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parashah - Vayigash (and he drew near)

Category: Parashah
Read Time: 10 mins
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Weekly Parashah
Torah: Genesis 44 : 18 – 47 : 27 Haftara: Eze. 37:15–28  Brit Chadashah: Jn. 5:1–47
Matt. 1:18-2:12
Luke 1:16-2:20
Vayigash (and he drew near) וַיִּגַּשׁ

Scripture: 

 Genesis 44 : 18 – 47 : 27

Torah

 

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

18 Then Judah approached him and said, “I beg your pardon, my lord. Please let your servant say a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t be angry with your servant, since you are like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants saying, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 So we said to my lord, ‘We have a father who is old, a child born to him of his old age is young. Now his brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother’s children left, and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can look at him.’ 22 But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave his father, he would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you won’t see my face again.’

24 “Now when we went up to your servant, my father, we told him my lord’s words. 25 Then our father said, ‘Go back, buy us a little grain for food.’ 26 So we said, ‘We won’t go down unless we have our youngest brother with us—then we’ll go down. For we won’t see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You yourselves know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One went out from me, so I said, “He must have been torn to shreds,” and I haven’t seen him since. 29 And if you also take this one away from before me and an accident happens to him, then you’ll bring my grey hair down to the evil of Sheol.’ 30 “Now if I come to your servant my father and the boy isn’t with us, since his life is bound to his life, 31 when he sees that the boy is no more, he’ll die. Then your servants will bring the grey hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in grief. 32 For your servant became pledge for the boy with my father saying, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before my father all my days.’ 33 So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave in the boy’s place, and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34 For how can I go up to my father and the boy is not with me? Else I must see the evil that would come upon my father!”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen.+44%3A18%E2%80%9347%3A27&version=TLV

Scripture: 

Ezekiel 37:15–28

Haftarah

Reunification of Southern and Northern Kingdoms

15 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 16 “You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah’—for Bnei-Yisrael joined with him. Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph’—the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel joined with him. 17 Join them one to another for yourself, as one stick, so they may become one in your hand.

18 “When the children of your people speak to you saying, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by these?’ 19 say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph—which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel joined with him—and I will put them together with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick. They will be one in My hand.’ 20 The sticks that you write on will be in your hand before their eyes. 21 “Then say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will take Bnei-Yisrael from among the nations, where they have gone. I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will never again be defiled with their idols, their detestable things or with any of their transgressions. I will save them out of all their dwellings in which they sinned. I will purify them. Then they will be My people and I will be their God. 24 My servant David will be king over them. They will all have One Shepherd. They will walk in My ordinances and observe My rulings and do them. 25 They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your ancestors lived. They will live there—they, their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant David will be their prince forever.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eze.+37%3A15%E2%80%9328&version=TLV

Scripture: 

 Jn. 5:1–47
Matt. 1:18-2:12
Luke 1:16-2:20

Brit Chadashah

 

5 After this there was a Jewish feast, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now in Jerusalem there is a pool by the sheep gate, called Bethzatha in Aramaic,[a] which has five porches. 3 In these a crowd of invalids was lying around—blind, lame, disabled. (4 )[b]

5 Now a certain man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. 6 Seeing him lying there and knowing he had been that way a long time, Yeshua said to him, “Do you want to get well?”7 The invalid answered Him, “Sir, I have nobody to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I’m trying to get in, somebody else steps down before me!”8 Yeshua tells him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!”9 Immediately, the man was healed! He took up his mat and started walking around. Now that day was Shabbat, 10 so Judean leaders were saying to the man who was healed, “It’s Shabbat! It’s not permitted for you to carry your mat.”11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”12 They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” 13 But the man who had been healed didn’t know who it was, for Yeshua had slipped away into the crowd in that place.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn.+5%3A1%E2%80%9347&version=TLV

Matthew 1 : 18 – 2 : 12

The Miraculous Birth of Yeshua

18 Now the birth of Yeshua the Messiah happened this way. When His mother Miriam was engaged to Joseph but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Ruach ha-Kodesh. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, made up his mind to dismiss her secretly. 20 But while he considered these things, behold, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Miriam as your wife, for the Child conceived in her is from the Ruach ha-Kodesh. 21 She will give birth to a son; and you shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by Adonai through the prophet, saying, 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”[a]24 When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did as the angel of Adonai commanded him and took Miriam as his wife. 25 But he did not know her intimately until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His name Yeshua.

Wise Men Follow His Star

2 Now after Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”[b]

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+1%3A18-2%3A12&version=TLV

Luke 1 : 16 – 2 : 20

16 Many of Bnei-Yisrael will turn to Adonai their God. 17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children[a] and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? I’m an old man, and my wife is well-advanced in age.”19 And speaking to him, the angel declared, “I am Gabriel, the one standing in God’s presence. I was commissioned to tell you and proclaim to you this good news. 20 So look, you will be silent and powerless to speak until the day these things happen, since you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering about his long delay in the Holy Place. 22 But when he came out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. He was making signs to them but remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service had been completed, he went home. 24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and hid herself for five months, saying, 25 “Adonai has done this for me! In these days He looked upon me, to take away my disgrace among the people.”[b]

Prophecy of Birth to the Virgin

26 Then in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by Adonai into a town in the Galilee named Natzeret 27 and to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Miriam. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored one! Adonai is with you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A16-2%3A20&version=TLV

Parashah in 60 seconds

Pastor Chris

 

00 The reason to write my Theology

Category: Theology
Read Time: 2 mins
Hits: 8661
(0 Votes)

The Importance of Theological Underpinning in Pastoral Teachings: A Comprehensive Perspective

Introduction

Within Article Zero of the series on theology, I would like to introduce the reason for this writing.

Theology, the study of the divine and religious beliefs, practices, and experiences, is the backbone of any religious teaching. For a pastor, the theological ground from which he or she teaches is not just a matter of personal belief but a guiding principle that shapes the congregation's spiritual life. This article explores why it is essential for a pastor to provide this theological underpinning for the congregation and the importance of prayer, preparation, and making it publicly available.

Part I: The Significance of Theological Underpinning

1. Consistency and Clarity in Teaching

  • Ensures teachings are consistent with core beliefs.

  • Provides a clear framework for interpretation and application.

2. Personal Integrity and Authenticity

  • Fosters integrity and authenticity.

  • Builds trust in spiritual guidance.

3. Cultural and Contextual Relevance

  • Ensures guidance is relevant and meaningful.

  • Recognizes unique needs and challenges.

4. Fostering Spiritual Growth

  • Provides a roadmap for spiritual development.

  • Encourages deeper exploration and engagement.

5. Unity and Community Building

  • Promotes unity within the congregation.

  • Avoids divisions and conflicts.

Part II: The Imperative of Prayer, Preparation, and Public Availability

Prayer: Seeking Divine Guidance

  • Aligns theological beliefs with God's will.

  • Opens the heart and mind to divine revelation.

Preparation: Crafting a Thoughtful Framework

  • Ensures a well-thought-out and comprehensive understanding.

  • Demonstrates responsibility and accountability.

Public Availability: Transparency and Accessibility

  • Fosters transparency and builds trust.

  • Makes information accessible to all.

  • Serves as an educational resource.

Conclusion

The theological ground from which a pastor teaches is a vital aspect of spiritual leadership. It provides consistency, fosters integrity, ensures relevance, promotes spiritual growth, and builds community. Defining and sharing this theological underpinning is a sacred task that requires prayer, preparation, and a commitment to public availability.

In a world where individual perspectives and interpretations can vary widely, and spiritual guidance is often sought and scrutinized, these principles serve as a compass, guiding both the pastor and the congregation toward a shared understanding of their faith. It is a reflection of the pastor's commitment to the spiritual well-being of the community he or she serves, and a testament to the profound responsibility that comes with the calling.

By understanding and articulating this theological foundation, a pastor can lead with clarity, authenticity, and relevance, nurturing a faith community that is united, engaged, and growing in their spiritual journey. It underscores the multifaceted role that theological underpinning plays in pastoral teachings, reflecting the complexity and significance of the pastor's role in guiding and nurturing the faith community.

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