Episode Transcript
[00:00:04] This really should be called the Deja Vu dedication. Deja Vu. Because I have been here before, actually a couple of times I've been here before. I was standing here. It looked a lot different than this. In 2009 when we had an original connection with Grace Christian Fellowship and Pastor Matt Goddard, who allowed what was at that time Nahamu Ami Messianic Synagogue to come and meet here, we had no home. That's why on the wall, walking into the old part of the building now, you see a portrait and a plaque dedicated to Mack Goddard. It was Mack who provided this home. It was Mack whose community later gave us this building and gave us this land and everything.
[00:00:50] So that was a special moment in 2009 when we had a home. In 2015, we turned this little Baptist looking ch. Know when you walked in what was once the foyer, There were about 75 variations of crosses hung on the walls. And so when Jews came in, they were like, I better leave. But in 15, we undertook a big project to create a beautiful synagogue to turn it from that into.
[00:01:24] It's very hard to believe that that is almost a decade ago, but. Well, it is a decade ago. I want to transport briefly back to that because if you've been around Shalom Macon long enough, you might remember it. And we had this glorious dedication. There was a buzz, there was joy in the air. We had so much new that it had become a synagogue. Torah scrolls. We had Torah scrolls. We had brand new like elders chairs, we had fresh paint. We had just the smell of such wonderful new life in the air. People were exc. And we may have had an off the hook potluck for all I remember. But on that note, nothing like last night.
[00:02:14] And how about again, if you weren't here, I'm sorry, but how about a hand to all those who served? And I also need to make.
[00:02:26] I mentioned Karen last night, our kitchen steward, but I also need to remind you that the reason that room looked like that was because of Miranda Jones and her team of volunteers who made a like a Ritz Carlton banquet out of this. And also Ross Zia, who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes with the construction crews, everything.
[00:03:01] And so many other people, education departments just. There's so many people that make something like this happen. But you know, we back to 2015, some of you were here, some of you may not have been.
[00:03:16] The point is that we genuinely believed that we were building something to last.
[00:03:25] We really did. And I don't just mean physically, I mean a community that would really stand the test. Of time that would be anchored in love and devotion and spiritual vision and all of these things, and dedicated, of course, to God and to that mission. But, you know, something happened because within a year or so after some cracks began to form. And I don't mean in the newly constructed walls. I mean, like, that probably happened, too. But I'm saying in the community itself, some of the faces that were there. Actually, many of the faces that were there are not here now.
[00:04:11] And, you know, why is that? Well, unintentionally, we missed something. That's what happened. We had some. Yeah. Disagreements, misunderstandings, unmet expectations. But I think what we really missed is we had a lack of vision. We missed it. We just didn't get it. Of purpose, of intention, a reason to be. And while it wasn't the same scale in this sort of departure or destruction, it wasn't on second Temple destruction level. We didn't have a Roman legion come in and batter down the walls with battering rams. But there was a decline.
[00:04:51] There was a drifting. And it wasn't like congregational split kind of stuff. It was just painful and unpleasant and really, really disappointing to have done what we thought was so far in our community, such a great thing, only to fall back. And if you were here, perhaps you remember it. I don't know. I know I do. And so, you know, today we're rededicating a new foyer, a new kitchen, new sign, some new pieces of artwork, of course, a new coffee maker.
[00:05:33] But at this time, I want to highlight something so crucial, and I want to verbalize it so clearly, repetitively, even so that our direction forward is clearer.
[00:05:49] Because, of course, we know that a dedication is not about drywall or countertops or floor tile or anything like that. Kitchens, coffee bars. What I want us to see is that any dedication that happens here now and forever is really only of our hearts and of the purpose. And I know that sounds cheesy and cliche. Just give me a chance to develop it.
[00:06:13] The physical stuff is great. It's beautiful, stunning, incredible. You walk in, you can feel it. It's amazing. It's great insofar as it supports and reflects what God is doing among us, especially having been here before, so that the past is not repeated.
[00:06:36] And speaking of the past, I can say with confidence that beauty isn't enough.
[00:06:46] Jewish history coupled with our own story can also provide that proof. When we look and take a historical look at Herod's temple, everyone's familiar with the second Temple. Stunning, bright white stone, gold plating caught the sunlight, shone Like a beacon for miles around. According to Josephus, if you hadn't seen the Temple, you hadn't lived.
[00:07:09] It was the most beautiful thing. People traveled from all over the Roman Empire to get to the Temple. Gentiles sent sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem. It was stunning and beautiful.
[00:07:24] But you know your history and you know how that story ends. And we recall it every year on a day called Tisha Bav, the night 9th of Av.
[00:07:33] It was destroyed in 70 CE by the Romans.
[00:07:39] And that really, though, wasn't the reason Rezet. It wasn't superior military might that destroyed the Temple. Our sages very clearly explain that the real cause of the Temple's destruction was our own issue.
[00:07:54] It was us. It wasn't Caesar, it wasn't Pompey, it wasn't Tiberius. It wasn't Vespasian. It was us.
[00:08:04] Sinat Chinam is the word in Hebrew. Baseless hatred, hatred among the Jewish people, internal strife, factions, lack of unity, and to put it bluntly, a lack of love. I heard a message this week that I love from Rabbi Fari is in New York. You want a good rabbi with an incredible New York accent who tells it like it is? You should listen to Rabbi Fari's weekly podcasts. They're really good. But he was talking about the tabernacle being built undeniably from donations. It had to have things, you know, you needed resources. You can't build out of thin air.
[00:08:46] But the way those resources were acquired, the people brought it, but it was because they wanted to.
[00:08:56] It was as Exodus said, God instructs Moses, take up a freewill offering from the Israelites for the construction of the tabernacle. Say, tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You're to receive the offerings for me from everyone whose heart prompts him to give.
[00:09:13] Boy, that puts a real wrench in that. Every heart is despicably wicked, doesn't it?
[00:09:19] I know that's a line. I know that's a scripture. But God right there is saying, when your heart moves you in a positive manner, bring that and give it to me. God wanted the people to give freely, motivated by their own hearts, out of love. Out of love. So the Temple and the Tabernacle and certainly the Temple, were built from resources, but it was really built from the people's love. It was their heart that urged them to bring the things that did it. In other words, the heart behind it was the foundation of the thing. It wasn't bricks and mortar.
[00:10:03] Those are necessary physical things, but it's the love it's the consideration. And when that foundation of love cracked prior to the first century, but then manifested itself, when that foundation of love cracked in Jerusalem, in Herod's beautiful temple, the walls came down.
[00:10:33] They actually came down long before Rome arrived.
[00:10:36] They were coming down. So let me stress, when the foundation of love between people crumbles, there is no amount of marble or gold or anything that can keep a structure standing. Psalm 127 puts it, unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain, right? Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. I'm taking that a little bit out of context for point. Unless the people's heart, which is turned toward the Lord, unless the people are doing it with love, in accordance with God's love and example, it is a vain labor.
[00:11:16] In other words, you can have the best architects in the world, you can have the greatest strategic plan, the perfect blueprint. But if God and his people's love aren't at the center of it, what do you have? A foundation waiting to crumble. So let's return to our own little local story from Jerusalem, our previous dedication. First of all, that was not a sham. That wasn't that we didn't think that the building and the beauty was gonna be all we needed. We didn't think that it was that all of this was meaningless. We had incredibly good intentions.
[00:11:56] We sang songs, we prayed prayers. We maybe even shed some tears of joy.
[00:12:03] But as time went on, it became apparent we lacked that deeper, binding sense of shared vision and true fellowship that just. We just moved apart.
[00:12:13] We had a space.
[00:12:15] A space, but we didn't consistently fill it with the kind of love that holds communities together.
[00:12:24] We had a building, but we didn't actually act like we were the building. The living stones that construct the temple. First Peter says we had good coffee, and let's be honest, that's something.
[00:12:43] And you need coffee to stay awake for some of my sermons. I realize that. But listen, love, hospitality, those things probably didn't always dominate. And if I'm transparent and I'm looking back, in some sense, I can honestly say we labored in vain.
[00:13:04] We built something beautiful, of course, with God's help and favor, and not that that labor in any way was worthless. You know why? Here you sit, enjoying the beauty of one chapter of the story of this community. Every Shabbat, every festival, here we sit in this beautiful, beautiful sanctuary. But somewhere in the midst of the excitement, we miss that core ingredient that fortifies it, that sacrificial love, the Compelling mission. It's like baking bread without yeast. You put it in, you watch it, it doesn't rise, it doesn't elevate. It's missing something, right?
[00:13:45] Bummer, dude.
[00:13:47] This is a building dedication. This is supposed to be uplifting and exciting.
[00:13:54] Give me my money back.
[00:13:58] Well, let's fast forward to today. A lot can change in a decade.
[00:14:03] You know that. A lot can change in a day. But a lot has changed in five. Five years, Six years.
[00:14:11] Thanks. Be first to God, but also to persistence. I'm going to be just as bold and transparently leader esque. Thanks to persistence from Kelly and myself on the one hand, but from an amazing team. An amazing team of leaders and teachers and people who give their lives. Volunteers, contributors, builders, not bystanders who have made every one of you who support the mission in some way financially. Absolutely. A lot has changed. And only God could have done some of the things that have occurred here. I recognize that. Only God. Where in the world have you ever heard of a pastor giving away his church and 26 acres because he wants to bless the Jewish people? Have you heard it? No. There's so many things that only God could have done here. But for our part, we've learned.
[00:15:21] We've become more intentional about relationships. We've become more intentional about what a community is and how we welcome others. And speaking of welcome, we just finished 18 weeks of Romans, right? And remember the last 12 through 16. What does he say over? Welcome them. Welcome them. Welcome them.
[00:15:42] And that wasn't some surface level, passive, hey, how are you? I'm the rabbi. I'm Damian Eisner. Nice to meet you.
[00:15:50] Okay, go over there.
[00:15:53] Welcome them. Bring them in. Embrace them.
[00:15:58] And it wasn't just tolerance. It was active. It was sacrificial bridge building. And what Paul was writing about, we know, was revolutionary. Jews and Gentiles under one roof worshiping the God of Israel. It was revolutionary. And they were so different. But they were sharing meals and they were worshiping together and they were bearing each other's burdens and giving each other the benefit of the doubt. And they were forging genuine friendships. And they're doing all these things that are so hard to find. And that's what we have here. Thank God.
[00:16:33] That's what has matured. It's what we have. Because you can have the most beautiful foyer in the world and the most comfortable seating ever.
[00:16:50] But if people entering that space don't feel the sense of welcome them, that they are truly welcome, then it's just.
[00:16:58] It's just an Appearance, it's just window dressing. It's like walking into a museum. Pretty, but sterile and boring.
[00:17:07] No offense if you love museums. From the beginning of this community, we have. We've strived, and on many levels, we have succeeded. I know from the very beginning, there are people who've walked in the door and said, matt, I could just. I really, honestly could feel something special in there. It was beautiful and I've heard it a lot.
[00:17:29] But what we've done here and what we're celebrating here is just the next level of opportunity to welcome them.
[00:17:41] And, you know, it's not difficult having a clear vision and mission. That helps. And I'm not going to give you a vision, statement, message, I promise you.
[00:17:52] But it is important to have one.
[00:17:57] It really is. And you know what, we do all kinds of things, but you know what we do best? You know what our vision is? You know what our mission is? Community. We teach. We teach the Bible, we celebrate the hospital, the hospitals, the holidays, the festivals. We do all kinds of educational things, but it's all about community. That's what we do here. That's our mission.
[00:18:22] And you know, it's not. Nothing that we ever do is about building something huge and awesome in Macon, Georgia, you know why I'm saying, for the local congregation. You know what people still, after 15 years, they're not beating down our doors every Saturday morning to get in and find a seat. I don't know why.
[00:18:43] But all around the world, people show up all around the world.
[00:18:48] And so we're here for everyone. Locally, nationally, internationally.
[00:18:55] Every one of you who faithfully represent Messiah, to teach the Torah of God to be a beacon of light. Our mission, community. We are a family on a journey. We are accountable. Yeah, we're real nice, real nice people. But you know what? This is the kind of community where if you're out of line, if you're not doing something right, someone here will love you enough to tell you that.
[00:19:21] Someone here will take you by the arm and the hand or give you a hug and say, I see you're struggling. That kind of accountability is really a important. It doesn't exist. Hey there. How are you? Welcome. Bless your heart. Do you know what she's doing? Do you know who she's.
[00:19:39] I hope to God that doesn't happen here. But what I do know is there's been a lot of people who've struggled through a lot of things here who are still here because the community supported them. It's what we do.
[00:19:54] That's a manifestation of the Love. We don't balk at the first sign of disagreement. We talk about things. We stay. We remind ourselves why we're here. We're about service. We're about generosity. God willing. Acts 2, they all got together, by the way, part of this whole process. I want to end by telling you I need you to sell everything you own.
[00:20:18] We're going. Acts two. We're calling it the new Shalom. Acts two.
[00:20:24] Sell everything. Put it in the pot.
[00:20:28] No, you don't have to do it. But that radical generosity in Acts 2, that was part of their testimony. I want to see us that way. That's part of the vision that drives a community, is to be generous, to share it with other people. You know, and that. The kitchen again, beautiful, wonderful. It shouldn't be just a place to heat up bagels. It's a place to serve. And I am amazed already at the service and the opportunities. And God is good when you're faithful to love.
[00:21:05] And of course, you know that we're about prayer and the presence of God. The temple was all about the presence of God dwelling among his people. If we ever lose sight of that here, we'll also fail miserably. It can't just be about being nice. The presence of God must be in our midst. And so we strive to create an atmosphere where God is here.
[00:21:34] And so when you combine all that stuff, love and welcome and vision and accountability and service and prayer, we become a community that can live in God's presence. Are there things to learn along the way? Oh, yes. I know that there are many things that we'll still need to learn along the way. We're not perfect. We're on a journey. Okay. And speaking of a journey, Darren, do you have the picture of that tower out there?
[00:21:59] Here's what I think of now as I was leaving yesterday. And this is one of the things in the construction that needs to be fixed because the light doesn't shine just right on the star at night.
[00:22:10] But when you drive down I75 and look to the left now, you can see the cross and the star in the light flying over Macon, Georgia, of all places. Okay, maybe my favorite part of everything is just because of what it represents.
[00:22:34] It testifies that what God began in Acts 2 with Jews and Gentiles is alive. It's happening here.
[00:22:42] It's here.
[00:22:43] And so, you know, when you're driving, maybe people will say, hey, what is that?
[00:22:53] It's a living, breathing miracle that these historically estranged groups of Jews and gentiles are so beautifully represented. That Symbol that lights up the synagogue. It's more than just some quirky conversation piece. It's a testimony.
[00:23:12] When you see that light, it's a calling in another way, though. It's a calling in another way. Remember the Bat phone? The red phone? Sometimes. You didn't always get the red phone because, I don't know, maybe Batman wasn't there. Sometimes Commissioner Gordon would just turn on the Bat signal. Remember it? And what did it say? It said, we're in trouble. We need help. Okay, what in the world does that have to do with that?
[00:23:43] Well, you know what I've figured out? I figured out that there is a problem. That's what Commissioner Gordon was saying, Batman, we got a problem. There is a problem. There's a problem that people all around the world do not have a messianic community to call home. They don't have a place to go. And so when I see that symbol, I get to see a beacon for people to say, hey, guess what? All of you, welcome. Come, come. You can move here, you can visit here. I don't care what you do, but come. And that light says that, but it's also a calling to you. Because when you see that symbol, that represents something, that represents the light of the Lord shining on this. And when people walk in the door, they better sense and feel the light of the Lord.
[00:24:30] They should feel it when they come here because that's what the symbol says.
[00:24:36] And now I begin to wander way off my notes. Let me come back. Listen.
[00:24:44] Isaiah 56 says it.
[00:24:48] My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
[00:24:53] It's right there. Ki beiti beit tefilah yikra lehol ha umim.
[00:25:03] My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
[00:25:08] You remember Solomon's dedication?
[00:25:11] You remember what he said? He said, oh, Israel, Israel. When God looks here, I want Israel to bless you. Israel. Oh, Israel. Jewish people, Israel. No, he said, when the foreigner offers a prayer, God, I want you to hear them and I want you to answer it. We're not the temple in Jerusalem. I understand that. But we're a little piece of it.
[00:25:40] We're a little house of it. Even foreigners, he said. In other words, from the very beginning, when Yeshua went over and flipped over the tables, what did he say?
[00:25:52] No, man, this house is going to be a house of prayer for all nations. That's our calling.
[00:25:59] We're doing that.
[00:26:03] The temple was built on the foundation of love. When it failed, the walls came down. So how do we live it out here? Well, you know What? I'll tell you how.
[00:26:12] You have here in this room, people of many different backgrounds, skin colors, country of origin, whatever. Religious original, religious denomination. Guess what? When you come in here, you might actually have to speak with or shake hands with somebody who voted differently than you.
[00:26:37] Oh, my goodness.
[00:26:40] How do you go forward? You go forward with the love that builds foundations. That's what you do.
[00:26:47] It's not hard. It's so refreshing. It makes life so much better.
[00:26:52] Oh, man.
[00:26:59] Let me just see what I can skip over here. Because I was so excited when I wrote this that I think I wrote, like, five times more than I really needed to say.
[00:27:10] But here's the reality check. You ready? As much as I'd love to say, yep, we've been here before. We've learned from all this. Yeah. And now we're gonna. We can cut this ribbon and flip on that sign, and the new will magically make us a perfect community full of love. No, you can't do that. Real talk. Building a community requires a lot of work, of patience, of forgiveness. Forgiveness. Did I say that? Forgiveness. You have to see the best in people. You have to recognize the good, not the bad. You can't look around and find the things that are wrong. You find the things that are right. That's the kind of work that's not just here. That's everywhere. Do you know the level of stress that removes from your life when you're looking for good in people? Not the bad that the world has to present because there's so much bad the world has to present to you. It's so nice. But you have to do it here. You got to see the good in people.
[00:28:10] And it's still possible, even after this amazing walk down memory lane that I've given you in this super, super inspiring dedication that somebody here might still hurt your feelings, that I might hurt your feelings. That I might say something you don't like? That we'll face some misunderstandings, that we'll have to navigate, some differences in how we interpret things. Even the Bible.
[00:28:39] We could actually have a difference of opinion about the Bible in a synagogue. You bet.
[00:28:51] And the differences in cultural backgrounds and personalities. But that's precisely where the rubber meets the road. Because love isn't tested by agreement.
[00:29:05] Love is often tested by disagreement and how you handle it.
[00:29:13] If it only. If our. If our unity only holds until we have conflict, we're no different from any secular club or organization or any other thing that exists out there. We need to rely, of course, on the power of the Ruach Hakodesh, to shape us, connect us, lead us into this kind of unity. That prayer that Yeshua prayed where he said, father, make them one as we are one, one, that's the kind of unity we'd love to see, right? That's as genuine as it gets. I remind you, unless the Lord builds the house, you labor in vain. How does the Lord build the house? His people act like the Lord and they build something amazing.
[00:30:01] So let's heed that wisdom. Let's humbly recognize that when those doors are open and all this great and amazing stuff is happening and new people are coming, and it's just what we wanted. We're still stewards. We're not owners.
[00:30:22] We're just here by God's amazing grace and provision.
[00:30:28] And if we remain connected, if we seek his direction, if we work with each other, we can build something that lasts. And if we drift away or we let pride creep in and no sign, no kitchen, no fancy foyer will save us from the fate of communities.
[00:30:45] So here's my prayer of dedication again.
[00:30:52] Rededication.
[00:30:54] You know, rededications are actually the harder part. The first dedication is really easy. It's the rededication when things get tough, when things in life require that you have to double down and rededicate yourself. That's where it's at.
[00:31:14] So I want you to remember, we're rededicating much more than walls and floors.
[00:31:24] We're dedicating ourselves to unity, to love, to service, to hospitality, to accountability, to prayer, and to the leading of the Ruach Hakodesh.
[00:31:37] Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us every good and perfect gift. Today we stand in this new space, foyer, kitchen, all the areas that have been updated, and we offer it back to you, God.
[00:31:56] We recognize that the physical improvements mean nothing if they're not founded on love and unity and a commitment to one another. As Solomon prayed when he dedicated the temple in Jerusalem. So may we now pray. May your eyes be open toward this place night and day, toward the place of which you have said my name, shall be there to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place. We ask you, Adonai, fill these rooms, hallways, and gathering places with your spirit. May every visitor sense your presence in the moment they walk through the doors. May every meal prepared and served in this kitchen be an act of kindness. May every conversation in this foyer be filled with grace and encouragement. May those who come in weary find rest. May the brokenhearted find comfort. May the searching find truth. And purpose. Let the synagogue be a tower of strength, a light on i75, a beacon for all who pass. May the star of David and the cross be a sign of unity and redemption. Jew and Gentile together worshiping the God of Israel and the name of Yeshua, give us the courage it takes to love one another deeply from the heart to welcome each person as you have welcomed us. We dedicate ourselves, Lord, to walking in faithfulness, humility and service. And may it be said of us, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
[00:33:27] In the name of Yeshua, we pray.
[00:33:32] Where do we go? Nowhere. Without gratitude. Where do you go from here? Nowhere. It starts with me and Kelly thanking you for giving us the opportunity to be leaders here of really, truly the most amazing place that we've ever seen and for being supported and cared for and appreciated along the difficult and sometimes lonely road of leadership. Thank you for your service and your passion and your vision to see what was originally a vision 15, 16 years ago come into this. Thank you for making what it has become today.
[00:34:15] Thank you to every single one of you, near and far who are a part of this family. And as I said, I invite everyone around the world to come here, come home, even if just once, just to be here, just so we can meet you to feel what I'm telling you about today, to have that, the love, the embrace of a community. Thank you to everyone who supports this work, everyone, our local and online financial contributors. This year was amazing to make all of this happen. Amazing.
[00:34:51] Thank you.
[00:34:53] If you're not supporting, I hope you will and know that you're contributing to something that's blessing you and many other people. And our promise is always to be a good steward without giving. So where do we go? Well, thank you. First of all, gratitude always. Last night we had this beautiful Shabbat meal prepared in the kitchen, served by volunteers of your community. Today, after the Elenu, no doubt, we'll have this, enjoy food and fellowship and some more coffee. I can't resist mentioning it. I. I was so excited about that coffee maker. But let this day, I mean it, this day, mark the start of something that in 10 years from today, we look back and first of all, we're all here, but so are a bunch of other people who have been touched and embraced by the community and the love at Shalom Makin to never forget that this is not in vain. We are not building in vain if the Lord is with us. I'm excited. I am excited in a different kind of way than I was in 2015.
[00:36:12] I'm excited.
[00:36:15] So may it be the beginning of a new era.
[00:36:22] Thank you for sharing in the moment.
[00:36:26] Now the fun part. Living it out.
[00:36:31] Shalom I'm Darren with Shalom Macon. If you enjoyed this teaching, I want to ask you to take the next step. Start by making sure you subscribe to our channel. Next, make sure you hit the like button on this video so that others know it's worth their time to watch. Last, head over to our website to learn more about Shalom Macon, explore other teachings and events, and if you're so inclined, contribute to the work that we're doing to further the Kingdom. Thanks for watching and connecting with Shalom Macon.
