Messianic Teachings From Nachamu Ami Messianic Synagogue

According to both the traditional translation and interpretation of Hebrews 8:13, the Torah is "obsolete." But did the author of Hebrews really say this or is this a bias by translators? Is this passage referring to the Mosaic covenant, the Torah, or something else? How can the New Covenant be in effect if the Torah has been made obsolete? Isn't is supposed to be written on our hearts, according to Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36, and Isaiah 30? Did Yeshua make an allusion to the fulfillment of the New Covenant in the Sermon on the Mount? Tune-in as Rabbi Damian brings clarity to this pivotal and greatly misunderstood passage to help us understand the promise, the purpose, and the power of the New Covenant.

What is the New Covenant? Is it the New Testament? Are Messianics correct in calling the New Testament the "Brit Hadashah," which means New Covenant? Or is it the Renewed Covenant as others call it? Are disciples of Yeshua today living under the New Covenant? In order to properly understand the book of Hebrews we have to correctly understand these terms. Most people consider the Old Testament to be the Old Covenant and the New Testament to be the New Covenant. But there are problems with this understanding that keeps us from understanding the powerful message of the book of Hebrews that has been locked away for nearly 2000 years. Join Rabbi Damian as he explains what the Old Covenant is, what the New Covenant is, and what is so good about it. It's a course-correcting message you won't want to miss.

In our previous teaching, Rabbi Damian addressed some potential areas of concern regarding Yeshua’s priesthood. If Yeshua wasn't permitted to be a priest according to the regulations of the Torah, then how can he be a priest on our behalf at all? What is this “more excellent ministry” that Yeshua arbitrates and what does the author of Hebrews mean when he says that Yeshua is a priest “the order of Melchitzedek”? Unfortunately, this concept is completely misunderstood and misrepresented in Christian theology. If you’re a learner who wants to understand Hebrews better, you don’t want to miss this exciting and clarifying teaching on Yeshua and his priesthood in the order of Melchitzedek.

Messianic Judaism is spreading across the world. The Torah is being rediscovered and Messiah Yeshua is being uplifted. But there is a lot of confusion in the journey to an authentic Messianic Judaism that holds to both the commandments and the testimony of Yeshua (Revelation 12:17). Australia is one of these places that is experiencing this "Messianic Revival" and the birth pains that come with it. Join Rabbi Damian as he shares his recent experience teaching and meeting with spiritual leaders "Down Under," who are encountering Yeshua in an exciting new way.

What can a Renaissance artist teach us about the Giving of the Torah at Shavuot? How can Shavuot this year have more impact on us than the previous years? Join Darren Huckey as he connects these two seemingly unrelated topics to weave together a message of encouragement, challenge, and anticipation.

In our last teaching we looked at how Yeshua serves in a better Temple. This week we will begin looking at how he is the kohen (priest) of a better priesthood. How does this affect the Aaronic priesthood? Are they now obsolete? Why does the author of Hebrews begin by saying Yeshua's ministry is better than that of the angelic host? Why is his priesthood compared to that of Melchizedek? If you've enjoyed this series up to this point, you will truly appreciate the insights Rabbi Damian brings to the table in this message as he begins discussing Yeshua as a better High Priest.

In our series, A Better Covenant, we are working to understand why Yeshua's ministry on our behalf is considered better to the earthly (Aaronic) ministry in a number of ways. The author of Hebrew says that through Yeshua we have a better ministry, a better Temple, better sacrifices, a better hope, and a better covenant. How are all of these things better, and how does this affect the Temple on earth? Has it been replaced by a spiritual Temple that Yeshua now ministers in? How does the author of Hebrews know this? When, how, why did these things happen? Join Rabbi Damian as he cuts through the confusion as we make a turn toward the inspiring conclusion of this series.

King David had a run in with a man named Nabal, a "worthless fellow" according to his wife's description of him. According to the Torah and our Apostles, we are called to live a holy life. Our words can be like flaming arrows. The Baal Shem Tov's disciples learned a valuable lesson from a humble beggar. How do these seemingly random concepts connect to teach us an important lesson about the Spirit of the Law? Join Darren Huckey as he takes us on a journey from Nabal to Nachmanides, and from the Torah to the Apostles."Beyond the Letter of the Law" is a lesson in love and humility that we should not quickly forget.

Was the book of Hebrews written to show the superiority of Christianity over Judaism? Was it written to help Jewish Christians completely give up their attachment to Judaism and make a full transition to Christianity? In order to deal with these questions we need to find some keys that will help us unlock the answers we seek, and they seem to be located in strange places. The first one is found in the death of James, the brother of Yeshua. The other is found in Nero's persecutions of the early followers of Yeshua. Did you catch all of that? Strengthen your faith by joining Rabbi Damian in this exciting history lesson to understand the backdrop behind the purpose of the book of Hebrews.

There is much debate surrounding the origins of the book of Hebrews. Who wrote it? When was it written? What was its purpose? Where was the community of believers that this book was written to? Was the Temple still standing when it was written? And ultimately, why do these things matter? The book of Hebrews is often used to show the superiority of Christianity to Judaism. But is this the message we are supposed to understand from it? Join Rabbi Damian as he begins unpacking the book of Hebrews to help us properly understand its valuable purpose and message.

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 4: They Missed The Memo Is the God of the Old Testament an angry, mean, blood-thirsty deity that needs to be pacified by blood, particularly the blood of His only Son? Did the blood of Yeshua finally satisfy His craving for blood to the point of doing away with the sacrificial system? Was the Holy Temple in Jerusalem destroyed, Jerusalem sacked by the Romans, and the Jewish people exiled and rejected by God because they rejected the sacrifice of Yeshua? This is the standard interpretation of Yeshua's death as interpreted through the lens of a Christian reading of the book of Hebrews. But is this really the way the Scriptures portray these events and the sacrificial work of our Savior? Join Rabbi Damian as he shows the fundamental problems associated with this kind of reasoning as it is backed up throughout the Scriptures. This is a heavy-hitting message you won't want to miss.

In part 3 of our ongoing series on Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, we begin discussing a new aspect of the sacrificial system. Up to this point we have learned what sacrifices have the ability to do. In this teaching Rabbi Damian develops the important point of what sacrifices cannot do and attempts to correct misinformation that has pervaded much of the historic teaching on the sacrificial system. Were the sacrifices given to get people to heaven and Yeshua is now the new method? Does God really hate sacrifices as it seems many Scriptures say? If you really want to know the truth of these criticisms, join us as we learn their context to understand the sacrificial system in the way Yeshua and the Apostles would have understood it. It's sure to make a significant impact on how you understand the Scriptures as a whole.

In Part 2 of our series, A Better Covenant, Rabbi Damian delves deep into the Torah's sacrificial system by taking a long look at the difference between ritual purity and moral purity. We know the sacrificial system deals with ritual purity, but what about moral purity? How does it handle that? Were sin offerings always offered because someone had sinned? Is a new mother somehow a sinner because she has to bring a sin offering? Was there some kind of moral failure on her part when she either conceived or gave birth to a child? Join us as we continue unraveling the mysterious inner workings of the sacrificial system in order to ultimately understand what Yeshua has done for us.

Everyone knows that Yeshua's death on the cross ended the sacrificial system. Or did it? Arguably, this may be one of the most important teaching series you have ever heard. In this series Rabbi Damian helps us understand Messiah Yeshua, the plan of redemption, the World to Come, and God’s plan for humanity in ways you have never seen—and all through the lens of the Torah's sacrificial system. Don't miss an episode in this challenging, yet engaging, series, "A Better Covenant: Yeshua & The Sacrificial System."

Are we talking about a hit movie from the '80s starring John Travolta? Not quite. In our last message, we began discussing the various reasons why the very first word of Leviticus has one letter (the aleph) that is much smaller than the rest. This week we continue exploring this theme but this time diving into the Midrash to find some unexpected connections between this single letter and our Messiah. Who was speaking to Moses in Leviticus 1:1? The answer may surprise you.

The book of Vayikra (Leviticus) begins in an unusual manner. In Torah scrolls across the world the very first word of this book is written oddly. The very last letter, the aleph, is written much smaller than the rest of the letters. Over the centuries there has been much speculation as to why this is the case. What is the story behind this reduced letter and what does it have to do with me and my relationship with God? Dive deep with Rabbi Damian as he strips back the speculation to reveal a loving God and His relationship with His people.

In the last Torah portion in the book of Exodus (Pekudei) we read about the final steps for the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. God wanted His people to build a Tabernacle for Him. But before they begin construction God reminds them that they should not do any of this work on Shabbat. Why? Because He wanted us to be legalistic? No. Because you are the center of God's universe. What does this mean? Find out more in this eye-opening message by Rabbi Damian on Parashat Pekudei.

What is God's love language? How do we find out what it is? Join Rabbi Damian as he digs deep into Parashat Vayakhel and explores big concepts such as the Tabernacle, the Shabbat, Love, and the Space-Time Continuum. Find out how all of these seemingly unrelated concepts fit together in this memorable teaching from Rabbi Damian on Parashat Vayakhel! Note: Unfortunately, the audio cut out at several points so here is some information you may not get from the recording. The podcast Rabbi Damian was interviewed on is called Bell House Chats and you can find the episode here: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ufwUtzFcE7sQEOBcR8uKv.

If we are honest, sometimes we have trust issues with God. We struggle to understand God's plan in our lives, especially if things aren't going the way we think they should. Moses was in a similar situation and cried out to the LORD, "Show me your glory!" (Exodus 33:18). What did God mean when He responded to Moses that he would "cover you with my hand until I have passed by" and that "you will see my back; but my face must not be seen" (Exodus 33:22–23)? Does God have hands and a backside like humans? What did God mean that He would show Moses his back and how did this response show Moses exactly what he needed? Join Rabbi Damian in this eye-opening teaching as he unravels the request of Moses and makes it applicable to each of our lives today.

In this engaging message, Rabbi Damian addresses several questions that may be troubling to those struggling to understand the teachings of Yeshua. What does Yeshua mean by giving Peter the "keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 16:19)? Did he proclaim Peter as the first Pope? What is the "key of David" that Yeshua holds in Revelation 3:7? How does all of this tie into the Messianic obsession with education and study? And where does the proclamation of the gospel come into play with all of this? Join Rabbi Damian as he "unlocks" the door of these mysteries and brings clarification to the mission of Messianic Judaism.