The Word Is Grace

"The Last Chapter of John" John 21

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:58:00 -0500

Well, it took about a year to get here, and now we find ourselves in the last chapter of John.The lessons just keep coming in the final words written by the "one whom Jesus loved." Peter still had some things that needed to be addressed by Yeshua, and Yeshua wasted no time in bringing it out in the open. "Do you love Me?" He asked. Peter did love Him. Peter loved Him with all of his heart; but Peter made mistakes, just like the rest of us. The important thing to notice here is that Yeshua refuses to let Peter's mistake be buried in the past; Yeshua loves Peter far too much for that. Peter had been caught with his foot in his mouth - he had experienced a major failure. Our Savior is not seen in the final chapter of John, letting Peter's failure get the best of him. On the contrary, we see Yeshua bringing Peter to restoration. Yeshua knew that Peter loved Him; He knew that he was broken. He also knew the words that Peter wanted, and needed to hear: "Follow Me." The same thing rings true for the lost through out the world today. They want and need to know that Messiah is beckoning to them, "Follow Me." When that call is answered, we come to realize that there is Hope after failure, and there is still an open invitation to follow Him after we mess things up. Thank God for John's gospel, and Peter's story. We will be starting the book of Galatians next week, here on The Word is Grace. The name will be "TWIG - The Word is Grace" so if you are downloading via iTunes, we will still show up as The Word Is Grace, with the TWIG prefix. We will be switching to a new podcast site, so don't be alarmed at the changes in the podcast website. I will be transfering our web address and some other things, so if you experience any difficulty in downloading a particular episode, please contact me at: romans833@yahoo.com. We're looking forward to starting a new book with you! May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

"The Tomb is Still Empty" John 20

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:18:00 -0500

Do you realize that Yeshua's empty tomb is the most important difference between His followers and the followers of every other religeous figure? Yeshua's tomb is still empty. Muhammad's body lies in Madina, Saudi Arabis. Buddha's body was cremated and the ashes buried throughout India. Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, is buried in Nauvoo, Illinois. Messiah Yeshua however, does not lie in a grave. His body was never cremated, nor were His "remains" ever enshrined on a family plot. The reason is simple: His is still alive. His tomb will never be occupied by His body. His body is alive and well, sitting at the right hand of the Father. As we finsih up this week's Passover Festival, may we never forget that He is very much alive today! Our Savior still intercedes for His sheep, and He still seeks out the ones who are lost. May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

"The Hanged One" John 19:20 - 42

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:15:00 -0500

Many Jewish people today refer to Yeshua as "The Hanged One." They call Him that because Torah states "cursed is every man who is hanged on a tree." It is not too hard to see their issue with Yeshua's death. After all, how could a man who became cursed before God be the Messiah? How could our Salvation be in the form of a man who died such a death? We are at the section of John that is the most difficult to read. We know that it was our sins that drove Him there and the curse of our sin that He took upon Himself. We must never forget that He went there by His own free will; He could have backed out, and left us in our sin. He could have backed out, and wiped out those who spit on Him and struck Him. He could have... but He didn't. He was looking forward to all that was to come after the cross; the restoration of all things. He was looking at you and me, two thousand years in the future without a Savior, and He loved us so much that He could not let that happen. And that was His motivation for doing what He did - love. As we enter into this Passover season, may we all stop and think about what He had to go through in order for us to have eternal life. All that He had to accomplish in order for us to have joy and peace. may we never forget that the Hanged One didn't have to go to the cross at all, but He did so because He loves us. He is referred to today as the Hanged One by some, and He was indeed hung on a cross, but we know Him as our Salvation, Yeshua. He is the Hanged One, but He is also the Passover Lamb that was slain for our transgressions. The Mighty One of Israel, the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Who Was Who Is and Who Is To Come; Adonai (LORD), the Word Made Flesh, Alpha and Omega, the Bridegroom, the Beginning and the End... May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

"No Crime, No Guilt, No Charge" John 19:1-19

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:10:00 -0500

The inscription that Pilot had placed on our Messiah’s cross read “Jesus, King of the Jews.” That was His crime… no crime at all. There were probably more than a million Jews coming into the Jerusalem that day to celebrate Pesach, better known as Passover. There were a thousand priests taking the lambs for sacrifice. The people making their way into the city were confronted with an all too familiar site; three crosses, with three men hanged and left to die. This time was different though. This year, their Passover Lamb was not just an animal that they had purchased at the Temple. Their Lamb was hanging on one of the crosses they had walked by. Like the Passover lamb, Yeshua was inspected and found without blemish. He was innocent, yet His blood was shed for our sins. For those who believed on Him, Passover would never be the same. Passover will be here on April the 8th. What is different about that night for you? Have you applied the blood of our Pesach Lamb to the door posts of your heart? If not, it is not too late; He wants to take up residence within you! If you have already applied the blood, then make it a point this year to recognize this most spectacular Holiday! There are so many pictures of Christ in the Passover Feast that it I can not begin to list them all. You will be blessed by having done so. May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

"Mishna, Motorcycles, Man or Chicken?" John 18:14-40

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:54:00 -0500

Picture it in your head; Peter has just denied the Messiah for the third time, and the rooster crows in the distance... Does the image in your head include the 'cock-a-doodle-do' of a rooster? According to the Mishna, there were no chickens in Jerusalem. This poses a problem in light of the Gospel account, which says that a rooster crowed immediately after the third time Peter denied Christ... or does it? The Mishna goes on to say that the "cock crowing" was a man who called out with a loud voice that the Temple sacrifices were about to begin. Of course, this does not change the story, but it does put a different image in your head! This week, we also learn about Jesus being traded for Barabbas - a man, who's name coincidently means "son of the father." in Aramaic. There is also reason to believe that Barabbas' name was Jesus. Jesus Barabbas. How interesting it is that Jesus, the Son of our Father in heaven was crucified in place of "Jesus, Son of the Father" the robber. ...So where do motorcycles come into the equation? You'll have to download to find out! May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom! UPDATE: As you can see, we we have lost all of our archived podcast episodes. There was a technical error on the "MyPodcast" server. Don't worry though, they are still being stored in an undisclosed location, and will be put onto out new website / podcast, which is currently in the works. Please be praying for us as we start to make the transition! In the meantime, we will continue to upload our weekly service at this location... Lord willing.

"I AM That I AM" John 18:1-13

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:46:00 -0500

A kiss. Of all the ways that Judas could betray our Messiah, he chose to do it with a kiss. Peter answers the betrayal with a sword to the High Priest's servant's ear. Jesus answers Peter's action with another miraculous healing. The mob asks where Jesus of Nazareth is, and He answers them with “I AM,” an answer that drops them, to the ground at His feet. I AM. With those two words, Yeshua was telling them that He is none other than the God of Israel. The God who created the very ground that they just landed on. And with those two words, He was letting them know that He was the one in control of the situation. He alone was the one calling the shots. He alone was allowing Himself to be “taken.” We are in the middle of the most incredible love story ever told. As we start chapter 18 of John, keep in mind that He allowed these things to happen. He did these things for us. He is wanting to answer the questions of our hearts today also; questions like, “Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? Is there a God? What happens when I die?” You can have peace in your life today by placing your faith in the one who answered “I AM.” He IS, and in Him we can have eternal life. Are you going to put your trust in this Jesus of Nazareth? ...I am. May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

Free Messianic Music Download from The Carpenter's Shop!

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:49:00 -0500

We are taking another break from the book of John this week in order to say good bye to some dear friends that have moved out of state. Their presence in our congregation is already missed, and we haven't even had a Shabbat service without them! We were given the privilege of having them teach Torah, and give words of encouragement on their last Sabbath with us, so we will get back to John next week. As a celebration of sorts, we would like to share some original music with our listeners. Feel free to download and burn it to a CD. Just a suggestion; the tracks can be split up using a free program called Audacity, you can download it here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Track List: 1. I don't know why - Jim Denman 2. Storybook wedding - Jim/Lori Denman 3. Indian Ridge - Tim Terry/Jim Denman 4. God's in a box - Jim Denman 5. Tribute to John - Jim Denman 6. Revelation - Jim Denman 7. The harvest - Jim Denman/Tim Terry 8. Heartburn - Jim Denman 9. Had to be crippled - Jim Denman 10. Hosanna - Jim Denman 11. Man looks on the outside - Jim Denman 12. New colors - Tim Terry 13. Song of Moses - Aaron Benge 14. I've been inspired - Aaron Benge May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom! UPDATE: This morning, while listening to the new download, I noticed that there is a gap between song #11 & #13, which is a favorite of many in our church. I believe it is being caused by the file format, and will work on getting a good copy uploaded as soon as possible. Sorry, Tim! UPDATE: The problem has been fixed, and the download now contains all 14 songs!

"ONE. Different, but ONE" John 17:23-26

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:15:00 -0500

We are one. Paul says that we are of one faith, one God, being one body. What about our doctrinal differences, you might ask? There will be differences. What about this or that thing that they believe... and I know it to be wrong? Again, I say, there will be differences. This is not a call to blind ecumenicalism, nor is it a call for us to leave all good teaching at the door. This is a call to be one as Yeshua is one with the Father – there are differences, but there is undeniable Oneness. Jesus didn't send the Father, and the Father didn't die on the cross – but they are one. Our differences should not separate us from fellowship with other believers. If we, in the Messianic community begin to think that we are superior to other believers because of our Torah observance, or our reverence for the Sabbath, and that knowledge divides us from fellowship with those around us, we have missed the mark. We are called to be one. We finish the Lord's prayer today with some tough lessons; some harsh realities. We are faced with the realization that the very body of Messiah, whom He prays for, has been torn apart in a sense. We can look around and see that denominations and differences have made us into a divided and scattered shell of a unit – we have lost our “oneness!” ...Or have we? Let's allow ourselves to be challenged today. Lets view ourselves as one, in spite of our differences. Not that we should “buddy up” with sin. That is not at all what I mean. But as brothers and sisters in Messiah, lets make it a point to recognize that we are one with our Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian (fill in the blank) brothers, and start acting like it. If we can not meet anywhere but the blood of Christ... isn't that enough? May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom! My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-1c72f6ac0aed539e24020308865c8cf3}

"Lord, Insulate the Ductwork." John 17:12-23

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:00:00 -0500

As we continue studying Yeshua’s prayer, we encounter some startling things that are often overlooked by the church as a whole. First, we see that He wasn’t praying for the world as a whole. Quite the contrary, He says that He was specifically praying for those that the Father had given Him; and believers of today! How exciting it is to know that we, as believers were literally in His prayer! Also, we see that He didn’t want His followers to be isolated form the world, but to remain in the world. He prays that the Father would “not take them out of the world, but protect them from the evil one. Sort of like… ductwork. Yes, like ductwork. I’ll leave it to you to download this week’s episode to find out what I am talking about! May the Lord bless you and keep you, Shabbat Shalom!

"The REAL 'Lord's Prayer'" John 17:1 - 11

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:04:00 -0500

Welcome back to The Word Is Grace! When you think of "the Lord's Prayer" what usually comes to mind? If you are like most believers, the words, "Our Father, who art in heaven..." immediately come to mind. Of course, this is how Jesus told His disciples that they should pray, but how and what did HE pray? The answer is in John Chapter 17. In this prayer, Jesus allows us to hear exactly what He prayed for - and what He did not pray for. For instance, He prayed for you, the believer in 2009, listening to this podcast... but He didn't pray for the world as a whole! How can that be? didn't God "so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son?" Yes... but He prays for those who are His in His last hours. come with us as we look at this intense section of Yeshua's thoughts and prayers - you will be surprised by what He says, and what He does not say. We will also be taking a look at the concept of being "one" with Him, as He is "one" with the Father. How does that work? We would like to thank the visitors who drove such long distances to be with us this Sabbath; your presence was really a blessing to our congregation, and we would like to see you all again! Thanks for listening to The Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom!

"Any Questions?" John 16:17 - 33

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:58:00 -0500

In these last few moments of Yeshua's life, He tells the disciples that there is coming a day when they will “ask Him nothing.” The disciples were still wondering whether or not Yeshua was the Son of God, and He tells them that there is coming a time when they will no longer wrestle with who He is. How could they still be questioning such a thing? Didn't they know who He was? Is He not God? Let's look at what our Master has to say, in these most crucial passages of scripture – the very last words that He left with His followers before submitting Himself to the cross. Thanks for joining us on the Word Is Grace. Shabbat Shalom!

"An Apocalyptic Hanukkah Interlude"

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:14:00 -0500

This week, we have a belated Hanukkah special for you! We are going to segway from our study in the book of John to bring you a special Torah Portion teaching from Sharrah Badgley, and another timely message from Tim Terry on Matthew 24, so don't stop listening when Sharra finishes! Tim still has a lot to say. Torah Portion: Miketz, Genesis 41-44:17. There are many who believe that we are in the last days. There is a huge famine coming our way, and believe it or not, that is good news for us! Joseph was placed in a position to preserve life during the famine of his day. he was placed there because of his obedience, and fear of God. We are quickly racing toward a similar famine, only this time it will be a famine of hearing God's Word. We need to be in God's Word; we need to light the lights (like in Hanukkah!) in the "people of the land." There are hard times coming, but like the Maccabees, and Joseph, we are given an opportunity to serve the one who is in sovereign over all. Tim Terry is going to go over the 24th chapter of Matthew this week. The parallels of the Maccabees and Joseph's lives and circumstances are remarkable when put along side that of the last generation. There will be choices to make, but one thing is certain, "do not be deceived!" How do we keep from being deceived?" Would we know if we were? We must know how to stay focused on Messiah in these times... Thanks for joining us on The Word Is Grace. If you would like to engage in some discussion with members of our community, please look for The Carpenter's Shop on Facebook. Shabbat Shalom!

"Sin, righteousness and judgment" John 16:1-16

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:32:00 -0500

Thanks for stopping by The Word is Grace. Before I get any emails asking what happened to our sound quality this week, let me explain why we sound the way we do this week. It all started with an upset stomach, sore throat and a bad headache. Before I knew it, my wife was telling me that I should not bring my 'bug' into the church, so I put my ten year old son in charge of recording the teaching. He did an excellent job. He set up the laptop, opened the programs, plugged into the sound system just like I told him; which was precisely what went wrong. ...I told him to plug the microphone into the wrong jack. He followed my flawed instructions to a "T" and the outcome was not so good. I thank God that our Master never gave us flawed instructions! We have quite the opposite problem in the church today - perfect instructions, with flawed interpretations. And of course, as a whole, the outcome is not so good. This week's podcast deals with some pretty difficult statements made by our Savior. He tells His disciples that He will be leaving, but that it is a good thing, because that is the only way He can send His Spirit. This in its self is an odd concept, but He adds, "He (the Holy Spirit) will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." What did He mean by such a statement? How are we convicted of sin, righteousness and judgment? Is there a deeper meaning to this then what we read on the surface? Have we maybe heard this before, and because of 'flawed listening' misinterpreted it? Thanks again for listening, Shabbat Shalom!

"Who Chose Who?” John 15:11 - 27

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:20:00 -0500

Did you choose Jesus, or did He choose you? The answer seems to be... yes! In one sense, we as believers have chosen to follow Yeshua as our Master, yet He Himself says that He chose us; Paul adds; “before the foundations of the world.” Calvinists have a field day with these words. The truth is that anyone who knows scripture well can successfully argue both points of the 'predestination' argument. He did choose us. We did make a choice to follow Him. The crux of the issue is not predestination though. The true issue is whether or not we abide in Him. Are we willing to lay everything aside and follow Him with our whole heart. Mind and body? That is the heart of the matter. Like Joshua said, we must choose this day whom we will serve. Lets make it a point to answer like he did when he said: As for me and my house, we will serve the lord. UPDATE: If you encounter a problem downloading the podcast, contact me at: romans833@yahoo.com, with “TWIG” in the subject. I will send you a link to a direct download until the problem is solved. Thanks for listening to The Word Is Grace, Shabbat Shalom, and happy Hanukkah!

"It doesn't end at grace... there's more" John 15:1 - 10

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:31:00 -0500

Do the people you come in contact with know that you are a believer? Does your Christian walk consist of a prayer you said in the past, having no real effect in your day to day life? Yeshua expects us to came as we are. Every believer has one thing in common - we were lost in sin before coming to know our Savior. Whether we were hard-core drug abusers or white collar office-supply-snatchers, we were lost in sin. God's Spirit called each of us, "while we are yet still sinners," but we are not to remain as we were found. Jesus said that we are to abide in Him as He abides in the Father. If we call ourselves His followers and friends, yet have not had a significant change in our lives that reflects what He has done... something is wrong! Join us as we listen to these convicting words spoken by Yeshua in His last few hours before going to the cross. He commands us to "remain in the Father's love." The question is not only obvious, but convicting... are we? Shabbat Shalom!

"If you love Me..." John 14:16 - 31

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:34:00 -0500

In last week's podcast, Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey him. The thought is continued in this week's message. Do we really love Him? I know that I have written about this more than once in these introductions, but as long as our Messiah keeps bring it up, I feel like it is worth driving home. Having said that, I will ask again, do we really love Him? Do we really obey His words? Jesus said that the words that He speaks are not His own, but those of the Father. This begs the question, "what are the Father's words?" This is more challenging then you would first expect... or is it? We know that wrapped up in the words of the Father are the very Laws of Torah - all of those statutes and instructions that Moses gave in the first five books of the bible. Do those count? Remember, there are traditionally 613 Laws in the "Old Testament" but did you know that (according to one commentary) there are 1050 in the "New Testament." Yes, 1050. It is definitely worth thinking about, especially if we intend to please our Master! Shabbat Shalom guys, may the Lord bless you!

"Claim it in Jesus' Name!" John 14:13 - 16

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:48:00 -0500

"If you shall ask for anything in My Name, I will do it." If this were the only verse in the bible that you had read, what would you make of it? It wouldn't take too long to realize that there are some stipulations to what is being asked, would it? Yet when you turn on the television today, it seems that there are more and more preachers telling people that they can claim some pretty outrageous things in Jesus' name. "God wants you to be wealthy; claim it in Jesus' name!" goes the mantra of modern televangelism. But is that what our Master meant? What about the countless millions who have nothing? What are we to make of believers in third world countries, who live their entire lives serving the Messiah, and yet live in shacks, and eat handouts? In the context of scripture as a whole, it is clear that there is no formula for "getting what you want" simply for the sake of getting what you want (otherwise, we would all be wealthy and in good health). When our lives begin to emulate that of our Master, the "what I want" prayers will turn into "what He wants" prayers. The desires of our hearts will reflect the desires of our Father in heaven. What does He desire? Lets make it a priority to find out... then claim it in Yeshua's name! Shabbat Shalom!

"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 welcome). 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!