Musing – How might Christians better appreciate their “Sabbath”?

Hebraic Musing – How might Christians better appreciate their “Sabbath”?

Do you remember the feelings you had as you came off of a spiritual retreat or a wonderful vacation experience or returning from a honeymoon?  Remember the bittersweet re-entry into daily routines?  You’ve just savored a wonderful time with God and with others, but alas, it will soon be over.

The Jews have a little family ceremony at the conclusion of their Sabbath on Saturday evening as the sun sets. They are coming out of their delightful Sabbath with relaxing, studying the Torah, and having fellowship with family and friends. As they partake of the Sabbath experience – rest, study, and fellowship — they have enjoyably achieved their spiritual goal, restoration.  Christians have typically tried to set Sunday aside as their “Lord’s Day”.  Let’s set aside the argument over which day it should be and explore ways to honor the Sabbath or Lord’s Day appropriately or meaningfully.

The Saturday evening ceremony by the Jews is called Havdalah (literally “separation”).  The ceremony marks the end of Shabbat rest and the ushering in of a new work week.  Their ceremony includes symbolically important rituals:

1.   Lighting a special Havdalah candle with three braided wicks.  The light from a braided candle symbolizes the intertwining of the Eternal One’s Spirit and the divine spirit in man and the “Light of the World”.  That’s one of many interpretations.

2.   Blessing an overflowing cup of wine, or grape juice, with “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe; who made all things exist through His word. Amen.” The overflowing cup symbolizes the uncontainable optimism and our hope for the coming week.

3.   Smelling sweet spices and reciting “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates varieties of spices. Amen” thereby recognizing the source of the sweet blessings to follow in our lives.

4.   And a final blessing comes as a few drops of wine or juice are used to extinguish the Havdalah candle’s flame while reciting “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who separates between sacred and secular” thus creating the ‘separation’ we will experience as we enter the next six days of our labor.

5.   Then Shabbat ends on Saturday night with the appearance of three stars in the sky which marks a point of separation in time.

Might our appreciation of God’s Sabbath Rest be more significant if we were to recognize Him with these OR with our own similar rituals?   “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8).

Point to ponder

Have you ever felt we were missing something important
as we try to honor God’s (longest) commandment?

What customs might we adopt in our home to honor God’s Sabbath?

Shabbat Shalom!                                                 April 28, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd    

Author::                       (Hyperlinks are now available!)     
Hebraic Insights                                  Re-Published – March 2015
Biblical_Marriage                               May 2012
Musings: Vol.1 – A Victorious Life     Sept.2014
Vol.2 – The Torah and New Testament Published – March 2015
Weekly e-mails Hebraic Musings   or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing – What does everyone want and need?

Hebraic Musing – What does everyone want and need?

We serve a loving God and sometimes He is even defined as “Love” - “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8-9 And a short sentence in 1 John 4:16 says “God is love.”

When Jesus was asked to boil down the Torah to the most important commandment He could not state just one because there are two halves to the Royal Commandment.  Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'    This is the first and greatest commandment.   And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'    All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  Matt 22:37-40 NIV

On the other hand, we find it to be a challenge to fully embrace the second half of God’s set of commandments because they run counter to our own inclinations and desires.  We’ve read about 613 Mitzvot in the OT and 1050 commands in the NT and like little kids we keep asking “Why do I have to do that Abba?” 

I don’t know about you, but I love myself a lot. Therefore it is a real challenge to love my neighbor as much as I love myself.  And I have not forgotten Jesus’ lecture reminding us about who is our neighbor.

And to make this challenge even more difficult He said “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34   Not only did He say ‘love one another” twice, but every time I read this I translate it to myself as Jesus saying “I was crucified and died for you, so be willing to be crucified and die for your neighbor.”  Or it could mean “Live for your neighbor”? 

Let’s answer the title question “What does everyone want and need?”   Answer – Everyone wants and needs love.   A popular 1965 song expressed this truth, so here are the chorus lyrics (for you youngsters):

♫ What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love.      No, not just for some but for everyone. ♫

Years ago while preaching a message about loving others, I pointed out that there are 8 billion “others” in this world.  My pastor corrected me publically saying “No Joe, there are 8 billion minus one.”

Can we say we love others if we are not willing to serve them and to respect them and their beliefs?

Points to ponder

Am I willing to die for my neighbor?

Do we withhold money or time from my neighbors in need?

Are Christians and non-Christians in far-away places my neighbors?

Did Yeshua as Messiah come to reconcile all things, including us to each other?
Paul taught what is called “Tikkun Olam.” In Judaism that means “repairing the world.”

What do you need neighbor?                                      April 21, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd  

Author::                       (Hyperlinks are now available!)     
Hebraic Insights                                  Re-Published – March 2015
Biblical_Marriage                               May 2012
Musings: Vol.1 – A Victorious Life     Sept.2014
Vol.2 – The Torah and New Testament Published – March 2015
Weekly e-mails Hebraic Musings   or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing – How do we find our calling, our mission?

Hebraic Musing – How do we find our calling, our mission?

How often have you heard a Christian say “I am waiting for God to give me my calling, or my mission.”?  Or “I am waiting for God to tell me what to do.”  While that sounds admirable on the surface, my typical response to that person has been “Even God cannot steer a ship standing still in the water.”  To my way of thinking, if we are living out our lives and applying our God-given talents and abilities in our daily careers, then God can bless us and use us wherever we are.  Then I typically add an exception -- “unless we are driving a Budweiser truck” because there are professions or jobs that undermine our witness.  We obviously need to avoid activities tainted with dishonesty, immorality, strife and arrogance, etc.  There are jobs and activities that cause one to engage in dishonest practices so we need to remember –  "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” Prov. 15:16  NIV   

There is another perspective to this career choice discussion.  Jewish culture is known for respecting labor and abhorrence of the idleness that leads to mental illness and sexual immorality.  The famous commandment in Ex 20:9 says “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.”  God expects us to work or labor for six days and then rest in Him on the seventh.  In-other-words this commandment is a command to work diligently for six days.      

We all grow up with God-given gifts, talents, abilities and interests. From this very unique and personal make-up we lean toward, and ideally take up, careers that fit those capabilities and interests.  We need to recognize that God empowers you to “Bloom where you are planted!” 

Building on that point, don’t try to serve God the same way as someone else.  You have your own unique set of gifts which God gave to you. Your job is to uncover those talents and find your unique place in which to serve Him.  I heard of this advice given to a person who felt called to the foreign mission field – “Imagine you enter a room crowded with people of all races, colors and languages. Who do you want to join with in conversation?” That’s how to find a missionary calling.

In conclusion – Choose your path and let God’s Holy Spirit guide you as to how you serve Him wherever you are.

Anyhow, that’s how I see it.

 Point to ponder

Do you have to be an ordained minister to minister?

How many opportunities do we have during our day to share the ‘good news’?

Does an unsaved person have to come to church to accept Christ?

♫  Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and …♫                                                April 14, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd  

Author:                        (Hyperlinks are now available!)     
Hebraic Insights                                  Re-Published – March 2015
Biblical_Marriage                               May 2012
Musings: Vol.1 – A Victorious Life     Sept.2014
Vol.2 – The Torah and New Testament Published – March 2015
Weekly e-mails Hebraic Musings   or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing - Why Did Jesus Fold His Burial Cloth?

Hebraic Musing - Why Did Jesus Fold His Burial Cloth? *

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth as He left the tomb?  As Peter entered the tomb – “He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen” (John 20:6–7 NIV). The gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded. Was that important? Absolutely! Is it significant? Yes!

The Bible is very well written and every word or point is there for a reason. John documented an observation when he outran Peter and looked into the tomb. Upon first reading John’s account, I initially thought of this as evidence that Jesus could not have somehow survived and struggled to get out of the tomb in which case He would not have spent time and energy to neatly fold the cloth.

When you finish a meal at a restaurant, you typically scrunch up the napkin and leave it casually on the table. I learned of an Eastern custom since Biblical times. When you really enjoyed the meal, it is customary to neatly fold the napkin and place it on the table to say, “I enjoyed the meal,” and therefore “I will return.”

Recently we heard a similar explanation, more to do with the origin of the custom of the folded napkin and understanding the Eastern tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the master and servant. Every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight until the master had finished eating. The servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished.

If the master finished eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his mouth and fingers, clean his beard, and wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m finished.”

But if the master got up from the table, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the folded napkin meant, “I'm coming back.” 

All three explanations preach. Seemingly insignificant mentions in the Bible are there for a reason.

Point to Ponder

Does this make you want to read your Bible more carefully?

Shalom                                                                                    April 7, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd     Author::                               (Hyperlinks are now available!)     
“Hebraic Insights” Republished March 2015
“Biblical_Marriage”
“Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” New - March 2015
Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”   or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

*  This musing is from insight #9 in the recently republished “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian faith” listed above which contains 94 more fascinating insights.  Enjoy.