Shalom Macon: Messianic Jewish Teachings

What if returning to God isn’t about going backward—but forward? This teaching reveals that Teshuvah isn’t just repentance—it’s a return to your future self , the perfected version Hashem envisioned from the beginning. Discover how Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot form a prophetic timeline from deliverance to destiny—and how the sukkah represents not the past, but the world to come. Are you still livin...

What if the soil of your soul is a garden God planted with seeds of identity, purpose, and potential? Are your trees thriving—or withering? This Shabbat Shuvah invites us to take a walk with God through the inner garden of our lives, inspecting what is flourishing, what is thirsty, and what has been neglected. Discover how repentance is not just about leaving sin behind but returning to who you we...

Why does the Torah command us to read its entirety during Sukkot, at the end of the Shemitah year? And how is this tied to the mysterious timing of the year’s renewal in Tishrei? Many dismiss Rosh Hashanah as unbiblical, but does Scripture itself reveal more than one “new year”? From Moses finishing the Torah, to the joy of harvest, to the celebration of Simchat Torah—this portion connects leaders...

What happens when life leaves you scattered—shards of yourself chipped away by sin, suffering, or regret? In this Elul teaching, Rabbi Damian shows how the High Holidays are not only about repentance before God and others, but also about repairing our own fragmented souls. Drawing from Mussar, Hasidic stories, and Psalmic prayers, he teaches us how to gather the divine sparks within us, piece by p...

What kind of God would give impossible commands and then punish His people for failing them? That’s not the God of Israel. Unfortunately, many believers have been convinced that God’s Torah is impossible to keep. But this week’s Torah portion tells a different story. God’s commandments are not far away or unreachable—they are in your mouth and in your heart so you can do them. Discover how this tr...

Am I lying down or am I willing to start the climb? In the spirit of the High Holidays, we talk about honest inspection, the role of pain, and why some people stay stuck while others step up. No shaming. Just an invitation to take the next step. Hoping this message brings the courage someone needs for their mountain. Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worsh...

What if your deepest pain became your loudest proclamation? In Ki Tavo, Israel brings firstfruits and declares a story—“Arami oved avi…” (Deut 26:5–8). Why does God command us to retell slavery, deliverance, and blessing? Is the Haggadah right—“An Aramean tried to destroy my father”—or “My father was a wandering Aramean”? How do both readings shape gratitude, identity, and witness today? Learn how...

We’re beginning a new series for the month of Elul. I know, I know… Soul-accounting, digging into the places we’d rather leave hidden. Many of us would rather avoid inspection. It’s uncomfortable. It raises memories, regrets, and wounds. Yet God invites us into these forty days not to shame us, but to heal us. Are you excited to dig deep, to actually hold the magnifying glass up to our own hearts?...

Why does God bar Ammon and Moab “forever,” yet command Israel, “do not abhor” Edom or Egypt? Deuteronomy 23 seems unfair—until you trace the story behind it. Ammon withheld bread and water; Moab hired Balaam to harm Israel. Egypt, despite later oppression, once sheltered Jacob’s family. Scripture reveals God’s long memory: He repays cruelty and honors generational kindness (Isaiah 19). What debts...

What if the Church’s most persistent bias isn’t loud hatred—but a quiet story-shape that sidelines Israel? This series conclusion will show why Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, tells a different story than the one many assume is right.  If Israel seems like just the prologue in your faith, this will properly reframe that. Watch to rediscover the Bible’s true plan and reconnect with the true...

What if “Be perfect” never meant “be flawless”? We cheer antiheroes who excuse failure—then assume God does too. But Deut 18:13 and Matt 5:48 call us to tamim: blameless, whole, undivided—not plastic perfection. Yeshua raises the bar to the heart to heal, not humiliate, making sin the exception, not our identity. Have we settled for “I’m only human” when the Spirit offers new creation? Which story...

“Erase their names… but do not do so to the LORD” (Deut 12). Not license for icon-smashing— a warning about reverence . The sages forbid defacing the Divine Name (Y-H-V-H) or slapping it on throwaway stuff. Deeper still: we erase His Name by how we live. When our posts, deals, or jokes contradict Him, that’s chillul Hashem . The remedy? Kiddush Hashem —visible obedience that makes others glorify y...

Why Didn’t the Jews Just Believe in Jesus? It’s a question people still ask today. But what if the answer has less to do with blindness… and more to do with betrayal? This week, we peel back the layers of history to uncover what was really happening in the early centuries of the Church and why the message of Jesus became, for many Jews, a message of erasure rather than inclusion. The story of Roma...

Sometimes God lets things break so they can be rebuilt stronger. Moses smashed the first tablets. Yeshua’s Kingdom was delayed. Both moments carried the same challenge—what will God’s people do while they wait? The second tablets came with grace and renewal. The Messiah’s return will too. Until then, one question remains: Will He find us faithful—or distracted? Discover how the Second Coming of th...

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock. What time is it? The Cosmic Clock keeps ticking and the nearness of the Redemption grows ever closer. But is it time yet? What is the Torah's message for our generation as the Kingdom of Heaven draws near? And how can YOU hasten the Redemption? Tune in on this Shabbat Nachamu for a message of Comfort about the coming Kingdom. Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday...

Sometimes our lives speak louder than words—for good or bad. We’ve all seen it: faith proclaimed, but denied by actions. When that happens, the world stops listening. What light are we supposed to be shining? Is it telling the world about Jesus or something even more important? What are we talking about? Find out in this week’s 5 Minute Torah. Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#S...

"THESE SCRIPTURES ARE NOT YOURS, BUT OURS" -Justin Martyr What if the theology you’ve inherited isn’t rooted in Scripture at all, but in a 2nd-century backlash against Judaism? Meet the architects of supersessionism—Justin Martyr, Melito of Sardis, Tertullian—who forged the idea that “true Israel” isn’t an ethnic lineage but a faith community. In this episode, we're diving deep into a fascinating...

Is justice truly blind—or is that just an ideal we pretend to uphold? What happens when pity or power tips the scales? Can justice truly avoid being swayed by status or story? Discover how God’s justice resists bias, how Yeshua models perfect equity, and what that means for us today in this week’s 5 Minute Torah. Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship M...

Root Causes What do Gnostics, Marcion, and Crusaders have in common? They all reshaped Christianity—and fueled centuries of anti‑Judaism. This week we’ll travel back in time to zoom in on a moment when the Jesus movement took a sharp turn. Not yet with councils or decrees, but with quiet edits and a clever “fix” that still shapes how people read the Bible today. If you’ve ever wondered, “How did w...

What if the fiercest battle isn’t fought with swords but with love? In this week’s Torah portion, God commands Moses to wage war on Midian—but rabbinic masters insist the real enemy isn’t people at all, but the hatred that divides us. How do you “take up arms” against sinat chinam—baseless hatred—and instead pursue ahavat chinam—baseless love? Can you fight for unity when your heart feels torn? Jo...

Bless Those Who Bless You? | When the Promise Gets Twisted What if a promise meant to affirm was used to condemn? In Bless Those Who Bless You, Part 2 of Baseless Hatred: The Roots of Christian Antisemitism, we examine how God’s enduring covenant with Israel, anchored in the Word of God, has been distorted through theology, rhetoric, and silence. This week, we expose the misguided interpretation a...

In a world drowning in noise, how do you pick the voice worth following? Some lead with fear. Others peddle empty promises—or simply crave the sound of their own words. But what if the greatest leader isn’t a celebrity or politician at all, but the quiet shepherd who knows each sheep by name? In this week’s Torah portion, Moses’ final request isn’t about legacy or lineage—it’s about the welfare of...

What happens when hate wears a theological costume? Why does a 1.1 M-view conspiracy video about “fake Jews” resonate so deeply—and how do 20,000 comments reveal our own blind spots? I’ll admit it: I was tired, uninspired, even overwhelmed by the sheer volume of lies dressed up as biblical truth. But then I got kicked in the rear end by a simple insight: antisemitic myths don’t need facts. They on...

What do a frog in a kettle, a talking donkey, a reluctant prophet, a deadly plague—and even your favorite Prime-Time TV shows—have in common? Could the same slow drift that turns a frog complacent also be luring you into compromise? In Parashat Balak, King Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel, only to see every scheme—human cunning, sorcery, and seduction—thwarted by divine intervention. From oracle...

Are you living life on autopilot—going through religious motions but feeling spiritually dead? What if the startling ritual of the Red Heifer and Miriam’s sudden death aren’t just ancient oddities, but wake-up calls to confront hidden impurities in our souls? How do the roadblocks of Edom and the giants of fear, envy, and complacency stand between you and God’s promise? In this sermon, we unpack P...