Sacred Roots Workshop

Ses s i on 6: Hi s L i fe i n Us

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a. Weekly celebrations: keeping the Sabbath Day

b. Monthly celebrations: the New Moon Festivals

c. Annual celebrations, cf. Lev. 23

2. These days are mentioned (with the exception of the new moon celebration) in Leviticus 23 as “holy convocations,” days when the entire nation was called together by the LORD for special remembrance, observance, and worship.

3. All of these holy convocations were feast days, with the exception of the Day of Atonement, which is a fast for the people.

4. The Feast of Purim was added later (as detailed in Esther in the OT), and during the inter-testamental period the Feast of the Dedication (cf. John 10.22) was added, along with other feasts and fasts.

5. These practices were to some degree kept in the practice of early Jewish Christianity, along with the few Christian observances.

B. Gentile believers and freedom from early Judaistic traditions

Do not crush the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. Otherwise, He may entreat God against you and withdraw from you.

~ Hermas, c. 150. Cf. David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998. p. 343.