THE GOSPELS – Introduction

12 July 2024

We are going to study the FOUR GOSPELS by mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians with cross references to other Bible versions. As well as using the Nelson’s Foundational Bible Dictionary as explanation for specific words and concepts.

We will also be using the Hebrew names for God the Father, namely YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where we read the word LORD in the Bible, also called our Heavenly Father and Abba Father and Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.

We will commence with an INTRODUCTION to the FOUR GOSPELS Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

The GOSPELS are very interesting! We all know that it is the GOOD NEWS of mankind’s salvation through the price paid for our sins by the precious blood of our Messiah Yeshua, BUT the Gospels also teach us how to live our lives in the EXACT example that Yeshua our Messiah came to demonstrate to us in His life on earth in fulfilling His purpose and pleasing Abba Father!

So in this first message we are going to do a quick summary of these awesome facts:

1. Yeshua our Messiah has a genealogy and birth date and place – just like you and I have.
2. He was dedicated by His parents through circumcision on the 8^th day of His life to become part of the COVENANT with YHVH, the Father.

Those of us who have parents who choose and willingly follow Yeshua the Messiah, will be dedicated from birth to become part of the COVENANT with YHVH until we are of age to willingly choose to enter into the COVENANT with YHVH through ACCEPTANCE of YESHUA our Messiah as our SAVIOUR and DELIVERER and then being BAPTIZD and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Although we do no CUT or enter into a COVENANT of circumcision of the flesh of the foreskin of the male with YHVH any longer, WE STILL DO have the obligation to CUT COVENANT with YHVH with the CIRCUMCISSION of the HEART. So how do we do that? We apply Deuteronomy 6:5-9 telling our children that they belong to YHVH from an early age and “you are to LOVE, YHVH your God with all your heart, all your being and all your strength. These words are to be on your heart and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are travelling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up – we are therefore to WRITE THE LOVE COMMANDMENTS of YHVH on the HEARTS and MINDS of our CHILDREN, then, when they are adults, they will willingly choose themselves to enter into a covenant with Him.

3. While Yeshua was a baby, his parents had to flee to Egypt because King Herod wanted to find him and kill him because he heard that He was born to be the FURURE KING and Herod felt threatened by Him. And later after Herod’s death they returned again to Nazareth when it was safe again.

Just like YHVH provided for the Israelites with food in Egypt during the famine in Canaan through Joseph who prepared the way for them through His obedience to Abba Father but later on had to be delivered from the slavery and bondage of Egypt and it’s hard-hearted, rebellious Pharaoh. All of us are basically born into a spiritual Egypt (the fallen world) where we are enslaved from the very beginning of our lives through the evil one controlling the fallen world, until we make a choice with our own Godly given free will to FLEE EGYPT by calling out to YHVH our Father and then being delivered by Yeshua our Messiah from sin and death.

4. When Yeshua was 33 years old, He was baptized and lead to the wilderness to be tested before He started His ministry.

When we MATURE – become adults we are NO LONGER under the COVENANT our parents entered on our behalf with YHVH, and therefore it is THEN time to take our own decision whether we willingly want to choose to enter into a COVENANT with YHVH, our heavenly Father through Yeshua our Messiah and to follow Him in obedience to the Father.

In terms of the TABERNACLE PICTURE, we therefore now DECIDE to ENTER into the TABERNACLE through the GATE (Yeshua the Messiah) and first stop at the BRAZEN ALTAR where we will repent of our sins, receive FORGIVENESS and lay all our SINS down with the accompanying FEAR, GUILT and SHAME at the FEET of the CROSS of YESHUA our MESSIAH never to go back to our old sinful lifestyle again.

Next we will walk to the BRAZEN LAVER – the WASHBASIN and be baptized in the WATER OF REPENTANCE – dying to the OLD self in the WATER OF BAPTISM just like YESHUA DIED for our sins on the cross and was buried and resurrected to a new life – we therefore rise from the WATER OF BAPTISM as a NEW PERSON with a new godly nature – the OLD SELF has so to die in the water grave (read Romans 6:3-11).

We then enter into the HOLY PLACE where the BREAD and WATER of LIFE are available to us and the HOLY SPIRIT will teach us the WORD and WAYS of ABBA FATHER. We will then also be TESTED by HIM to see if we are equipped with the ARMOUR of YHVH the Father and ready to use the SWORD of the HOLY SPIRIT – the WORD of YHVH according to Ephesians 6:12-18) – consisting of growing powerful in union with Yeshua and His mighty strength and using the armor and weaponry that YHVH the Father provides us. This will enable us to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary (Satan also called the devil), knowing that our spiritual war is NOT AGAINST HUMAN BEINGS but against the dark spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm, therefore we take up every piece of war equipment YHVH provides, so that when the evil day comes, we will be able to resist and when the battle is over, we will still be standing. THEREFORE we stand with the TRUTH, the WORD of YHVH buckled around our waists, putting on RIGHTEOUSNESS as a BREASTPLATE to protect our hearts and wearing on our feet the readiness that comes from the GOOD NEWS of SHALOM (peace). We always carry the SHIELD of TRUST (faith, believe, hope)  and we extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Satan/ the devil) with it by WALK in FAITH and not what we see around us in this world or in our own or loved ones circumstances (2 Corinthians 5:7). And we believe that regardless of the situation, YHVH our Father will let everything (the good and the bad) work together for our good because we LOVE HIM and are called for His purpose (Romans 8:28). We put on the HELMET of DELIVERANCE and SALVATION, knowing we belong to YHVH the Father and no one can touch a born again child of YHVH and no one can plug us from His hand (John 10:27-28 and 1 John 5:18). And we take up the SWORD of THE SPIRIT, that is the WORD of YHVH and we PRAY AT ALL TIMES, vigilantly and persistently for our loved ones and all YHVH’s people.

If we PASS this test, just as Yeshua did conquering Satan in the desert with the Word as recorded in Luke chapter 4 – we are READY to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then we will understand our SPPIRITUAL GIFTS and know our PURPOSE and we will be IGNITED – SET ON FIRE (just like the MENORAH in the Temple) to fulfill our purpose on earth! Namely spreading the GOOD NEWS, each of us with our own REDEMPTIVE GIFT through the specific MINISTRY we are called for (one of the FIVE-FOLD MINISTRIES as recorded in Ephesians 4:11-13 ). And in so doing following in the footsteps of Yeshua our Messiah. The detail of this will look very different for each person – just like each one of us have different fingerprints because each one of us is a MASTERPIECE, created by the MASTER and KING of HEAVEN and EARTH, who calls Himself our FATHER!

5. Then Yeshua returned to Galilee after being tested and immediately started His ministry.

As said in the previous point – each one’s ministry will look different based on our individual gifts, purpose and calling. Some may work for Abba Father full time while others may serve Him through their earthly jobs and careers. All of us walking in His Light and using HIS weapons of war against our spiritual enemy wherever Abba Father plants us and in whatever seasons of life we are in.

6. He Yeshua the Messiah selected and appointed 12 disciples to form part of His inner circle – one could perhaps say that they were His congregation.

Likewise, we have to be part of a CONGREGATION – this may not necessarily mean a formal church at a specific church building, as we have come to know it in the time we are living in. It may well be a formal church at a designated place, if the Holy Spirit leads you in that way – but it may also be people in your daily live rubbing shoulders with you each day – family members, friends, co-workers and so forth – learning from them and they from you, supporting and leading the way, equipping each other, bearing each other’s burdens – functioning like small groups/ home congregations as the Acts communities did.

7. Yeshua our Messiah had and displayed all seven the REDMEPTIVE GIFTS of YHVH the Father for us to understand and mature in our own REDEMPTIVE GIFTS – serving as our personalities enabling us to fulfill the purpose Abba Father created us for on earth.

We read about the SEVEN REDEMPTIVE GIFTS also called MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 , Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Peter 4:7-19, namely:

• Prophecy – speaking the Word of YHVH the Father to His people in proportion to the amount of faith received from Him.
• Serving – helping, aiding and attending to people in line with Abba Father’s Word.
• Teaching – educating, instructing & coaching others in line with Abba Father’s Word.
• Exhortation – encouraging, inspiring and reassuring others in line with Abba Father’s Word.
• Giving – acting generously – with kindness, big-heartedness and compassion towards others in line with Abba Father’s Word.
• Leadership – managing, controlling and guiding others, leading them with diligence in line with Abba Father’s Word; and
• Mercy – with compassion, kindness, understanding and caring for others, showing mercy to them with cheerfulness in line with Abba Father’s Word.

8. Yeshua our Messiah also spread the WORD of YHVH HIS FATHER through the FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY (or callings) of which we read in Ephesians 4:11-13 namely:

• Apostles – serving as an ambassador (representative) and establishing congregations/ communities of believers – we know that Yeshua appointed 12 apostles.
• Prophets – speaking the Word of Abba Father to the congregation/ community of believers.
• Evangelists – proclaiming the Good News/ Gospel of salvation and acting as a witness.
• Preacher (Shepherd) – guiding and caring for believers.
• Teacher – training and teaching believers which Yeshua often did by using parables.

These gifts are intended specifically for the BODY OF YESHUA on earth to GROW UP IN HIM to FULL MATURITY – by GROWING in our faith and knowledge of the Word of YHVH the Father, and standing strong in the TRUTH so that we will not be deceived or deceive others but instead SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE; and in every respect grow up into Yeshua the Messiah who is the HEAD of the BODY of BELIEVERS. And under His control, the whole body/ that is the community of believers, is being fitted and held together by the support of every joint, with each part working to fulfil its function; and this is how the body grows and builds itself up in LOVE (read Ephesians 4:11-16).

9. Yeshua our Messiah also executed His ministry through the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit

These gifts are also called the MANIFESTATION GIFTS and are given for edification (improvement, instruction and teaching).

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “…to each person is given the particular (specific, individual) manifestation (appearance, presence, expression) of the (Holy) Spirit that will be for the common (shared, mutual, collective) good.”

We mainly read about it in 1 Corinthians 12: 8 –11. Also see verses 27-31 and Ephesians 1:17-18. Also read the prophesy about Yeshua’s ministry in Isaiah 11:1-3 and His confirmation of this when He commenced His ministry in Luke 4:18-19 and thereafter His commission to all believers in Mark 16:17.

There are NINE MANIFESTATION GIFTS namely:

• A Word or message of wisdom.
• A Word or message of knowledge.
• Faith.
• Gifts of healing.
• Working of miracles.
• Prophecy – being able through the Holy Spirit to have insight in the Word and bring the Word or speak it to other people when needed in a specific situation for edification of those listening.
• Discerning/ distinguishing between spirits.
• Speaking in different kinds of tongues.
• Interpretation of tongues.

So, these GIFTS help us to DO our WORK for the Kingdom of Abba Father – we can say to EXECUTE our purpose with the POWER of the Holy Spirit as and when we need it in spreading the GOOD NEWS of salvation.

10. Yeshua further taught us HOW TO BE OBEDIENT to HIS FATHER to DEATH

He kept the commandments and the SEVEN ANNUAL and WEEKLY FEASTS (Shabbat) of YHVH as we are also called to do. We read about the feasts in Leviticus 23, and they MIRROR the SALVATION PLAN of YHVH our Heavenly Father, step-by-step and gives us EACH YEAR an opportunity to make sure we follow Yeshua our Messiah in the ways of Abba Father and are ready to meet Him when we are resurrected one day.

The SEVEN ANNUAL FEASTS divided in THREE SEASONS are the following:

FEAST SEASON 1:

• Feast 1: Passover (fulfilled in the crucifixion of our Messiah and we dying with Him to our old nature of sinning);
• Feast 2: Unleavened Bread (fulfilled in the burial of Yeshua our Messiah and our old sin nature being buried with Him);
• Feast 3: First Fruits (fulfilled in the resurrection of Yeshua our Messiah and we with Him as a new person in Him);

FEAST SEASON 2:

• Feast 4: Pentecost (fulfilled by the Holy Spirit being poured out on the disciples and also on us, enabling us to live an obedient live to Abba Father in the footsteps of Yeshua our Messiah and spreading the GOOD NEWS of Salvation to other unsaved people).

FEAST SEASON 3:

• Feast 5: Feast of Trumpets (when the seventh and last trumpet sounds, Yeshua our Messiah will return for a wedding feast with resurrected believers and a war with our Heavenly Father’s enemies).
• Feast 6: Atonement (An evaluation of the purpose and callings of resurrected believers will take place).
• Feast 7: Feast of Tabernacles (This represent the thousand-year reign of peace of Messiah Yeshua on earth before Eternity on the New Heaven and Earth take place with the Father and Him on the throne forever being the LIGHT and the LAMP in the New Jerusalem.

These last THREE FEASTS form part of the next point we will discuss, namely:

11. Yeshua our Messiah dying like all people do. And yes, He died a very special death for all of us taking on the world’s sin. BUT all of us will die once as we read in Hebrews 9:27 except for a few who will be changed instantly during the second coming of Yeshua our Messiah.

12. Yeshua our Messiah was resurrected with a glorified body – this is also the promise for believers in Him – that all of us will receive the same glorified body when Yeshua our Messiah returns to this earth (this is also part of the FEAST of TRUMPETS as explained above).

In Yeshua our Messiah’s example in the 40 days He spend on earth after His resurrection, YHVH the Father revealed to us an idea of this wonderful, glorified body that can be seen, can speak, walk, eat, drink, be touched and move without restriction through walls and over distances.

13. And then Yeshua our Messiah ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of YHVH the Father – just as we will either be resurrected or be changed in an instance and receive our glorified bodies when the LAST TRUMPED sound and Yeshua our Messiah returns and we either come with Him or meet Him in the air to be with Him and Abba Father forever (read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15 as well as Revelation chapters 20 to 22).