Welcome to
A R C-N e w s, Dec. 28, 2024
Fortnightly Report on Christian Agape-Care in Secular Societies, by Dr. Robert D. Hosken
The right to believe and the right to life are inseparable: Right belief in a loving God enables us to love our neighbor!
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A FIRST-CENTURY VIEW OF YESHUA, THE MESSIAH
A Historical Account of Yesous Khristos, the Anointed One
"How the Jewish mouse ate the Greco-Roman elephant"
How did we get here? Our understanding of Yeshua, the Messiah, is filtered through centuries of retelling, revising, and projecting our current worldview back twenty centuries ago, resulting in layers of anachronisms.
What went wrong? Why do we see so much animosity between Christians and Jews? Originally, the followers of Yeshua were just considered another sect of Judaism, along with Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots. It arose mainly in the fifth century C.E. in the writings of Jerome and Augustine, as you will see in the conclusion of this book. And where do we go from here?
INTRODUCTION
[This is a preview of my book published on Amazon earlier this year. See all the Print and Electronic Versions.]
The thesis of this book is not only to portray the Person of Yeshua, the Messiah, but also to explore in greater depth the swirling interplay of Jewish and Greco-Roman spiritual, religious, and cultural forces at work leading up to and including the first century A.D. Secondly, it is to illustrate the way in which this renewed and restored Jewish faith would be delivered from captivity and eventually expand to encompass the whole Greco-Roman Empire and beyond - see Gen. 12:1-3, Ex. 3:4-17, Dan. 2:44-45, and Rev. 19:11-16. Thirdly, it aims to point out the Messiah's three years of doing and training others to do diakonia - ministry to "the poor, the lame, the maimed, and the blind" who were the central focus of his earthly ministry, as this work will quote from this author's harmony of the Gospels, The Good News of Yeshua, the Messiah, to answer the question: What does it mean to be a diakon - a deacon?
We as humans tend to perceive what we expect or would prefer to see and hear, and filter out those data that do not conform to our stored experiences. This "confirmation bias" is what all four Evangelists and Paul referred to when quoting Is. 6:9-10 - "By hearing you will hear, And will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, And will in no way perceive: For this people's heart has grown callous, Their ears are dull of hearing, They have closed their eyes; Or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, And should turn again; And I would heal them." We tend to focus on the Lord's Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection because they promise us salvation, but we filter out the parts that tell us about doing hands-on ministry: they do not match up with today's worldview of state-funded social work, welfare and medical care. Let the government pay for it!
The source that has inspired the thesis for this book is "The Old Testament Basis for Christian Worship" - a section in the seminal book on the relation of the Jewish temple and synagogue worship to Orthodox Christian worship: Orthodox Worship: A Living Continuity with the Synagogue, the Temple, and the Early Church1. That book's explanation of early Christianity and its current manifestation in Orthodox worship as being to a great extent a continuation or extension of synagogue worship spurred my interest in the topic. In addition, our home at that time was in a condo/townhouse community built for Jewish people of Pittsburgh: three of our community's residents were victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre on October 27, 2018, heightening my sympathies for the Jewish people and my disgust for the unfair way in which they have been mistreated, maligned, and massacred over the centuries
Get the full article on our ARC-News blog at blogspot.com.
(Click the photo!) Simon at Vision Complex in Tanzania writes: "We now have many chicks over here but they are draining me because all need to be fed, their mothers and roosters too. By the way, we have 10 roosters and they provide us with difficulties in handling them: they fight every night, any hour and anytime. We had a small cage and we were forced to look for a bigger cage. But now that cage looks small again. Building another cage is looming up.
"I'm wondering how big this project is coming up rapidly. I hope this Agape Restoration Community will be built up and get finished. Pray that we get what we need: $200 to feed the community. It has been a headache though we have improved much more." So please pray and DONATE for this worthy project!
A Personal Note: My wonderful wife Cheryl is still recovering from her spinal fusion surgery on Dec. 10: she still has lots of pain. When we visited the surgeon this Thursday he said it can take several weeks for the nerves to heal that were pinched. Please pray for her to bear with the pain until those nerves heal!
I've been doing much of the housework just before and after her surgery: washing clothes and dishes, helping prepare food, grocery shopping, etc. I'm amazed at how much work Cheryl's done for me over the past almost 60 years!
Here's our next free online course: (click →) Course 300, "A Biblical Theology of Ministry," - deadline to enroll: 05 January 2025 (← click). So enroll today, before you forget!
2. CANADIAN WOMAN DENIED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, BUT APPROVED FOR ASSISTED SUICIDE
from: LiveAction
SYNOPSIS: A Canadian woman is speaking out after she was approved for assisted suicide, but she doesn’t want to die – she just wants adequate healthcare. Marcia Doherty, also known online as "Madeline" is living with severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), a chronic illness that causes a host of symptoms, including "influenza-like symptoms, cognitive impairment, multiple forms of pain, and heart, lung, blood pressure, and digestive dysfunctions, among other significantly debilitating symptoms."
According to the Canary, though ME has severe side effects, it is "underrecognized" in British Columbia's medical system, which means many of Doherty's treatments aren't covered under the national healthcare system. "For years, I've fought to stay alive and advocate for my community," Doherty said. There have been multiple previous instances of people being approved for MAiD rather than being given the adequate healthcare they need. These stories underscore some of the many problems that can and do occur when suicide is legalized – when death is presented as an option, adequate care, and dignified treatment get pushed aside.
Pray for Marcia Doherty in Canada, who has been denied access to government health care but was offered assisted suicide instead.
3. MARY, BABY JESUS, AND THAT OTHER GUY
from: Mercator
SYNOPSIS: I pondered afresh this year how Joseph was not simply a noble accessory in the story; he was a necessity. This struck me powerfully this season because it so happens that my first daughter gave birth to her first daughter just days ago, right in the midst of the Christmas rush. So everywhere I look I see glowing statues of a mother, a father, and a baby in the hay. And in my mind's eye I see my daughter, her baby, and the father of that baby standing by, encircled by a halo of goodness, innocence, and joy.
My daughter told us of her husband's attentiveness, his patience in the hospital and at home, his many acts of service, his changing of diapers, and rocking of the baby. She expressed deep gratitude for him. She said, “I'm so thankful for everything he does, however small. Even if he goes to the other room to get something, it's a big deal to me.” She concluded with tenderness, "I can't imagine doing this by myself." My daughter is experiencing for herself what God knew: Mary needed Joseph. Joseph was not just meant to be a tall, dark figurine in a nativity set. He was vital to the whole project. Jesus was sent to a mother, and the work of a mother is best accomplished if it is supported by the work of a father.
Thank the Lord for husbands like Joseph who supported Mary in her shame, pain, and hardship.
4. BENEATH THE SURFACE: EXPOSING THE ABORTION PILL DRUG CARTEL
from: American Life League
SYNOPSIS: The abortion pill regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol can be accessed in all 50 states and U.S. territories due to the FDA’s 2023 removal of in-person regulations to obtain abortion pills. Networks of abortion providers and volunteers are working as drug dealers via the Internet and U.S. postal system and are illegally sending these pills to customers. Abortion regulations have not and will not work to stop abortion pills from being sold.
The United States Postal Service, the FDA, and other U.S. government agencies have neglected to investigate these individual networks that provide abortion pills illegally and consistently through the mail system. We must expose the abortion pill drug cartel and prove there is no "abortion-free" state in the U.S. This report sheds light on the lack of action for this crisis, leaving us to ask: Why are state and local governments turning a blind eye to baby killing?
Pray against the horrible plague of mail-order abortion pills that the government lets be sent illegally to gullible women.
5. FBI SEARCHES AUTISM CENTERS AFTER FINDING 'SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE' OF FRAUD
from: Disability Scoop
SYNOPSIS: The FBI raided two Minnesota autism centers late last week as part of an investigation it said revealed “substantial evidence” of millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicaid claims from companies participating in a state program serving young people. And at least four autism centers were reimbursed over $1 million by the state through the federal child nutrition program at the crux of the Feeding Our Future case, while several others tried to get into the program.
A former employee said the owners liked to hire their relatives so they could pay them less than qualified medical professionals and :because they would not question what was going on at the company." According to Beulke, Smart Therapy billed Medicaid for EIDBI services rendered by medical providers who did not work at Smart Therapy and were not on the clinic's payroll, and also submitted claims for services from medical providers who were outside of the country at the time.
Ask the Lord for the fraud to be exposed that is happening through government programs like this one.
6. THE AGEISM CRISIS: IT'S TIME FOR A WORKFORCE REVOLUTION
from: Forbes
SYNOPSIS: Creating Age-Inclusive Workplaces: For far too long, age discrimination has quietly undermined the security of older workers. The economic contributions of older workers are undeniable. The so-called "longevity economy," led by those over 50, contributes a massive $8.3 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. Yet, when older workers seek to remain or reenter the workforce, they often find themselves pushed aside.
The future of work will require a comprehensive approach to training and inclusion, one that fully recognizes the value of older workers. We must review recruitment processes to eliminate age bias in job descriptions and hiring protocols. It is estimated that building intergenerational workforces and giving older employees greater opportunities to work could raise GDP per capita by 19% over the next three decades. By investing in the training, upskilling and inclusive hiring of older workers, we can create a future that works for everyone – regardless of age.
Pray for an end to ageism, the discrimination against older but experienced workers and retired people.
7. LIFE FOR THE DISABLED WILL SOON BE BETTER AND HERE'S WHY
from: Disabled World
SYNOPSIS: Global investments in disability tech and market growth promise a transformative future, positioning disabled individuals as a thriving and privileged demographic in society. This article presents a unique perspective on the future of disability care and technology. It argues that the growing market for assistive technologies, driven by an aging population and increasing numbers of people with disabilities, will lead to significant improvements in the lives of disabled individuals.
The article suggests that this economic shift will transform disabled people from a marginalized group to a privileged one, as businesses invest heavily in developing products and services to meet their needs. It contrasts current government-led efforts with potential future business-driven innovations, suggesting that the latter could be more transformative. By framing disability as an "attractive reason for investment," the article challenges readers to consider how economic incentives might lead to rapid advancements in assistive technologies and improved quality of life for disabled individuals.
Thank God that people are beginning to see the opportunities of providing assistive technologies to people with disabilities.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Perhaps you've read this before and are wondering, "Why am I seeing this again?" But millions of other Christians haven't seen it! So please use the "share" buttons above to share it with your social media friends. Thanks!!
| Answer the Call! |
All Christians, not just clergy or monks, are called to be saints. The main task of bishops, pastors, deacons, evangelists and teachers isn't just to lead worship services and teach doctrine (although that's important too!), it's to equip the saints to offer service, to do the work of ministry (diakonia in Greek) to build up the Body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 4:12), the Ark of our Salvation. That's why we're Building the ARC.
Ever since Christ established the Church, it has been compared to the Ark: see Hebrews 11:7. The water of the Great Flood has its antitype in the water of baptism, which saves us just like Noah and his family were saved from the Flood by being in the Ark. The Apostle Peter wrote that -
"God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you - not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21).
Back then, most of the people laughed at Noah building the Ark and went about their ordinary business / busyness, not thinking this was a matter of life or death. YOU have a 70% probability that you'll need at least home healthcare: over 2/3 of retired people will spend on average about 3 years disabled before we depart this life. This is not something to laugh at or ignore, it's a real risk that people need to prepare for before it happens. We need to build the ARC!
The word "holy" comes from the same Greek word as "saint" which means to be set apart or totally committed to serving God. So all of us, clergy and laypeople alike, are called to be holy, to be saints: "...as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, but just as He who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy; for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:14-16).
The main task of pastors and teachers is (or ought to be) "to equip the saints to do the work of ministering to the building up of the Body of Christ" - the goal is to make every member a minister: that's how the Body of Christ, the Church, will be built up! As the culture becomes less and less Christian, "Cultural Christianity" – just going through the motions one hour a week or so – won't cut it anymore. What's needed is an environment where we can live out our faith on a 24/7 basis. Building the ARC is more than just a building, it's a complete lifestyle change... [read more...]
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If just 5% of the people who see this would give $5 per month (just 17¢ per day!) – coffee with your favorite friend at your favorite coffee shop – we could cover our operating expenses and do much more in spreading the word, supporting orphans, and providing accessible housing for the disabled. My wife and I left our careers over 30 years ago to serve in Russia as missionaries: we're now "semi-retired" – we've put on a new set of semi tires and keep on trucking! We live on our retirement income and volunteer our time: we receive no financial support from Agape Restoration Society. Our websites and ministry are funded by us and just a few friends. ...thanks!
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