Living on Purpose

Last Shabbat I introduced the new purpose statement and strategy for our Synagogue:

Our Purpose is...
to walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua (Messianic Halacha) and partner with Adonai in the healing of the world (Tikkun Olam).

Our Strategy is...
to WORSHIP the God of Israel, LOVE people, BUILD community and SHARE the message of Yeshua with our Jewish people and the nations.

I began a three part preaching series on this new purpose. The first message was on the first part of this purpose, "to walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua" or what we call "Messianic Halacha". (listen to podcast here)

It is hard to live without purpose. The question "why am I here?" has the ability to be encouraging or depressing depending on where your answers come from. For the life of our Synagogue it is important to determine "why are we here?". This new purpose is an attempt to answer that question.

What does it mean to walk in the likeness of Messiah?  What is "Messianic Halacha"?  Halacha means "to walk" and Messianic means "follower of Messiah".  I realize that orthodox Judaism has the market cornered on Halacha.  There are rulings and traditions that go back thousands of years.  I am not negating that entirely.  But, for our Synagogue, our goal is to "walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua."  In order to follow a "Messianic Halacha" all Halacha, in fact all we do in life, must be re-examined and re-thought through in light of the Messiah and what He would do.

You may remember a few years ago lots of people were wearing WWJD? (what would Jesus do?) bracelets.  My dad would always answer, "He would go to Synagogue!"  The focus of the WWJD? movement seemed to be on spiritual principals.  How would Jesus love in this situation?  But there is a practical side to the question as well.  What would Yeshua do on Shabbat?  What holidays would Yeshua celebrate?  There are things that He did in his life that we strive to do in our Synagogue.  With the same reasoning that Yeshua used; that it is commanded in Torah.

Whenever we get into this discussion it is important to point out that this is not for everyone.  None of the commandments have to do with salvation.  Not doing specific commandments does not make you lower in God's eyes.  Keeping specific commandments does not make you higher in God's eyes.  For our Synagogue, we want to be a community striving to be like Yeshua in specific ways.  We are made up of Jewish people and Gentile people who are striving together to be like Him!

This will blow your mind: We (humans) were made in God's image (Genesis 1:26).  Then Yeshua came into the world in our image (Philippians 2:7; Romans 8:3).  Then we are told to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49). Why? Because we were made in Adam's image and walk in sin like Adam and Yeshua came as the second Adam so we could be like Him!! (Romans 5:15; 1 Corinthians 15:22).  WOW!  That will make you dizzy.  I'm dizzy.

So, we are made in God's image and we marred the image by falling into sin.  God came in our image so that we could be transformed into His image again!  If we want to be like Yeshua we walk in love, patience, kindness and all that good stuff. but it also means we don't take any junk from people who are looking to trip us up for believing what we believe!

When I was 14 my dad led a Tuesday night Bible study.  A Jewish man who did not believe in Yeshua came up to my dad looking to trip him up.  The man asked, "My grandfather was an observant orthodox Jew who kept Torah to the best of his ability.  He never heard the Gospel of Yeshua in his life.  Is he in heaven or hell?"  My dad answered, "God did not make me judge of where people go.  But, I can tell you where you are going because you have heard of Yeshua and what he did for you!"  BAM!  As a 14 year old I thought to myself this is what it must have been like when Yeshua flipped the tables and spoke with such authority that people froze in their tracks.  Even then, at 14, God began a work in me to strive to be like Yeshua.  Why?  because He is God and He came in my image so that I could be transformed into more of His likeness everyday.

I mess up.  I don't always represent Him well.  I say the wrong thing often.  I hurt people.  but, I know that God is doing a work in me to be more like Him.  I will not give up.  I will not turn back.  I want to be more like Him in every part of my life.

how about you?

To me, that is what it means to "walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua"!  Stay tuned for the next part of The Purpose of Beit Messiah: "the healing of the world".  Or come and hear it this Shabbat (Directions To Beit Messiah).  Peace and Love!