Keep Watch | March 5-6, 2021

[Applause] [Music] my [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] okay [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] oh wow it's so good to see you all here today and and of course we're socially distancing it's not it's not a typical old-school friday night crowd but it's a special friday night crowd here and you who are watching online welcome to you as well it is uh but man i gotta tell you it is a good friday night uh uh crowd here today because we have the goldbergs visiting and i didn't know it and they surprised i'm really excited with goldbergs oh my gosh wow goldbergs are uh just legend bethlehem members that we love so much you know and living on the west coast now so welcome welcome to you welcome all right we're going to enjoy a great shabbat service here today everybody it is going to be a delight wow the lord's presence is already in this place and and i know that you're going to enjoy watching from all over and all of you who are in here as well so leading us in our service today is going to be mr mark he does such a great job so enjoy the shabbat service and shabbat shalom well thank you rabbi and shabbat shalom y'all shabbat shalom that was actually good shabbat shalom and shabbat shalom to all you on on over the web welcome to congregation beth hilal beth meaning house and hallelujah meaning praise something we love to do here amen amen to all of our first time guests and visitors in person or via live stream it's an extra special blessing in sharing in this day the shabbat this day of rest with you does anyone have any prayer requests just signify raise your hand just do it at home too raise your hand my hands up there with you let's go to the lord and dedicate those prayer requests and this shabbat to him god of abraham isaac and jacob we humbly come before you on this day you've made this shabbat we enter into it as you've commanded and to honor it and keep it holy father we lift up any prayers and trust by faith that you will provide and answer these prayers according to your will and plan we pray blessings over the over the over everyone in this shabbat lord and we welcome you all dish your holy spirit here uh today let our lives be changed lord thank you lord and we invite you in we pray all this in your holy name yeshua amen our psalmist will open us up and dedicate and will welcome us in the shabbat shalom's song and those in the congregation please stand and uh you can stand uh wherever you are the lord our righteousness the lord of shabbat we celebrate you two three four [Music] [Music] this game [Music] in those days judah shall be saved and jerusalem shall dwell in safety if those days judah shall be saved and jerusalem this is the name by which it shall be called this is the name i wish it shall be called our righteousness [Music] righteousness [Music] steve [Music] [Music] [Music] righteousness [Music] amen amen thank you psalmist you may be seated we'll enter into the liturgy portion of this worship service please join along wherever it says congregation [Music] bless the lord who is blessed blessed be the lord who is blessed forever and ever blessed praised glorified honored and exalted be the name of the king of kings the holy one blessed be he who is the first and the last and besides him there is no god x told him in the heavens lord is his name rejoice before his face his name is lifted up beyond all blessing and praise blessed be his name whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever let the name of the lord be blessed forever and ever amen we'll continue with the visham ruin the destruction is from the torah where god gave moses his commandment to keep the sabbath day today holy when we do this we're also acknowledging that he did create heaven and earth israel [Music] [Music] amen and the english translation the children of israel shall keep the sabbath observing the sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant it is a sign between me and the children of israel forever that in six days the lord made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day he ceased from his work and rested amen we'll now begin a responsive reading i'll read the first paragraph and just join me on the second blessed are you o lord our god ruler of the universe who by your word brings on the evening twilight and by your wisdom opens the gates of heaven with understanding you order the cycles of time and bury the seasons setting the stars in their courses in the sky according to your will you create the day and night causing the light to pass away before the darkness and the darkness before the light by your will the day turns in tonight the lord of heavenly hosts is your name o ever living god rule over us forever blessed are you o lord who brings on the evening twilight with everlasting love you have loved the house of israel teaching us your torah and precepts your statutes and judgments therefore or lord our god when we lie down and when we get up we will meditate upon your instructions and rejoice forever in the words of your torah and in its teachings for they are our life in sustenance we will meditate upon them day and night may your love never leave us blessed are you o lord who loves your people israel amen well everyone please rise wherever you are and join us as we recite the watchword of israel [Music] [Music] hey [Music] i amen hero israel the lord is our god the lord is one blessed be his glorious name whose kingdom is forever and ever amen and now for the via which is the continuation of the shema found in deuteronomy chapter 6. [Music] because [Music] and we'll continue with the english let's read this together love the lord your god with all your heart with all your life and with all your strength these commandments that i give you today are to be on your hearts impress them on your children talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road when you lie down and when you get up tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates amen i will now read the summary of the sabbath amidah the amirah is read while standing as the word amidah means standing we're also facing towards jerusalem as all synagogues everywhere are built facing the holy city for as it says in zechariah 14 it states the glory of the lord will come from over the eastern skies of jerusalem something we're looking forward to amen amen amen blessed are you o lord god and god of our fathers god of abraham god of isaac and god of jacob the great mighty and revered god the most high god master of heaven and earth he with his word was a shield to our forefathers and by his voice will raise the dead the holy god like whom there is none who gives rest to his people on his holy sabbath day because he delights in them to grant them rest before his presence we will serve with fear and awe daily and constantly we will thank him with the appropriate praises he is the god to whom thanksgiving is due the lord of peace who hallows the sabbath and blesses the seventh day and in holiness gives rest to a people filled with delights and remembrance of the creation our god and god of our fathers accept our rest follow us by your commandments and grant our portion in your torah satisfy us with your goodness and gladden us with your salvation purify our hearts to serve you truthfully and in your love and favor o lord our god let us inherit your holy sabbath and may israel who sanctify your name rest thereon blessed are you o lord who hallows the sabbath amen as our worship team makes his way back up for those of you watching via live stream and who you have take a moment right now take out your cell phone my cell phone is down here and send a text message or a facebook message or social media to one of the members of the mishpochah it's so intentional to be connecting in this time and if you're here in person yeah turn to someone next to you wish them a shabbat shalom while standing so while remaining socially distant shabbat shalom y'all well if you haven't if you've never participated in a beth paolello shabbat service and you see that you're going to see something we do might be a little different than what you're used to what you're used to seeing clapping raising hands shouting to the lord we want you to know this is all scriptural straight from your bible very straight jewish lord it says in psalms 47 clap your hands all your nations and shout to god with cries of joy and in psalm 63 king david said i will praise you as long as i live and in your name i will lift up my hands let's do that today amen hallelujah well there's sure been a lot of talk about shots this week so how about a shot of praise amen hallelujah come on come on [Music] here we of go of isaac and messiah let it be known today that you are god [Music] we offer up our laws as a living sacrifice purify us with your holy files holy fire you are the holy one highly exalted one we've come to worship at your holy hill [Music] your sovereign will o lord god of abraham [Music] let it be known today that you are god [Music] come now and feel this place be exalted in our praise let it be known today that you are god you are god you are the holy one highly exalted [Music] your sovereign will o lord god of abraham for the lord is god for the lord he is god for the lord he is god and he shall reign [Music] [Music] holy [Music] your sovereign will [Music] [Music] your sovereign will oh lord of abraham oh lord of abraham hold the god of abraham [Music] hallelujah lord we just celebrate you lord two three four [Music] his name [Music] say to the world my god let the heavens rejoice [Music] strength and glory are in his presence he will judge all the earth let his righteousness [Music] sing to the lord proclaiming salvation day to day still all the trees will sing for joy and gladness join them with praises to our lord let the heavens rejoice strength and glory are in his presence we will trust all the earth let us righteous defeat a [Music] steve [Music] let the heavens rejoice strength and glory are in his presence he will judge all the earth and let his righteousness [Music] give him the glory do his name come worship the lord bring it up a ring come into his court say to the world my god two three four clip along [Music] and the earth [Music] he is praise the lord the messiah of all the words sing hallelujah raise your lift your hands and rejoice the lord [Music] hallelujah let's take it up now almost [Music] is raise your voice lift your hands let's rejoice praise the the lord the messiah of all the world sing hallelujah bless the name of the lord wherever you are he is greatly [Applause] amen amen you may be seated hey man thank you psalmist well now it's time to welcome some very special guests our visitors if this is your first time here in the congregation congregation beth hello welcome if you didn't receive one of the visitors packets when you came on in when you arrived during uh you can pick them up here on either side of the stage and fill it out there's going to describe what's inside it but you're going to fill it out and you're going to put on either side of these boxes on the other side of the stage in the packet there's a blue visitors card some information about our congregation a name tag and a pen please be sure to fill out the card put your name on the name tag attach it to your lapel so we can greet you by name after the service and for those of you joining on the via live stream if this is your first time seeing congregation bethlehem service and you have some questions about messianic judaism or about beth hillel you can go to our website bethhalel.org we would love to hear from you send an email to info fll.org with any questions also to get connected just fill it out with your name and your address so we can keep you informed of all the events that are going on here at the congregation when you do these things if you're putting your name on the name tag if you're giving us an email visiting our website you're part of our mishpochah which is our family so welcome to the family and the family is doing a lot of things the announcements will appear up here don't miss virtual tuesday scripture study for kids of all ages from pre-k through college this coming tuesday at 7 00 pm contact your teacher if you need the zoom room link this shabbat the college age will be having an outdoor picnic at 1 30. contact alad or claire fatuzi for more details also on this shabbat the junior teens will be meeting to watch a movie at 2 p.m for more details contact amber edu at bethlehem.org finally also on this shabbat ravagin our singles will be meeting for an online scripture study starting at 2 p.m check rabbi's email for just before the shabbat for the zoom room link we are very excited to announce the resumption of torah tots and club maccabee we're going to start this on the first and third saturdays of each month tour tots is for ages four to six and club maccabees for the ages of kids ages seven through nine and masks and socially distancing are required so if your children are ready then come on in praying for the nations is next shabbat march 13th at 10 am in the conference room all are welcome to come and pray together very important rabbi shabbat shalom man i tell you st stanley i love that that pray set that was an amazing praise that's so good yes thank you lord thank you bob thank you i'll say that that includes two of the fastest songs we do at bethel well between a scribe to the lord and great is the lord i remember when i used to play tambourine on those two songs and either one of them afterwards i was sweating profusely on especially great as a lord man as a drummer wow that's a great song to play in any case i'm a musician too so i'm into the music i love the worship and praise of the lord i have an announcement okay here we go this is important y'all married couples i'm really excited if you're married we're engaged okay mark your calendars for sunday it's a week from this weekend sunday march 14th march 14th at 11 o'clock camera special virtual married couples event on zoom there will be a special workshop and we're bringing back rabbi ahri and shira sokaram from israel it's really great that we have this opportunity they're going to be joining us from israel on zoom live at that time which is why it's at 11 o'clock in the morning in addition to a great teaching they they're they're also going to answer any questions that you might have about marriages so if you have a good question that might be a good thing for them to kind of start off on or to tee off on um then please email it to the office we're really excited about this please give yourself a reminder in this season you know gosh y'all every season is important for uh enriching your marriage but it just seems like with all the weirdness going on in the world we especially how often you get that opportunity so uh please sunday the 14th of march 11 o'clock a.m uh if you can uh come and it's going to be a real blessing rabbi ari and shira are just unbelievable from israel and uh and if you if you are a member here we will send you that zoom room link if you are not a member and you're interested in attending email the office uh thank you so much i'm really excited about that wow it's already been a great service man my my blood is pumping i'm ready to go yes praise the lord shabbat shalom thank you rabbi and now for another blessing it is important to continue to do as the scripture says in proverbs 3 9 and honor the lord with your wealth with the first fruits of all your crops especially in times like this your financial giving is of utmost importance for those of you who are here in person please bring your tithes and offerings to the boxes in the front on either side when the musicians begin their song and visitors we don't solicit your tithes here but we if you would like to bless us with a love offering we pray that you are blessed in return for your generosity for those of you watching the live stream you can have your bank send a check through their online bill pay or you can mail your check to congregation bethlehem at 950 pine grove road roswell georgia 30075 also you can click the link right under the description to give via credit card in just a moment our musicians will share a song to give you a time to click the link set up those things come on up let's let me just pray for these tithes and for the giver our father our king we thank you for the shabbat and the rest that it brings in you let our lives be changed by the miracles of your hands and thank you lord for the blessings that you've given us lord let us be good stewards of them um bless the gift and the giver this day lord we bless you and we pray all this in your mighty name yeshua amen amen two three [Music] four for you are a chosen people a royal priesthood a people belonging to god that they may declare the praises of him brought you out of darkness into his wonderful life [Music] the mercy of the lord everyone [Music] a people belonging to god that they may declare the praises of him into his wonderful life into his marvelous life into his glorious life everyone into his everlasting life you are a chosen people amen amen thank you psalmist we will now enter into the torah portion of this service please rise when the ark behind me is opened and out of respect for the torah please remain in the sanctuary while it's open i'd like to call forth our cantor baruch benzvi and it came to pass whenever the ark went forward moses would say arise o lord and let your enemies be scattered may those who hate you flee from before you for from zion shall go forth the torah and the word of the lord out of jerusalem blessed be he who in holiness gave the torah to his people israel shabbat shalom we're going to sing in hebrew what mark just read for us in english if this is your first torah service you go into your blessings that are thousands of years old blessings that some that yeshua heard and probably sang in his synagogue over two thousand years ago and if you know these melodies please join along with me if not close your eyes and enjoy the timelessness and sweetness of this part of your jewish roots [Music] [Music] [Music] israel the lord is our god the lord is one unique is our god great is our lord holy and reveres his name exalt the lord with me and let's extol his name together with the shema israel adonai [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] who can be compared to your lord among the gods who can be compared to you glorious in holiness awesome in praise is doing wonders from the song of praise moses and the children of israel sang to the lord from exodus 15 11 mihamoha [Music] [Music] he who blessed our fathers abraham isaac and jacob may bless mordechai lazarus muddled sharma who has come up to honor god in the torah may the holy one bless him and his family and send blessing and prosperity on all the works of his hands and let us all say amen [Music] i bless the lord who is blessed bless the lord who is blessed forever and ever bless the lord who is blessed forever and ever blessed are you o lord our god ruler of the universe who chose us from all peoples and gave to us the torah blessed are you o lord giver of the torah amen today is the 22nd day of adar in the year 5778 and the torah reading for today can be found in the book of exodus chapter 33 verses 13 through 17 and the parsha is called when you elevate the head if you are pleased with me teach me your ways so i may know you and continue to find favor with you remember that this nation is your people the lord replied my presence will go with you and i will give you rest then moses said to him if your presence does not go with us do not send us up from here how will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us what else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth and the lord said to moses i will do the very thing you have asked because i am pleased with you and i know you by name amen the have torah reading is from first kings chapter 13 18 verses 36 through 39. at the time of the sacrifice the prophet elijah stepped forward and prayed lord the god of abraham isaac and israel let it be known today that you are god in israel and that i am your servant and have done all these things at your command answer me lord answer me so these people will know that you lord are god and that you are turning their heads back again then the fire of the lord fell and burned up the sacrifice the wood the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench when all the people saw this they fell prostrate and cried the lord he is god the lord he is god amen the brithsha or new covenant reading can be found in the book of first corinthians chapter 8 verses 4 through 6. so then about eating food sacrificed to idols we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no god but one for even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth as indeed there are many gods and many lords yet for us there is none but one god the father from whom all things came and for whom we live and there is but one lord yeshua the messiah through him all things came and through whom we live amen amen [Music] blessed are you lord our god ruler of the universe who gave us the torah of truth and life everlasting planted in our midst blessed are you o lord giver of the torah amen thank you mark and let's bless god for giving us the new covenant scriptures baruch ruler of the universe who gave us the word of truth and planted among us life eternal blessed are you o lord giver of the new covenant amen [Music] is now join through the congregational response this is the torah which moses placed before the children of israel is in accord with the lord's command by the hand of moses a tree of life it is for those who take hold of it and blessed are the ones who support it its way is a ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace long life is in its right hand in its left are riches in honor the lord was pleased for the sake of his righteousness to render the torah great and glorious amen and now please join with me with the beautiful eights hayim and hashivanu it's [Music] [Music] [Music] a [Music] m turn us lord to you and let us return renew renew our days abba renew our days as of old amen and when the ark rested moses would say return o lord to the myriads of israel's families arise o lord to your resting place you and your mighty ark clothe your priests with righteousness may those who have experienced your faithful love shout for joy hashem for the sake of your servant david do not delay the return of your messiah i give you good instruction do not forsake my torah and now let us bless god for giving us the living word and messiah yeshua baruch yeshua blessed are you o lord our god ruler of the universe who has given us the living word in messiah yeshua and let us say amen you may be seated thank you so much wonderful to hear the word of god very powerful scriptures as always and uh beautiful thank you so much uh boy we uh we're finishing up a a series in the new members class and boy it's a great new members class hopefully in a couple weeks i'll be introducing to you some of our new members but i'm really excited about that it's just been wonderful thanks to all the teachers and all the participants the new members class we will be opening again for membership uh we'll probably start making announcements for sign ups sometime in the late spring and so not not too too long so if you don't have a a spiritual home somewhere then please consider beth hillel we would welcome you all right we're going to be entering the next phase of our worship service but first we want to ask the lord's blessings on all of our yellow dem who are here and who are watching and just ask the lord to touch and bless them also a couple of our misbehave that i'd like to lift up in prayer the caswell granddaughter to be in prayer and also martin who is who is in the hospital and and definitely needs a lot of prayer a member of bethlehem martin so let's uh let's pray for these and for you mavino shabbat shamayim father in heaven there's also someone else and i haven't gotten her the permission to say the name but who i had a biopsy done today lord in the name of yeshua i pray for lord any of our members who are infirmed in any way god who are recovering especially pray for martin lord god as he's in the hospital uh it's going to be a long road without something supernatural lord so please touch him and heal him supernaturally lord i pray for the caswell granddaughter lord touch her god and also of course this other one who had the biopsy today touch this one as well lord we thank you for your hand on all of our mishpacha lord we ask your touch on our eladem on our children please be with them god and touch them and minister to them god and thank you so much for the children lord who who are so dear in your eyes we bless you for our kids in yeshua's name amen okay entering the next phase of our worship service you enjoy yourself let's worship the lord all consuming fire you're my heart's desire and i love you dearly dearly loved [Music] you're my meditation [Music] and i love you dearly dearly [Applause] lord [Music] advice i am [Music] [Applause] [Music] you [Music] time [Music] [Music] me [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] please [Music] you're my heart's desire [Music] [Music] dear [Music] love [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] oh your glory you are let's all stand to worship now [Music] raining on [Applause] you are [Music] [Music] is [Music] we rest in you o lord our confidence is [Music] everyone [Music] your face is [Music] your foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] my first love that burns [Music] and shine it all around but first help me just help me to never seek a crown for my reward is giving glory to the lord [Music] your face is all i see [Music] [Music] your grace lord replace the land i want to take your word and shine it all around but first help me just [Music] for my reward his giving glory to you everyone oh lord your beautiful your face is all i see for when your eyes your [Music] for grace your eyes are on his child your grace [Music] lord we're nothing without your your grace kindness we receive it o lord [Music] my [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] oh [Music] you captured [Music] to the song of all songs [Music] to the song [Music] [Music] has so me [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] me [Music] me [Music] dance [Music] me to the sound of us [Music] [Music] [Applause] divorced [Music] yes lord amen lord thank you our mouth our father our king lord yes yes lord we welcome you into this day into our lives lord god let us dance with you lord you are with us you are with us lord let us hear what you are saying lord god through your word through our rabbi lord let our hearts be opened to receive all of what you are wanting us to hear from you let our ears be open let us let our lives be changed by your word each and every moment each and every day lord let your word flow clearly through our rabbi bless him and bless his family bless all in the hearing of your word we pray this lord in your mighty name yeshua amen you may be seated oh wow amen amen is right man i got to tell you oh boy just when i thought the the praise set was absolutely fantastic then came the worship set and my goodness boy you just experienced a wonderful worship service y'all that was really a blessing yes my goodness as a side note you know i found myself in the audience just being taken up by that song a beautiful beautiful song of of worship and intimacy with the lord and it relates a little bit to the message honestly and uh and and also it just it was like wow this is this is really fantastic bruce and then i just looked up and i just looked at everybody on stage and there are some incredible musicians that are on this stage here today there really are boy every one of them wow so gifted my goodness so thank you lord boy when when when you use your talents for the lord what a blessing it is you know indeed and whatever your talent is you know it doesn't matter if it's big or small whatever it is you give it up to the lord amen a whole other message it's not my message today but that's okay oh boy i remember when i was early in my career uh and and i was in advertising i used to be in advertising and marketing at a t you know bell south and a t and and i remember back early in my career when i was in advertising at a t and at that time we were going to do we were doing a series of tv commercials and the for these tv commercials we hired what was at that time a big time star to be in our tv commercials some of you may remember her emmy nominated uh actress dixie carter some of you remember dixie carter of course from she was on shows such as different strokes and uh designing women of course she was the big star of designing women and uh and and and it was very interesting because we had her i mean i was part of the client and so we were the ones paying the bill and man boy i can't even tell you this is this big time kind of bill i mean we're talking about multiple six figures you know per 30 second commercial it's unbelievable and and there was a huge production crew we were up in nashville tennessee there were probably i don't know 40 people on and around the side from craft services to the production people to the director to the to the actors and the thing to the to the client which was us me and just a couple other guys were representing the company and and i just remember uh it was my first time on a big-time kind of commercial shoot like this and and i i recall meeting dixie carter of course and she was just so eloquent and polished and and so anyway she got to the time where we were filming the commercial and and in the commercial dixie was uh was in a rest it was a restaurant scene and so she was sitting in at the restaurant table talking to somebody else and she had a number of lines she was delivering to the person she was talking to and i'll just never forget i mean i it was dixie carter i mean she was big time star back in those days you know i mean huge huge and married to hal holbrook and and uh and so i was listening just as the client you know sitting there in the director action they started it in dixie redder line and it's a camera it's a 30 second tv commercial it's pretty short lines it's not like a lot and so i thought wow when she gave her lines sitting there at the table at the restaurant all the cameras around and stuff i i thought wow that was amazing i mean that little line but she just was able to turn it on like that and i i was so impressed and then they said okay cut and they they said okay we're going to take it from a different angle and say did a different angle did more or less the same thing and then and then at one point she said i tell you what uh she said to the director uh ron i just keep keep the camera rolling i'm going to give you a few different options to use and you can just pick which one you like best and he said okay miss dixie roll it action okay and they started again and then she gave the same line but it was the same line completely different than she'd given before and it was so amazing and believable and i thought oh i just kind of like oh man i'm just watching i thought um that is really good and then she paused the camera was still rolling and then she gave the exact same lines but in a completely different way and i thought oh my gosh that is so good oh my gosh that is so good but it's so different and she did that like five or six times just going and and and by the end of it i i set back and i thought wow you know what i learned something today because you know these these actors and actresses that are man there's a real skill because it was so impressive how she would just do it over and over again but but all different but yet it was amazing every time and how she could just turn it on like that to be able to deliver these lines in such a believable but different way i was so very impressed with that and so i i'm just sitting there and then we finish up shooting for the day and it was the first day of shooting we were shooting for a week up in nashville and and i was very impressed i mean you know this is a big time star emmy nominated the whole thing major major league actress and and and i would then i wasn't even impressed at watching her in in interaction with doing it and and so we finished up the day and of course most of the crew kind of went on their own way but as the client we brought dixie back to the hotel uh the vanderbilt uh in uh in nashville and uh of course and so we got to it was myself one other client uh that was working from the company and then there was the director and the producer and dixie we were all there at the at the hotel dropping dixie off for the evening at her hotel it was of course know from fancy hotel in nashville probably the fanciest hotel in that very nice and uh and so we were there and we dropped her off and we said okay miss dixie you know we'll see you tomorrow you'll be picked up at this time and she said well where you go where are you guys where are you gentlemen going she had a wonderful beautiful southern accent you some of you remember where where are you gentlemen go where are you guys going and we said oh well dixie we're going to our hotel we're at the hampton inn you understand that the company doesn't uh you know allow us to as employees we can't we can't stay here we were standing we can't the company won't reimburse you know that and she said what and she said well we'll just have none of that and she said just follow me please and and we're like what and so there we there she walks and she leads us to the front desk of the of the vanderbilt and she says to the attendant uh can you please bring the general manager out here please and the front desk first and of course you recognize she's a big storm uh yes ma'am if we're waiting back the general general manager i'll never forget the general manager came out and uh and and dixie carter said to them uh you know in that southern charm she had she said you know i sure do actually i'm enjoying staying at your beautiful hotel now my friends here from a t they sure would love to stay here as well but you know they only can they're only allowed a certain amount reimbursed from their company and i'm sure that you guys want their business they're willing to match the rate on there i was just watching and i'm like going what and the general manager looked her dixie carter was like yes ma'am we will match that raid absolutely and she said okay just bring your stuff on over here boys you'll be staying in the van to build here today and i thought wow i was really it was like i was in awe the whole thing it was so incredibly impressive i thought you've got to be kidding me and it was it was really an experience you know it was something that was really neat unusual and different and what really struck me about it you know honestly is that dixie carter cared she cared she like legitimately cared here she was a famous star that was on television number one it was like the number one show on television for years designing women you know that and uh but she cared i mean this was off camera she she was getting her money trust me she didn't need us for anything she was she was getting paid but she cared although she was a star and seemingly bigger than life she cared about us you know and that really spoke to me and said something to me about her and and it was very very impressive and it was it touched me and uh and and and moved me isaiah chapter 49 please isaiah 49 it's interesting because when you look at the bible i want you to listen to the words because this story that i've just shared with you about dixie carter is something that that relates to something that i think about uh and something we see in the scripture i want you to as i read isaiah 49 starting in verse 14 i want you to listen that the the words that god uses to describe israel and his jewish people when he restores us from our rebellion toward him so in this passage what you're going to be listening to is how god the creator of the universe describes his jewish people israel and such after even after of course and after he restores us from our rebellion so think about and when you listen to this i want you to think about the tenor of how of of how god feels about us and about people and about the jewish people but just how he cares isaiah 49 verse 14 but zion said adonai has forsaken me adonai has forgotten me oh has god forgotten us 15. can a woman forget her nursing baby or lack compassion for a child of her womb even if these forget i will not forget you god says behold i have engraved you on the palms of my hands your walls are continually before me now yes friends this this describes a people group but people are comprised of individual persons i've noticed that sometimes when we think about god we consider him so superior which he is but we consider him so superior that to us he becomes completely unrelatable in other words what real connection could god have to us mortals then perhaps we consider that in heaven we'll be worshiping him and that's very true much like we did today and thinking of worshiping god our creator comports with our own understanding of the god-human relationship we worship and we bow down to him and you see that's very valid that is the truth and that is valid and that certainly is an important part of the god human relationship and and oftentimes i think that's a little bit easier for us to grasp that part of it it makes sense to us that god is way up there and and that he's so holy that we just bowed down to him and that's true however that said there are a number of passages in scriptures that paint a more nuanced picture of the god-human relationship and i present to you today that a better understanding of this will help us in cultivating a relationship with our creator a better relationship with our creator if we better understand the god-human relationship and we get the fuller picture it's going to change our own relationship with our creator because i'm going to tell you something my friends god's relationship with man is not so impersonal it's not so impersonal as it might seem just looking at it from the outside with throngs of people bowing down god does not look at us merely as a number god does not look at us as a number at all in fact only number that he probably knows about us is the hairs of our head right the very hairs of our head think about this for a minute think about what is said in isaiah chapter 49 regardless of who he's speaking of in this case he's speaking of the jewish people but regardless who he's speaking of the god of creation says that he has engraved a people on the palm of his hand man brothers and sisters that that is unbelievable the scripture says he cares for us more than a nursing mother does her baby that's what he thinks of you that's what he thinks of you that's how he feels it's incredibly intimate it's incredibly intimate and it's even more intimate and unbelievable and disbelievable when you understand that we were coming out of rebellion we were coming out of rebellion it's it's hard enough to understand the god of creation loving us if we're really good i mean what why would he even care about us as individuals there's so many and he created everything and could start all over snapped his finger do nothing but how much even more so because the whole point of isaiah 49 is it's when israel and the jewish people are coming out of shaking our fists in god's face no less already out of rebellion and then he says these intimate things about how he loves us it's unbelievable this is not this is not a picture of a faceless uncaring god that is indifferent to the human condition on the contrary this is a picture of a god who laughs when we laugh and who cries when we cry matthew 26 another one of my favorite passages that really conveys this point in a very visceral way truly and intimate way is in the garden of gethsemane the garden of gethsemane is unbelievable it's an amazing place i'll take you there this october susan's been with me cindy's been with me to the garden of gethsemane others of you here have been with me it's unbelievable i'm taking a tour this october it's a special place that still exists okay yeshua had just partaken of the last supper which was of course a passover seder and within hours he would be crucified this is right here at the pinnacle of the whole story the pinnacle of almost the whole story of of time really and and so within hours he would be crucified but first to prepare yeshua went to pray in the garden of gethsemane and and his prayer is is relevant and important and and what all happens thereafter is important but i want to focus on a different part of that story of verse 36 then yeshua comes with him to a place called gethsemane and he tells the disciples sit here while i go over there and pray and he took along peter and zebedee's two sons and he began to be sorrowful and troubled then he tells them my soul is deeply grieved even to the point of death stay here and keep watch with me how interesting have you ever thought why why it's not like he needed guards or something stay here keep watch with me other translations yeshua is asking his closest friends to tarry with him tarry with him stay stay or remain what is that in the in the greek the word is manita maintain maintain to abide with he's asking them abide with me keep watch stay with me it's interesting because why does even yeshua even care that his closest disciples abide with him at this point really but you see in this my friends we see the nature of god in that although he's clearly unequivocally undeniably a superior being he cares for you he cares for us but also he relates to us in a way that reveals the heart of god is one of great tenderness towards us see that's different right it's it's different than how many people perceive god as being way up there and just having very little to do with down here and in my life in particular your life in particular it's just not the way it is what why does he even care and you see it even more as the story goes on matthew 26 verse 40 says then he comes to the disciples he's been praying he goes back to them and what does he find them oh you know what it is they're sleeping then he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping and he tells peter so couldn't you keep watch with me for one hour yeah yeshua is so clearly cared honestly when i read that he seems even hurt it's it seems like it's it seems like he's thinking you know you know god does so very much for you right and yet here were the guys they just weren't making that extra effort it seems like yeshua knew what he was about to do he was about to be on a tree of sacrifice for them all they had taught them all he had done for them and man they just they couldn't even hang with him there it's it's it's hard it's only hard you know it seems like for him that that's hurtful it's only hurtful if he cares because he doesn't need them there he could call eight thousand angels down like that what does he need if it's not like he's guarding the flank to make sure nobody got him in that moment come on but he cared so much that they were there with him he wanted that support he wanted that communion he wants that relationship with us he wants that relationship with us why man honestly you got me that that's a good question i think when we get to heaven that's probably one of my questions i don't you know which which reminds me the psalmist right what is man that you're mindful of him what is man that you're my the psalmist had the same question bob why why do you even care especially about individual man i mean maybe the whole story about the united nations and the all the wars and stuff like okay maybe you care about no no no he cares about you individually what is man that you care for us it's unbelievable but clearly god cared about these disciples because you know what they were they were really more than that john chapter 15 the word abide the word manatee to abide which he uses here when he says stay with me mena in in greek is to abide abide with me it's really more than just stay here if there's a deeper word there's a deeper richness that's in the text here and it's the same word in the greek that's used in john chapter 5 where yeshua says in verse 4 abide in me and i will abide in you it's the same word the branch cannot itself produce fruit unless it abides on the vine likewise you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in me skipping down to verse 9 just as the father has loved me i have also loved you abide in my love if you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as i have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love these things i've spoken to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full wow this is very deep see yeshua is asking for us to abide in him of to abide in him to stay to wait to endure but here in john yeshua also tells us that he will abide in us so he will wait stay with us endure with you that's awesome wow the abiding goes both ways wow that's remarkable and then he tells us that if we abide in god's love that his joy will be in us and that our joy may be full get that for just a second i mean this this is this is some big time kind of stuff right here he cares about your level of joy he cares about your level of joy yes even in crazy pandemic times he cares about your level of joy now you got to think about that for just a minute that yeshua cares about your level of joy it's really a remarkable thing because let's be honest and think about it let's think about this just very logically you only care if somebody else has real joy if you really care about them i mean that just makes sense right if if you don't care about somebody or if somebody's just a number a widget god makes the widgets okay and all of us are widgets if that's it then is he's not going to care if we have joy we're just a number who cares what difference does that make that we see here that's not the way it is he doesn't look at us as it just a number just a widget no no no no no he cares that our joy is full man you know when you think about that i know when i think about that i think about my own children man i i care for i want them to have joy in their lives right i know you guys do too right you got one of them with you here today you want their joy to be full you and why do you want their joy to be full because you love them so much right you really care for them i mean that just that's how god is about us he cares for us individually it's unbelievable it's really amazing we're not some pawn that the gods have on a board to play with no he abides in us john 15 moving down to verse 15 therefore and it's just like as if that's not enough dayenu we've got passover coming up by the way we're not having a big congregational seder this year sorry about that everybody next year big seder next year big seder anyway john 15 15 says this yeshua said man mind blowing i am no calling you i'm no longer calling you servants for the servant does not know what his master is doing now i've called you friends because everything i have heard from my father i've made known to you god's remarkable remarkable remarkable remember in isaiah 41 god also we read that god also calls abraham his friend right you see this a friend i mean i get the i get the going and and and and bowing down and i i get that from revelation right we read about that in revelation i get that i get the the going and and bowing down at the throne and and all of us throngs of millions of people every nisha about i get that i mean that that makes some intuitive sense right this is the god of creation the creator of everything that is the creator of the universe it makes sense you bow and you worship right holy holy holy is the lord god almighty who was and is and is to come that makes sense but him calling me friend no no no no no that very much does not make sense to me honestly but this is how it is this is this is the nature of god it's it's it's amazing it's it's so humbling it's like whoo boy you know it makes me feel just man it should convict you a little bit you know shouldn't it like wow what an honor what an honor and and you see time after time after time in scriptures that's the way god feels about that remember in john chapter 11 when when lazarus dies lazarus was one of his friends and the scripture says that yeshua cares so much about not only that he knew he was resurrecting lazarus but the pain that lazarus's family felt when lazarus had died he he saw that pain have you ever grieved have you ever grieved i know i have man i tell you what i sometimes i still get messed up about my mom a lot of you knew my mom so i'll be honest with you sometimes i'm still messed up but with that it's hard grieving's tough and but yeshua knows yeshua understands and he cares he was so overcome by the grief and of his friend having died scripture says he weeped he wept he weeps he wept he wept the empathy there is this is god the empathy there is off the chart he wept that's how much he cares for you what does that tell you what does that tell you about what he feels about you think about that for just a second i'm going to stop think about that what does that mean he feels about you but what does that also tell you about how you should treat him because friends we must abide in him you have to tarry with him you have to keep watch with him because all too often we become distracted or weary just like the disciples all too often we've been virtual as you all know for probably nine out of the last 12 months have you remained faithful to god in his commands or have you faded a little bit do things have to be on your terms or will you abide with god regardless of if you're on a mountaintop or if you're in the garden of gethsemane whether you're in the synagogue or at home whether you have a mask on or not it shouldn't make the least bit of difference brothers and sisters we should abide with god and not become distracted by the situation around us period all he did for us matthew 26 back to the story when yeshua found his friends sleeping what did he say to them he gave us a lesson here on this topic verse 41. yeshua says keep watching remember he had told he had told them before stay and watch with me keep watching and praying so that you won't enter into temptation the spirit is willing the flesh is weak the flesh is weak we get out of the habit i know that there's some of you who were very faithful at the start of the pandemic but now less so there are some that never missed a stream of the shabbat service but now you miss too often you faithfully gave of your finances at the beginning but now less so you faithfully prayed and read your word but now not so much you steadfastly reached out to your neighbors at the beginning of this thing remember when the pandemic hit and everybody was checking on everybody else are you okay can i get you something from the store is everything all right now you become complacent this spirit is willing but the flesh is weak it's hard to keep that up it's hard to keep that going can't you keep watch with me for one hour can't you keep watch with me for one pandemic abide in me yeshua says and i will abide in you and remember friends one of the main reasons that he wants for you to keep watch with him is that he desires a relationship with you and he wants for you to have joy in your life he wants for you to have joy in your life full joy in your life so my friends as we close yes we need to keep watch and you know when i think of keep watch sometimes bruce i think of where the scriptures tell us to keep watching to be alert eschatologically for yeshua's return in mark chapter 13. but i'm talking about something different i'm talking about it in a different way i'm not i'm asking for you to keep watch to tarry with yeshua to abide with yeshua not to become complacent or weary the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak to abide with him as you would a best friend he's given his life for you to understand that he feels for you as someone he cares about personally he cares about you personally so much so that he's asking for you to abide with him now to keep watch to keep watch with your friend don't go to sleep spiritually beloved the title of my message is keep watch yeah let's bow our heads thank you lord i want to ask if there's anybody who's here who's never said a prayer to receive yeshua into your heart if you're here and you've never committed your life to god but you would like to wherever you are just lift your hand and we'll have a simple prayer together if you've never said that prayer to receive yeshua into your heart but you'd like to and if you're watching online or listening to the podcast you've never said a prayer to receive yeshua into your heart repeat this prayer after me dear god i ask yeshua to come into my heart i believe that he's risen again sitting at your right hand please forgive me of my sins god i'm sorry i'll live the rest of my days for you thank you name if you said that prayer for the first time please send us an email or give us a call we'd love to just celebrate with you for everybody else who's watching and who's here today my prayer is that you are to keep watch to keep watch to stay steadfast with him but also to realize the intimacy that you have with the lord it's interesting because as the psalmist earlier saying dance with me lover of my soul i thought when they started singing that i thought wow that really relates to the message why because when you dance with somebody and it's it's the lover of your soul that that's that's a that's even a different picture than merely bowing down which which again we're gonna do it's important we worship god for sure but it's not just bowing down but it's that intimacy that when you when you dance with someone right that that that's a relationship that is different you know that that's that's a very close that's a loving caring mutual relationship abiding with each other so maybe you guys can just do a little bit of dance with me just for a minute and and then we'll let the lord we'll close out our service here today but just let the lord speak to you on an intimate personal level as you consider that he's the lover of your soul let's all sing [Music] is [Music] you are my fair one [Music] my [Music] won't you [Music] to the sunglasses [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] more time [Music] my [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh thank you lord god thank you for the lover of our souls oh lord god and and so we desire to be close to you lord and we thank you god we thank you god for for caring for us in in a way that seems disproportionate to me but thank you god that that is the relationship with we have with you by the way god also i thank you that that is our faith that is an expression of our faith our faith is not dry our faith is not just merely a purely wrote tradition no no no no it is relationship and i thank you god for that i thank you for the relationship we have with you recognizing that you alone are god you alone are our creator thank you lord for this we give you thanks for it bless you for the shabbat hashem yeshua amen thank you rabbi thank you lord and thank you all i would like to call up our cantor for the aaronic benediction in numbers 622 lord said to moses speak to aaron and his sons and tell them this is how you ought to bless the people of israel in this way that's put my name on the people of israel so that i will bless them please by your heads and prepare to receive nice blessing the aaronic benediction is [Music] is [Music] oh will bless you and keep you lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you the lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace bashem yeshua the prince of peace amen well thank you again for teaching every one of you here in person and joining us uh via the internet we're going to end our service with a closing song and we hope that the remainder of your shabbat is full of joy the peace of the lord for those of you who who need prayer or have any prayer requests if you're in the sanctuary you can just write your prayers down and put them in either side of the boxes on either side if you're on line just click on the link in the description box below the video a reminder for those of you here feel free to schmooze while remaining socially distant and uh you know don't greet each other with a physical greeting as well remember to keep your masks on and next week join us uh here or the online share with your friends bring a friend bring a jewish friend shabbat shalom y'all rush along one two three [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] everyone [Applause]

Channel: Beth Hallel

Views: 795

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Keywords: messianicjudaism, bethhallel, synagogue, congregation, messianic, roswell, atlanta, shabbat

Id: idvE9Ilz2L4

Length: 113min 55sec (6835 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 05 2021