Strategic Timing

This year was a significant year for Passover, which started on a Wednesday night. That same Wednesday morning was a significant time because it marked where the sun was on the day of creation (according to tradition). This only happens every 28 years, yet it was even more distinct this year because it landed on the day Passover started, which has only happened twice in history prior to this year. If the traditional dating system is correct, it happened at the first Passover when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt as well as when Esther went before the King to save the Jewish people. With the current threats against Israel, may we be reminded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem this year. People from our congregation attended a prayer service to thank God for the sun and His creation on Wednesday morning. On the first Sunday after Passover, Jewish people celebrate the festival of Firstfruits. Since Jesus was raised from the dead on the festival of Firstfruits, even His resurrection flows with the Biblical calendar given to Moses!



We participated in three Passover Seders this year (see pictures). On Wednesday night, we had about 40 people come, so we split them between our house and Tom's house. Eric and Susan led the Seder at our house, and Tom and Leah led at their house. It was a wonderful evening observing a traditional Jewish Seder that would have been similar to one Jesus would have observed growing up, as well as at the Last Supper.





On the second night of Passover, we had a Seder for just our community, where Paul gave a talk on the historical continuity of the Biblical covenants, as well as the importance of them to Gentiles since the covenants were given to Israel (Romans 9:3-5). Then Tom talked on the New Covenant as related to Gentiles, since it was also given to Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34). After the meal, some of the men made a fire to burn the bones of the chicken/lamb, just as the Israelites did when leaving Egypt in the Exodus as well as every year since.



On the last night of Passover, some of our congregation celebrated with Adat Yeshua in their Seder at the synagoue. It's always been a good time of learning for us when we have celebrated Jewish holidays with practicing Messianic Jews.




Also this month 10 people from of our congregation joined 4 others from Adat Yeshua and attended the 20's and 30's regional conference in Ohio for the UMJC (http://www.umjc.org/). Maeret and Susan said that the teaching on the Amidah prayer was very insightful. Paul and Eric also had a chance to talk with the president of UMJC and ask him some questions related to our journey of how certain Biblical passages pertain to Gentiles.



The classes at the AIABS (http://www.americaninstituteonline.org/) are finished this month, and Paul really enjoyed leading the dissussion group with some people from the Monday night class. Paul has also decided to pursue a master's degree, technically a Masters in Religious Education, in Middle Eastern History through this program. He is taking a condensed class in May called the Jewishness of Jesus, and they have agreed to credit him for a few others that he has already taken if he completes the work by the end of the summer. The goal is to graduate in August of 2010.



On Sunday nights at our congregation we are doing a teaching series by Ana Mendez on the theme of freedom for captive prisoners, as well as captivity, from passages like Ephesians 4:8, Luke 4:18, Isaiah 61, etc. People in our congregation are already giving testimonies as to how this teaching is transforming their lives, along with the practical application of being supernaturally "set free from captivity" through prayer in areas where they have struggled. Praise be to God!