Category

 People have critiqued Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for their different emphasis on how they tell Yeshua’s resurection. In fact, Tovia Singer published a document detailing over 20 “discrepancies” between these accounts claiming the accounts fraudulent.... Read More →

 Passover for Us! Join us as we walk through the why’s and how to’s of Passover. Why celebrate Passover? How to clean out your Chametz? What are the origins of the Seder? Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered by Senior Rabbi Nathan Joiner on Shabbat... Read More →

 The Armor of the Messianic King: Ephesians (Part 11) As we continue through Ephesians 6:10-20 we will take a deep dive into the context for Paul’s famous passage comparing physical armor to spiritual qualities. Not only does he draw from Roman culture around him but he is... Read More →

 Understanding Your True Spiritual Enemy: Ephesians (Part 10) The Book of Ephesians concludes with a bang! This message will begin a new part of the series on a most quoted passage, “The armor of God” in Ephesians 6: 10-20. In Messiah we are called to be part of a Renewed... Read More →

 Ephesians 8: Submit To One Another The household codes in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 have been a source of much controversy. From woman’s rights to the horrors of the slave trade, these verses have been used by those in control to abuse the weak. But was that what Paul really... Read More →

 Ephesians 8: Submit To One Another The household codes in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 have been a source of much controversy. From woman’s rights to the horrors of the slave trade, these verses have been used by those in control to abuse the weak. But was that what Paul really... Read More →

 The Authority of the Son: John 5:16-30 Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 are two of the most quoted texts during the Christmas season. Join Rabbi Nathan as we discuss Christmas and take a look at these two important passages in the book Isaiah from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Direct... Read More →

 The Authority of the Son: John 5:16-30 After healing the man crippled for 38 years at the pool of Bethzatha Yeshua’s authority is challenged by the Ioudaioi — the Jerusalem approved religious authority in the Temple. Join Rabbi Nathan as we open up Yeshua’s powerful words... Read More →

 What Does Your Chanukah Menorah Mean to You? Rabbi Nathan brings us a reflection on the Hanukkah candles, days past and generations forward. Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Delivered on Shabbat at Ruach Israel’s Sanctuary on December 4, 2021 Read More →

 Ephesians 7: A Community of Thanksgiving Walk through Ephesians 5:1-20 with Rabbi Nathan. We see Paul’s plan for greed and selfishness – a community renewed in Messiah’s life. This is the seventh message in a series on the Book of Ephesians. The complete message... Read More →

 This message is part two of “The Misunderstood Emotion of Anger.” In this message Rabbi Nathan zeros in on a plan to practice Ephesians 4:26, “Do not son in your anger.” Drawing off of parshat Toldot we discuss Jacob and Esav as examples of anger handled poorly. Bring a... Read More →

 Anger poisons communities, families and individuals. It tears relationships apart and damages children. Many people do not understand and do not have a plan for anger in their lives. Today we take a deep dive into Ephesians 4:11-16. Drawing on Paul’s message on Anger in the... Read More →

 Abraham is considered the exemplar of hospitality in Jewish tradition. As we work toward strengthening community join Rabbi Nathan as he explores the value of hospitality through the life of Abraham. Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor Sanctuary on October 23, 2021... Read More →

 Sukkoth is a Festival about Joy. Journey with Rabbi Nathan from Sukkoth into neuroscience on the role of joy in our brains, hearts and souls! Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor Sanctuary on September 25, 2021 Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Read More →

 Sukkot has three names in the Torah. The Festival of the harvest, the festival of Sukkot and the season of our rejoicing. Join Rabbi Nathan as we take a deeper dive into The meaning if Sukkot and build a Sukkah of joy in our hearts! Delivered at Ruach Israel’s Outdoor... Read More →

 The Very Narrow Bridge – A Yom Kippur Message.   Yom Kippur is a day that we rehearse our own death. It is a day where all life collapses all around us and we can touch the true substance of our lives. Rabbi Nathan explores the deeper meaning behind life, death and... Read More →

 In his Shabbat message, Rabbi Nathan helps us to prepare for the upcoming Holy Days. From Ruach Israel’s Outside Sanctuary, September 4, 2021 Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Read More →

 A sequel to the power of a daily prayer time, Rabbi Nathan unpacks verses in Philippians and James which provide a practical roadmap to manage life’s trials and worries. We close with a practical activities that you can bring into your own prayer time to help you “pray... Read More →

 Returning from Camp Or l’dor, Rabbi Nathan shares about the purposes of communal and individual prayer and how to establish a consistent and daily time of prayer first thing in the morning. Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Read More →

 Rabbi Nathan encourages our community to participate in this very solemn day of remembrance, the Ninth of Av Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Read More →

 Who we share life with matters. The Good News is not just a message to share, it is a message our community needs to live. In part 4 of our series on Ephesians, Rabbi Nathan unpacks what “the old and new self” really means in Ephesians 4:17-32. This is the fourth message in... Read More →

 What does it mean to walk in the way we were called — as a community? Ephesians 4:4-16 teaches us how to come together around God’s higher purposes through community life. How can you use the gifting God has given you and become a community builder? This is the third... Read More →

 Rabbi Nathan continues with the series on the Book of Ephesians. The first half of the Book of Ephesians is about the larger story. God is working to bring peace and make all things well in our world. As we move into the second half of the letter (Ephesians 4:1-2) we learn... Read More →

 Rabbi Nathan begins a series on the Book of Ephesians. Community life is important at Ruach Israel. Strengthening community is our congregations strategic focus for 2021. What does the life for the community in Messiah look like? Let’s see what Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul)... Read More →

   Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Mussar and the parable of the rich man (humility, trust and generosity)       Read More →

On the Shabbat before Purim (Shabbat Zachor) the parsha reads several disturbing passages in the Bible that command us to “blot out the Amalekites,” the descendants of Hamon who tried to instigate genocide in the story of Esther.  At Ruach Israel, we do not shy away from... Read More →

The Nearness of HaShem: The Incarnation Parashat Yitro describes the great theophany at Mt Sinai where we received the Torah from G-d. Using our Torah, Haftara and Besora readings Rabbi Nathan unpacks the incarnation in Jewish terms – how the physical mediating presence of... Read More →

 Direct Link to Youtube video of message. The Great Jewish Hope! Rabbi Nathan takes us through the seven verses and psalms used in Hebrews 1:4-2:4 to proclaim proclaim the hope we have in Yeshua — the Messiah who is greater than the Angles. During these days, let us walk... Read More →

Direct Link to Youtube video of message. Drash Identity, calling and purpose – lessons from Parashat Shemot:         Read More →

Direct Link to Youtube video of message. A Journey into the Wilderness As of January 1 2021, Rabbi Nathan has is the new Senior Rabbi at Ruach Israel allowing Rabbi Rich to transition to Rabbi Emeritus after his 40 year tenure. After discussing Parshat Vayechi, Rabbi Nathan picks... Read More →