Join us on a journey to Jerusalem as we explore the Feast of Sukkot and dive into a profound reflection on the teachings of James, the half-brother of Jesus. In this episode, Rabbi Schneider invites us to understand the concept of being a bondservant to God, emphasizing the need to lay down our self-will in pursuit of following Christ. As believers, we are called to reflect on how much of our daily lives align with our spiritual calling and dedication to God’s work.
God himself ordains trials sometimes. God prepares us for his glory by bringing us through difficulties, just like a diamond becomes a diamond by going through difficult times. Well, here I am, it’s midday in Jerusalem. It’s a great day here because people are celebrating Sukkot. In fact, the Christian embassy has a huge parade going through the city with nations from all over the world that believe in Messiah as far away as Papua New Guinea. So it’s an amazing time where people are gathering from around the world to celebrate the Feast of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, just as Zechariah prophesied and Zechariah 14 would happen during the millennial age. But the reason I’m coming at you today, beloved children of God, is because I want to go to the book of James. James was the leader of the mother church. James was the Lord’s half-brother. They had the same mother, Yeshua, Jesus, and James had the same mother, but a different father, of course, because Miriam or Mary conceived through immaculate conception, right? She conceived by the Holy Spirit. But James and Yeshua had the same mother. And James was so important. He was the pillar of the church. He was the pillar of the early church, Peter, James, and John. And James is so prominent in scripture. The Lord appeared to him after he arose from the dead. Paul talked about James in the book of Galatians. And We’re gonna go now to the book that Jesus’ half-brother wrote called the book of James. And we’re just gonna begin in the first chapter in this series we’re calling Lessons from the Lord’s Brother. And it’s so awesome to do it from Jerusalem because this was where the first church was, the mother church of the whole movement of Christianity. And James, the half-brother of Jesus, was the apostle and the leader of that church. So here we go. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord, Baruch Hashem, abides forever. James… I’m a bondservant of God. James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m stressing this because you and I, everyone that’s been purchased by the blood of the lamb has been called to be a bondservant of Yeshua. What does that mean? It means we give up our own rights to serve him. We die to the old nature, we die to the old man, we die to self-will and become the bondservant of our Savior. All of us are called to be His servants. All of us are His bondservants. So I wonder today, as we reflect for a moment, how much of the way we think, act, speak, and conduct ourselves is a reflection simply of our own self-will and how much of what we think, do, and say is in response to our understanding that we’re a bondservant of God. This is really important because we, like Jesus, have been called to pick up our cross, die to ourself, and follow him. This is what it means to be a bondservant. We die to ourself, we pick up our cross, we do what he calls us to do, even when it hurts, Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross. He said, Father, not my will, but thy will be done. And Yeshua said, you could not be my disciple unless you and I pick up our cross, deny ourself, and obey him and follow him. So the question is, are we living like that? Because Yeshua said, unless you pick up your cross daily, every day, it’s not a one-time thing. It’s from the time we get up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night. Daily, we’re thinking about Jesus. What are you calling me to do? What are you calling me to say? What are you calling me to think about? We’re always trying to filter our decisions through his will. Even what we wear every day. Some of us, if you think about even the way that you dress, how much of the way you dress is because you want to be attractive to other people, and as a result of stressing your desire to be attractive to other people, you’re dressing more sensually than you should. See, because the Bible said we should be people that are modest. So everything that we do, from the way that we dress, to the people that we’re in relationship with, to the way that we spend our time? Are we making it a habit to be in the Word of God every day? I mean, I go through the same things all the time, but it’s the things we do in life. To what we’re letting in through our eyes and our ears, what we watch, what we listen to, the words that we say, the words that we’re exposing ourselves to, how much of that is being filtered through our call to die to ourselves knowing that we don’t belong to ourselves, that we belong to him that died and rose on our behalf. You see, the apostle Peter said to those that have become believers, he said, you’ve had enough time to live in your flesh. Those times are over. It’s time to put off living in your flesh and follow him. So I just want you to understand when James introduces himself as a bondservant of God and of Messiah Yeshua, this is the call on every single one of our lives. And there’s a yoke to this. There’s a yoke to this. It’s not easy to every day be asking yourself, God, what do you want me to do? Is this what you want me to do? Do you want me to look at my phone right now? Think about this. Everything that we do, we’re filtering through the question, Lord, is this what you’re calling me to do? Is this living to you and putting to death the deeds of the flesh? And that applies, beloved, to how engaged we are even on our smartphone devices. I believe the most powerful demon that’s at work in the planet right now is the demon of addiction to our smartphones. And so we need to be asking, what is the Lord calling me to do in relationship to looking at my smartphone? Am I being lured in to look at this device by deceptive demon, that it’s a big trap to take me outside of the presence of God and glue me to the world, glue me to a realm of pseudo reality? Facebook and YouTube and Instagram and TikTok and all these things where there’s maybe an appropriate use of them. I put my things out there on social media, but there’s an appropriate way to use social media. When Cynthia and I turn on YouTube, we scan for things. They’re going to somehow edify us. things that will increase our capacity to understand the world or our body or teaching, but we filter what we’re gonna take in through the world of social media by asking ourself, Lord, do you want me watching this? Do you want me listening to this? And every day I have to die to myself and it’s a constant battle about how many times I check my email. How many times I checked social media, what’s going on in terms of our ministry. So we need to fight this battle. There’s a demonic power that’s trying to lure us out of abiding in the spirit of the Lord into abiding in the pseudo reality. This is why when you go out to eat, you look around the restaurant and it’s like you’re looking at a sci-fi movie Because rather than people enjoying the company of the people that they’re sitting down with at their table, instead everybody’s like zombies looking at their smartphone devices, totally alienated from true human relationship. This is why Jesus said, if you lose your life for my sake, you’ll find it. In other words, if you discipline yourself by the Spirit of God, you’ll be able to connect with Him and with true human relationship. If you don’t and are just led away by the demonic spirit of addiction, you’re gonna lose your life. You’re gonna gain the world. You’re gonna gain friends on Facebook. but you’re gonna lose your own soul. And so just pointing that out in the first verse, James said he was a bond servant. He existed due to the will of Yeshua and of the Father. And that’s the same thing, beloved ones, for you and I. And James’s ministry was to the nation of Israel. He was called to the 12 tribes who were dispersed abroad. James’ ministry was to the Jews in the diaspora, those that had been led out of Israel, who had left Israel and were in what we call the diaspora. They went from Israel into the nations of the world. James, the Lord’s half-brother and the leader of the mother church, the church in Jerusalem, his primary calling was to Israel and the Jewish people. So after describing what his call was to lay his life down, to do the will of God, that he lived on earth, not as one to satisfy himself, but as one that was here to serve God like a soldier that was here to do the will of another. He said his primary calling was to the 12 tribes of Israel.
SPEAKER 01 :
You’re listening to Discovering the Jewish Jesus with Rabbi Schneider, and he’ll be right back. But first, have you thought about the legacy you’ll leave when you’re no longer on this earth? Planning for the future, it’s an important step in walking with wisdom. So we’ve partnered with Freewill, a free online tool that makes creating a will simple, secure, and accessible to everyone. I’ve used it myself, and it’s really easy and efficient. And this tool, it also gives you the opportunity to make a lasting impact. And if you want to support this ministry, you can include a financial gift to us in your plans to help us share the love of Yeshua with generations to come. You can get started today at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. Just click on our resources and need a will tab. It’s completely free, whether you choose to give to this ministry or not. So check it out today. And for those of you who do choose to give, thank you so much. And now back to Rabbi with the second half of today’s lesson.
SPEAKER 03 :
James says, consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. This is such a great word, because it gives us a context to face reality and face life when we’re dealing with difficulty in a spirit of joy. Listen again. James says, consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. I heard one guy say he’s looking always to experience a new trial because he knows that his trials are God’s opportunities. So this is kind of what James is saying. Consider it all joy when you face a trial, because when you cling to God by going through this trial, God’s going to do a great work in your life. He’s going to do something deep in your life that he can’t do when things are going easy for you. So let’s listen again. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. It’s like a spiritual muscle. When we go through a trial in the spirit of joy, clinging to God, having faith that God, that Father and Yeshua are with us in the midst of the trial, that in fact, God himself ordains trials sometimes, just like he ordained the children of Israel to go through the wilderness for 40 years in order to prepare them to enter the promised land, so too, God prepares us for his glory by bringing us through difficulties because when we cling to him again through the difficulties, James says, it’s a test of our faith. In other words, God’s bringing us up to the next level. He’s strengthening us because we’re building up endurance. In other words, it’s very easy to cling to God when everything is going smooth. But when we continue to cling to Hashem, when we continue to cling to Messiah, when things are difficult for us, what happens is our spiritual muscle is built up, that our soul is expanded in the love of God, that God is able to penetrate our being in a deeper way, just like a diamond becomes a diamond by going through difficult times. Most of us know that a diamond becomes a diamond by being put under the pressure of intense heat. And the same principle that James is teaching is taught through the entire word of God. Once again, James says, consider all joy when you go through various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces spiritual endurance and the endurance, James is about to tell us, makes us complete so that we’ll be lacking nothing. In other words, our soul becomes whole in Hashem as we’re faithful to God through trial. And our soul can’t become complete in Father, just like a diamond can’t become a diamond unless we go through trials. So trials are necessary if we’re to mature in the Lord. Once again, Consider it all joy, my brother, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect result so that you might be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. In other words, when you’re going through a trial, don’t seek to escape it prematurely, but bear up under the pressure, clinging to God, praising God, being joyful in the midst of the trial. giving God praise in the midst of the trial, being confident that he’s conforming you to the image of Christ in such a way that he can’t do when things are super easy for you. So I know people that even pray for trials. because they want to mature in Messiah. They want to be conformed to his image. So this is a great practical lesson for us that, listen, we praise God when things are good. We praise him for the easy times when the sun is shining on us. but we also praise Him when the clouds come out and our faith is being tested. God causes all things, both the good and the difficulties, to work together for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, that we might be conformed to the image of His Son. God’s using it all, beloved, so consider it a joy. Maybe you’re going through a trial today. Maybe something’s going on today in your life with your children, maybe with your finances, maybe with your health, maybe with your church, maybe with a loved one. What does James say? Right where you’re at, I know it’s hard. but give God praise and consider it a joy in the sense that you know that God is doing something in your soul to perfect you into the image of Christ as you remain faithful to God and as you remain in faith in the midst of the trial that you’re going through. So Father, we thank you right now, that Father, that we suffer difficulties, and we thank you right now in the midst of the trials that we face, knowing, Abba, that you’re doing something good in the midst of this trial, and that we’re gonna come out of the trial complete, lacking nothing. Thank you, Father, that you’ve given us a mind that understands that you have a purpose in everything that happens in our life, that nothing is wasted, that Father, you’re blessing us and encouraging us and reviving us during times of refreshment, but that your Father also doing a deep work in our life when we walk with you through the difficulty, even as the children of Israel were being prepared for the promised land by walking through the wilderness. And I’m reminded of Deuteronomy chapter eight, where the Lord said to Israel in relationship to how he led them into wilderness for 40 years, he said, I led you in the wilderness these 40 years, humbling you. He was stripping them of depending on the arm of the flesh. He was stripping them of relying on friends, on doctors, on health foods. They didn’t have any food in the wilderness. Everything that came to them came supernaturally. There was no plants, there was no animals, there was no livestock. They had nothing but the supernatural manna that God was providing from heaven and the water that flowed out of the rock supernaturally. The Lord said, I humbled you. I stripped you down in order that you would learn to live by everything that proceeds from God. rather than from natural food. And in the same way, God brings us into difficulties to break us, to cling to him, to rely on him, to cry out to him for help and mercy. His power is being perfected in our weakness when we go through the trial. This is why we need to give God thanks in the midst of trials and consider it a joy when we’re in trials, knowing that God is preparing us for something good. And the preparation is going through the difficulty, even as Israel had to go through the wilderness those 40 years. God said, I led you in the wilderness these 40 years. I humbled you and I tested you. Just like James is talking about here, I tested you. In order, the Lord said that I would be able to bless you and do something good for you in the end that I couldn’t do for you without first preparing you by bringing you through the trial and bringing you through the difficulty. So beloved, it’s like David said, it’s always good to praise the Lord. on good days and bad days days that we’re feeling emotionally filled with just joy in the natural sense and also days when life is hard we step forward in faith and we count it a joy during those difficult times knowing that god is doing supernatural strengthening of our soul that he’s building up endurance so that he can bless us in the end Because beloved, we can’t be happy without being strong. And God makes us strong by bringing us through trials. So don’t waste your trial. Don’t waste your wilderness. Stay in faith and give thanks to God in the midst of your trial. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord abides forever. I’m reading from the book of Jeremiah 17, verse seven. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is in the Lord. A true barometer for how much you and I really trust the Lord is seen in how we handle our finances. If we really trust the Lord, we’re going to honor him with our wealth. Beloved, I want to encourage you. Let’s be faithful to the Lord with our hearts and show it by how we honor him with our finances. I know this. The Lord promised in the book of Malachi, when we honor him with the first of our finances, he opens the windows of heaven for us. He responds. I want to encourage you today. If the Lord is feeding you through this ministry, if you sense his love for you through this ministry, Would you honor him with your finances through this ministry? Jesus said it will come back to press down good measure and running over into your lap. Thank you and God bless you.
SPEAKER 01 :
If God is calling you to give to Discovering the Jewish Jesus, a gift of any amount, please give online right now. Go to our website, discoveringthejewishjesus.com, or you can also send your gift of any amount in the mail to us. Our address is Discovering the Jewish Jesus, P.O. Box 777, Blissfield, Michigan, 49228. That’s P.O. Box 777, Blissfield, Michigan, 49228. And you know, Rabbi’s dynamic teaching style, it’s full of passionate insights. He brings timeless truths out of the Old Testament and the New Testament to life. And the fact is, he couldn’t be preaching these messages without you. And that’s why your support makes all the difference. There aren’t many other ministries who share the Bible this way. And we know that we could never reach all the people around the world who are exploring the depths of Scripture with us each and every day unless you were giving. So I want to take a second to say thank you for your financial gifts. Thank you for your support. And also thank you so much for praying for us. Thank you for praying for Rabbi and the Ministry of Discovering the Jewish Jesus. And once again, if you’d like to support us, you can give a donation at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. And hey, while you’re there, make sure to check out our free articles and our study tools. We’ve got a lot of great resources available there at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. Now here’s Rabbi with God’s sacred blessing.
SPEAKER 03 :
In the book of Numbers chapter six, the Lord gave instructions to Moses and Aaron to speak this blessing over his people. And the Lord said, when you speak these words over my people, I will place my name on them and bless them. Receive the impartations of the Lord’s blessings.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance. And the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and shalom.
SPEAKER 01 :
This program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus, and I’m Dustin Roberts. Be sure to come back next week when Rabbi Schneider reveals the difference between having wisdom and having information. That’s coming up Monday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
