Shabbat Shalom

Colors: Red

This pomegranate was on display at the market. You can see that it is filled with lots of seeds, which are each inside a red colored juice sack.

Christ Our Passover Lamb

John 19:14-16 NIV

It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

This Should Be Every Believer’s Prayer

Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Notice that Paul mentions two concerns: fear of man and content of the message. I think both of these issues are heavy weights on the shoulders of most Christians; and one often proceeds from the other.

Most Christian groups that I have spoken with about these topics affirm that they are generally afraid to share the message of their faith because they are afraid that someone will ask them a question to which they don’t know the answer.

The truth is, no one knows the answer to every possible question, and it’s okay to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out.” Besides, if Paul had concerns about these two issues, and he wrote much of the New Testament, let’s be modest enough to say that it’s not dramatically weak to have the same concerns.

Action Point: Let’s commit to study God’s word so that we will have more to draw from when we are sharing the mystery of the gospel, and let’s also commit to pray for each other that God will give us the right words and a measure of courage. Deal?

Do You Recognize this Guy?

This isn’t a Vacation Bible School skit. One of the benefits of living in Jerusalem, is that one semi-regularly has the opportunity to see people dressed in what they deem to be biblical clothing.

This particular man is standing at an intersection in downtown. I think I may have embarrassed him by taking his photo. But surely you must expect to have your picture taken if you dress like that?