Shabbat Word
20/04/2019
Shabbat Shalom!
Psalm 121:1-8
121:1) A Ma`alot Song.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills.
Where does my help come from?
121:2) My help comes from Yahuah,
Who made heaven and earth.
121:3) He will not allow your foot to be moved.
He who keeps you will not slumber.
121:4) Behold, He who keeps Yisra’el
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
121:5) Yahuah is your keeper.
Yahuah is your shade on your right hand.
121:6) The sun will not harm you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
121:7) Yahuah will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your soul.
121:8) Yahuah will keep your going out and your coming in,
From this time forth, and forevermore.
A Word
What Is All The Fuss About?
At FGA, we do not celebrate any pagan festivals such as Christmas, Whitsun or Halloween. Easter (and its derivatives, Lent and Good Friday) is one such occasion. Suffice it to say that it is pagan and typical of many that have been introduced into the ‘Church’ under the guise of being Biblical. They are not. In order for pagans to be welcomed into the ‘Church’ and ‘Christianity’ to be accepted, the early ‘Church Fathers’ amalgamated the pagan festival close to a major Biblical event and re-branded the festival under the Biblical name.
I have used inverted commas above to highlight that deceit that has been passed down through the ages. The Church is the body of Messiah Yahusha on the earth and true followers of Messiah must have nothing to do with anything that is not Scriptural. A true Believer (this term is used by FGA and not Christianity because the latter term has so much pagan connotations) who has studied Yahuah’s word and has been taught Biblical truths shun away from paganism. It is an abomination unto Yahuah. As for the ‘Church Fathers’ these have propagated falsehoods for their own agenda and aggrandisement instead of caring and nurturing their children.
So what is the Biblical event that has been high-jacked under the name of Easter?
“Speak to all the congregation of Yisra’el, saying, ‘…take to them every man a lamb… Your lamb shall be without blemish… and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Yisra’el shall kill it at evening… They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it… and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahuah’s Pesach… This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to Yahuah: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.’” (Exod. 12:3-14).
When the Yisra`elites were in slavery in Egypt, they cried out to Yahuah for their rescue or salvation. However, the Pharaoh at the time refused, in spite of nine terrible plagues. Therefore, something more horrific had to be carried out. This was the event outlined above. With the blood daubed on the door posts and lintel, the Angel of Death sent by Yahuah passed by the home. If there was no sign of the blood, the first born of the household, human as well as animals, were killed.
This may seem as a great travesty of justice, in that innocent Egyptians were killed in order to persuade Pharaoh to release the slaves. Nevertheless, after all else failed, it was the only way possible.
This event is but a fore-shadow of a much great travesty of justice.
“Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do to Yeshua, who is called Messiah?’ They all said to him, ‘Let him be crucified!’… But the governor said, ‘Why? What evil has he done?’ But they cried out exceedingly, saying, ‘Let him be crucified!’… When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him… They came to a place called Gulgolta…About the ninth hour…Yeshua cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.” (Matt. 27:22-50).
“For Him who knew no sin He made to be the sin offering on our behalf; so that in Him we might become the righteousness of Yahuah.” (2Cor. 5:21). All Mankind is under the slavery of sin and it is a relentless and severe task-master. No-one can escape its clutches. Therefore, it took the death of Messiah Yahusha, the spotless Lamb of Yahuah, to break the hold sin has over a person.
The travesty of justice is that the only Person ever to have lived a life in complete obedience to Yahuah, to be without sin, suffered the pain of a Roman flogging and the agony and humiliation of being hung up on the Cross.
He did this for both you and me!
“For Yahuah so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). It was the love of Yahuah for His people, Yisra`el that caused Him to have to smite the Egyptians in such an horrific way. Nevertheless, it was not until the Yisra`elites cried out to Him that He sent the Angel of Death to destroy the Egyptians’ first-born. This was the payment Pharaoh demanded in not releasing the slaves.
Likewise, sin required the death of a spotless Sacrifice as payment of the penalty for Man’s disobedience. Nevertheless, it still requires each and every person to acknowledge their sin and to cry out to Yahuah for forgiveness.
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of Yahuah will be saved.” (Acts 2:21). Are you going to be the ‘whoever’ of John 3:16 and Acts 2:21? Will you apply the blood of the spotless Lamb of Yahuah to the doorposts and lintel of your life?
Or are you destined for damnation and eternal punishment?
Ameyn
Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in Messiah Yahusha so that in believing in His Life, Death and Resurrection we may have eternal life with you.
If you want to accept Father’s offer of salvation through Messiah Yahusha, you need to ask Him in prayer along these lines. Use your own words but they must be genuine as Father knows our very hearts and nothing is hidden from Him.
“Father, I am a sinner who needs forgiveness through your Son, Messiah Yahusha. Please forgive me of all my past sins as I accept that, Messiah Yahusha my Saviour, has taken upon Himself my punishment. By your Spirit, help me to live a life worthy of His sacrifice. Thank you, Father, for making this way back to you.”
Ameyn.
Remember, the Judge looks into your heart, mind and future.
In other words, when you say a Believer’s prayer you had better mean it.
If you have honestly said such a prayer as this, and truly renounced the sin in your life and accepted Father’s salvation through Messiah Yahusha, then please drop us an e-mail at FGA to let us know. This not only builds up our faith, it offers an opportunity to prayfully support you. Even if you have Believing friends or family, we at FGA would be privileged to pray for you. Please contact us at ezra710@firstgenerationassembly.com. Having believed and prayed, now please find a local faith-based church to attend. Drop FGA an e-mail so that we can rejoice with you and pray and support you over the coming weeks.
If you have sincerely called out to Father for forgiveness, then eternal life is assured. No more question marks on your eternal life, only a full stop. Salvation does not take away the day-to-day questions of life, nor is it a short-cut away from trials or tribulations. Nevertheless, knowing your eternal life is secure, any temporary trial can be overcome by looking at the completed work of Messiah Yahusha.
All blessings to you.
Father, we thank you for the power of your Word and that Word was made flesh in Messiah Yahusha so that in believing in His Life, Death and Resurrection we may have eternal life with you.
“A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you must do it again.” (Prov. 19:19).
Breaking Matzah
Our Saviour welcomes all His Family to join in this memorial. If you have accepted Messiah Yahusha as your Master and Saviour please take the next few moments to seek Father and to ensure that all is right between Him and you and between you and your Brothers and Sisters. If not, please put this right before continuing.
If you have not yet accepted Him into your life, then we encourage you to seek Him while it is still possible, as time is running out. When He returns or if you pass away then it will be too late. Please do not partake of the matzah and wine as in doing so, it gives thanks for the broken body (matzah) and shed blood (wine) for and a witness of salvation.
On the night of the Master’s betrayal, He took the matzah, blessed it and broke it saying ‘This is my Body broken for you; take and eat it as a memorial to Me.’
Bless the matzah saying: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the Universe, who brings forth matzah from the earth.
Break and eat the matzah (sharing it if within a group setting):
After the meal He took the Cup of Blessing, blessed it saying ‘This is my Blood poured out for you for the remission of sins; take and drink it as a memorial to me.’
Bless the wine saying: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the wine (sharing it if within a group setting):
Thanksgiving prayer: Blessed are you, O Yahuah our `Elohiym, King of the universe, who gives us, in Yahusha, all that we will ever need. In your lovingkindness and mercy, you rebuild broken lives. You bless us, in Yahusha, with a perfect blessing. Ameyn.
Please note the up-and-coming special days.
Rosh Chodesh 2nd. moon 06/05/2019.
Chag Matzah – 20/04/2019 to 27/04/2019
Counting of the Omer – 28/04/2019 to 08/06/2019
Shavuot – 08/06/2019
Father willing, we will meet again next Shabbat.
“Y’varekh’kha Yahuah v’yishmerekha,
Ya’er Yahuah panav eleikha vichunekka,
Yissa Yahuah panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.”
(May Yahuah bless you and keep you)
(May Yahuah make His face to shine upon you show you His favour)
(May Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.)
First Generation Assembly 