A Conversation

Stranger: "Happy Easter!"

Me: "Thank you. Actually we believe the whole Bible and celebrate the biblical Feast Days of Yahweh... Easter is actually not one of Them, biblically."

Stranger: "So you say that you believe the Bible, but don't believe that Jesus died and rose again?!!"

Me: "I never said that. I do believe that He died and rose again.”

Stranger: “But you just said that you don’t celebrate Easter.”

Me: “We don’t. We haven’t for over 20 years. It’s actually not a biblical holiday. We keep the Feasts of Yahweh now, that are outlined in the Bible… like Passover. We’ve been doing Them for about 5 years now.”

Stranger: “So… you’re Jewish then?”

Me: “No. Not Jewish. The Most High told us that They are His Feasts… His Possession for His Set Apart covenantal people, for all generations. Many things, like clean and unclean animals long preceded the Jews.”

Stranger: “So you deny God’s mercy and grace through Jesus and went back under the Law… that no man can keep… on purpose?”

Me: “No. In Deuteronomy the Creator told us that His Torah commands are not too difficult for us. They are simply His best way to live for His Creation. His instruction. The Book of Ezekiel actually speaks of a heart exchange where a “new” Spirit will empower us in the New Covenant to walk in His ways.”

Stranger: “So you think that Holy Spirit was sent to merely make us obedient to a law?”

Me: Well, in part yes, but not just any law. Father’s instructions. Messiah told us that Holy Spirit would remind us of what He said. And all that Messiah said is in perfect alignment with what His Father said. No new ideas or ways to live. Messiah’s obedience to Torah is actually what deemed Him pleasing in His Father’s sight. He was perfect… perfectly Law ‘keeping’ because His heart was yielded entirely to His Father’s. Both He and the father told us that “if you love Me, keep my commands. The Bible tells us that the opposite is lawlessness and those will be told that Messiah never knew them. I don’t want to be told that… do you?”

Stranger: “Well, no…. so what are those thing hanging on your families clothes? Aren’t they a Jewish thing too?”

Me: “Tassels… tzit tzit in Hebrew. The Book of Numbers tell us to tie them on as a reminder of Father’s wonderful Ways. They’re what the sick woman reached out to touch on Messiah… His power went out through them and brought healing. We believe in walking as He walked…. literally as much as we can. I hope that I can look like Him at all. It’s His obedience that motivates me to deny myself and follow Him…. Literally.”

Stranger: Well, happy Easter…. I mean…. have a good day. 

Me: You too, thanks.