"We Don't Have To!" versus "Why Wouldn't We Want To?"

 

While there is a very large contingent of people that are waking up to Father’s Feasts and Sabbath, there are still millions who perpetuate abandoning Them, due to poor teaching. Whenever I have a chance to present our journey, I try to ask a lot of questions, such as we see here today.

One of the best questions arises when placed beside a statement. I believe that it is pivotal for us all to be found humbly willing to move from “those aren’t ‘for me’ in Messiah!” to simply asking, “Why would I *not want* to remember and celebrate Yahweh Appointed Times?” This usually gets to a heart-level place in people and allows a conversation to begin well. This is not at all about what we “have” to do, but rather a joyful response to the invitation! If one sees it this way, something is surely off with our understanding. There is an answer to this question.

Identity issues are again the problem here. Christianity has taught us that we are some unique post-resurrection People that must remain disconnected from all things that we’ve been told are “Jewish.” (Thanks a lot Catholicism!) This however is simply very bad theology. As I repeat, with great regularity, one cannot joyfully receive covenantal blessings and privileges “for Israel” yet entirely reject the covenantal requirements and responsibilities of the same identifiable People. It doesn’t work that way.

There is now one man in Messiah, presently scattered amongst the nations. A covenant People that the immediate centuries after Messiah ascended knew and understood. This is why They continued gathering in the synagogues and house to house. This is why they celebrated the Feasts… together! This is why the Jerusalem Council instructed men post-Messiah via Torah commandments (Acts 15.) We however, have not known this way to live. We have been taught that Yahweh’s wonderful ways were the “heavy burdens that no man can bear.” Most don’t know this, but ironically, Christianity primarily operates under the exact same system that Messiah was always calling out in the non-believing leaders. This is why He stated this, in Mark 7, “You leave the commandment of Elohim and hold to the tradition of men. You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of Elohim in order to establish your tradition… thus making void the word of Elohim by your tradition that you have handed down.”

Yes, there is a cost. One has to be willing to admit that we too have done this by exalting our own traditions over Father’s Ways, for generations. One must be found willing to leave behind man-made traditions (like Easter celebrations) and fight the strong pulls upon his heart strings, even if they are clearly not rooted in being Scriptural Feasts. Traditions run deep friend. This is what Yeshua was always encountering! Sadly, those who held onto their own traditions had already traded in Yahweh’s for their own, and by doing so, they “made void the Word of Elohim.” *This* is what Messiah was confronting. We must see that we have done the same.

The result of this has caused us to entirely miss the remembering. The celebrating. The beauty of literally living lives as called out and holy People. I’d like to continue to help change that! We have discovered Who we are in Messiah and what we are to do! We have joined in with the righteous men of old, declaring with our literal lives the wonderful Ways of Yahweh Elohim! We too will celebrate His Feasts and not the festivals of men! We too will be a set apart and holy People! I believe that all it takes is a humble heart and a willingness to ask, “why wouldn’t I *want* to celebrate Yahweh’s Feasts?” 

His Feasts Season is quickly coming into view. Won’t you please consider remembering with us? Selah.