Rabbi Schneider - Our Faith and Yeshua
Now, I want to continue on today with verse number 3 of chapter 1. Hear the Word of God. Paul is continuing that he's been called and set apart to preach the Gospel or the good news of the Lord's Son. And in verse number 3 he says this Son was born a descendant of David according to the flesh. What does this mean, and why is he taking the time to do this? First of all, it's important to understand that Jesus, beloved, is a real person that entered real history, that he came upon the earth in flesh and blood just like you and I have, and the flesh and blood that he took on, beloved, was Jewish or Hebrew. He was a descendant of David.
That's why we have the genealogies in the gospel of Matthew. This is the genealogy of Yeshua HaMashiach, the son of David, the son of Abraham. That he was a real person, that he really lived, that he was fully God but that he was also fully man. In fact, this is the reason that Jesus is able to feel for us in our weaknesses and in our temptations, because he was a man just like you and I. Listen to verse number 3 once again of the book of Romans as Paul talks about this Gospel that he'd been commanded and called to preach.
Hear the Word of the Lord. Paul says that he's been called to set apart this Gospel that had been prophesied in the holy Scriptures, verse number 2. And then he says in verse number 3, this Gospel is concerning his Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh. Once again, fully God and fully man. See, the Bible actually tells us that because Yeshua took upon flesh and blood even like David had flesh and blood, that he's able to sympathize with us in all our weaknesses because the Scripture said he was tempted in all things just like we are.
Now, sometimes we have thought about this. We think, how could Yeshua, how could Jesus have been tempted in all things just like we are? For example, you may think, well, you know what? One of my biggest problems is I'm addicted to my cell phone. How could Jesus have struggled with being addicted to his cell phone when they didn't have cell phones in his day? Or other people think, well, how could Jesus have been struggling with this particular temptation that I'm addicted to, because they didn't have this particular temptation in the days of Jesus. But when the Scripture says that he was tempted in all ways just like we are and therefore is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses, it doesn't mean, beloved, that he was tempted with every single sin in the exact, same manner in the sense that it was the exact, same sin.
In other words, Yeshua wasn't tempted, forgive me, please forgive me, understand the point that I'm making. Many men today are struggling with Internet pornography. Yeshua wasn't tempted with Internet pornography, but Yeshua understood, beloved, the temptation of lust, because lust has been something that's always been around. And so it doesn't mean that he was tempted with every sin in the exact, same way. He wasn't tempted with gambling on horses, things of this nature, going to a horse track park and things of this nature. But he was tempted, beloved, with all the different spirits that tempt people today. And because he was tempted, he understands what you and I go through, and he's able thus to sympathize with us in our weaknesses.
It's interesting here then in verse number 3 it says that Yeshua came as a descendant of David. David is the person in the Hebrew Bible that is most identified with the Lord Jesus. We find in the book of Ezekiel and some of the other prophets that when Yeshua comes to earth, he's actually called David. The Lord said that when Yeshua comes, there'll be one shepherd of all his people, and it will be his servant David. The Lord's not talking there about the ancient King David. He's talking about Yeshua who's the descendant of David.
Let's continue on. Verse number 4. This Yeshua who was born in the flesh a descendant of David, in verse number 4 was also declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection. In other words, Paul is saying here that not only did he come in the flesh and not only was he clothed in humanity, but he was also fully God, and we were witnesses of this. He was raised from the dead. Do you know that if Yeshua was not literally raised from the dead, beloved, then Paul says that we are the biggest fools on the face of the earth for doing two things.
Number one, he said, for believing a lie, for believing a myth, for believing something that wasn't true. And he said not only are we the biggest fools on earth if Yeshua wasn't literally raised from the dead for believing something that's not true, but he said even worse, we would be liars against God for telling people that God did something that he didn't in fact do. In other words, Paul says if Yeshua wasn't really raised from the dead, then you and I are all deceived and we're believing a fairy tale. And he says beyond that, there's something even worse that's going on. You're telling lies about God because you're telling people that God raised him from the dead. And if God didn't raise him from the dead, then you'd be found telling people something about God and what God did that isn't true about God.
But of course, we know this is not the case. Yeshua was literally raised from the dead. In Acts chapter 1 we read about all the witnesses that were there and saw him literally, beloved, raised from the dead. And when he was raised from the dead, it declared to the world that this is God's beloved Son who has become, beloved, the Savior of the world. So Paul's just beginning to lay the foundation. The Gospel that he preaches, beloved, is Jesus. The Gospel that Paul is preaching, it's not some cause. You know, a lot of Christians, they get caught up in causes. They think being a Christian is getting involved in all these good deeds. Beloved, there's a place for good deeds and there's a time to get involved in things, but beloved, leading a Christian life isn't about causes and it isn't first about good deeds.
Beloved, being a Christian, beloved, is about Jesus. It's about loving Jesus. It's about walking with Jesus. It's Jesus that we lift up, not some good cause. Paul's gospel was about Yeshua HaMashiach alone, the Son of God who came in the flesh as a Jew, as a descendant of David, dying with the sign above his head on the cross, Yeshua of Nazareth, King of the Jews, and that he was witnessed to from heaven by being raised from the dead. The Scripture tells us all the different people that he appeared to. At one point, beloved, after Yeshua had been raised from the dead, he appeared, beloved, to 500 people at one time after his resurrection, showing that he was alive and that he was, hallelujah, who he said he was.
We're continuing on in verse number 5. Paul says it's in this Jesus that we have received, he said, grace and apostleship, now get this, to bring about the obedience of faith for his name's sake. This is kind of an interesting mix of words. Paul said the Gospel that he was preaching, the Gospel that he was proclaiming, Yeshua HaMashiach as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, beloved, was a Gospel that calls people into relationship with God through faith, and that this faith would produce obedience, which is a different gospel than is sometimes being preached today.
First of all, let me say concerning faith, beloved, number one, it's the gift of God. The Bible tells us in the book of Ephesians chapter number 2, by grace we've been saved through faith, and the faith that we have, the fact that we believe in God, it didn't come from ourself, beloved, but rather, God gave it to us as a gift. In other words, the fact that we believe in God's Son, the we believe in God's Son, the fact that we believe in Jesus is a gift. If it wasn't for God, we wouldn't believe. Not everybody has faith. I ask myself as a Jewish person, why do I believe, and yet so many of the Jewish people that I grew up with don't believe? The difference is, beloved, that God gave me faith. He revealed himself to me.
And so the Bible says that we've been saved by grace. One of the definitions of grace is unmerited favor. That we've been saved by grace through faith. The fact that you believe it's God's gift to you, thank him. He kissed you when he gave you faith. And he said and this faith that you've received that has come to you through his grace should also produce within you, beloved, an obedience to the faith. Now, we're not talking about works. Faith is not a work and obedience is not a work in the sense of self-righteousness. Let me back up and say this. Let's read the verse again. That this Gospel that he preaches in verse number 5 is to bring about the obedience of faith, he said, among the Gentiles.
I want to just comment on these two words once again as it relates to knowing God and walking with God. First of all, we're brought into relationship with God, we have relationship through faith. Faith is a substance. It's not just mental ascent. It's substance. It's real. It brings us into relationship. It brings us to God and it keeps us in God. It gives us the ability to fellowship with God. Faith is the channel through which the Lord communicates to us and we're able, beloved, to hear him and communicate back to him. It's real and it's a substance. It's not just a thought process. Faith is substance. Faith is the substance. It's a real entity. It's real impartation and real life.
Now, let me say this. Some people have even made faith a work. In other words, they say you're not healed because you don't have enough faith. Beloved, that makes faith a work. In other words, if you're saved by faith, how much faith do you have to have to be saved? I want you to know, beloved, let's not make faith a work. Faith is a gift of God. Even if it's as small as a mustard seed, it's still authentic and it's still genuine. It's true our faith needs to grow. We remember the man in Scripture that said Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. Faith will grow.
In Mark chapter 4, Yeshua spoke about faith. He said first it's just a little seed and then it grows up and eventually it becomes the full ear of corn. It grows. It's mysterious, because the same one, the Father, that gave us the faith waters the faith. But some people have made faith a work. They think that they're not receiving more from God, that they're not being healed, that they're maybe not in right standing with God because they don't have enough faith. Let's not make faith a work. Faith is a gift of God. We are the righteousness of God, beloved, in Messiah. Whether you have a little faith or tremendous faith, if you have faith that was given to you as a gift of God, you are the righteousness of God in Messiah Jesus. And this faith that God gives us, Paul tells us in the book of Romans in verse number 5 here, brings us into the obedience of faith.
You see, when God gives grace, he doesn't just give grace as unmerited favor. That's one element of grace. But he also gives a grace, beloved, that brings us into obedience. It's not a work. It's a gift of God. The Bible says it's God that's at work within us both to will and to work for his own good pleasure. But real faith, beloved, is not just some kind of cheap, easy believism. Real faith, beloved, will bring us to obedience. You see, not all types of faith are saving faith. The Bible says even the demons believe, they tremble. But we're talking about a faith, beloved, that saves. And the faith that saves not only brings us into relationship with God, but it brings us into obedience. The obedience isn't a work, beloved, but rather it's the mark that God is really in our lives and he's working in us.
And so Paul says there once again in verse number 5 that this Gospel that he preaches of Yeshua has come to us to bring Gentiles into the obedience of faith for Yeshua's name's sake, for Yeshua's glory. Notice at the end of verse 5 it says for his name's sake. All things are from the Lord. When Adam and Eve fell, beloved, I want you to know when Adam and Eve fell, Yeshua was glorified. Because if Adam and Eve would have never fallen in the Garden of Eden, Yeshua would have never been glorified by humankind as he is today. But because Adam and Eve fell, Yeshua HaMashiach, beloved, has become the Savior of humankind. And for the rest of eternity, those that are redeemed by him will say worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honor and dominion and glory and power, for by his blood he did redeem and purchase for God men from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
You see, God has orchestrated everything after the counsel of his own will, and it's all, beloved, to glorify Yeshua. And so Paul says here at the end of verse 5 that these things that God is doing and this call that's on his life to bring obedience of faith to the Gentiles is for, the last words of verse number 5 there, for the obedience of faith, listen now, for his name's sake, for Yeshua's glory.
You see, God does all things for his own glory. He loves us with a real love. His love for us is real. He really loves us, beloved, with a tenderness that's beyond our comprehension, how wide and deep and high is the love of God for us. But you know what? At the center of this all is the glorification of the Lord Jesus for his name's sake. And the Lord does all things after the counsel of his own will to result in the glorification of his Son, for from him and through him, the Scripture says, and to him are all things. And if Adam and Eve would have never fallen in the Garden of Eden, Yeshua would have never been glorified as the Savior of the world.
So God, we call in Hebrew that the Lord is Adon Olam, the Master of the world. God works all things, the Scripture says, after the counsel of his own will. And I believe even the fall of man was part of God's divine plan to glorify his Son to become, beloved, our Savior, that we would love Jesus and worship him forever and ever as our Lord and our Savior. Because again, if Adam and Eve would have never have fallen, Jesus would have never been glorified, hallelujah, as the Lamb that was slain as the Savior of the world, hallelujah and amen.
Well, let's continue on. And Paul continues on to say, and you were also called, in verse number 6, to these that he's writing to, and this includes you and I that know him. You are also called of Yeshua HaMashiach. And this is an awesome thing. We're going to get into this more, that we are called, beloved, by Yeshua. That's how much he loves us. He called us specifically, beloved, by name. When Jesus, beloved, touched your heart, I want you to know it wasn't a general call. When Jesus touched you, beloved, it wasn't general. It wasn't just that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, but when he touched you, it's because he called you individually, personally, separately, that he loves you, beloved, as a distinct person, that he's been with you from the time that you were born into this world. He's been with you every step of your life. He knows everything about you. And when he called and he called you personally, he loves you, beloved, as an individual.
Let's continue on in verse number 7. And he says, he called, he says, to all who are beloved. Notice that verse there, verse number 7. To all who are beloved of God. And then he says peace to you from God our Father and Yeshua HaMashiach and the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that term that the Father uses for us. To all who are beloved of God. Who is he speaking to? He's not speaking to the entire world here. He's speaking to those, beloved, whom are his. He's speaking to those that have been brought into a relationship with the Lord Jesus. We become, beloved, the beloved of God in Messiah Yeshua. And I think if there's one revelation that I need and that you need beyond all revelations is the fact of the Father's love for us. We're called, listen now, the beloved of God.
Remember when Yeshua went to the Jordan River to be immersed? And he came out of the river, and as soon as he came out of the river, the Bible says the Father spoke. And Yeshua heard the voice, and John the Baptist heard the voice. And this is what the Father said. This is what Yeshua heard the Father say. You are my, listen now, beloved Son. You are my beloved Son, and in you I am well pleased. It's the same word, beloved, that the Father uses for us right here. Look at verse number 7 once again. To all who are, listen now, beloved, beloved by the Father.
So Father, we pray that you will help us to understand your love for us. Father, more than anything else, we want to know your love for us. Father, I pray that you will rewrite our histories, that Father God, when we think back over our lives from the time that we were little children, we won't remember our lives, Father God, from the perspective of what the world thought of us, of what our mom and dad thought of us, of what they said about us at school, of what our former employer said about us, but Father God, I pray that we might know our entire history from the beginning of our life, Father God, to the present time through the heart and eyes of your love. Help us to know, Father God, what you thought of us and how much how much you loved us. Father, when people might have picked on some of us at school, when, Father God, our parents might have put us down, when our employers might have made us feel stupid, Father God, I pray that you'll wash all that history away, Father God, and instead allow us to understand who we are in your love. Father, we ask you for identities as your beloved, as your sons and daughters, in Yeshua's name, amen and amen.
So Paul continues on in verse number 7, to all who are beloved of God in Rome, and then he says again, called as saints. Again, you are called, beloved, to him. He's your purpose in life. That's why Yeshua said unless you hate your father, mother, brother and sister in the gospels, you cannot be my disciple. What was he saying? He was saying that you've got to forsake everything just like Abraham did to realize your calling. Your calling, beloved, is to the Lord. Your calling, beloved, is to his love. Your calling is to be his son, his daughter. Your calling, beloved, is a heavenly calling. And he says to you finally as we conclude today, verse number 7, grace to you and shalom, grace and peace to you from God our Father and Yeshua HaMashiach.
You know, when the Lord says grace to you, what that means is he comes to you brother, sister, he comes to you and says I love you, I accept you, I'm wrapping my arms around you right now just because of who you are to me. Just like a mother loves that infant as soon as that infant has come out of the womb. It's not because the infant did anything good or bad. The infant hasn't done anything yet. But the mother just chooses to wrap her arms around that little baby boy or girl. She loves him.
That's what the Father is saying to us. You are my beloved. Grace to you. He just wraps us in his love like a cloak, and he says an shalom to you. Shalom means completeness. It means wholeness. Yeshua breathed on his disciples after he'd been raised from the dead, and as he breathed on them, he said, "shalom, my peace I give to you". The Lord, my child, has made a covenant of shalom. He's made a covenant of peace with you. And we want to do everything that we can, beloved, to take ahold of this covenant and enter fully in, beloved, to our destiny and heritage. God bless you, and shalom.