Love the Jews

Some believers are reluctant to share the gospel with Jews because of past atrocities done to them in Christ’s name. Nevertheless, they still need to hear the Good News to be saved. A Jewish convert named Paul wrote in Romans 1:16 (NLT), “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–the Jew first and also the Gentile.” 

Once I lived with a family in Virginia that had a Christian mother and a Jewish father. The mother originally didn’t want me witnessing to her husband because other believers tried forcing the gospel upon him. Three days before I moved out, the Lord instructed me to witness to this man. After mentioning this to his wife (who gave her approval), I asked him questions about his eternal destiny. He wouldn’t pray with me but listened politely as I mentioned a few Old Testament prophecies pointing to Jesus as the Messiah.

At the Mall of America near Minneapolis, some of their kiosk workers are from Israel. When I advised one of them to read Isaiah 53 (which talks about the suffering Messiah), the young man didn’t understand what I was talking about. I realized “Isaiah” is pronounced differently in Hebrew. Using my smartphone, I logged onto biblegateway.com and showed this man Isaiah 53 in the Hebrew language. He then knew what I was talking about. It was another seed planting opportunity. 

One Jew I led to the Messiah happened at a Panera Bread near Dallas, Texas. After initially ordering only a bagel, I decided to get a coffee as well. An employee handed me a cup for free. Later I ministered salvation to this employee while he took a break. Interestingly enough, Sam had been given a Bible a week before. Originally I planned to leave Panera Bread at a certain time but my host emailed me asking to pick me up a half-hour later. God set up this “divine delay” so I wouldn't miss a harvest for His kingdom.

Sadly, there are ministers who discourage Christians from witnessing to God’s Chosen People. “Dual covenant theology” is a belief that Jews don’t have to convert to Christianity but simply keep the Law of Moses because of the “everlasting covenant” between God and Abraham (Genesis 17:13). Yet the New Testament has numerous Scriptures showing no one can be saved through obeying the law. Romans 3:20 says, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Just before he passed away, Jews for Jesus founder Moishe Rosen wrote the following in a farewell letter...

“As I go, one of the things that concerns me deeply is how much misunderstanding there is among believers. I never thought I would live to see the day when those who know the Lord and are born again were supporting the efforts of rabbis who, frankly, not only don’t know Christ, but don’t want to know him.

“To be an honest ministry, it can only come from the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit can only indwell those who have the new birth and are born again. Therefore, I would urge you to think very seriously before you support any ‘ministry’ that involves Jewish people and doesn’t actually bring the gospel to the Jews.”

I have friends who go out of their way to be a blessing to Jewish businessmen in response to Genesis 12:3. But to really love the Jews, Christians must also speak the truth regarding the only way to heaven…through Yeshua Hamashiach.

“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” – Romans 10:2-3

Who’s Your Daddy?

One day at the Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis, I had a witnessing opportunity with three kiosk employees who were all Jewish. When I mentioned Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the Messiah coming from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10), one of the women objected because He wasn't born of a human father. A friend of mine later reminded me of Isaiah 7:14, which says that the Messiah must be born of a virgin woman. The Holy Spirit probably didn't bring that Scripture to my remembrance because this Jewish woman was quite contentious and said she had to “get back to work.”

The fact that Jesus had one earthly parent and one divine parent is proof He fulfilled Isaiah 7:14. He had to be born of a virgin woman (not man) so his father had to be God and not a man. This fact speaks for Him and not against Him. Who else could fulfill it?

My friend also pointed out to me that according to Orthodox Judaism the Jewish lineage is inherited through the mother. If the father is an Eskimo (or more rare, if there’s no earthly father) he is still a Jew and from the tribe of the mother, as long as the mother is Jewish.

There’s also the principle of inheritance from the father through adoption. Jesus may not have biologically come from the tribe of Judah, but legally he still is. This would also make Him a true son of David and have a right to inherit the throne of the kingdom according to the prophecy.

Regardless of how your earthly father raised you, you can have a relationship with the perfect daddy in Heaven if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Son of God said in John 14:9, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Jesus said in John 12:44-45, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.”

Sadly, many people have distorted ideas about Father God. During a recent road trip through Wisconsin, I felt led to witness to a truck stop employee by asking him, “Did you know God loves you and has an awesome plan for your life?” This man wasn’t open to the gospel because he thought God “took his son.” I pointed out Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy but Jesus came to give us life and more abundantly (John 10:10)

Whether or not a person believes in God, he or she has a spiritual father. Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Who’s your daddy?

“Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.” - Proverbs 4:1