Verse of the Day
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Monday May 12, 2025 14th day of the 2nd month 5785
29th day of counting the Omer
Matthew 11:11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Jim's comments
This is a verse that at times I have a hard time understanding, for as I read it I see Yeshua first say that no one born has been greater than John the Baptist. Then He says yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. In some ways it doesn’t make sense, but in other ways it makes a lot of sense.
It goes along with the words, those who are first in the kingdom heaven will be last and the last first. We are born the year, and date when God meant for us to be born. John did play a major part in identifying Yeshua as the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, who stood above him in rank so much that he was not worthy, even to removes his sandals.
John’s prophetic role in ascribing to Yeshua this baptism, in the Holy Spirit and fire links Yeshua with the messianic prophecies of Ezekiel, who spoke of the outpouring of the Spirit upon Israel in that last days in the metaphor of cleansing, as well as in the sense of judgment and purification. John was called and born for that purpose.
But the greatness of John could not be viewed as that which diminished the work of all others who serve the Messiah as his witnesses. John’s greatness was in the end, not something he produced of his own strength, but grew out of the privilege given him to serve God as the forerunner of Messiah.
That same greatness is offered to all, who by faith would confess Yeshua as God’s Messiah, would enter the kingdom of heaven as His witnesses. This saying of Yeshua, then should be understood as an encouragement to take up their cross and follow Him. Even as Yeshua publicly announced the greatness of John, so we all may anticipate hearing the words of commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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Welcome to Beth Simcha
Welcome to Beth Simcha's Web site. My wife Judy and I
would like to invite you to visit Beth Simcha Messianic Congregation
and experience the joy of Messianic praise and worship. Come and
open up the scriptures with us as we study the Word of God, and
learn how to apply it to our lives today.This Shabbat May 10, I will be teaching more about the Holy Spirit
Come and see, come and hear, come receive comfort and joy from the Lord as we worship the living God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in spirit and in truth.
Please visit our links page for we just added a link to a video of one of my best friends Sharbel Richard, and me singing and playing the MaTovu.
Blessings to all of you in Messiah Yeshua
Jim and Judy Rickard
Jewish Heritage
Believers in Messiah have a rich Jewish heritage, but the sad part is that a large part of the body doesn’t know much about it. Yeshua, (Jesus), was Jewish. His earthly parents Joseph (Yosef) and Mary (Miriam) were both Jewish and they raised Yeshua in a Jewish home; teaching him the Torah and all…