHVH?
Only through Yeshua. Yeshua is the way because He is
both YHVH and man. By uniting our life with His, we are
united with YHVH. Trust Yeshua to take you to the Father
and all the benefits of being YHVH’s child will be
yours.
YESHUA PROCLAIMED AND PROVED THAT HE HAD POWER
OVER DEATH.
“Yeshua told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in Me, even though they die like
everyone else, will live again.’” (John 11:25) Yeshua
has power over life and death as well as power to
forgive sins. This is because He is the Creator of life
(see John 14:6). He who is life can surely restore life.
Whoever believes in HaMashiach has a spiritual life that
death cannot conquer or diminish in any way. When we
realize His power and how wonderful His offer to us
really is, how can we help but commit our life to Him!
To those of us who believe, what wonderful assurance and
certainty we have: “I will live again and you will, too”
(14:19).
THE WORK OF YESHUA HAMASHIACH
WHAT DID YESHUA DO WHILE HE WAS HERE ON EARTH?
YESHUA ESTABLISHED THE WAY OF SALVATION FOR THE
HUMAN RACE.
“She will have a Son and you are to Name Him YESHUA, for
He will save His people from their sins”. (Matthew 1:21)
YESHUA MEANS “THE LORD SAVES.” YESHUA CAME TO EARTH TO
SAVE US BECAUSE WE CAN’T SAVE OURSELVES FROM SIN AND ITS
CONSEQUENCES. NO MATTER HOW GOOD WE ARE, WE CAN’T
ELIMINATE THE SINFUL NATURE PRESENT IN ALL OF US. ONLY
YESHUA CAN DO THAT. YESHUA DIDN’T COME TO HELP PEOPLE
SAVE THEMSELVES; HE CAME TO BE THEIR SAVIOUR FROM THE
POWER AND PENALTY OF SIN. THANK CHRIST FOR HIS DEATH ON
THE CROSS FOR YOUR SIN, AND THEN ASK HIM TO TAKE CONTROL
OF YOUR LIFE. YOUR NEW LIFE BEGINS AT THAT MOMENT.
YESHUA’S WORK TOUCHED PEOPLE’S LIVES AT EVERY
LEVEL.
“Yeshua travelled throughout Galilee teaching in the
synagogues, preaching everywhere the Good News about the
Kingdom. And He healed people who had every kind of
sickness and disease.” (Matthew 4:23)
Yeshua was teaching, preaching and healing. These were
the three main aspects of His Ministry. Teaching shows
Yeshua’s concern for understanding; preaching shows His
concern for commitment; and healing shows His concern
for wholeness. His miracles of healing authenticated His
teaching and preaching, proving that He truly was from
YHVH.
YESHUA TAUGHT AND PREACHED WITH AUTHORITY.
Yeshua soon developed a powerful preaching Ministry and
often spoke in the synagogues. Most towns that had ten
or more Jewish families had a synagogue. The building
served as a religious gathering place on the Shabbat and
as a school during the week. The leader of the synagogue
was not a preacher as much as an administrator. His job
was to find and invite rabbis to teach and preach. It
was customary to invite visiting rabbis like Yeshua to
speak.
YESHUA HEALED PEOPLE’S DISEASES.
Yeshua preached the gospel; the Good News-to everyone
who wanted to hear it. The Good News is that the Kingdom
of Heaven has come, that YHVH is with us and that he
cares for us. HaMashiach can heal us, not just of
physical sickness, but of spiritual sickness as well.
There’s no sin or problem too great or too small for Him
to handle. Yeshua’s Words were good news because they
offered freedom, hope, peace of heart and eternal life
with YHVH.
YESHUA’S ACTIONS OVERTURNED THE WORLD’S
PRIORITIES.
“He took the children into His arms and placed His hands
on their heads and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16)
Yeshua was often criticized for spending too much time
with the wrong people; children, tax collectors and
sinners (Matthew 9:11; Luke 15:1-2; 19:7). Some,
including the disciples, thought Yeshua should be
spending more time with important leaders and the
devout, because this was the way to improve His position
and avoid criticism. But Yeshua didn’t need to improve
His position. He was YHVH and He wanted to speak to
those who needed Him most.
YESHUA LOVED LITTLE CHILDREN.
Adults are not as trusting as little children. To feel
secure, all children need is a loving look and a gentle
touch from someone who cares. Complete intellectual
understanding is not one of their requirements. They
believe us if they trust us. Yeshua said that people
should believe in Him with this kind of childlike faith.
We should not have to understand all the mysteries of
the universe; it should be enough to know that YHVH
loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin. This
doesn’t mean that we should be childish or immature, but
that we should trust YHVH with a child’s simplicity and
receptivity.
OUR RESPONSE TO YESHUA HAMASHIACH
WHAT DOES YESHUA EXPECT FROM US?
YESHUA EXPECTS WHOLEHEARTED OBEDIENCE FROM HIS
FOLLOWERS.
“[Yeshua] selected twelve of them to be His regular
companions, calling them apostles. He sent them out to
preach and He gave them authority to cast out demons”.
(Mark 3:14-15) From the hundreds of people who followed
Him from place to place, Yeshua chose twelve to be His
apostles. Apostle means messenger or authorized
representative. He did not choose these twelve to be His
associates and companions because of their faith; their
faith often faltered. He didn’t choose them because of
their talent and ability; no one stood out with unusual
ability. The disciples represented a wide range of
backgrounds and life experiences, but apparently they
had no more leadership potential than those who were not
chosen. The one characteristic they all shared was their
willingness to obey Yeshua. After Yeshua’s ascension,
they were filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)
and empowered to carry out special roles in the growth
of the early church. We should not disqualify ourselves
from service to HaMashiach because we do not have the
expected credentials. Being a good disciple is simply a
matter of following Yeshua with a willing heart.
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO DENY OURSELVES IN FOLLOWING
HIM.
“[Yeshua] said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be
My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition,
shoulder your cross daily and follow Me.’” (Luke 9:23)
People are willing to pay a high price for something
they value. Is it any surprise that Yeshua would demand
this much commitment from His followers? There are at
least three conditions that must be met by people who
want to follow Yeshua. We must be willing to deny self,
to take up our crosses and to follow Him. Anything less
is superficial lip service.
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO IMITATE HIM.
Christians follow their Lord by imitating His life and
obeying His Commands. To take up the cross meant to
carry your own cross to the place where you would be
killed. Many Galileans had been killed that way by the
Romans. Applied to the disciples, it meant to identify
completely with HaMashiach’s message, even if it meant
death. We must deny our selfish desires to use our time
and money our own way and to choose our own direction in
life without regard to HaMashiach. Following HaMashiach
is costly now, but in the long run, it is well worth the
pain and effort.
YESHUA EXPECTS THE INVESTMENT OF OUR LIFE IN HIS
SERVICE.
If this present life is most important to you, you will
do everything you can to protect it. You will not want
to do anything that might endanger your safety, health
or comfort. By contrast, if following Yeshua is most
important, you may find yourself in unsafe, unhealthy
and uncomfortable places. You will risk death, but you
will not fear it because you know that Yeshua will raise
you to eternal life. Nothing material can compensate for
the loss of eternal life. Yeshua’s disciples are not to
use their lives on earth for their own pleasure; they
should spend their lives serving YHVH and people.
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO REPENT OF OUR SINS.
“The people of Nineveh too, will rise up against this
generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they
repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone
greater than Jonah is here-and you refuse to repent.”
(Luke 11:32) The cruel, warlike men of Nineveh, capital
of Assyria, repented when Jonah preached to them; and
Jonah did not even care about them. The pagan queen of
the South (Sheba) praised the YHVH of Israel when she
heard Solomon’s wisdom and Solomon was full of faults.
By contrast Yeshua, the perfect Son of YHVH, had come to
people that He loved dearly; but they rejected Him. Thus
YHVH’S chosen people made themselves more liable to
judgment than either a notoriously wicked nation or a
powerful pagan queen. Compare Luke 10:12-15, where
Yeshua says the evil cities of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon
will be judged less harshly than the cities in Judea and
Galilee that rejected Yeshua’s message.
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO ACT UPON THE KNOWLEDGE WE
HAVE.
The Ninevites and the queen of the South had turned to
YHVH with far less evidence than Yeshua was giving His
listeners; and far less than we have today. We have
eyewitness reports of the risen Yeshua, the continuing
power of the Ruach HaKodesh unleashed at Pentecost, easy
access to the Bible and knowledge of two thousand years
of HaMashiach’s acts through His Church. With the
knowledge and insight available to us, our response to
HaMashiach ought to be even more complete and
wholehearted.
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO IDENTIFY WITH HIS DEATH.
“I myself no longer live, but HaMashiach lives in me. So
I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the
Son of YHVH, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
(Galatians 2:20) How have we been crucified with
HaMashiach? Legally, YHVH looks at us as if we had died
with HaMashiach. Because our sins died with Him, we are
no longer condemned (Colossians 2:13-15). Relationally,
we have become one with HaMashiach and His experiences
are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with
Him, we died to our old life (see Romans 6:5-11). In our
daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires
that keep us from following HaMashiach. This too is a
kind of dying with Him (Luke 9:23-25).
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO LIVE FOR HIM.
The focus of Christianity is not dying, but living.
Because we have been crucified with HaMashiach, we have
also been raised with Him (Romans 6:5). Legally, we have
been reconciled with YHVH (2 Corinthians 5:19) and are
free to grow into HaMashiach’s likeness (Romans 8:29).
And in our daily life, we have HaMashiach’s resurrection
power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians 1:19-20).
We are no longer alone, for HaMashiach lives in us; He
is our power for living and our hope for the future
(Colossians 1:27).
YESHUA EXPECTS US TO ADOPT A SERVANT’S ATTITUDE.
“Your attitude should be the same that Yeshua HaMashiach
had”. (Philippians 2:5) Yeshua HaMashiach was humble,
willing to give up His rights in order to obey YHVH and
serve people. Like HaMashiach, we should have a
servant’s attitude, serving out of love for YHVH and for
others, not out of guilt or fear. Remember, you can
choose your attitude. You can approach life expecting to
be served or you can look for opportunities to serve
others. (See Mark 10:45 for more on HaMashiach’s
attitude of servant hood.)
YESHUA EXPECTS OUR LIFE TO BE MARKED BY HIS
HUMILITY.
Often people excuse selfishness, pride or evil by
claiming their rights. They think, I can cheat on this
test; after all I deserve to pass this class or I can
spend all this money on myself; I worked hard for it or
I can get an abortion; I have a right to control my own
body. But as believers, we should have a different
attitude, one that enables us to lay aside our rights in
order to serve others. If we say we follow HaMashiach,
we must also say we want to live as He lived. We should
develop His attitude of humility as we serve, even when
we are not likely to get recognition for our efforts.
Are you selfishly clinging to your rights or are you
willing to serve? |
