The Christian Jewish Roots预览

We are about to embark on a teaching that will surely help you learn to read your Bible which is the Living Word of God, not with the eyes of a Gentile Jesus, not with the eyes of a Protestant Jesus or a Catholic Jesus, but with the eyes of a Jewish Jesus. You will realize that Jesus and His disciples weren’t converted Jews but rather were practicing Jews - keepers of the Law [or Torah] of God.

As you sincerely begin to learn about the Torah with an unbiased mind that is open to being taught by the Holy Spirit, on God’s Law, you will better begin to appreciate how its customs and celebrations are linked to the fulfillment of many blessings found in the believer whose life is fully immersed in Christ. You will also, learn to love and respect every Jew with the unconditional love of the Lord. I’ll explain how. 

The Biblical story of Ruth is more than the beautiful love story of King David’s great grand-parents. Ruth is the symbol of every Gentile who has ever come to faith through Israel’s God.  The words of this Moabitess to her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi - “Your people shall be my people and your God my God” - are still ringing in the hearts of every non-Jew who believes in Boaz and Ruth’s promised Son, Messiah, who would come down through their lineage.  

Every gentile believer has come from the land of famine to the spiritual realm of abundance in that Name. Even Jesus’ reference to Himself as the Bread of Life hearkens back to this ancient love story -  to say nothing of the fact that He was born in the shadow of the very fields where Ruth was gleaning, just outside Beth-Lehem [House of Bread].  

But the church has not responded to her Boaz as Ruth responded to hers.  The church did not leave her Moabitish ways behind when she came into the house.  Although she may have taken the “Bread” of Boaz, which represents Jesus to us, she has turned her back on all His relatives, the Jewish people.

As a pastor I am deeply aware of a significant change in the spirit realm. I eagerly await the Coming of the Lord just as any other spirit-filled believer, but at the same time I am increasingly growing passionate by the day about seeing my Jewish brothers and sisters are accepted as Jewish and encouraged to express their faith in Jesus Christ within a Jewish framework.

I want to see the gentile church appreciating her Jewish foundation stones. I want her to understand why Israel and the Jewish people are center stage in world history again and I want her to be grateful for a returning Jewish leadership in the Body of Messiah.