WHAT DID YESHUA TEACH WHILE HERE ON EARTH?

YESHUA CALLED PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE.
“From then on, Yeshua began to preach, ‘Turn from your sins and turn to YHVH, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’” (Matthew 4:17) Yeshua started His ministry with the very word people had heard John the Baptist say: “Turn from your sins and turn to YHVH.” The message is the same today as when Yeshua and John gave it. Becoming a follower of HaMashiach means turning away from our self-centeredness and “self” control and turning our life over to HaMashiach’s direction and control. The “Kingdom of Heaven” has the same meaning as the “Kingdom of YHVH” in Mark and Luke. Matthew uses this phrase because the Jews, out of their intense reverence and respect, did not pronounce YHVH’s Name. The Kingdom of Heaven is still near because it has arrived in our hearts.

YESHUA DEMANDED COMPLETE COMMITMENT FROM HIS HEARERS.
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfil them”. (Matthew 5:17) Matthew 5-7 is called the Sermon on the Mount because Yeshua gave it on a hillside near Capernaum. This “sermon” probably covered several days of preaching. In it, Yeshua proclaimed His attitude toward the Law. Position, authority and money are not important in His Kingdom; what matters is faithful obedience from the heart. The Sermon on the Mount challenged the proud and legalistic religious leaders of the day. It called them back to the messages of the Old Testament prophets who like Yeshua, taught that heartfelt obedience is more important than legalistic observance.

YESHUA PREACHED THE VALUES OF THE KINGDOM OF YHVH.
There are at least four ways to understand the Beatitudes: (1) They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers. (2) They contrast Kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast the superficial “faith” of the Pharisees with the real faith HaMashiach wants. (4) They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new Kingdom. These Beatitudes are not multiple-choice-pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as HaMashiach’s followers.

YESHUA TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO LIVE FOR THE KINGDOM OF YHVH.
With Yeshua’s announcement that the Kingdom was near (4:17), people were naturally asking, “How do I qualify to be in YHVH’s Kingdom?” Yeshua said that YHVH’s Kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the Kingdom of Heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride and lust for power or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of Yeshua, your King?

YESHUA PROCLAIMED HIMSELF AS THE ONLY WAY TO YHVH.
“Yeshua told him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6) This is one of the most basic and important passages in Scripture. How can we know the way to YHVH? Only through Yeshua. Yeshua is the way because He is both YHVH and man. By uniting our life with His, we are united with YHVH. Trust Yeshua to take you to the Father and all the benefits of being YHVH’s child will be yours.

YESHUA PROCLAIMED AND PROVED THAT HE HAD POWER OVER DEATH.
“Yeshua told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.’” (John 11:25) Yeshua has power over life and death as well as power to forgive sins. This is because He is the Creator of life (see John 14:6). He who is life can surely restore life. Whoever believes in HaMashiach has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way. When we realize His power and how wonderful His offer to us really is, how can we help but commit our life to Him! To those of us who believe, what wonderful assurance and certainty we have: “I will live again and you will, too” (14:19).

THE WORK OF YESHUA HAMASHIACH

WHAT DID YESHUA DO WHILE HE WAS HERE ON EARTH?

YESHUA ESTABLISHED THE WAY OF SALVATION FOR THE HUMAN RACE.
“She will have a Son and you are to Name Him YESHUA, for He will save His people from their sins”. (Matthew 1:21) YESHUA MEANS “THE LORD SAVES.” YESHUA CAME TO EARTH TO SAVE US BECAUSE WE CAN’T SAVE OURSELVES FROM SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. NO MATTER HOW GOOD WE ARE, WE CAN’T ELIMINATE THE SINFUL NATURE PRESENT IN ALL OF US. ONLY YESHUA CAN DO THAT. YESHUA DIDN’T COME TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE THEMSELVES; HE CAME TO BE THEIR SAVIOUR FROM THE POWER AND PENALTY OF SIN. THANK CHRIST FOR HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR SIN, AND THEN ASK HIM TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. YOUR NEW LIFE BEGINS AT THAT MOMENT.

YESHUA’S WORK TOUCHED PEOPLE’S LIVES AT EVERY LEVEL.
“Yeshua travelled throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues, preaching everywhere the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease.” (Matthew 4:23)
Yeshua was teaching, preaching and healing. These were the three main aspects of His Ministry. Teaching shows Yeshua’s concern for understanding; preaching shows His concern for commitment; and healing shows His concern for wholeness. His miracles of healing authenticated His teaching and preaching, proving that He truly was from YHVH.

YESHUA TAUGHT AND PREACHED WITH AUTHORITY.
Yeshua soon developed a powerful preaching Ministry and often spoke in the synagogues. Most towns that had ten or more Jewish families had a synagogue. The building served as a religious gathering place on the Shabbat and as a school during the week. The leader of the synagogue was not a preacher as much as an administrator. His job was to find and invite rabbis to teach and preach. It was customary to invite visiting rabbis like Yeshua to speak.

YESHUA HEALED PEOPLE’S DISEASES.
Yeshua preached the gospel; the Good News-to everyone who wanted to hear it. The Good News is that the Kingdom of Heaven has come, that YHVH is with us and that he cares for us. HaMashiach can heal us, not just of physical sickness, but of spiritual sickness as well. There’s no sin or problem too great or too small for Him to handle. Yeshua’s Words were good news because they offered freedom, hope, peace of heart and eternal life with YHVH.

YESHUA’S ACTIONS OVERTURNED THE WORLD’S PRIORITIES.
“He took the children into His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16)
Yeshua was often criticized for spending too much time with the wrong people; children, tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:11; Luke 15:1-2; 19:7). Some, including the disciples, thought Yeshua should be spending more time with important leaders and the devout, because this was the way to improve His position and avoid criticism. But Yeshua didn’t need to improve His position. He was YHVH and He wanted to speak to those who needed Him most.

YESHUA LOVED LITTLE CHILDREN.
Adults are not as trusting as little children. To feel secure, all children need is a loving look and a gentle touch from someone who cares. Complete intellectual understanding is not one of their requirements. They believe us if they trust us. Yeshua said that people should believe in Him with this kind of childlike faith. We should not have to understand all the mysteries of the universe; it should be enough to know that YHVH loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin. This doesn’t mean that we should be childish or immature, but that we should trust YHVH with a child’s simplicity and receptivity.

OUR RESPONSE TO YESHUA HAMASHIACH

WHAT DOES YESHUA EXPECT FROM US?

YESHUA EXPECTS WHOLEHEARTED OBEDIENCE FROM HIS FOLLOWERS.
“[Yeshua] selected twelve of them to be His regular companions, calling them apostles. He sent them out to preach and He gave them authority to cast out demons”. (Mark 3:14-15) From the hundreds of people who followed Him from place to place, Yeshua chose twelve to be His apostles. Apostle means messenger or authorized representative. He did not choose these twelve to be His associates and companions because of their faith; their faith often faltered. He didn’t choose them because of their talent and ability; no one stood out with unusual ability. The disciples represented a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, but apparently they had no more leadership potential than those who were not chosen. The one characteristic they all shared was their willingness to obey Yeshua. After Yeshua’s ascension, they were filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and empowered to carry out special roles in the growth of the early church. We should not disqualify ourselves from service to HaMashiach because we do not have the expected credentials. Being a good disciple is simply a matter of following Yeshua with a willing heart.

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO DENY OURSELVES IN FOLLOWING HIM.
“[Yeshua] said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily and follow Me.’” (Luke 9:23) People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Yeshua would demand this much commitment from His followers? There are at least three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Yeshua. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses and to follow Him. Anything less is superficial lip service.

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO IMITATE HIM.
Christians follow their Lord by imitating His life and obeying His Commands. To take up the cross meant to carry your own cross to the place where you would be killed. Many Galileans had been killed that way by the Romans. Applied to the disciples, it meant to identify completely with HaMashiach’s message, even if it meant death. We must deny our selfish desires to use our time and money our own way and to choose our own direction in life without regard to HaMashiach. Following HaMashiach is costly now, but in the long run, it is well worth the pain and effort.

YESHUA EXPECTS THE INVESTMENT OF OUR LIFE IN HIS SERVICE.
If this present life is most important to you, you will do everything you can to protect it. You will not want to do anything that might endanger your safety, health or comfort. By contrast, if following Yeshua is most important, you may find yourself in unsafe, unhealthy and uncomfortable places. You will risk death, but you will not fear it because you know that Yeshua will raise you to eternal life. Nothing material can compensate for the loss of eternal life. Yeshua’s disciples are not to use their lives on earth for their own pleasure; they should spend their lives serving YHVH and people.

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO REPENT OF OUR SINS.
“The people of Nineveh too, will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here-and you refuse to repent.” (Luke 11:32) The cruel, warlike men of Nineveh, capital of Assyria, repented when Jonah preached to them; and Jonah did not even care about them. The pagan queen of the South (Sheba) praised the YHVH of Israel when she heard Solomon’s wisdom and Solomon was full of faults. By contrast Yeshua, the perfect Son of YHVH, had come to people that He loved dearly; but they rejected Him. Thus YHVH’S chosen people made themselves more liable to judgment than either a notoriously wicked nation or a powerful pagan queen. Compare Luke 10:12-15, where Yeshua says the evil cities of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon will be judged less harshly than the cities in Judea and Galilee that rejected Yeshua’s message.

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO ACT UPON THE KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE.
The Ninevites and the queen of the South had turned to YHVH with far less evidence than Yeshua was giving His listeners; and far less than we have today. We have eyewitness reports of the risen Yeshua, the continuing power of the Ruach HaKodesh unleashed at Pentecost, easy access to the Bible and knowledge of two thousand years of HaMashiach’s acts through His Church. With the knowledge and insight available to us, our response to HaMashiach ought to be even more complete and wholehearted.

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO IDENTIFY WITH HIS DEATH.
“I myself no longer live, but HaMashiach lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of YHVH, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) How have we been crucified with HaMashiach? Legally, YHVH looks at us as if we had died with HaMashiach. Because our sins died with Him, we are no longer condemned (Colossians 2:13-15). Relationally, we have become one with HaMashiach and His experiences are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with Him, we died to our old life (see Romans 6:5-11). In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following HaMashiach. This too is a kind of dying with Him (Luke 9:23-25).

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO LIVE FOR HIM.
The focus of Christianity is not dying, but living. Because we have been crucified with HaMashiach, we have also been raised with Him (Romans 6:5). Legally, we have been reconciled with YHVH (2 Corinthians 5:19) and are free to grow into HaMashiach’s likeness (Romans 8:29). And in our daily life, we have HaMashiach’s resurrection power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians 1:19-20). We are no longer alone, for HaMashiach lives in us; He is our power for living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1:27).

YESHUA EXPECTS US TO ADOPT A SERVANT’S ATTITUDE.
“Your attitude should be the same that Yeshua HaMashiach had”. (Philippians 2:5) Yeshua HaMashiach was humble, willing to give up His rights in order to obey YHVH and serve people. Like HaMashiach, we should have a servant’s attitude, serving out of love for YHVH and for others, not out of guilt or fear. Remember, you can choose your attitude. You can approach life expecting to be served or you can look for opportunities to serve others. (See Mark 10:45 for more on HaMashiach’s attitude of servant hood.)

YESHUA EXPECTS OUR LIFE TO BE MARKED BY HIS HUMILITY.
Often people excuse selfishness, pride or evil by claiming their rights. They think, I can cheat on this test; after all I deserve to pass this class or I can spend all this money on myself; I worked hard for it or I can get an abortion; I have a right to control my own body. But as believers, we should have a different attitude, one that enables us to lay aside our rights in order to serve others. If we say we follow HaMashiach, we must also say we want to live as He lived. We should develop His attitude of humility as we serve, even when we are not likely to get recognition for our efforts. Are you selfishly clinging to your rights or are you willing to serve?

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