Sermon Central
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Scripturally A Jew Is Anyone Who Has Renounced ...
Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 25, 2009 (message contributor)
Scripturally a Jew is anyone who has renounced idolatry and thrown in his lot with the people of the one true God. Historically there have been three rites involved in receiving proselytes into Judaism: circumcision, water immersion, and a sacrifice.
The central ritual of admittance into Judaism has always been a baptism by water immersion. The sacrifice was never as important as circumcision or baptism, especially after the Temple was destroyed, making sacrifice impossible. Furthermore, since women converts to Judaism far outnumbered men, circumcision could hardly become the chief rite of entry into Judaism.
The one indispensable thing that any convert had to do to become a Jew was to get baptized.
Proselytes crossed the threshold into Israel through an immersion, because Israel had entered the Promised Land through the water of the Red Sea. In the same way, all enter God’s Promised Land through water baptism.
There was a definite concept of cleansing or purification built into this decisive immersion. A heathen who left behind the idolatry of the Gentile world to become a Jew had passed from sin to a whole new life. When he came up out of the water, he was considered ritually clean, beginning life all over again with a clean bill of goods, like a child newly born.
The baptism of proselytes or converts washed the uncleanness from the heathen on entering Judaism. So non-Jews were grafted into the people of God by a water immersion, which gave them ceremonial purity.
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In 1829 A Man Named George Wilson Was Arrested ...
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
In 1829 a man named George Wilson was arrested for robbery and murder in a US mail heist. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to obtain his pardon from President Andrew Jackson. But when told of this, Wilson refused it ...read more
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We Went To Disneyland A Few Weeks Ago And Stood ... PRO
Contributed by Brad Froese on Aug 30, 2004
We went to Disneyland a few weeks ago and stood in line together for the 3-D movie, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.” I promised my son there was nothing in there that could hurt him when we walked in to sit down, because he was afraid of the dark and unfamiliar theater. When we sat down, I ...read more
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In A Painting Of The Crucifixion By The Famous ... PRO
Contributed by Kim Huffman on Mar 31, 2004
In a painting of the Crucifixion by the famous Dutch artist, Rembrandt, our attention is drawn immediately to the cross and to Him who hangs there. Then looking at the crowd gathered around the Cross, we note the attitudes and actions of these people. As our eyes drift to the edge of the ...read more
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From Daily Encounter Comes This Story By A ... PRO
Contributed by Kim Huffman on Mar 31, 2004
From Daily Encounter comes this story by a Chaplain Robinson: “In 1949, my father had just returned from the war. On every highway you could see soldiers in uniform hitchhiking home to their families. The thrill of the his reunion with his family was soon overshadowed by my grandmother’s illness. ...read more
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Pat Summerall Spent 50 Years With The National ...
Contributed by Ted Mulder on Nov 20, 2004
Pat Summerall spent 50 years with the national Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1952 and played with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants until 1961. After his retirement from the game, he joined CBS as a broadcaster, and in 1993 switched to Fox. During his CBS years he ...read more
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