Mon, May 18th - 6:26PM

JUDAISM   -   THE POWER OF GOD   -   THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

 THE FIRST COVENANT -  JUDAISM

  God made the first covenant with the Israelites. Under this covenant they were his chosen people. God asked Moses to say 

   to the people - Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. 

   Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod. 19: 5 -6). 

  He ordered them to make a sanctuary for Him. Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 

   Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exod. 25: 8 - 9).

        The tabernacle  was used for the offering up of sacrifices but it was also used for worship and the reading of Scripture. 

     When the Israelites entered the promised land tabernacle worship was replaced with temple worship.

         Judaism called for animal sacrifice. Once a year on the day of atonement, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies 

        with animal blood to atone for his sins and the sins of the Jewish people.

     Because of unfaithfulness to the covenant, God promised the Israelites to make a new covenant with them. '

         The time is coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 

    It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because 

   they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them (Jer. 31: 31 - 32).

 Although God announced the new covenant to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, Scripture asserts that the new 

     covenant is for the world. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that who ever believes in him shall 

    not perish but have eternal life (John 3: 16).

 When Jesus breathed his last as he hung on the cross, Judaism had run its course. The day of atonement was gone forever.

THE NEW COVENANT- THE GOSPEL

    The new covenant was now in effect. By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is 

    obsolete and aging will soon disappear (Heb. 8: 13).

             There is absolutely no scriptural justification for the practice of Judaism following the death of Jesus, since his death 

    provided mankind’s redemption (1 Peter 1: 18 - 20; 1 John 1: 7 - 10; Ephesians 1: 7).

THE POWER OF GOD

   The apostle Paul, after his conversion, remarked: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power

      of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile (Romans 1: 16). 

GOD HAS APPOINTED A DAY

        In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day 

      when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead 

    (Acts 17: 31). (Please read Matthew 28: 1 - 10).

 JESUS REVEALED THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH

 The Samaritan woman said to Jesus: I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain 

        everything to us. Then Jesus declared: I who speak to you am he (John 4: 25 - 26). 

 THE  MYSTERY OF CHRIST

                 The apostle Paul was given the privilege of revealing the mystery of Christ. "This mystery is that through the gospel the 

        Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus”

        (Eph. 3:6). 

 WHAT ABOUT ISRAEL?

 The prophet Zechariah paints a bleak picture for the Israelites. The Lord declares: Two-thirds of Israel will be struck down and perish.  The remaining           third will pass through the fire and will call on my name. ... They will call on me and I will answer them. The Lord will say: “They are my people,' and they will     say, 'The LORD is our God (Zech. 13: 9).

       We read in Scripture: And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again (Rom. 11: 23).

 YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

             Jesus loves you. He died for you. He wants you to spend eternity with him. Will you confess your sins, repent of them

        and receive him into your heart?  Jesus said to Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin - the Jewish Ruling Council, 

               You must be born again to get into heaven ( John 3: 3). Please read John 3: 3 - 18.

A PRAYER TO BE SAVED/TO BE BORN AGAIN

               Almighty God, I thank you that you sent your one and only Son, Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. 

         Lord Jesus, I thank you that you died on the cross for my sins. Almighty God, I believe that you raised him from the dead 

        as the Bible declares. Jesus, I confess my sins to you. I repent of them. Please forgive me I pray.  Jesus, I now receive you

        into my heart as my Savior/Messiah and LORD. Please fulfill your plan for my life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Amen,

 NOTE -   (italic - mine)   blue - scriptural quotation  purple - scriptural paraphrase  red - (emphasis) red - regular print (highlight)