FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
RENEWING
THE MIND – VII
THE
GOSPEL - 5
…..
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.
“Jesus is the
Christ.” This is a sentence that is
proclaimed in churches ever Sunday, on TV every day, and by Christians in their
day to day communications with people; but what does it mean? “Jesus” is a name that is not anchored
in any legitimate historical setting. It
isn’t a transliteration of a Hebrew name.
It isn’t a translation of a Hebrew name.
It is a name that is used to replace completely another name…the name
given by IAUE to His son. “Christ” is not a word that is common to the
English language. It is a
transliteration of the Greek word, “Christos.” It is a Greek word that has been inserted into use amongst English speaking
peoples similarly to the way soufflé, tete-a-tete, Yeti, and smorgasbord have
entered our vocabulary. Its primary use
by non-Christians, today, is as a curse word; but let’s examine how it is used
by Christians. What does it mean to a
Christian in an English speaking world?
Essentially…it means absolutely nothing.
Why is this? For one, it is a
Greek word; and we do not speak Greek.
For another, translated it means “anointed one,” and that
means next to nothing to an English speaking person, today. Anointed by what? Anointed by whom? Anointed to do what? We have no ready answers to these questions that
hold any real meaning for us.
“Yahushua is the
Messiah.” What does THIS mean? To the Hebrews…it absolutely turns their
world upside down. It means the hopes
and dreams and expectations of centuries, of millennia, have come to fruition
and fulfilment. To a non-Hebrew world,
it means that Yahushua is the fulfillment of a Jewish legend. The word “Messiah” (Messhiach) is exclusively Hebraic, meaning the
only context within which it has any meaning is an Hebrew one. When that word is used in an English speaking
world, today, it generally always means “the savior of the world.” For example: “If you look at the career of
Kevin Costner, you would think he has a Messianic complex.” Why is this?
It is because so many of his roles as an actor have been people who are
saviors. English speaking people relate
to the word, “Messiah” as a savior. They
relate to the word, “Christ” as a religious term…as a part of the name of
someone called, Jesus.
Why is that? It is because “Christ” means nothing to us;
whereas “Messiah” carries a multi-millenia-old heritage and lore. You cannot transfer the heritage of “Messiah”
into a word that does not also share that heritage. There are hundreds of prophecies about the
coming Messiah; but there are NO prophecies about a coming “Christ.”
The good news that
Messiah has come was not particularly good news to a Gentile. A Gentile either could not relate to what
that meant, or it meant that the Jews were getting ready to have a king and a
kingdom that would subjugate their own kingdom; and that doesn’t necessarily sound good at
all.
This is why the “gospel”
was to be presented to the Jew first, and THEN to the Gentile. It is why Yahushua went from city to city
preaching in the synagogues. It is why Yahushua
sent his disciples out only to the Jews, restraining them from speaking to
Gentiles. It is why the apostle Peter
was “called on the carpet” before James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem (who was also Yahushua’s brother, a son of
Mary and Joseph) to give an account for
why he was in the house of the “uncircumcised.” For approximately 25 years from
the day of Pentecost, the spread of the gospel was exclusively to the Jews and
to the half-Jew Samaritans. Peter’s
actions were startling to the church; but they ultimately rejoiced to learn
that IAUE had granted “repentance unto life” to the Gentiles” (Acts 11:18) It
was not until several years after Paul had believed upon Yahushua as the
Messiah that he was sent out from the church in Antioch as an apostle, and he
began openly preaching to Gentiles; though even Paul first began preaching only
to the Jews in the synagogues. We have
the benefit of a record in the Scriptures to see what he preached from
synagogue to synagogue.
Acts 13:14 But when they (Paul and Barnabas) departed from Perga, they
came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
sat down.
15 And after the reading of the
law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men
and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
Paul was a rabbi, taught
at the feet of Gamaliel. As such, he was
attired as a rabbi and his appearance would have distinguished him as
such. It was customary, in the
synagogues, if a visiting rabbi were in attendance, to ask if he wanted to
speak to the assembly.
16 Then Paul stood up, and
beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear Elohim, give
audience.
This was not a
customary introduction. It signified
that Paul was about to share information with them as a herald of news they needed
to hear.
17 The Elohim of this people of
Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers
in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty
years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land
of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto
them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the
prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a
king: and Elohim gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of
Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them
David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have
found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil
all my will.
Up to this point,
Paul merely recounted the history of the Hebrew people in order to set the
stage for declaring his news.
23 Of
this man's seed hath IAUE according to his promise raised unto Israel a
Saviour, Yahushua:
“The seed of David” was a coined phrase that meant “the
Messiah.” “According
to his promise” represented the fulfilment of prophecy. “Raised unto
Israel a Savior, Yahushua,” was the announcement that Messiah has come;
the prophecy has been fulfilled.
However, even in this region far from Jerusalem, the news of Yahushua’s
miraculous ministry, of multiplied thousands of followers tracking his every
movement for three years, and his ultimate death at the hands of the Romans by
being impaled outside the walls of Jerusalem would have been known by these
Jews. How could this word of prophecy
being fulfilled possibly be good news if the one Paul called the Messiah was dead?
24 When John had first preached
before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his
course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there
cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Men
and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth
Elohim, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27 For they that dwell at
Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of
the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in
condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause
of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled
all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in
a sepulchre.
The impaling of the
Messiah was a mystery to the Jew; but Paul was about to unfold that mystery for
them.
30 But IAUE
raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of
them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses
unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad
tidings, how that the promise which was
made unto the fathers,
33 Elohim
hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Yahushua
again; as it is also written in the second
psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34 And as concerning that he
raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on
this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he
saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to
see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served
his own generation by the will of IAUE, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his
fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom IAUE raised
again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it
known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from
all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Paul has testified
to the Messianic prophecy being fulfilled, the death and resurrection of
Messiah being foretold, the pronouncement that Yahushua is the son of David,
the savior of the world, the Messiah.
Now he warns them of another prophecy.
40 Beware therefore, lest that
come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I
work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a
man declare it unto you.
He warned them against unbelief.
42 And when the Jews were gone
out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached
to them the next sabbath.
This was a bold move
by the Gentiles, but it set the stage for Paul realizing his true calling.
43 Now when the congregation was
broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and
Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of IAUE.
44 And the next sabbath day came
almost the whole city together to hear the word of IAUE.
45 But when the Jews saw the
multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which
were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed
bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of IAUE should first have been
spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
The envy of the Jews
in the city was greater than their willingness to include Gentiles into their
acceptance of the Messiah. You have to
understand that the law of Moses prohibited intermingling with Gentiles. There were thousands of years of tradition they would
have to ignore to embrace the promise of the Messiah as it was being presented by Paul. It was simply too much for them.
47 For so hath IAUE commanded us,
saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be
for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard
this, they were glad, and glorified the word of IAUE: and as many as were
ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of IAUE was
published throughout all the region.
The Jews, however,
could not abide Paul and Barnabas including the Gentiles into the promise of
the Messiah.
50 But the Jews stirred up the
devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised
persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the
dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled
with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Paul and
Barnabas followed Yahushua’s instructions as given to his disciples. If a people reject the good news, shake off
the dust of your feet as a testimony against them. The good news is either good news to them or
it isn’t. If they do not recognize that
the coming of Messiah is good, and they reject it…they do not believe it…there
is no repeated effort made to persuade them.
The “gospel” is not something men are charged with trying to convince
the listener to believe. It is
heralded. People respond to it as good
news…or they don’t.
We will continue on
this topic, next week
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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