Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 11, 2011
How does G-d guide us? His guidance was recorded for the Israelites through the desert.
Numbers 9:15-23, ‘On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning. 16 So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night. 17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra'el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped. 18 At the order of ADONAI, the people of Isra'el traveled; at the order of ADONAI, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp. 19 Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra'el did what ADONAI had charged them to do and did not travel. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to ADONAI's order, they remained in camp; and according to ADONAI's order, they traveled. 21 Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled. 22 Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra'el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled. 23 At ADONAI's order, they camped; and at ADONAI's order, they traveled -they did what ADONAI had charged them to do through Moshe.’
This passage of Scripture is expanded from Exodus 40:38, ‘For the cloud of ADONAI was above the tabernacle during the day, and fire was in [the cloud] at night, so that all the house of Isra'el could see it throughout all their travels.’
Fire provided warmth for the cool desert nights as well as light in the darkness. It may have also kept away wild animals from the people. The cloud by day provided shade from the hot desert sun. The fire and the cloud guided and protected the people and was a symbol of His divine guidance and protection!
The Hebrew word for cloud is ‘anan’ and for fire is ‘esh’. When the cloud lifted the Israelites would set out and when it settled, they would encamp. The Hebrew words used for ‘at the order of ADONAI’ are ‘peh ADONAI’ which literally means ‘at the mouth of ADONAI’. It was at G-d’s word, then, that the cloud lifted or settled!
Not only did the cloud represent the presence of the L-rd but also the word of the L-rd!
Psalm 119:105, ‘Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.’
He guides and directs us through His word and His Spirit.
G-d has a witness of His word through all creation displaying to all humanity His existence. He speaks through His creation! He can speak to us through a sunset or sunrise and we can hear Him say, “I love you!”. Even the clouds moving slowly through the sky can witness to us that He is in control; slow down and don’t worry.
Romans 1:20, ‘For ever since the creation of the universe his invisible qualities - both his eternal power and his divine nature - have been clearly seen, because they can be understood from what he has made.’
The Israelites had to trust and obey the L-rd as the cloud moved at the L-rd’s command.
Numbers 9:22, ‘Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra'el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled.
Do we obey similarly when it may be inconvenient to go or inconvenient to wait? It is too easy to run ahead or fall behind Him! We can move ahead and He has stayed or we can stay and He has moved ahead; whether individually as believers or corporately in our congregations.
The L-rd tells us to obey and He will guide us. His presence was constantly with them as they obeyed Him.
As the cloud He is the protector and as the fire He is the leader. As the cloud He is the gaurd and as the fire He is the General leading the army. We should also be watching and ready!
Mark 13:32-37, ‘However, when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, just the Father. 33 Stay alert! Be on your guard! For you do not know when the time will come. 34 "It's like a man who travels away from home, puts his servants in charge, each with his own task, and tells the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 So stay alert! for you don't know when the owner of the house will come, 36 whether it will be evening, midnight, cockcrow or morning -- you don't want him to come suddenly and find you sleeping! 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: stay alert!"’
We can get so busy in our plans and what we are doing that we aren’t watching as we follow our own agenda that we’ve mapped out. We can keep doing things as normal and the L-rd’s presence has left us!
We don’t know when the L-rd returns, but we are to be ready. Similarly, we should be ready in all circumstances whether illness, trial or calamity. Always be ready and always be watching.
Are we available to the L-rd? Are we seeking Him? When we were born again, when we trusted Yeshua as your Messiah, His Spirit lives inside us and now leads us; dwelling in us and directing us!
Romans 8:13-14, ‘For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live. All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons.’
The Greek word for ‘sons’ used in this passage describe a mature son, not a baby or newborn. If we are mature, we are being directed by the L-rd contrary to our own preferences and that indicates discipleship, growing and maturing.
Galatians 5:18, ‘But if you are led by the Spirit, then you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism.’
The cloud by day and the fire by night reveals that His appearance doesn’t always look the same just as He can direct us differently dependent upon circumstance. Like the cloud, He can direct us to be calm, to bring comfort and conceal versus like the fire, He can direct us to shout, bring us conviction or reveal something once hidden. His Spirit is dimensional and doesn’t always lead us the same way. We need His Spirit to be dimensional; to fill us with love to counteract our fleshly selfishness, to bring joy in the midst of sorrow and to fill us with peace in turmoil. The degree of His Spirit will be made apparent based upon our availability to Him.
He is the first and the last, grace and truth and the lion and the lamb!
Be spiritually led! Let’s be open to be led, limited and enlarged by the L-rd whatever the case may be.
Further Reading: Psalm 19:1-4a, Acts 16:6-10, Psalm 29, Psalm 121, Deuteronomy 8:3, Hebrews 6:12, Matthew 28:20, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Corinthians 10, John 14:17, John 5:24, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, 1 Kings 17
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Multigenerational Congregations
Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 4, 2011
Numbers 4:21-23, 46-47, 49, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe, 22 "Take a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by clans and families; 23 count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting.’ ‘The census of the L'vi'im, whom Moshe, Aharon and the leaders of Isra'el enumerated by their clans and families, 47 all those between thirty and fifty years old who were part of those working to serve and working to carry loads in the tent of meeting,’ ‘According to ADONAI's order they were appointed by Moshe, each one to his specific service or work. They were also enumerated, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.’
Seven times in this portion, G-d instructed Moshe to enumerate the priests for service; He specified their service be between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Each priest served for twenty years.
Within the congregation as with the people of Israel, there is always people of different ages with different responsibilities.
Notice the different characteristics given by the Apostle Yochanan for the different generations.
1 John 2:12-14, ‘You children, I am writing you because your sins have been forgiven for his sake. 13 You fathers, I am writing you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I am writing you because you have overcome the Evil One. 14 You children, I have written you because you have known the Father. You fathers, I have written you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I have written you because you are strong the Word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.’
Each of us fit into one category. Where do you see yourself?
Perhaps we are not limited to one category, but we can have different aspects from all three because we have the Spirit of G-d in us.
We can be like little children with an innocence in trusting like a child. We can be strong like the young overcoming the Evil One with the Word of G-d. And we can be mature with the wisdom that comes with spiritual age, fathering or disciplining others.
1 Corinthians 4:15, ‘For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News.’
As mature believers we should all be pouring our lives into others, not just teaching them but ‘fathering’ them or discipling them.
The Hebrew words for children are ‘yeladim’, ‘banim’ for sons and ‘banot’ for daughters. ‘Narim’ are for the young (wide range of meaning). The Hebrew word for fathers is ‘avot’; and the word for daddy is ‘abba’.
When we are His children, born again by His Spirit, our hearts cry Abba Father!
Galatians 4:6, ‘Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").’
Romans 8:15,16, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God.’
We have a sense of really knowing Him and knowing we are His and experience that wonderful assurance and intimacy with Him!
Another word for father is ‘zaqen’; the root word is derived from ‘zaqan’ which means ‘elder’ of which the root Hebrew word means ‘beard’.
Yeshua began his ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23). It is also written in the Talmud that one must be at least 40 years old to be considered wise. Notice in the conversation recorded in Gospel of John, the age of 50 was used as a measure of wisdom.
John 8:55-58, ‘Now you have not known him, but I do know him; indeed, if I were to say that I don't know him, I would be a liar like you! But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56 Avraham, your father, was glad that he would see my day; then he saw it and was overjoyed." 57 "Why, you're not yet fifty years old," the Judeans replied, "and you have seen Avraham?" 58 Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!"’
G-dly wisdom is not necessarily based upon chronological age, but rather through humility, obedience and submission to our L-rd. Therefore, someone younger can actually be more wise spiritually depending upon one’s relationship and experience with the L-rd.
We all need each other to be healthy multigenerationally and intergenerationally within our congregation. In fact, Yeshua demonstrated characteristics of all three delineations described in 1 John. He had a childlike relationship with the Father (Matthew 3:17), He overcame evil like a warrior (Luke 4:4) and He is One with the Father (John 10:30 and Isaiah 9:6) and fathered disciples.
In the same way, we can exhibit these characteristics as well. But don’t get too comfortable in any one delineation. Rather, let G-d expand and grow us as we follow after Him.
Further Reading: Psalm 71, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Luke 3:23, Hebrews 5:12-14
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 4, 2011
Numbers 4:21-23, 46-47, 49, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe, 22 "Take a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by clans and families; 23 count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting.’ ‘The census of the L'vi'im, whom Moshe, Aharon and the leaders of Isra'el enumerated by their clans and families, 47 all those between thirty and fifty years old who were part of those working to serve and working to carry loads in the tent of meeting,’ ‘According to ADONAI's order they were appointed by Moshe, each one to his specific service or work. They were also enumerated, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.’
Seven times in this portion, G-d instructed Moshe to enumerate the priests for service; He specified their service be between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Each priest served for twenty years.
Within the congregation as with the people of Israel, there is always people of different ages with different responsibilities.
Notice the different characteristics given by the Apostle Yochanan for the different generations.
1 John 2:12-14, ‘You children, I am writing you because your sins have been forgiven for his sake. 13 You fathers, I am writing you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I am writing you because you have overcome the Evil One. 14 You children, I have written you because you have known the Father. You fathers, I have written you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I have written you because you are strong the Word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.’
Each of us fit into one category. Where do you see yourself?
Perhaps we are not limited to one category, but we can have different aspects from all three because we have the Spirit of G-d in us.
We can be like little children with an innocence in trusting like a child. We can be strong like the young overcoming the Evil One with the Word of G-d. And we can be mature with the wisdom that comes with spiritual age, fathering or disciplining others.
1 Corinthians 4:15, ‘For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News.’
As mature believers we should all be pouring our lives into others, not just teaching them but ‘fathering’ them or discipling them.
The Hebrew words for children are ‘yeladim’, ‘banim’ for sons and ‘banot’ for daughters. ‘Narim’ are for the young (wide range of meaning). The Hebrew word for fathers is ‘avot’; and the word for daddy is ‘abba’.
When we are His children, born again by His Spirit, our hearts cry Abba Father!
Galatians 4:6, ‘Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").’
Romans 8:15,16, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God.’
We have a sense of really knowing Him and knowing we are His and experience that wonderful assurance and intimacy with Him!
Another word for father is ‘zaqen’; the root word is derived from ‘zaqan’ which means ‘elder’ of which the root Hebrew word means ‘beard’.
Yeshua began his ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23). It is also written in the Talmud that one must be at least 40 years old to be considered wise. Notice in the conversation recorded in Gospel of John, the age of 50 was used as a measure of wisdom.
John 8:55-58, ‘Now you have not known him, but I do know him; indeed, if I were to say that I don't know him, I would be a liar like you! But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56 Avraham, your father, was glad that he would see my day; then he saw it and was overjoyed." 57 "Why, you're not yet fifty years old," the Judeans replied, "and you have seen Avraham?" 58 Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!"’
G-dly wisdom is not necessarily based upon chronological age, but rather through humility, obedience and submission to our L-rd. Therefore, someone younger can actually be more wise spiritually depending upon one’s relationship and experience with the L-rd.
We all need each other to be healthy multigenerationally and intergenerationally within our congregation. In fact, Yeshua demonstrated characteristics of all three delineations described in 1 John. He had a childlike relationship with the Father (Matthew 3:17), He overcame evil like a warrior (Luke 4:4) and He is One with the Father (John 10:30 and Isaiah 9:6) and fathered disciples.
In the same way, we can exhibit these characteristics as well. But don’t get too comfortable in any one delineation. Rather, let G-d expand and grow us as we follow after Him.
Further Reading: Psalm 71, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Luke 3:23, Hebrews 5:12-14
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