HOUSECHURCH

REPORT CARD 2019 CHRISTMAS AND 2020 NEW YEAR Victor Choudhrie - India Now that the Christmas hullaballoo has quieted down, how did Jesus calibrate his birthday celebration? The urban traditional church: There was a lot of wining and dining, cakes, cookies, candles, fancy dress, decorating the church, programs, suggestive dancing, dramas, fireworks, last minute shopping, community dinner and giving of gifts to each other. The church, of course was doing what it knows best – collecting funds. Interestingly, everyone was so busy celebrating Jesus birthday that they completely forgot to give him a birthday present of his choice. We know that he does not care about gold or silver or fancy clothes or sumptuous food. He said, “My food is to do the will of the Father who sent me and finish the task he has given me. John 4:34 ) And the will of the Father is that none should perish but come to the knowledge of truth (Jesus) and be saved . (1Tim. 2:4) And the task is to discip...

10th to the 18th October 2019 This Feast was celebrated by the Jews as a remembrance of their redemption from slavery in Egypt and sojourn in the wilderness for 40 years when they lived in temporary Sukkots or booths or tabernacles. Today, they build these temporary Sukkots with fresh leafy branches, fruits and flowers. They spend 7 days with family and friends, reminding themselves of how God redeemed them from slavery and lived among them in a Tabernacle and protected, fed and watered them, that their clothes and shoes did not wear out. Sadly, only Caleb and Joshua, out of the 601,730 men who had crossed the Red sea, also crossed the Jordan. Numbers 26:51 Many believe that Yeshua was born in the Sukkot (Tabernacle) sometime in September, on the first day of the Sukkot and circumcised on the last day of the Feast. We have romanticized the cowshed and the manger with cows and donkeys, but every farmer knows that by morning the place becomes filthy and stinky. More likely, he was bo...

1.         Yeshua is the Gospel of the Kingdom: Yeshua announced the Kingdom; that entrance is through repentance , being born again and doing the will of the Father (Matt. 4:17; 4:21; John 3:3-5). He gave power and authority to his disciples to preach the Kingdom and gave them a mandate to make disciples of all nations (Luke 9:1-3; Matt. 28:19). He taught Kingdom prayers, “Thy Kingdom come on earth ” (Matt. 6:10). Like God who taught Torah to Moses for 40 days, he taught his disciples about the Kingdom for 40 days (Acts 1:3). He prioritized the Kingdom , “ Seek ye first the Kingdom of God ” (Matt. 6:33). He defined the Kingdom “Wherever he is, even if only 2 or 3 are gathered” and unfolded the purpose , “Christ in you is the hope of glory of the Gentiles” (Matt. 18:18-20; Luke 17:21; Col 1:27). The expression “Kingdom of God” comes 162 times in the NT, while Yeshua used the word “Church” only 3 times. A Kingdom has a King and his...

This Feast was celebrated by the Jews as a remembrance of their redemption from slavery in Egypt and sojourn in the wilderness for 40 years when they lived in temporary Sukkots or booths or tabernacles. Today, they build these temporary Sukkots with fresh leafy branches, fruits and flowers. They spend 7 days with family and friends, reminding themselves of how God redeemed them from slavery and lived among them in a Tabernacle and protected, fed and watered them, that their clothes and shoes did not wear out. Sadly, only Caleb and Joshua, out of the 601,730 men who had crossed the Red sea, also crossed the Jordan. Numbers 26:51 Many believe that Yeshua was born in the Sukkot (Tabernacle) sometime in September, on the first day of the Sukkot and circumcised on the last day of the Feast. We have romanticized the cowshed and the manger with cows and donkeys, but every farmer knows that by morning the place becomes filthy and stinky.   More likely, he was born in a Sukkot of the f...