The Word Is Grace

"Show Us The Father, and Deyanu” John 14:7- 12

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:53:00 -0500

We're back! Actually, Mypodcast.com's servers are back after three days of down time. We apologize for any inconvenience, and are currently searching for a more stable host for our weekly sermon (any listener input is welcom). Phillip asks our LORD, “show us the Father, and it will be enough (deyanu)” to which Yeshua replies, “have I been with you this long, and you still don’t know Me?” Are Yeshua (Jesus) and the Father one and the same? In Messianic circles, there is quite a bit of discussion concerning the deity of our Master, or to be more specific; is Jesus God? We believe unequivocally, that Yeshua is indeed God in the flesh – He is none other than God Himself. Does He share the same attributes as the Father though? The Father and the Son are one, but are there differences in what can be said of each? Thank you for joining us as we discuss this pressing topic on The Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom!

"How Can We Know The Way?” John 13:18 - 14:6

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:59:00 -0500

How can we know the Way? Yeshua answers the question with thee famous passage, “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Yeshua is saying that He is the ONLY way to the Father. When read in light of the account in Genesis, we know that He is also the Way back to the Garden of Eden, and ultimately the Tree of Life. It is obvious from the disciples’ replies that they often were left scratching their heads after Yeshua shared deep Truths with them. They always seem to miss the point, don’t they? Do we really “get it” though? Do our lives show a lost world that we possess the knowledge of the Way back to the Father? Do we look and act like people who know the only way to the Garden; to the Tree of Life? I don’t know about you, by I could use some help in all of those areas! Thanks for listening to The Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom!

"Wash my hands… and my head, LORD” John 12:39 - 13:17

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:35:00 -0500

This week's edition of The Word Is Grace is powerful. Peter refuses to let Yeshua wash his feet, saying "you will never wash my feet!" and Yeshua replies, Peter, "if I don't wash you, you have no part in me." "Wash my head and hands also then, Lord" was Peter's conclusion. What is the big deal with washing their feet? Is there something more to this story then just washing another person's dirty feet? A deeper meaning? We think so. This week's story leads us into the final moments of Messiah's life on earth - and it is startling to find Him concerned with those around Him, rather than himself. Even to the end, He loved the people He had chosen with utmost selflessness. Let God's Word enter your heart as you listen to these scriptures. Let the reality of what is getting ready to happen to Him sink in - we, as believers must never lose sight of the enormous price He paid for us. Thanks for listening to The Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom!

"The Bread Man" - by Tim Terry (SeedsOfRestoration.com)

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:22:00 -0500

This week, as we enter the last days of Sukkot, it seems appropriate to take a little deeper look at our Messiah,and what better way to do it then by looking at the life of Joseph; and what better time than the Season of our Joy? If you have never been in a study of the parallels between Joseph and Yeshua's lives, then you are in for a profound experience; there are literally hundreds of pictures of Yeshua in Joseph's story. In fact, there are too many for me to start listing - you'll just have to grab your bible and listen in! We would like to thank Tim for all of the work that he put into this study, and encourage you to visit his website at www.seedsofrestoration.wordpress.com where you will find many more studies on the Hebraic roots of our faith - ranging from the food laws to the battle over the Sabbath day. Thanks for joining us at the Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom!

"Love Him More Than... My Family!?" John 12:12 - 12:38

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:24:00 -0500

What is your focus? What has your attention - your whole heart; is it your possessions? Is it your wealth or your dwindling 401K? Or maybe your family? Think about the things that have your attention. Do they take precedence over your love and dedication for our Master, Yeshua? If so, you may be surprised by what our Lord has to say about "counting the cost" when it comes to following Him. He not only demands, but He deserves nothing less than our whole heart, mind and body. You might ask, "Am I supposed to love Him more than my family??" And the answer according to Jesus is a resounding yes, even more than your family." That is a hard statement! Don't misunderstand what He is saying though - He is not saying that we are to stop loving our families. God forbid! He is saying that our love for Him should be so great that any other love should look like hate when compared; and that requires our whole heart. When He has your whole heart, you will soon realize that only then can you love your family the way you are supposed to - with a love that flows straight from our Savior and through us to our families. Thanks for listening, Shabbat shalom!

"Who Is This King Of Glory?" John 11:46 - 12:11

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:52:00 -0500

Though we are still in the book of John, we would like to mention that we are also right in the middle of the High Holy Days according to God’s calendar. Rosh Hashanah was the first, and ten days from that is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, starting at sundown this Wednesday, Oct. 8th. Four days from Yom Kippur is the final Fall Feast of Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles. Please stay tuned, because we will be uploading some extra teachings during the next two weeks. For more information on these special Appointed Times, you will find a link to each on the right side of this page, under the "Weekly Sabbath Times" heading. Now, back to our weekly study in John… This week, we learn that a not-so-Godly High Priest can still be used to prophecy, and that sometimes people can be so loathsome of our Messiah that they will go as far as to try to kill a man that he has brought back from the dead. We find out just how much Mary gave when she broke the alabaster box and anointed Yeshua’s feet with its contents… and why the ointment wasn’t sold to feed the poor. ...who is this King of Glory? Thanks again for joining us, Shabbat shalom!

"But Lord, He Stinketh." John 11:1 - 46

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:55:00 -0500

Our sound quality has been dramatically improved since last week’s podcast! Please check it out, and let us know what you think… Stinketh indeed; Lazarus had been dead for four days. For four days he had not had life's blood flowing through his veins. He was put in a tomb, and for four days, his body had been decomposing. His flesh was rotting. That is until the one who is able to give life came on the scene. Jesus tells His disciples that Lazarus’ death was for the soul purpose of glorifying His Father. Why did Jesus intentionally wait a couple of extra days? Did Mary and Martha know that He was getting ready to do something remarkable? Thanks for joining us, Shabbat shalom!

"Jesus Went To Hanukkah!?" John 10:22 - 10:42

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:00 -0500

Yes, not only does Jesus make the claim to be Messiah again (contrary to what His critics say, He claimed to be the Messiah on numerous occasions); but He does it at the Temple during Hanukkah (Chanukkah, Chanuka, Hanukkah, Hannukah, take your pick on spelling!). Most of us have read it before, but didn't realize that the "Feast of Dedication" was in fact Chanukkah! This brings a whole new light to the Festival of Lights, doesn't it? Being Messiah is not the only claim He makes in this week's reading; He goes even further than that. Jesus boldly claims to give those who follow Him... well, you'll have to download this week's episode of The Word Is Grace to find out, won't you? Thanks for joining us, Shabbat shalom! UPDATE: Starting next Shabbat, September 27, we will be uploading a much better quality sound file. Please check it out and give us some feedback! Thank you, The Carpenter's Shop

"…It Wasn’t The Jews Or The Italians.” John 10:1 - 10:21

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:20:00 -0500

Sheep; believers are likened to sheep in the bible. If you are familiar with sheep, then you know that this may not be a compliment. Sheep tend to be … not too smart. They need prodding and sometimes stern rebuke in order for them to what they are supposed to – what they need to do. Sound familiar? Does that describe you as much as it describes me? Unfortunately, we are much like sheep – more so then we would sometimes like to admit! We can rest assured though, because even through we act like “dumb sheep” a lot of times, we are blessed as believers to have the most loving, caring, and persistent shepherd of all. Jesus tells us that the Good Shepherd is willing to lay his life down for the sheep, and that is exactly what He did; He laid His life down. Neither the Jews or the Italians killed Him – He laid His own life down for us. That is what the Good Shepherd does. Thanks for joining us this week for The Word Is Grace. Shabbat Shalom!

"What, You Don’t Know Who He Is?” John 9:1 - 9:41

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:41:00 -0500

When Yeshua encounters a man who was blind from birth, His disciples are quick to ask 'whose sin caused the infirmity?' He goes on to say that the reason this man was blind was for the glory of God to be seen. Some encounters in the New Testament leave more questions than answers. This encounter is no different; why were the Pharisees so angry with seeing this man get healed? What made them so mad that they wanted to kill Jesus for what He had done? This leads us to another pressing question: did Jesus break the Sabbath? If He did, can He still be our Savior? Join us as we look for scriptural answers to these questions and many more, here on The Word Is Grace. Shabbat Shalom!

"Before Abraham was, I AM” John 8:33 - 8:59

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:59:00 -0500

How are we to abide in Yeshua’s words? Were His words new, or was he merely telling us what God the Father had to say? We believe that it is of the utmost importance to know what His words are, especially if we are called to obey and abide in them! In America, obedience and submission have almost become derogatory terms. Our Master, Yeshua demands that we obey Him! We, as disciples (Talmudim) are required to not only know the words of the one we serve, but we are to live them. Our Messiah’s words are to become to us a way of life. We serve a merciful and gracious God, whose love is larger than anything we could ever know. But there is more to our God than His mercy; He demands and deserves our obedience. The gift He has given us as believers is free, but we owe Him nothing less than our entire lives. Yet again, this week our Savior claims to be God. Yeshua told the Pharisees “before Abraham was, I am.” I submit to you today that He STILL IS. Let us all take a moment to think about this, one of the most profound statements in the entire bible. He still is the great I AM. Shabbat Shalom!

"Legalistic, or Obedient Servants?” John 8:12 - 8:32

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:12:00 -0500

Yeshua said, “If you abide in my words, you are my disciples indeed. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” We have all heard the latter part of the phrase, “the truth will make you free,” but do we realize that there is a stipulation in the first part? Jesus said IF you abide in my word; that means that the “being set free” part of the phrase is contingent upon our abiding in His word. What is His word? From what are we being set free? If Yeshua gives us a commandment, and we obey it, is it called legalism, or obedience? Yeshua claims this week to speak not his own words, but only the words of the Father. As believers in Yeshua it would profit us greatly to find out what the words are that we are to be “abiding in,” wouldn’t it? I would offer up the suggestion that the words of the Father are still the words of Torah; therefore, the words of Jesus, being the words of the Father, would have to be… Well, you’ll just have to listen along with us this week, as Jim goes through the middle of John Chapter 8. Shabbat Shalom!

"Parsha Va’etchanen… A Look at the Shema” Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:06:00 -0500

This week we have a special episode of The Word Is Grace! The Parsha Va’etchanen and this Shabbat (15th of Av) are both very important in traditional Judaism, so we are going to take a week off of our study in the gospel of John and look at this very important section of scripture. Each day, Jews the world over pray the “Shema” which is located in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. If you are not familiar, it is the prayer that starts out, “Hear O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD He is One…” What makes this passage so important that Jews pray it so often? Join us this week as we take a look at the Shema, the Tassels, Daily Prayers, phylacteries, and a few other interesting things in this week’s Parsha, Va’etchanen. Shabbat shalom!

"He Was Shaking The Tree” John 7: 53 – 8:11

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:23:00 -0500

Again, like a good action novel, Yeshua is brought into a plot that at its heart, is intended to find fault in Him. This time, a woman’s life hangs in the balance. What will He do? Will He uphold the teachings of Moses? It is clear that the intent of those asking Him the questions is less than noble. And just what did He write in the dirt? As with most of the New Testament, reading it with a Hebraic perspective alters our perception of what is going on. In the West, this story has been used to say that Jesus was doing away with the harsh laws in the Torah… but is that really the case? A deeper look at this and other stories almost always points toward just the opposite – Jesus is stringently upholding the teachings of Moses… He had to in order to be our Savior! Thank you for joining us on The Word Is Grace; Shabbat Shalom!

"He Spoke on Hoshana Rabbah… Yes, Hoshana Rabbah" John 7: 37 - 52

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:36:00 -0500

How rich the writings of the New Testament are when they are looked at through a Hebraic perspective! This week, as we continue in the gospel of John, Yeshua makes His appearance in the midst of, and on the last day of the Feast of Sukkot. If we read these passages in our 2008, American mindset, we are bound to miss out on the context of the setting. For instance; why did Yeshua pick the last day of the festival to make His statement of “all who are thirsty come to me,” and what does His name have to do with it? When we look at these things in their proper context, the meaning is not changed… but it is much more profound. If you have never heard about the Jewish traditions surrounding Sukkot during Jesus’ time, then we encourage you to join us for this week’s episode of The Word Is Grace. Shabbat Shalom!

"Isn't He The Hick From Nazareth?" John 7: 1 - 36

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 07:21:00 -0500

Yeshua’s contemporaries looked at Him as if He were a hick; a hillbilly with no education from Nazareth of all places. Can anything good come from Nazareth? How could he possibly teach us anything, is probably what they were asking themselves. The beginning of John chapter 7 reads like a spy novel. Yeshua covertly makes His way to the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), unseen by His brothers and remaining unseen until the middle of the Festival. He explodes onto the scene teaching amazing things that defy the common teaching – and He does it with authority. People want to kill Him. The crowds argue over His true identity. Sound intriguing? It should. He goes on to tell His critics from where He comes. Find out what He had to say on this week's episode of The Word Is Grace. Shabbat shalom!

"Tempted? So Was Jesus.” John 6: 43 - 71

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:15:00 -0500

Just as the Israelites grumbled about manna, Jesus’ disciples grumbled about His claim to be the “True bread of heaven.” After that, many of them turned away from following Him. When Jesus asks if the 12 want to leave also, Peter comes to the rescue and speaks the words that each one of us should take to heart, “To where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” This week we encounter yet another time where our Master eludes to His being the Messiah, and we see another Passover connection. This week, Jesus makes a distinction between the people asking Him questions, and Himself - He tells them that His Father (who is alive) is the one who gave their fathers manna in the wilderness; their fathers ate the manna and are dead. We also learn that the synagogue where these things took place had a pot of manna, grape clusters and vines engraved in the lintel above the front door. It is always exciting when archeology substantiates the claims of the bible! Finally, we learn that Jesus was tempted with every temptation known to man. If you are going through tough times, and find it hard to fight temptation, know that our Master, Yeshua went through it too. We must never forget that! He went through the same struggles – only He did not sin. That is one of the many awesome things about Him; He was tempted beyond imagination, yet never sinned. Let’s remember that the next time we find ourselves going through unbearable temptation, because those times WILL come. Remember that He went through it too… and didn’t sin. Praise the LORD, He didn’t sin! Shabbat Shalom!

"Stand Still and See Me... Yeshua” - John 6:15 - 42

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:16:00 -0500

The parting of the Red Sea seems to parallel the accounts of John 6:15-42. They take place at night, are accompanied by a mighty wind, and the people involved are told not to be afraid. In both instances, the people involved are shown a miracle involving the water that appears to be their death, and manna is introduced – physically in the Exodus account, and conversationally in John’s. In Exodus, the people are told to “stand still and see the salvation of the LORD.” We know that the word salvation in Hebrew is the word Yeshua - the name of our Messiah, Jesus. Knowing this, it makes sense that Yeshua would say, “It is I, be not afraid…” He is the Salvation (Yeshua) of the LORD! He was telling them “I am the Salvation if the LORD, don’t be afraid!” We have all heard the story of Jesus walking on the water – it has almost become cliché to us in the Western world. Yet, we should never cease to be in awe of who our Master is and what He has done. Like Jim says in this week’s teaching; Jesus is really the only one that the word “awesome” can rightfully be used in His description. Let us never forget that He is worthy of our praise based on what He has already done for each one of us, on the cross. Our King owes us nothing, yet He has given us everything in Him. As we read His words this week, let’s remind ourselves that we are nothing without Him. He alone is our Hope and our Salvation. Yeshua tells us that it is the will of the Father for each one of us to believe in Him; not because of the works that He does, or the blessings that He blesses us with, but simply because of who He is, and what He has already done. Shabbat Shalom!

"Moses wrote about ME" - John 5:31 - 6:14

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:34:00 -0500

Continuing His conversation with the Jews who accused Him of breaking Sabbath, Jesus says that though He doesn’t really need a witness, He has many. His good works were a witness, the Father was His witness, and John was a witness. In fact, His accusers were willing to rejoice in John’s light, but had refused the light of Messiah! Jesus startles the crowd, by saying that Moses, whom they all revered, actually wrote about Him. Considering His audience, imagine the weight of that statement; these men were seeking to kill Jesus on the basis that He had broken Torah, yet Jesus tells them that the one who wrote the Torah was actually writing about Him. He tells them, “…but if you do not believe his writings (Moses), how will you believe My words?” Soon after this, Jesus performs an amazing miracle in Tiberias, and feeds 5,000 men (plus women and children) with just two tiny fish and 5 loaves of barley bread. We learn the Greek word for fish here means “relish” or very small, sardine-like fish. Barley bread was cheap bread; barley being a grain commonly used to feed the livestock. This story parallels Psalm 23, showing us that Jesus is indeed the Good Shepherd; making the people sit down in the grass (“sit” in Greek means to lie back, or lay down), and then restoring their souls, by feeding them to their full. The story almost begs the question, “How did He do that?” Did the bread just spring up from the baskets, or from His hands, or did He just keep breaking off pieces from a loaf that never shortened?

"Get Away!" - KORAH; Numbers 16:1 - 17:13 (Tim Terry)

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:56:00 -0500

This week we are taking a break form our study in John, and looking at the Torah Portion, "Korah" (Numbers 16:1 - 17:13), with our teacher Tim Terry. Tim runs a website called "Seeds of Restoration" (www.seedsofrestoration.wordpress.com) where he writes on a number of topics including the weekly Parshas, and Messianic theology. Here is, in Tim's own words, what this week's teaching is about: "As we have learned, the uprising of Korah and his followers was more than just a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. It was in actuality, a rebellion against the Holy One of Israel. It was He who chose Aaron to be High Priest…it was He who chose Moses to be the prophet to whom which He spoke face to face… and it was He who had chosen Moses as the leader of Israel. Yet, Korah had somehow convinced 250 “leaders of the congregation…”men of renown”… to actually stand against God and His spoken Word. How foolish you might say. Couldn’t these “leaders” of the congregation see what was happening and speak out against Korah before it was too late? Had they not promised to do “all that the Lord our God says” as spoken thru Moses? How could they be so deceived and turned around?..." Please take the time to read the rest at www.seedsofrestoration.wordpress.com.

"Do you want to be healed?" John 4:43 - 5:30

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:52:00 -0500

“Who is the man who said to you, take up your bed and walk?” The man being asked did not know that it was Yeshua that had healed him. All he knew is that the same man that healed him was the one that told him to take up his mat. This leaves us with a lot of questions! How could the man not even know our Savior, yet still be healed by Him? He didn’t even ask! Yeshua implies that the man was lame because of sin when He said, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” …yet he was healed anyway. We see no repentance, no sign of faith, and no belief on this man’s part, yet he was made whole. As if these things weren’t enough, Yeshua (Jesus) goes on to say the He has the power to give life, to judge man, and to receive the same honor that the Father does. He makes Himself equal with God. He claims that He and the Father are ONE! This proclamation was a big problem for the Jews of the day, and is still a problem for believers today - even within the Messianic movement. As the debate rages on though, the Word of God remains the same, a beacon of Truth, proclaiming that Yeshua and God are ONE. We may not understand it any more than we understand how Yeshua could heal a man that never acknowledged His existence, but that doesn’t change the claims that our Master makes in these doctrine-shattering verses. We must not let our ideology get in the way of the written Word of God. After all, if we could understand all that there is to know about the God of heaven and earth… wouldn’t that make us his equal as well?

"Sir, I perceive you to be a prophet." John 4:1-42

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:05:00 -0500

Have you ever heard it said that Jesus never actually claimed to be the Messiah? The next time you hear this brought up by a skeptic, you should point them to the fourth chapter of John. The woman at the well tells Yeshua (Jesus) that “When the Messiah comes, he will tell us all things” to which He replies, “The one with whom you are speaking, I AM HE.” In Hebrew, living water is “mayim chaiyim.” Every time a person went through a mikva (baptism), it had to be done in mayim chaiyim. Living Water is associated with purity; it was required when a person wanted to be made ceremonially clean for Temple worship. Knowing that this woman had had five different husbands, and was living in an adulterous relationship, Yeshua's words would have carried a lot more weight than we are aware of. He was telling her that not only would she never thirst again, but she would have the cleansing, living water within her – never to thirst again. She would be satisfied, by an internal spring, welling up mayim chaiyim. Are you searching for satisfaction in this life? Are you going form spring to spring, or from thing to thing looking for fulfillment? You are not going to find it in the things of this world ...you must go to the the man who claimed to be the Messiah while talking to a lowly Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.

To the Mikva, Nakdimon Ben Gurion! John 3:1-15

Sat, 31 May 2008 23:38:00 -0500

We’ve all heard the story of Nicodemus steeling away in the dark of night to ask Jesus questions. Most of us have a picture in our heads of what the scene looked like; Nicodemus is afraid of getting caught talking to this man who claims to be the Son of God. But is that really how it happened? The scriptures do say that he came in the night, but was he sneaking around, afraid of getting caught talking to Jesus, or was that just the opportune time for rabbis to get together? Was he really afraid? After all, Nicodemus was The Teacher of Israel… As we go deeper into the Gospel of John, we are humbled by the fact that we, as Western Christians, might not know as much as we profess to know about this seemingly simple book. We are even forced to admit that it might not be the best book to start a new believer in! Join us this week as we look at John 3:1-15, and ask; was Nicodemus the same Nakdimon Ben Gurion from Talmudic writings? What did it mean to Nicodemus to hear Jesus say that he must be “born again?”

"How do you know me?" John 1:35 - 2:25

Sun, 25 May 2008 13:57:00 -0500

How do you know me? These were the words of Nathaniel, when Yeshua told him that he had seen him under the fig tree. Though there is probably more to Nathaniel’s response then we will ever know, it is obvious that he was stricken by the fact that Yeshua “knew” him before they had ever met. Our LORD knew us before we were ever born. He knows the number of hairs on our heads, and He knows the number of our days. We encourage you to let the truth of Yeshua’s “Godness” sink in. He can see right through us. His intention is to make us His followers; just like the disciples that we are reading bout. As His talmudim (disciples), we are expected to be just like Him in everything we do. We are supposed to emulate our Messiah – there is no middle ground. Join us as we finish up chapter 1 and 2 this week on The Word Is Grace. My Odeo Channel (odeo/508bf425e7c42e1f)

“The Word BUT Is Not There.” - John 1:14-34

Sun, 18 May 2008 16:28:00 -0500

Continuing in the Gospel of John, this week Jim Denman takes a look at chapter 1:14-34. John tells us that God took upon flesh. The logical question is, “Why?” Why would the Creator of the heavens and the earth ever want to lower Himself to become one of us; knowing that He was going to be crucified for our sins? What a mystery this is! King David asked the question, “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you would visit him?” It is still a valid question today – there is still nothing in us that would warrant God’s unmeasured love for human beings. John makes it very clear that he believes Yeshua to be none other than God almighty; the very Word of God (or Torah of God) made flesh. He is the I AM of the “Old Testament” and the Savior of mankind. Grace and Truth both come from God above. Moses was the instrument of God to show us His instructions (Torah) and Yeshua (Jesus) was the instrument in which God showed us His Grace. Contrary to popular belief, these things are not in contradiction; they are two aspects of the same loving God of creation.

"This should be staggering to us..." John 1:1-13

Sun, 11 May 2008 21:34:00 -0500

Thanks for tuning in to The Word Is Grace! Starting this week we will be uploading each Saturday service. We typically go verse by verse through each book. This week we will be entering into the Gospel of John; eventually we will put the Torah portions online, God willing. For most of us, John is a pretty familiar book. Some of us may have even been told to start with the book of John, simply because it helps the new Christian to get to know our Savior... but is it too familiar? Maybe we need to look at it without a filter (if this doesn't make since, check out the previous episode, "Time To Check Your Filter!). ...and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us... "This should be staggering to us..." Have we grown accustomed to hearing the Jesus was both God and man? May it never be! This remarkable truth should be heard with awe. We should never make light of the fact that our creator clothed himself in a body made of flesh; leaving his glory behind in order to pay for our sins. This truth should startle us! Join us as Jim Denman teaches about the amazing account of Yeshua’s life given to us by the disciple John. This week’s teaching covers John Chapter 1:1-13, so grab a bible and join us as we look at John’s Gospel account with a Hebraic perspective; you may be surprised at what you learn!

Jesus commanded not to think something? What would He not want us to think?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:47:00 -0500

“Think not that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus gave us this commandment in Matthew chapter 5, right after He said to “let your good deeds be seen by men.” Is there something here that we are missing? Was Jesus actually telling us that we are not to think that He was “doing away with” the Law? If you are like me, this goes against everything you have been taught. “Jesus fulfilled the Law, so I don’t have to do it anymore” is the common sentiment. But what does the word fulfill mean? Does it mean that we are let off of the hook, so to speak? Or does it mean that Jesus was teaching the Torah correctly? These are very weighty questions that need to be answered! If we are still called to obey the Torah (referred to as the Law in most circles), this would mean a dramatic change of lifestyle for all of Jesus’ followers. This topic raises an important question for all of us as believers: If we come to the realization that we are supposed to be obedient to ALL of God’s word… will we? Join us as Jim Denman and Tim Terry take a look into this important topic with a Hebraic perspective on The Word Is Grace from the Carpenter’s Shop, in Crawfordsville, IN.

How grafted in are we?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:24:00 -0500

As believers, are we a part of Israel? What is the "Israel within Israel" that Paul referred to? And if we are part of Israel, then are the covenants ours? Just exactly how grafted in are we? There is a trend in many Christian circles today to cling on to the promises of God, yet disregard His covenants. Paul tells us that we have been brought near to both, but what does that mean? Exodus 19:8 says that a "mixed multitude" answered with Israel that "All the Lord has spoken, we will do." There was one law to be followed. One covenant, one God, one Torah. Come listen this week as Jim Denman and Tim Terry explore the topic of strangers among Israel, and what it means to be one.

What Would Jesus Do? Ask Me Saturday Morning!

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:18:00 -0500

What would Jesus do? Better yet, what did Jesus do? How did He walk out His life without sin? How does any of that apply to my life today? What exactly is sin anyway? Have you ever thought about the question of WWJD in reference to Saturday? When you wake up on Saturday morning this weekend, just ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” I can assure you that he would not go about his daily business, oblivious to God’s Sabbath – he would honor it like any Torah observant Jew! That sort of puts a twist on the way we view the WWJD bracelets, doesn’t it? Jesus had (has) a very high regard of the Torah. If he were to have slipped up and broken just one of the Commandments, he would not have been eligible to be the Savior of mankind. In fact, he gave a seldom recognized commandment when he said, “think not that I came to destroy the law and the prophets; I came not to destroy, but to fulfill.” (Matt 5:17) did you catch that? “Think not.” He is telling us in no uncertain terms that we are not even to entertain the idea that he came to “destroy” or “do away with” the Law and the Prophets. Jesus came to teach the Torah (law) correctly. He never changed the law, nor did he ever teach that men should not obey it – but that they should obey it in faith; faith which starts in the heart, and finishes with obedience. When we go about our daily lives, it would be better if we were to do what Jesus did – not merely try to figure out what he would have done in a given circumstance. We can do this by walking in the same way that he did, in obedience to God’s Law (Torah).

Time To Check Your Filter! Ceremonial, Moral, and Civil - no such thing!

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:56:00 -0500

"As a boy growing up in our public school system, I was taught the theory of evolution as fact. It was explained to me that over billions of years, everything had somehow evolved from nothing, and I was given periodic tests to make sure that I understood the truth of what I was hearing - and I passed with flying colors. Everything went along OK until that day I read in the bible where God said He created everything in six days; now what? I wish I could tell you that because I was such a wise young man, I immediately took the Living God at His word, and pitched the theory of evolution. However, I would be lying. Sadly, evolution had become a filter of interpretation through which I would screen any and all information as it pertained to the world around me. So, instead of questioning this filter, namely that everything evolved, I would interpret "six days" to really mean "billions of years" - even though the bible clearly says "six days." And so goes the topic of this installment of The Word Is Grace by the Carpenter's Shop. We all look through different filters of interpretation that have been built up through the world around us. Maybe it its time to change these filters out, and look at the word of God in the way it was intended. Come with us as we look at seven specific filters through which the church in our time has been taught to look through.