Avsnitt
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God says in this week's HAftarah, "I'm arriving now ... and here's what will happen as a result." We explore what this Haftarah opens up about the reality of God's שְׁכִינָה "Shechi'nah" - his manifest, dwelling Presence, which the Messiah Yeshua's atoning sacrifice made available to us without our judicial debt of sin before God blocking the way.
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The Gershonites were given a dismaying assignment by God in this parasha: the exact same kind of labor they did as slaves back in Egypt. We never read of one word of complaint from the Gershonim ... how did they do it? How did they accept their assignment from God in a "good spirit?" The Kibbutz Mentality, as expressed in this sermon, is a clarity as to VALUE: "A community of THIS kind MUST rise HERE." All focused action follows such clarity.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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In this parasha, we read "in the wilderness of Sinai." We were taken into the desert. But ... what about when God allows the desert to close in on us?
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The Jewish People, and all God-following Two-Testament Believers, have gone through many seasons of history during which "big" problems – like being enslaved, being in exile, being exploited, or hated, or hunted, or blamed en masse - have gone unsolved by prayer and the "arrival" of God's "mighty hand and outstretched arm for years, decades, or centuries – and yet, within their personal capsules of community and context, God-followers are being met by God and led by Him, and having their prayers for smaller scale in their immediate sphere answered. How are we Believers supposed to navigate such seasons? We study this.
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From the Haftarah paired with the Torah portion, "Behar," we look at the idea of how things can be rightly counted, and how God and people can rightly be counted upon. This focus was propelled by the Counting Of The Omer leading to Shavuot.
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In this week's Torah portion, the "Eternal Lamp" is described, that hangs over synagogue altars all over the world. It is a "God Idea." It came from God and was transmitted to humans to manufacture. This is a massively different thing than human beings making up religious ideas or practices, and naming them to be from, or of, God. We will ponder this through the modern lens of "Virtue-Signaling."
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In this parasha we see Moses crying out for true comradeship in his calling and journey - while already well into the journey, and already surrounded by people. He cries out for real, deep connection - to people - and to God's direct presence. What is the meaning of these outcries from a man already deeply into God's Presence and already surrounded by family and 'friends?'
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This week's parasha is entitled, "Metzora" – The Leper. As it worked out, our rabbi was away this weekend, and one of the synagogue's pulpit leaders happens to be ... a dermatologist! :-) It seemed ideal serendipity. So - here is Dr. Sherry Shieh-Poticha, MD - dermatologist - teaching on the Torah portion with the title of a skin-disease: "Metzora" / The Leper. May it all be for shalom!
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In the Haftarah paired with this week's parasha "Tazria," we see two stories of apparently opposite behavior by the prophet, Elisha (the successor of Elijah). A very "relaxed" standard toward a certain instance of idol worship by Naaman, followed by a very severe standard his servant Gehazi when he sought to enrich himself. If we read deeply, we find clear reasons for the vast difference in kindness vs. severity.
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[Guest Speaker, Scott Poticha] In this week's parasha, "Shmini," a great day for Israel is followed instantly by a tragic one. At other times in Scripture, a terrible day turns into a great one. How do we navigate as Believers in a life that can so suddenly vary this much? We ponder this, especially in light of the October 7th Hamas Pogrom against Israel.
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The old song goes, "In every age, a hero or sage comes to our aid."
Why?
Because we need them! Let's explore having the clarity to see what is needed in our era, and rise to do it!
Kadima! Am Yisrael Chai!
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In the Haftarah with this week's Torah portion, "Pekudei" we see the character trait modeled in God that He almost never needs to "swear" or "promise" anything: just saying "it will be" is enough. This is a character trait we, as God-followers, are commanded to emulate: both Messiah Yeshua and his half-brother Ya'acov ("James") command us, "Do not swear. Let your 'yes' mean (only) 'yes' and your 'no' mean only 'no.' Anything other than that comes from evil." WOW. That is a character-standard worth exploring, and applying to our own words! So - let's.
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Why are you ... you? What does your combination of strengths and weaknesses, abilities and inabilities all mean? This week's sermon is a "fusion" to two core ideas: from the Parasha "Vayakhel," the extremely specific intention with which God created the artist Bezalel, and placed him in the time and location to fulfill the reasons for his createdness – along with Yeshua the Messiah having assured us, "I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you," giving us the "Paraclete" – God's spirit "called alongside" to guide us into all truth, help us. This all leads to the assurance we can "know the things freely given to us by God." We can know. We have not been left here on earth to wander aimlessly. We can live "the guided life."
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Sound doctrine is built from learning what Rav Saul called "the whole counsel of God." We pick up this week where we left off last week with "whole counsel of God" theme in Haftarat "Tetzaveh." We see this week commands from God to, "Tell Israel the *whole* Temple design, *all* its facets and *all* its laws." This is echoed in Messiah Yeshua's command, "make disciples (by) teaching them *all* I have taught you." This runs counter to creation of "sound-bites" – memorable catch-phrases. "Sound doctrine" cannot be built out of one or a few catchy audio-tidbits.
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Rav Saul wrote, "I did not shrink from declaring to you 'the whole counsel of God.'" Why would any spiritual leader "shrink from" declaring to his flock "the whole" of God's prophetic output? This week's parasha commands us to "see to it you build according to the pattern." The whole pattern. How do we get it, and what traps can we avoid that would leave us with only part of it?
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In this week's parasha, "Mishpatim" there is an apparent non-sequitur. A leap from broadly applying religious practice laws to very specific cooking advice. Is it really a non-sequitur? Or – is it the God of the Entire Universe "going local" with advice creating certainty as to a particular time, place, practice, or project of His will underway? We explore.
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Fear is a natural part of our overall composition as humans. Like any part of our nature, it can be either healthy or unhealthy, proportional and rational, or disproportionate and irrational. What does Scripture say about healthy and unhealthy fear -- especially in relation to God? It turns out ... quite a lot. We explore this content this week, driven by the Torah portion, "YItro."
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This sermon comes from the Haftarah text for this week's portion on "Shabbat Shirah." The battle for Israel's survival was on - Devorah, Barak, and the Army of Israel, especially the tribes of Issachar and Zevulun, were all ON the battlefield, and the battle had already begun. But – the tribes of Reuben and Dan were hanging back ... showing themselves (in their own view) to be "spiritual" or "wise" ... with "plausible" excuses to be away from any risk to life, limb, or property. What is this Haftarah teaching us?
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In the Exodus narrative we see God visit punishing judgments not only on Pharaoh as Egypt's governing leader - but also onto the entire Egyptian populace, Did God destroy and torment "innocent civilians." The Scriptures open up genuine understanding of this deeply challenging topic" are "civilians" always automatically "innocent?"
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As we navigate varying seasons of ease or challenge in our lives or in our era, what is it about "faith" or "faithfulness" that allows us to retain a *healthy* (non-delusional or denial-based) positive inner state and momentum, no matter what circumstances may be swirling around us?
- Visa fler