When the Going Gets Tough – Keith Johnson (Open Door Series – Part 10)

When the Going Gets Tough - Keith Johnson (Open Door Series - Part 10)

You are listening to the Open Door Series with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.

Keith: I’m going to ask you to roll up your sleeves. If you’re real, real comfortable, I’m going to ask you to get a little uncomfortable, because I’m about to share something with you that will be just a little bit tough. And if that’s all right, say amen.

Audience: Amen.

Keith: And if that’s not, you can leave. [laughter] But the reason I need to share this with you is because it is something that has certainly changed my life, and is changing people’s lives around the world. I’m so glad Nehemia talked about our book, A Prayer to Our Father: The Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer, because it is changing not only our lives, but the lives of people around the world. But one of the reasons it’s so radical is that we’re actually saying that we have an opportunity to taste, to smell, to feel that which was originally spoken by the one named “Yeshua”, or “Yehoshua”. Why is that so important? Because I think most of the people here would say they would love to be able to understand His words in the original language, history, and context. However, let me tell you something. His words in the original language, history, and context are tough. Say, “tough”.

Audience: Tough.

Keith: Now, if you’re still willing to hear His language, even though it’s tough, just raise your hand. Put it down. The second more important question is, if we were able to confirm that His language is tough, would you ever be willing to do it? You see, what I’m concerned about is, I come from a tradition where we don’t spend as much time in that which is original, we spend more time in that which has been presented to us. And I have to say something. That which has been presented to us doesn’t always call us to what is tough. Say, “tough”.

Audience: Tough.

Keith: When I read this particular passage that I’m going to share with you from the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, it will cause you to understand a little bit better what I call the perspective of just who our Father is, and who the one whom we call Yeshua, what it is that He actually came to do.

The copy of the book I have up on the screen, and one of the things I love about this is that we never intended to write a book. All Nehemia Gordon and I did was study the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew together. When I introduced myself to him and he accepted my friendship, he finally came back to me and he said, “Listen, Keith. I only have two rules. The first rule is, you don’t try to convert me, and I don’t try to convert you.” And I said, “No problem.” The second rule was, “We’re only going to study the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. None of that New Testament stuff. None of that Jesus stuff.” [laughter]