ESC Shabbat Service: Passover Introduction - Joel Brotman

As a boy, I loved the taste of the seder. But as a man, I needed more than a ritual. I needed a rescuer to bring me from the seder table to true freedom. Though I wasn't a believer in Yeshua until I was 19, what we were doing felt very important to me. [01:34:50] (23 seconds)  #FromSederToSalvation

And I had a profound encounter with Jesus, A massive infusion of love and forgiveness flooded my body. I knew without a doubt it was Yeshua. He became closer than my breath. I cried and cried and cried, and I cried some more. It was a huge auditorium. Next thing I know, where is everyone? The whole auditorium was cleared out. I was in a different world. [01:45:35] (45 seconds)  #EncounterWithYeshua

And like the scripture says, the the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but you have come that I might have and have it more abundantly. That's the life I want, and I give my heart to you now. I trust you to cleanse my sins, to rescue me from the slavery of guilt. Give me eternal life, and that I will receive the the holy spirit of god will come and lead me and guide me and that I know I have a family here that will support me. [02:00:36] (34 seconds)  #SurrenderForAbundantLife

There were no messianic congregations, no home groups, no kids our age, no youth groups. In addition to being the founder and president of Shalom International and the executive director of the Young Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, my father had a vision to plant congregations that were culturally Jewish, congregations where nonbelieving Jews would feel safe and where the gospel would be presented in a way that would feel culturally Jewish and they could understand, where the symbols and terminology that were presented and used would not offend a Jewish people. [01:36:13] (41 seconds)  #BuildCulturallyJewishCongregations

Jesus, I thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you that you came from being God, and you left all of that behind to suffer as a man, to be a sacrifice for all of our sins out of love, to snatch us out of the sin that so easily binds us to open our eyes, pull us out of the slavery of sin, to bring us to the promised land. I ask forgiveness for my sins. I believe that you were raised from the dead, that you are forgiving my sins. [01:59:44] (52 seconds)  #GratefulForSacrifice

The Passover story is a story of rescue and redemption. I was snatched out of the fire, anxiety, depression, guilt, despair. And after many years, there has even been greater deliverance and redemption. God has used the very struggles that I went through, that days I cried alone and prayed for freedom somehow, somehow, year after year after decade after decade. [01:53:01] (35 seconds)  #RescueAndRedemption

By physically engaging with each element, tasting the bitter herbs, dipping the parsley in the saltwater, searching for the Afikomen, I was building a kind of sensory memory. Each year we observe these rituals, they aren't just repeated. They are more deeply embedded into our personal and our collective story. [01:23:10] (23 seconds)  #SensorySederMemories

However, it was hard for me growing up when we went to churches to present the Passover seder, and this would have been in nineteen sixties, or, how to share the Messiah seminar, people would say how special I was because of my Jewish heritage. Of course, this made me feel good. Eventually, however, this came to to feel like I was different. Like most young people, I wanted to be normal, have friends, and not be different. [01:35:13] (31 seconds)  #WhenBeingSpecialFeelsDifferent