PART 13
THE ASCENSION OF
THE MESSIAH,
AND THE DAY OF
PENTECOST
FIVE HUNDRED SEE
THE MASTER AT ONE TIME
1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-8
Some time later, Y’shua appeared to the man, Saul
of Tarsus, who at that time was persecuting the followers of the
Messiah. But a blinding encounter with Y’shua on the road to Damascus,
led to Saul’s conversion and transformation. He was later known as Paul
the apostle, and he became one of the great messengers of the Master. Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth:
For what I received I
passed on to you as of first importance, that the Messiah died for our
sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He
was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He
appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve.
After that Y’shua
appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom
remain until now, but some have fallen asleep (died); and He
appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as it
were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
A MOUNTAIN IN
GALILEE
MATTHEW 28:16-20
Then the eleven
disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Y’shua had told them to
go to meet Him. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him;
but some were doubtful.
And Y’shua came up
and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. And
remember! I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
THE ASCENSION OF THE
MESSIAH
ACTS 1:1-14
The first account I
made, Theophilus, of all that Y’shua began to do and teach, until the
day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit
given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen. After His
suffering, He also showed Himself to these men and gave many infallible
proofs that He was alive; appearing to them during forty days, and
speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
At one such
meeting with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait
for what the Father had promised, “which you have heard Me speak about,”
He said, “for John baptized with water, but you shall be immersed with
the Holy Spirit within a matter of days from now.”
So when they had come
together, they were asking Him, saying, “Master, is it at this time that
You will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them, “It
is not for you to know the times or dates which the Father has set by
His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the remotest part of the earth.”
Now when He had
spoken these things, while they watched,
He was caught up, and a
cloud received Him out of their sight.
And while
they were looking intently into the sky as He went up, suddenly there
were two men in white clothing standing beside them; and they said,
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into the sky?
This same Y’shua, who
has been taken up from you into Heaven, will come back in just the same
way as you have seen Him go into Heaven.
Then they returned to
Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is a Sabbath day’s walk
from the city. When they entered the city, they went upstairs to
the room where they were staying; that is, Peter, John, James and
Andrew; Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of
Alphaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Jude the son of James. These all
joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the
mother of Y’shua, and with His brothers.
PENTECOST - THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
ACTS 2:1-24, 32-47
Earlier Y’shua had promised to send the Comforter
to the disciples, to lead and to empower them. This happened on the
festival day of Shavu’ot - Pentecost - fifty days after Messiah's
resurrection.
When the day of
Pentecost (Shavu’ot, the “50th day” Harvest Festival) was in
progress, they were all assembled together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like
a violent, rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house
where they were sitting. And there appeared to them what looked
like tongues of fire that divided and came to rest on each of them; and
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
languages as the Spirit caused them to speak out.
Now there were Jews
staying in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And
when this rushing sound occurred, a crowd gathered; and it was
bewildered because each one heard them speaking in his own particular
dialect.
They were utterly
amazed and asked, “Look, are not all these who are speaking, Galileans?
So how is it that each of us hears them in our own native
language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and
the regions of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and
converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs also - we hear them
speaking in our own languages about the mighty works of
God.”
All were amazed and
perplexed, and asked one another, “Whatever does this mean?” But others
mocked and said, “They are filled with sweet intoxicating wine.”
But Peter, standing
up with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of
Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, you must know this!
Listen carefully to my words, for these men are not drunk, as you
suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day (9 am). But
this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
AND IT SHALL BE IN
THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL
MANKIND; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN
SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; AND EVEN UPON MY
MALE SERVANTS,
AND ON MY FEMALE
SERVANTS, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS and they will
prophesy.
AND I WILL SHOW
WONDERS IN THE HEAVEN ABOVE, AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BENEATH, BLOOD AND
FIRE, AND VAPOUR OF SMOKE. THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE
MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF
YHWH THE LORD. AND IT SHALL BE, THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE
NAME OF YHWH-Y’SHUA, THE LORD, WILL BE SAVED. [Joel 2:30, 32]
“Men of Israel, hear
these words: Y’shua of Nazareth, a Man accredited by God among you by
miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as
yourselves also know - this Man, delivered up by the
predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by
the hands of wicked men, and put Him to death. But God
raised Him up, freeing Him from the agony of death, for it was
impossible for Him to be held in its power.
“God has raised up
this Y’shua, and we are all witnesses to this. Therefore, having been
exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see
and hear.
“For David did not
ascend into the heavens, but he himself says:
YHWH
THE LORD SAID TO MY MASTER, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR
ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET. [Psalm 110:1]
“Therefore let all
the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Y’shua whom
you crucified, both Master and Messiah.”
Now when they heard
this they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles, “Men, brethren, what shall we do?”
And Peter said to
them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the Name of Y’shua
the Messiah, for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and
for all who are far off, as many as the LORD our God shall call.”
And with many other
words he witnessed and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved
from this crooked generation!”
Then those who gladly
received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls
were added to them. And they continued steadfastly, in the
apostles’ teaching, and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers. And great awe came upon every-one; and many wonders and signs
were done through the apostles.
Now all those who had
believed were together, and had everything in common; and they began
selling their property and possessions, and were sharing the proceeds
with all, as anyone might have need.
And day by day they
continued with one mind in the temple, and they were breaking bread from
house to house, taking their meals with gladness, and in simplicity
and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the
people. And the Master was adding to their number daily, those who were
being saved.
The account of the works, the movements, and
persecutions of many of the early disciples is continued in the fifth
book of the New Testament - The Acts of the Apostles.
PART 14
SALVATION through Y’SHUA the MESSIAH
After the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, there
are another 22 books in the New Testament. 21 are letters written by
the apostles, Peter, James, John, Jude, Paul and one unnamed writer.
Then there is a final book in the New Testament called “the Revelation
of Y’shua the Messiah” (Jesus Christ). This is the written account of
the prophetic visions and messages given to John by the Messiah.
As we read the New Testament, one main theme
becomes very evident - God is not willing for anyone to perish, and so
He came to earth, in the Person of Y’shua, for the very purpose of
saving people from their sins.
The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are
the Word of God, and they teach us how we can be saved from the penalty
of sin and receive eternal life.
Eternal life (salvation) is not something for
which we must work. It is a totally free gift that we may receive by
faith. And faith is believing in Y’shua the Messiah from the heart.
The apostle Peter
wrote:
“You know how
God anointed Y’shua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who
He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all He did, both in
the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
“He is the One
whom they killed by hanging Him on a tree. But God raised Him up
on the third day, and let Him be seen, not by all the people, but by
witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, by us, who
ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
“And He (Almighty
God) commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that this
is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the
dead. Of Him (Y’shua) all the prophets bear witness that through
His Name,
every one who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins.”
(Acts
10:38-43)
"The Master is not
slow concerning His promise to return, as some understand
slowness, but is patient toward you,
not wanting anyone to
perish,
but for everyone
to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
“AND IT SHALL BE,
THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF Y’SHUA, THE LORD, WILL
BE SAVED.” (Acts 2:21)
The apostle John
wrote:
“These Scriptures
are written that you may believe that Y’shua is the Messiah, the Son of
God, and that, believing, you may have life in His Name.” (John 20:31)
“Look! Y’shua,
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
“For YHWH, the
Almighty God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
(His one-and-only, unique) Son, so that whoever believes in Him,
should not perish, but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John
3:16)
“He who believes in
the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe (trust in )
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)
“He came to His own,
but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those
who believe in, and trust in, His Name Y’shua, He gave the
right to become children of God.” (John 1:11-12)
The apostle Paul
wrote:
“The wages of sin is
death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in the Messiah, Y’shua
our Master.” (Romans 6:23)
“For when we were
still weak, the Messiah at the right time died for the ungodly. Now very
rarely will someone die even for a righteous man, though possibly
for a good man someone might even have the courage to die. But God
demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners,
the Messiah died for us.
Much more then,
having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath
of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled,
we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:6-10)
Two apostles, Paul
and Silas, were once asked the question:
“Sirs, what must I do
to be saved?”
Paul replied: “Believe in the Master, Y’shua the Messiah, and you will be
saved; (and this applies both to) you and your household as
well.” (Acts 16:30-31)
“If you confess with
your mouth Y’shua as Master, and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart man
believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says,
WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
(ROMANS 10:9-11)
“Therefore let it be
known to you, brethren, that through this One, forgiveness of sins is
proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is declared
righteous - justified from all things, from which you could not be
justified through the Law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39)
“For by grace you
have been saved, through faith - and this is not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God - not as a result of works, lest
anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Y’shua the Messiah
Himself says:
“I tell you the
truth, he who hears My Word, and believes in Him who sent Me, has
eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed out of
death into life.” (John 5:24)
“I am the Good
Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep ... My
sheep hear and listen to My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me; I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and
no-one will snatch them out of My hand.”
“I am the Way,
the Truth
and the Life; no-one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 10:11, 27-28. 14:6)
“Enter through the
narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to
destruction, and many enter through it. But because the gate is
narrow and the way difficult that leads to life, only a few find it.”
(Matthew 7:13-14)
READER, YOU CAN BE
SAVED TODAY !
Dear reader, this
book may have been your introduction to the Person of Y’shua the
Messiah, or it may have been your first serious consideration of Him.
We want you to know
the Saviour is able to save you from your sins, and He is longing to
give you eternal life. He's waiting to do so.
The basis of your
salvation is the sacrifice of Y’shua Himself - the Lamb of God - on the cross at Calvary. His blood was shed for your forgiveness
and redemption. On your part, there is nothing you can or must do,
except to come humbly, and ask His forgiveness - and to trust Him to
save you.
The Scriptures quoted
in this section show clearly that you can be saved simply through
believing in the Saviour. Believing is not a mere mental assent, but a
faith that
trusts in
the Saviour. And the moment you decide to trust Him, you will be saved.
To express your faith
in the Saviour, and to invite Him into your life, you should pray to the
Father, in words such as these:
DECISION PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I
come to You in the Name of Your beloved Son, Y’shua the Messiah. I
confess I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins, and I turn to You for
salvation this day.
I have read the
message concerning Y’shua the Messiah, and I believe that He died and
paid the penalty for all my sins at Calvary. On the basis of His
sacrifice, I ask You to forgive me, to cleanse me, and to give me Your
gift of eternal life.
Y’shua, Master, I
open my life to You today, and invite You to be my Saviour and Master
from this moment on. I believe You died for me, and rose again from the
dead. I believe You are the living God, and I submit myself to Your
control. By Your grace and power, I will be Your faithful follower from
this day on.
Master, fill me with
Your Holy Spirit, and make my life anew. Teach me Your ways. And when
You return, take me to the Father’s House. Thank You, Father. Thank You,
Master, for hearing and answering this humble prayer. Thank You for
saving me; thank You for Your gift of eternal life.
I pray in Y’shua’s
mighty Name. Amen.
(Reader, if you have prayed this prayer sincerely,
please remember this wonderful day. And will you write and tell us of
your decision?)
My decision
prayer. Signed ................................... Date ...............
PART 15
THE TWO NEW TESTAMENT
GENEALOGIES OF Y’SHUA
The New Testament
account of the life of Y’shua of Nazareth, gives two genealogies of His
life. Both are correct.
Luke,
gives a
genealogy based on the actual
blood descent
of Y’shua through
Miryam, daughter of Eli. Joseph, Miryam’s husband, is listed here, as he
was the legal, adoptive father of Y’shua. And the genealogy is traced
from Y’shua back through Nathan, David, and Abraham, to Adam and God.
LUKE 3:23-38
And when He began His
ministry, Y’shua
Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly …
the son of Joseph,
the son-in-law of Eli,
the son of
Matthat, the son of Levi,
the son of
Melchi, the son of Jannai,
the son of
Joseph, the son of Mattathiah,
the son of
Amos, the son of Nahum,
the son of
Hesli, the son of Naggai,
the son of
Maath, the son of Mattathiah,
the son of
Semein, the son of Josech,
the son of
Judah, the son of Joanan,
the son of
Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel,
the son of
Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
the son of
Melchi, the son of Addi,
the son of
Cosam, the son of Elmadam,
the son of Er, the son of Joshua,
the son of
Eliezer, the son of Jorim,
the son of
Matthat, the son of Levi,
the son of
Simeon, the son of Judah,
the son of
Joseph, the son of Jonam,
the son of
Eliakim, the son of Melea,
the son of
Menna, the son of Mattatha,
the son of
Nathan, the son of
David,
the son of
Jesse, the son of Obed,
the son of
Boaz, the son of Salmon,
the son of
Nahshon, the son of Amminadab,
the son of
Admin, the son of Ram,
the son of
Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of
Judah, the son of
Jacob,
the son of
Isaac, the son of
Abraham,
the son of
Terah, the son of Nahor,
the son of
Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of
Peleg, the son of Heber,
the son of
Shelah, the son of Cainan,
the son of
Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of
Noah, the son of Lamech,
the son of
Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of
Jared, the son of Mahalaleel,
the son of
Cainan, the son of Enosh,
the son of
Seth, the son of
Adam,
the son of
God.”
* * *
Matthew
gives the
royal
genealogy of
Y’shua through the blood line of His adoptive father, Joseph, from
Abraham.
MATTHEW 1:1-17
The book of the
genealogy of Y’shua the Messiah, the son of
David,
the son of
Abraham.
