Tikvat Israel Sermons

How do you grow a Torah garden—and keep out those pesky gophers?  In the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshua teaches us how to build a fence around the Torah, guard our roots, and protect what’s sacred before it’s trampled by entitlement, lust, greed, and unforgiveness. For faith that bears fruit, check out our most recent sermon from Rabbi David: “How to Grow a Torah Garden” based on our new covenant parsha, Matthew 5:27–48.

Not one yud is wasted. From hidden menorahs to the words of Yeshua, discover how both the Torah and the Prophets come to fullness—and how God’s faithfulness reaches across generations to make all things right. Check it out in this past week’s sermon from Rabbi David on the New Covenant portion, Matthew 5:17-26: “Torah from the Mountain: The faithfulness of God across generations.”

Feeling poor in spirit? Mourning? Hungry for God? Yeshua calls you blessed! The Sermon on the Mount is comfort for the weary and hope for the humble—Torah that transforms us and brings heaven to earth. The Torah from the Mountain calls us to be a different kind of people—humble, merciful, peacemakers, pure in heart. Check it out in this past week’s sermon on the New Covenant Portion, Matthew 5:1-16: Torah from the Mountain: Blessed are the Humble.

What exactly is the good news? This week we follow the reading cycle to the Gospel of Mark, where we explore this very question.   Straightened paths, submitted citizens, belief and action, righteousness grounded in trusting, and the same way of salvation for all.   Check it out in this week’s sermon on the New Covenant parsha from Elder Scott Moore

The Jewish Gospel of Matthew presents Yeshua as a Powerful Servant that came to operate in authority. While others sought titles and positions, Yeshua brought the Kingdom of God with power and simplicity. In the historic scene of expectation for the Messiah, the Jewish people waited for a political liberator, but God sent a spiritual King that would set the human heart free before setting the nation free. Join us as we dive deeper into the three fundamentals of Messiah’s ministry from Mark 1:14-28 with our special speaker - Pastor Ossimar.

Before Yeshua healed a single person, before He preached a single sermon, and before He called a single disciple—He waited. Thirty silent years. And when the heavens finally opened over Him, the very first thing the Spirit did was not send Him into ministry… but into the desert.   Why?   Because the wilderness reveals our hunger and because Yeshua is walking out another story.     In Matthew 4, the Adversary whispers to Yeshua, “Turn these stones into bread.” But Yeshua answers with the lesson Israel forgot, the lesson Adam and Eve rushed past, the lesson Esau traded away, the lesson Saul failed—and the lesson we still struggle with: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”   We avoid waiting. We fill the silence. We numb the hunger. But in the desert seasons—ankles breaking, plans collapsing, blessings disguised as disasters and vice versa—God does His deepest work.   Gam Zu L’Tovah. This too is for the good.

You may have heard of John the Baptizer, but have you heard of “The Little Dipper”?  This week in Matthew 3, John the Baptizer shows up calling Israel to repent — turn around, prepare, get ready for the King.   But then we meet his opposite: the Little Dipper — a made-up “prophet” who says, “Relax… a little sin is fine. The kingdom’s far away.”   John prepares the way. The Little Dipper prepares excuses.   Join us as we explore real repentance — turning, immersing, confessing — and why John is the coach we need even right now.   The Kingdom of Heaven is upon you!

As a first grader once said, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him tap dance.” The way that Yeshua fulfills the expectations and prophecies in the Hebrew Bible is both expected and unexpected.  This whole year we are learning about the Gospel of Matthew.  We dove into Matthew Chapter 2 this week; let’s see how this very Jewish story fulfills the Israel story, shows the divinity of Yeshua, and transforms our lives.

Ever had your plans blown up — not by failure, but by Heaven? This is what happened to Joseph, the adoptive father of Yeshua. One divine interruption turned scandal into salvation. “Doubt can’t achieve what the Spirit can conceive.”

Even Moses had his doubts: “What if they don’t believe me?” “Who am I?” “But I have a stutter!” “Isn’t there anyone else you could send to Pharaoh?”  The One who formed the mouth and who led us in the desert is with us.  Will you go in faith?

We’ve all got surprising sides — collectors of pottery and hanukkiahs, rock painters, pageant queens, airplane-card archivists, even someone who can blow a shofar with their hands. If we’re full of surprises, Kal Vachomer, how much more does Yeshua have surprising facets? This Shabbat we’ll open the first words of John, Mark, and Matthew’s Gospels and uncover the hidden connections to the Jewish people and to the Creator in the Beginning. “The Word was with God and the Word was God.”  In the beginning… there’s more than you think.

We woke up. We got washed. We got dressed. Now it’s time to go outside.

How can you ask God to do anything if you are not tithing?  “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” says Adonai Tz’va’ot  “The glory of this new house will surpass that of the old,” says Adonai Tz’va’ot, “and in this place I will grant shalom,” says Adonai Tz’va’ot.

Two men went up to pray—one proud of his record, the other pleading for mercy. Two kinds of fasting—one to be seen, the other to set free. One counts his good deeds; the other counts on God’s grace. Yom Kippur asks: Are we afflicting ourselves… or awakening compassion? Are we tallying what we’ve done for God… or remembering what He’s done for us? This year, it’s time to get dressed— not in sackcloth and ashes, but in compassion, humility, and love.

The goodness of God draws us to repentance.  The crushing of God produces perseverance and faith, so that, “Out of Zion will come forth a Redeemer who will turn ungodliness from Jacob, and He will take away their sins.”

David: God, I want to build Your house! God: "NO U" David: Awesome! IWASGUNNA… IWASGUNNA… Ole King David, he never said  “IWASGUNNA” because he was Heaven-led IWASGUNNA make a house for God to the letter But His building my house is 10 times better IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA The 5 maidens said IWASGUNNA get some oil I had all these plans that were quickly foiled Cause the groom came back in the middle of the night IWASGUNNA get some oil later tonight IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA The Israelite Slaves in Egypt land Wanted to build something grand Then that Moses came and did what he did But IWASGUNNA make this here pyramid! IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA do this, IWASGUNNA do that IWASGUNNA build my wealth, IWASGUNNA buy a hat IWASGUNNA build a kingdom, but it all got currupted IWASGUNNA do it all before the Lord interrupted IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA IWASGUNNA sleep in, and coast along But the Lord woke me up with his Shofar Song! TEKIA!!!!

Choose Life Have you ever said something that was not heard? How do we know that we have heard the Lord? Are we on track with our first love? This week it was all about listening as we heard from not just one but two special speakers. Rebetzen Jill spoke on the power of the ZIP, and Rabbi Ron Aaronson shared on choosing life.

Why does God call us to garden in thorns? From Adam to Moses to Messiah, the consequence, the curse, and the calling collide.

In this picture of me and my dad, that toddler doesn’t look a lot like him yet.  But today, google photos thinks that’s me on the right.  We are made in the image of our Father in heaven, but also, it takes time to grow into His image.  To learn more…