Radio Antioch

This Teaching is Podcast Episode 17, available in Audio only. To listen, click the player above.

  Character at Christmas?

Hello Friends,

 We just want to say hi at this most wonderful time. 

I am so thankful that Jesus came to this earth to redeem us. He is the  Real Reason for the Season.

We often hear the Christmas story this time of year. One thing that you don’t always hear about is the type of character that was seen in Mary and Joseph.

Luke 1:26-29

    Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, [27] to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. [28] And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." [29] But she was greatly troubled at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.

        So let’s look at the picture here. You have Gabriel, who at various times in Scripture is used as the messenger herald of God. And he appears to this young girl. Now, the word used here

parthenos, par-then’-os;  a maiden; by implication an unmarried daughter :- virgin.

 Would only be used for a younger girl, somewhere between the age of 12 to 14, or 16 at the oldest. She was engaged to be married to Joseph. Now, engagements in that time and culture were much more serious than they are today.  To become engaged, the groom would pay the bride price to the girl’s father, and they would proclaim their consent before two witnesses, typically village elders in the city square. They would then live separately for 1 year before the marriage ceremony. During this time it was common for the groom to prepare a home for his bride. As far as society was concerned, these two were treated as married, even though they did not live together, or have physical relations until their actual marriage ceremony.  

Luke 1:30-37

 [30] And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. [31] "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. [32] "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; [33] and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end." [34] And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" [35] And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. [36] "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. [37] "For nothing will be impossible with God."

    So let’s look at what must have gone through her mind at this point:

   First, Gabriel has announced that she will be the Mother of the Messiah. Her entire life and destiny is totally turned upside down. Every plan and dream she had just got turned upside down! There was net a chance she would have a normal life.

    Secondly, Joseph is not to be the father of the Child. She will be the first woman in history to have a child without the help of a man!

Was she worried that this would destroy her reputation? Would the villagers, or even her own family believe her story? Probably not. Years later the Pharisees accused Jesus of being illegitimate, so they certainly did not believe it!  

  If her story was not believed, then the people would judge her as guilty of one of two sins- Either fornication- having relations with Joseph before their marriage ceremony, or adultery! (In Deut. 22 we see that relations outside of an engagement were punishable by death!) Either way, her reputation was going to be totally ruined.

   Besides her reputation, what would it do to her relationship with Joseph? Would he stick by her? Here this young girl has everything in her life go totally haywire. The amazing thing is her faith and her obedience:

 Luke 1:38   And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

So let’s look at this from Joseph’s side:

Matthew 1:18-19

    Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. [19] And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.

   This verse implies that Joseph did not a first believe her story. The phrase “disgrace her” would imply accusing her of adultery before the village elders in order to be released from their engagement.  But the scripture reveals him as a righteous and caring man. Although many marriages were arranged at this time, it is obvious that either prior to their engagement or during this year long betrothal he has developed a deep love for this girl. Instead of disgracing her, he could quietly  write a document of divorce and have it witnessed by two people. Since it was the man requesting the divorce, it was not required to involve a judge. In this way, Mary would be released from their engagement. However, a woman with a child, who was divorced under these circumstances, would certainly not be chosen for a future marriage marriage by any righteous Jew.

Matthew 1:20-25

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. [21] "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." [22] Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, [23] "Behold, the virgin shall be with CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." [24] And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, [25] and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

   Here Joseph shows two amazing bits of character:

First, by marrying Mary, he exposes himself to ridicule and judgment.  By not renouncing Mary, everyone will believe him guilty of improper relations with his fiancée. And yet he goes ahead with the marriage ceremony, sharing the condemnation with his bride.

   The second bit of character is here: Joseph heard the angel speak of the prophecy about the virgin giving birth to a child. If after marrying Mary, he had normal marital relations with his bride, then this prophesy could not be fulfilled.   

Matthew 2:13-15

    Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." [14] And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; [15] and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt did I call My Son."

 How many of us would obey if we had a dream telling us to get up, and that very night abandon everything to flee to a foreign country? And yet the whole family left. In fleeing by night, there would be no villagers to tell of their departure. Remember that Bethlehem is only 5 miles from Jerusalem, so they had better get out of town in a hurry if Herrod is in Jerusalem.

Instead of traveling north to Jerusalem, which would have been the common road but would have taken them closer to danger, it is possible that they went south toward Hebron taking the less common route.

Matthew 2:19-23

    But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, [20] "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead." [21] And he arose and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. [22] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, [23] and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

    At this time there was a large Jewish community in Egypt. It would have been easy for them to put down roots there and make a home. But here God calls them back to Israel. Now, their journey was a bit like Abraham’s. First they are told to go, and then along the way they find out where they are going.  How many of us would pass that test? I would probably be asking God “Where exactly do you want me to go?!” But they did not get the warning dream until after they had returned to Israel. They had to uproot the family and travel for quite a distance and time before they got their next instructions.  

   So how would we do in their shoes? Would we be willing on a moments notice to tell an angel its okay to turn my life and all of my plans and dreams upside down? Would we bow to pressure from society or family and renounce our betrothed? Would we be willing to be part of a scandal so huge people are still arguing about it two thousand years later? Would we practice self control to Honor God’s word? Would we pack up and move in the middle of the night? Would we head for a different country even if we did not know exactly where we were going?

Are we faithful enough to be used like this in the kingdom?

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 Character at Christmas? [30:35m]: Download

Please click on the player above to watch the Video. After the introduction you may need to adjust your volume control.

Hi Friends,

We have finally posted the video from the Amazing Rosh Hashana service that Keryn Moriyah and Moriyah Ministries did at the Radio Antioch Live! meeting on September 17th. We had some technical troubles with the recording that night. But since it was such a powerful service we  have re-constructed the video file for your enjoyment and encouragement. We hope it blesses you as much as those of us who were there were blessed!

Enjoy!

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  We would like to invite you our Radio Antioch Live! service this Saturday evening, December 19th at 7 pm. For those of you in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, we invite you to join us in Antioch. For all of the rest of you, we invite you to tune to our Live Internet video broadcast.

  We are meeting at the Christian Life Fellowship church, a wonderful church in Antioch that lets us “borrow” their sanctuary for these meetings. Their Address is:

41625 North Deep Lake Road Antioch, Illinois 60002

For Mapquest directions, click HERE.

Please send us an e-mail if you have any questions.

If you can’t join us in person, join us for live video at

http://antiochtabernacle.org/blog/live/

The live video will start between 7:45 and 8 PM.

     We hope to see you then!

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This Teaching is our Podcast Episode 15. To watch the video, click the player above.

  I will start off today talking to those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior…Those of you out there that do not know him may be a little puzzled about the things we are talking about, but you’ll catch on.

    Remember how awesome life was when you first got saved? Everybody thought I had gone crazy. Jesus was in every one of my conversations.

   I started to write that during the first weeks and months of a new Christian’s life everything seems to be almost magical….And then I corrected my language. Everything IS supernatural. Remember how even the simplest prayers seemed to be answered immediately? How many of you have testimonies where something that seemed  miraculous was just so natural during those first few weeks.

   Why do you suppose that is? I have a theory…Before you got saved you based your view of the world upon what the world said. The world said we all just evolved from pond scum. Ok, makes sense to me! Whoever has the most money and power has the best life….sounds logical….NOT!

   Have you ever marveled when you think back to some of the stuff you used to believe before you knew the Lord? Wow-  was I ever an idiot!

      When we came to Jesus, we suddenly exchanged the “me” centric view of the world, or a “new age” view of the world, or whatever else for a Christ centric view of the world. In accepting Christ, we made Him Lord over everything. This was a huge change of thinking, but it transformed your reality. Jesus was the Love of your life. The reason for your being. The answer to everything.

       When you first heard that “the devil is a liar” it was easy to believe, because you had just changed your entire thinking. When those first trials came up, it was easy to believe God to take you through them, because He had just redeemed you from the pit of Hell!

     But then slowly, surely, the mystical time seemed to fade. For many of us, even our Pastors seemed to help, with statements like “well, you’ll grow out of this in a few months!”

    So what happened? I think we slowly started listening to all of the world’s “stuff” again. After a while it became “Jesus Plux xxxx  (you fill in the blank) instead of just Jesus.  

             So how do we combat this gradual slip in lethargy? How to be keep that first fire burning brightly?

   We need to stir up the fire, blow off the coals! And perhaps the best place for that is in the mind. Because if Jesus is centered in His rightful place in your thinking, you can overcome the world no matter what happens to You!

    I recently was listening to a man of God speaking about his first trips to Chicago. He said that when he first came, it was hard to enter the presence of God here, or even to pray, because of the built-up layers of darkness, religion and sin that blanket the area. Now, he has learned to prepare himself before coming. I think that this affects us as well. We hold on to the “Big Stuff”, sure- I still say I am a Christian, but maybe my thoughts have become colored by the dark place I live in.

     Think about a building in the city, whose brick walls are painted white. At first, it looks white and pristine. Then some gangster comes along and spray paints some graffiti on the wall. Now, the wall is essentially unchanged. It is strong enough to hold up the roof, or keep out the cold, or even unwelcome guests, from the outside.  The graffiti does not change the nature of the wall, only how you think about it when you look at it.  Sometimes that’s what happens to us. We live in a dark city, and sometimes the cares of the world get “spray-painted” on the outside of our hearts.  We are still Christians inside, but the graffiti of gossip, cares of this world, sensuality in the media have painted over the outside, so that our views subtly change. These little sins, doubts and times of unbelief color our thinking and make us ineffective Christians. When we came to Jesus, we made Him Lord of our life. But then every so often we compromise a little here, or there…Maybe only small defeats. The graffiti builds up on the wall, and when we come to a point where we really need to be strong in Christ, we are weak. Sometimes we have to repaint the wall of our faith and return to our first love.

      If you live in a place with graffiti, your choices are to let it soil your home, or to do maintenance on your home to keep it clean. So it is with us in this fallen world. We get painted over with the “dirt” of this world, and lose our joy.

    If you had that building, would you expect your pastor to paint your house? No, probably not. But we often put the responsibility for painting over the spiritual graffiti in our spiritual houses on our leaders, and wonder why our house is not in order!

   So how do we win the battle of the mind? I like the way David did it. 1 Sa 13:14 and Acts 13:22 say that David was a man after God’s own heart. So How did David keep that fire going in His heart? I think he rehearsed the things of God in his mind during his worship…

  Psalm 27:

  The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear?   The Lord is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?   

The first thought- The Lord guides me and has saved me- No matter what happens- in the light of eternity, who can harm me?

[2] When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. [3] Though an army besiege me,my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

David surely understood that we have trial, tribulations and even open warfare and violence, betrayal and deceit in this world. But he trusted the Lord to deal with his enemies.

[4] One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

    If only we could get a hold of what this “One Thing” means….

David’s relationship with God was more important than houses, riches, the kingship or anything else…

    His heart’s desire was to dwell in the Lord’s house all his days.

Can you imaging what an army of believers that truly sought that “one thing” could accomplish?

 [5] For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

   David was not dismayed when trouble came. He knew full well that there would be days of trouble in this world. But he knew that the lord would hide him and deliver him in his time of trouble.

 [6] Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

   When David’s enemies lied about him and cursed him, he trusted in the Lord to deliver him. When people discouraged him, he would sing and shout in Church! Now days we have that backwards! In many of our churches, if you sang and shouted to the Lord, people would discourage you, instead of you taking your discouragements to the lord in worship, rejoicing in Him.

[7] Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. [8] My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek. [9] Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.

   We know that David sometimes got into sin. In fact, when David messed up it was some pretty serious sin, like adultery and murder.

But in his heart he knew to seek God’s face, even when the Lord should be angry with him.

[10] Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

David knew that even those closest to us can let us down, but the Lord never fails us.

[11] Teach me your way, O Lord;lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

Who is our greatest oppressor? Satan- David knew that even his thinking had been warped, and he recognized that he needed the Lord to lead him on the straight path. Sometimes his own inner compass got out of line.

[12] Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. [13] I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

In the new Testament we see similar thoughts- Paul reminds Timothy to fight the good fight and not lose heart:

2 Tim. 1:6-14 ] For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. [7] For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. Sometimes we have to stir up that fire. Sometimes we have to reject fear and receive power through the spirit. [8] So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, [9] who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, [10] but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. [11] And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. [12] That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

  I like that – I am NOT ashamed, because I know whom I have believed!

[13] What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.   [14] Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

   Even Paul and Timothy had to guard over a right mindset through the power of the Holy spirit.

Rev. 2:1-7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: "These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: [2] I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. [3] You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. [4]   Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. [5] Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

   Church, how many of us have let the cares of this world and the lies of the world system steal our joy, have our love grow cold, our faith grow weak? Our faith grows weak because little by little we have been worn down, been deceived. We have to stir up our faith, renew our minds in the word, and re-visit the mighty testimony of Christ in our life! Some of us may need to repent, for we have a little at a time let our fire go out, our love grow cold! And yet if David, Paul and Timothy had to stir up the fire, fan the flame, stir up the gifts, then there is hope even for us! Let us re-kindle that fire. Is your faith weak? Let’s get back in the Word, because faith comes through hearing the word. Are we troubled? Have we lost our Joy? Maybe we are using the wrong measuring stick. It’s time church, to go back to that one thing: To dwell in the House of the Lord- For there we will live forever. We need to take our eyes off of circumstance and trial, for in this world we have grief, and focus again upon the lover of our soul, Jesus Christ, the Author and the Finisher of our faith! (Heb 12:2)

   And as we become fully re-committed to Him, we find support in our hour of need-

2 Chron. 16:-9  For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him

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