Psalm 100 PsalmforThanksgiving.
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness; May, 2013
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LordHimself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.
Light holiday candles: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by thy Commandments and commanded us to be a light unto the nations and has given us Yeshua, our Messiah, the Light of the World.”
Torah Command: Leviticus 23:15-21
15 ‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths.16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.17 You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of anephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord.18 Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.19 You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings.20 The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest.21 On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.
The significance of this holy day is largely understood by its name in Hebrew, Shavuot(First Fruits of Summer, the wheat harvest, or Feast of Weeks). Previously, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the First Fruitsof Spring (Bikkurim) , the barley harvest, were brought in and waved before the Lord. Fifty days later on Pentecost, the latter first fruits of wheat are offered to the Lord.
Note: The spring harvest gathered Yeshua by His resurrection into the Kingdom of God as our Heavenly High Priest and future King; the summer harvest made a way for mankind to enter the Kingdom of God by a new birth through Living Water, Yeshua’s blood and the Holy Spirit (RuachHaKodesh). We are given a “new nature” by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit after being made clean by the living water of Baptism and made Holy by the Blood of the Lamb, Yeshua.
Why was barley offered previously in the form of unleavened bread and the wheat now offered as leavened bread?Leaven= sin; Unleavened bread=sinless nature (Yeshua); Leavened bread=sinful nature (Messianic Jews and Gentiles). The Feast of Unleavened Bread fore shadowsYeshua’s resurrection as the “First fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20) and Yeshua taking His place as High Priest in the Kingdom of God. The Feast of Shavuot and the leavened bread eaten tonight fore shadow the change in our sinful nature by receiving a new nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Why are we eating mostly dairy tonight and leavened bread, when at Passover we eat only unleavened bread for an entire week?The Promise Land is a land flowing with milk and honey. The leavened bread represents us as those with a sinful nature, but now we have been given a whole new nature by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.We look forward to being part of the Kingdom of God in the future, the New Jerusalem; the true Promise Land.
Why are there two loaves of bread on the table tonight?One loaf represents the Jews that received the Holy Spirit and one loaf represents the Gentiles that received the Holy Spirit.
Why is the Torah scroll before us tonight?Traditionally, this holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. God spoke the “Words” of the 10 Commandments so all could hear in all of their languages. The Hebrews were not the only ones that left Egypt with Moses. The miracle was all could understand God that day when He spoke from Mt. Sinai.There were provisions in the Law for the “Gentiles”.
When did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?
John20:19- 22 19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week (one of the Sabbaths), and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.
What happened in Acts chapter 2 on this day in Jerusalem?
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
Peter’s Sermon
14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on allmankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bond slaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be thateveryone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Spirit Of The Living God lyrics
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me,
Mold me, fill me,
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
What happened in Acts chapter 10 with Cornelius, a Roman army officer, and his family?
24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27 As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Gentiles Hear Good News
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Psalms 19 Torah is perfect:
What are the two “perfect” gifts that YHWH (God) has given mankind?
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Note: Something perfect cannot be made better. Perfect means that God’s Law is complete and cannot be any better.
1 Peter 1:17-19 Perfect Lamb of God:
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Note: Yeshua is God’s Word in the flesh. God’s perfect Law (Torah) came in the flesh to dwell among us.
What is the “first fruit” of Pentecost in our lives today?
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:17, 18
The Shema:
Deut. 6:4-9 4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deut. 11:13- 21
13 “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,14 that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early andlate rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.15He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.16Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.17 Or the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you.
18 “You shall, therefore,impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.19 You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,21 so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.
Num. 15:37-41
37 The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. 39 It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, 40 so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.”
There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit
There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place
And I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord
There are sweet expressions on each face
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord
Sweet Holy Spirit... sweet heavenly dove...
Stay right here with us
Filling us with Your love
And for these blessings
We lift our hearts in praise
Without a doubt we know
That we’ll have been revived
When we shall leave this place