Messianics and the Stop Sign

Photo Credit: Jorge Elías

A long while back I saw an article describing how people of different hermeneutics would approach a simple stop sign. I really liked the concept, so I decided to try to apply it to Messianics. It's good to laugh at ourselves once in a while (all is meant in good fun--I myself fall into several of these groups). Which of these fits you?

The Traditional Messianic
...comes to a complete stop at the stop sign for a minimum of three seconds, says a blessing, then continues on.

The Ultra-Traditional Messianic
...also explains all the ins and outs of who should go first should two, three, or even all four cars approach the intersection at the same time. He also knows how to handle the situation if pedestrians, cats, and/or dogs are thrown into the mix (including the halachic difference between a cat and a dog).

Portraits: The Saga of Moses (part 1)

"You did what!?!" Miriam asked.

"He was hurting one of our brothers!" Moses reacted.

"What did you think you were doing? Have you lost your mind?" Miriam began to pace, speaking more to herself than to her brother. "We'll have to move again. We'll have to hide. I don't know what we'll do. Did you never stop to consider the consequences?"

"Consider the consequences if I had done nothing, Miriam. Consider the consequences if we do nothing. We let these Egyptians walk all over us and treat us like dirt--"

Miriam interjected. "And that justifies killing one of them?"

Confessions of a Hypocrite

My desire is to teach--to challenge and encourage and help the Messianic movement move forward. But, sometimes I fear I go about it in entirely the wrong fashion.

Understanding the Role of the Holy Spirit (in a not so charismatic way)

I've never felt like I had a firm understanding of the spirit or its role in our lives. Most of my exposure to teaching on this subject comes from Pentecostal and charismatic sources--of which I have always been slightly skeptical. Mostly because they did not match my own experience.

I was "baptized in the spirit" back when I was about twelve or so. I went out into the hallway with several other kids where we were prayed over and told to start speaking in tongues. Speak in tongues? How? I didn't know. At first I just waited for it to happen. But nothing came. One of the teachers told me to just say whatever comes to mind. But nothing was really coming to mind. So, I faked it. At the time, I thought maybe that was what I was supposed to do--you know, just let your lips make whatever incoherent sounds that come. Maybe that was the spirit talking through me. But, somehow that didn't seem right. It sure felt fake to me.