Press on, make progress, don’t look back. These are common themes in the teaching at Shalom Macon. But there is a time to look back and do some serious soul searching. That time is starting very soon, as we begin our journey through Elul and enter the fall festivals, the High Holidays. It starts with seeing the path, so let’s get started!

The Repentance Road, Part 1: Seeing The Path

Last week we talked about the value of teaching through repetition. This week we are connecting the Promised Land to our obedience. The Promised Land produces fruit if properly tended… but obedience to God is directly tied to its productivity. You may be asking, what does The Land have to do with learning lessons 101 times? And what does that have to do with us? This is what we will discuss in this lesson.

101 What? - Part 2

Hillel said, “One who reviews his studies one hundred times is not comparable to one who reviews his studies one hundred and one times.” What does this mean? Judaism is a faith of repetition: Shabbat every week, the festivals every year, prayers every day. Why? What is the value of teaching through repetition? Let's learn this together.

101 What? - Part 1

The last two teachings have given us a better understanding of the purpose of tests/trials and how our response to them can either open up space for God to move on our behalf or cause us to repeat the same trials over and over. This final message is focused on turning God's interventions into milestones that will help navigate us to our ultimate reward.

Eye On The Prize - Part 3 (The Reward)

In our last message, we talked about the purpose of tests and trials. Now that we know the purpose, we need to figure out how to navigate them. This requires hard work. But if you want to break out of the endless loop of trials and testing that you’re currently in, then you need to learn how to pass your test and “level up” for greater things that God has for you. You can definitely do it, but you’ll never know if you’re not aware of what the Lord is trying to tell you.

Eye On The Prize - Part 2 (The Work)

Life has its twists and turns and is constantly full of surprises. We all have to endure tests and trials to various degrees. Are they an attempt to destroy us or is there a greater purpose they serve? How are we supposed to stay focused on the spiritual side of life when things are falling apart all around us? Part one of this series takes a look at trials and their purpose in each of our lives.

Eye On The Prize - Part 1 (The Test)

We all want to be “happy.” In the last three parts of this series, Rabbi Damian taught you practical, biblical ways to work toward this goal in your life. This concluding episode brings it all together with the most important components of a happy, content life and challenges you to consider—and possibly change—“who you are listening to.”

Chukat - Who Are You Listening To? (Part 4)

Korach provides us with a perfect example of what NOT to do if we expect to be content in this life. Entitlement, lack of humility, and comparison are all fatal flaws in his attitude. It’s what he’s missing that makes the biggest difference. We’ll explore some connections and make life-changing applications in this message.

Korach - Who Are You Listening To? (Part 3)

In Part 1, we learned about not letting the grumblers and complainers get us down. But there’s a more important part of this battle that needs to be explored. You must become the master of your own thinking. Here’s how to do it.

Shelach - Who Are You Listening To? (Part 2)

The children of Israel were headed for the Land. The goal was about to be realized. All was going well and then… the complaining. In hindsight, we know the outcome. The negative chatter derailed the mission and the hope. Poor Israel, right?  Well, we’re just as vulnerable. Who are you listening to?

Beha’alotcha - Who Are You Listening To?

Shalom Macon is a growing and vibrant Messianic Jewish congregation in Macon, Georgia, serving all of the Middle Georgia area. Our congregation is a diverse community, comprised of families from many nations, tribes, and tongues (Revelation 7:9). Therefore, obviously, many are not from a Jewish background. And while we are a Jewish synagogue, committed to the Jewish traditions, teachings, and lifestyle exemplified by our ancestors, our vision is to practice an inclusive Messianic Judaism for All Nations; a restoration of the faith of the earliest communities of Yeshua-followers; a window into the Judaism of the Messianic Era in which King Messiah will reign.

The Weekly Messianic Teachings from Shalom Macon

We're in a time of uncertainty in our country, our communities, and our congregations. Many are searching for meaning and answers without success. This message is the beginning of an important and honest assessment of Messianic Judaism – past, present, and its not-so-promising future. But this anticipated future assumes that we continue thinking the same thoughts and pursuing the same course of action we always have. Nachamu Ami is not going to be led down this path of deterioration. Join Rabbi Damian in this very important message as he lays a new foundation for an exciting trajectory for our congregation and Messianic Judaism as a whole as we begin to think differently.

The Congregational Conundrum

When the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden, he succeeded by asking, "Did God really say … ?" Today, popular preachers and teachers are asking similar questions and casting doubt on the value of the Torah in the life of Yeshua's disciples, "Did God say the Scripture is to be obeyed?" Should we have concerns about popular teachers adding or subtracting to the Word of God to fit a particular theology? Does the New Testament teach that the Torah has been no bearing in the life of Yeshua's disciples? Or is this merely another deception of the serpent? Join Rabbi Damian in this passionately delivered message intended to address the serpent's deceptive voice in today's theological war on Torah.

Did God Really Say?

Everyone knows that Yeshua's death on the cross ended the sacrificial system. Or did it? Arguably, this may be one of the most important teaching series you have ever heard. In this series Rabbi Damian helps us understand Messiah Yeshua, the plan of redemption, the World to Come, and God’s plan for humanity in ways you have never seen—and all through the lens of the Torah's sacrificial system. Don't miss an episode in this challenging, yet engaging, series, "A Better Covenant: Yeshua &amp; The Sacrificial System."

A Better Covenant: Yeshua & The Sacrificial System - Part 1

Why does life bring with it trials and tests? Are tests for God or for us? If they are for us what do they accomplish? Do they increase our faith? If so, why do we need more faith? So that we can undergo greater testing? Is it an endless cycle or is there a greater purpose for testing? Join Rabbi Damian as he wrestles with this honest question about the testing of our faith using the life of Abraham as the framework for understanding God's purposes.

Lech Lecha: Do It For You

Many times when tests come our way we hear voices of discouragement, voices of doubt, voices of anxiety, voices of fear. They all tell us things will only get worse and it's better just to give up than to face the reality of our future. The Midrash, the ancient commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures, tell a story of how HaSatan lured Sarah into believing the worst and how it affected the rest of her life. How will listening to his voice and the voices of fear and doubt affect your life? Join Rabbi Damian as he exposes the lies we have come to believe and encourages us to live overcoming lives of faith.

I Hear Voices

God promised Abraham that his descendants would be "as the stars of heaven" (Genesis 22:17). Is that promise merely in regard to quantity? Or is there a qualitative aspect of this promise? Can two pieces of kosher meat be soaked together in a salt bath or do they need to be soaked individually? How does this halachic (legal) argument related to the promise to Abraham, the teachings of Yeshua, and our responsibility to "make souls" like Abraham did? Find out the answers to these questions in this eye-opening look at the life of Abraham from Rabbi Damian in Parashat Vayeira (Genesis 18:1–22:24)!

Becoming An Influencer In A World That Needs You Now

The story of Hanukkah is about religious freedom, particularly for the Jewish people. However, in every generation there are those who would try to destroy the Torah and all who cling to it. In Messianic Judaism we have a battle to fight against anti-Semitism. However, we also have a battle to fight for Messianic Judaism itself. Join Rabbi Damian in this passionate message about restoring, rededicating, and rebuilding Messianic Judaism from the inside out in the spirit of the Maccabees of the Hanukkah season.

Hanukkah 5780: It’s Still A Battle

The name Abraham is synonymous with faith. When we speak about Abraham, we speak about faith. But what about Abraham's chesed, his loving kindness? As much as Abraham had faith, his chesed was just as deep. What lessons can we learn from this and how can we apply it right now? Join Darren Huckey as he brings this important message, “Abraham: Master of Chesed.”

Abraham - Master Of Chesed

What do Andy Stanley, Antisemitism, and Antiochus IV have in common? This latest message from Rabbi Damian! Does Andy Stanely have the solution to a world filled with non-Christian and post-Christian sentiment? How does Andy Stanley's theology work to uphold the decrees of the Antiochus IV against the Jewish nation? Does Messianic Judaism have anything better to offer in a culture that does not care anything about the Bible? You don't want to miss this powerful conclusion to the last few months of teachings that show how the seeds of Replacement Theology can sprout horns, grow legs, and turn into an uncontrollable beast when left unchecked. Join Rabbi Damian as he exposes the Adversary's deception among followers of Yeshua today.

Andy, Anti - , Antiochus, And An Answer

Was Yeshua really a sacrifice? Where in the Scriptures do we find that a human qualifies as a sacrifice. Where does it say that human blood is required to satisfy the wrath of a blood-thirsty God? These are difficult and legitimate questions that are often raised by anti-missionaries and skeptics. How does Christianity answer this? Does Messianic Judaism have an answer? Join Rabbi Damian in this honest look at these questions and more to give us a clear picture of Yeshua as the sacrificial lamb of God.

The Sacrificed Lamb

In Part 2 of our series, A Better Covenant, Rabbi Damian delves deep into the Torah's sacrificial system by taking a long look at the difference between ritual purity and moral purity. We know the sacrificial system deals with ritual purity, but what about moral purity? How does it handle that? Were sin offerings always offered because someone had sinned? Is a new mother somehow a sinner because she has to bring a sin offering? Was there some kind of moral failure on her part when she either conceived or gave birth to a child? Join us as we continue unraveling the mysterious inner workings of the sacrificial system in order to ultimately understand what Yeshua has done for us.

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 2: Purity & Sacrifice

Are we talking about a hit movie from the '80s starring John Travolta? Not quite. In our last message, we began discussing the various reasons why the very first word of Leviticus has one letter (the aleph) that is much smaller than the rest. This week we continue exploring this theme but this time diving into the Midrash to find some unexpected connections between this single letter and our Messiah. Who was speaking to Moses in Leviticus 1:1? The answer may surprise you.

Look Who's Talking

In our previous teaching, Rabbi Damian addressed some potential areas of concern regarding Yeshua’s priesthood. If Yeshua wasn't permitted to be a priest according to the regulations of the Torah, then how can he be a priest on our behalf at all? What is this “more excellent ministry” that Yeshua arbitrates and what does the author of Hebrews mean when he says that Yeshua is a priest “the order of Melchitzedek”? Unfortunately, this concept is completely misunderstood and misrepresented in Christian theology. If you’re a learner who wants to understand Hebrews better, you don’t want to miss this exciting and clarifying teaching on Yeshua and his priesthood in the order of Melchitzedek.

Meet Melchitzedek

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 4: They Missed The MemoIs the God of the Old Testament an angry, mean, blood-thirsty deity that needs to be pacified by blood, particularly the blood of His only Son? Did the blood of Yeshua finally satisfy His craving for blood to the point of doing away with the sacrificial system? Was the Holy Temple in Jerusalem destroyed, Jerusalem sacked by the Romans, and the Jewish people exiled and rejected by God because they rejected the sacrifice of Yeshua? This is the standard interpretation of Yeshua's death as interpreted through the lens of a Christian reading of the book of Hebrews. But is this really the way the Scriptures portray these events and the sacrificial work of our Savior? Join Rabbi Damian as he shows the fundamental problems associated with this kind of reasoning as it is backed up throughout the Scriptures. This is a heavy-hitting message you won't want to miss.

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 4: They Missed The Memo<br><br>Is the God of the Old Testament an angry, mean, blood-thirsty deity that needs to be pacified by blood, particularly the blood of His only Son? Did the blood of Yeshua finally satisfy His craving for blood to the point of doing away with the sacrificial system? Was the Holy Temple in Jerusalem destroyed, Jerusalem sacked by the Romans, and the Jewish people exiled and rejected by God because they rejected the sacrifice of Yeshua? This is the standard interpretation of Yeshua's death as interpreted through the lens of a Christian reading of the book of Hebrews. But is this really the way the Scriptures portray these events and the sacrificial work of our Savior? Join Rabbi Damian as he shows the fundamental problems associated with this kind of reasoning as it is backed up throughout the Scriptures. This is a heavy-hitting message you won't want to miss.

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 4: They Missed The Memo

What should be our purpose for dwelling in a sukkah (tabernacle) during the week of Sukkot? What should we be focused on and thinking about? Join Rabbi Damian in this brief message to prepare us for Sukkot.

Upon What Shall We Dwell While Dwelling

Is your glass half empty or half full? Our perspective can determine where we are in God’s story and whether we play the role we tasked with. Moses had doubts but came to realize Hashem's absolute authority. On the other hand, Pharaoh had a false perception of reality. He believed the gods were under his control and he was apathetic to the suffering of his people. Even though Pharaoh saw the glass as half full, it turned out not to be to his advantage. Our perspective has the ability to not only affect us, but the people around us—our family, our friends, our community, and those we mentor. Be sure to join Lance Slater as he shares a timely message on this important topic: Half Empty or Half Full? The Power of Perspective.

Is your glass half empty or half full? Our perspective can determine where we are in God’s story and whether we play the role we tasked with. Moses had doubts but came to realize Hashem's absolute authority. On the other hand, Pharaoh had a false perception of reality. He believed the gods were under his control and he was apathetic to the suffering of his people. Even though Pharaoh saw the glass as half full, it turned out not to be to his advantage. <br><br>Our perspective has the ability to not only affect us, but the people around us—our family, our friends, our community, and those we mentor. Be sure to join Lance Slater as he shares a timely message on this important topic: Half Empty or Half Full? The Power of Perspective.

Half Empty or Half Full? The Power of Perspective.

What does it mean to occupy your space and are we currently doing so? Are we taking up more space than we should? Are we filling the space that we've been given? How does this concept help us understand the dynamics of what was going on behind the scenes in the rebellion of Korah against Moses? Join Lance Slater as he delves into these concepts and more in this contemplative understanding of Korah and our responsibility to occupy our proper space in all areas of life.

Occupying Your Space

According to both the traditional translation and interpretation of Hebrews 8:13, the Torah is "obsolete." But did the author of Hebrews really say this or is this a bias by translators? Is this passage referring to the Mosaic covenant, the Torah, or something else? How can the New Covenant be in effect if the Torah has been made obsolete? Isn't is supposed to be written on our hearts, according to Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36, and Isaiah 30? Did Yeshua make an allusion to the fulfillment of the New Covenant in the Sermon on the Mount? Tune-in as Rabbi Damian brings clarity to this pivotal and greatly misunderstood passage to help us understand the promise, the purpose, and the power of the New Covenant.

The New Covenant (Part 2)

As Nachamu Ami transitions to its new identity as Shalom Macon, questions surface about the direction as a congregation. What stays the same, what changes? What will our services look like? What areas of compromise are we willing to make and what are the non-negotiables? Join Rabbi Damian as he answers these important questions to find out how we plan to navigate these waters and help others like yourself do the same.

The “Nones” and the Non-Negotiables

Was the book of Hebrews written to show the superiority of Christianity over Judaism? Was it written to help Jewish Christians completely give up their attachment to Judaism and make a full transition to Christianity? In order to deal with these questions we need to find some keys that will help us unlock the answers we seek, and they seem to be located in strange places. The first one is found in the death of James, the brother of Yeshua. The other is found in Nero's persecutions of the early followers of Yeshua. Did you catch all of that? Strengthen your faith by joining Rabbi Damian in this exciting history lesson to understand the backdrop behind the purpose of the book of Hebrews.

A Better Covenant - Yeshua and the Sacrificial System, Part 6: The Why of Hebrews

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