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Our Past Affects Our Present

Most Christian clergy have studied church history without ever being introduced to this shameful aspect of the church‘s story. The Jews, however, do know about it. They know about the anti-Jewish polemics of certain church fathers; about the forced baptisms, especially of children; about the church council decree that sanctioned the removal of such children from their parents; about a papal edict encouraging raids on Jewish synagogues by the faithful; about the expulsion of all Jews from a country like Spain; about Luther‘s hate language directed against Jews when they did not convert according to his timetable; about the prohibition against Jews living in Calvin‘s Geneva; the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem set ablaze with Jewish folk trapped inside while Crusaders outside sang, Christ we adore Thee.

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Should Christians Evangelize Jews?

Many Christian theologians today, as well as many different and disparate Christian denominations, question the need to share the gospel with Jewish people. In fact, many consider attempts to do this as being insensitive and judgmental. Indicative of this is a quote from Eric Gritsch in a publication of the Lutheran Council in the USA, distributed by the ELCA. In it Gritsch states: [T]here really is no need for any Christian mission to the Jews. They are and remain the people of God, even if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Why this is so only God knows. Christians should concentrate their missionary activities on those who do not yet belong to the people of God, and they should court them with a holistic witness in word and deed rather than with polemical argument and cultural legislation.

The long history of Christian anti-Semitism calls for repentance, not triumphalist claims of spiritual superiority.

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Answering 13 Common Objections of Jewish People to Jesus as Messiah

In my personal experience as a missionary to Jewish people, I want to share with you some common objections I’ve heard throughout the years. I call it “A Baker’s Dozen” or, “Thirteen objections – with holes in them – that can be filled with the Gospel.” These are:

1. Loss of Jewishness
2. The Rabbi Doesn’t Teach it
3. Where is the Evidence?
4. No Intermediary Required
5. The Lord Our God is One
6. The Trinity
7. No Original Sin
8. The Virgin Birth
9. The Deity of Jesus
10. Not from the Line of David
11. Heaven and Hell
12. The Holocaust
13. Christian Persecution

When it comes to telling Jewish people about Jesus, we find that many objections raised are not necessarily new objections. A whole history of apologetics is today being reviewed and republished, all speaking against the claims of Jesus’ Messiahship.

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Reminder: The First Followers of Jesus Were Jewish

The first followers of Jesus were indeed Jewish. They went to the synagogue first and concluded from the Scriptures that the Messiah had come as promised in the Law and the Prophets. It was the norm to be involved first in Jewish culture and then to follow the Jewish Messiah. It was outside the norm for a gentile to follow Jesus.

The missiological hot-button of the day was "Can a gentile follow Jesus without first becoming Jewish?"

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What If

What would happen if 80% of your members intentionally invested two hours a month for the express purpose of reaching lost people in your community?  The Apple of His Eye has developed a simple plan for you that will bring specific results: 1) your members will actively share their Faith  2) their friends will hear the Gospel 3) God’s Word will not return void. Join in the movement of intentionally reaching out to the lost.

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Positive Attitudes in Preparation for Witnessing

Perhaps you have a Jewish neighbor, acquaintance or friend. You may have felt, “I really can’t tell my Jewish friend about Jesus, because they’re Jewish! I don’t want to offend my friend by telling him about Jesus.” However, to begin to share your faith with Jewish people (or anyone for that matter!), here are some helpful attitudes:

1. Develop an attitude of willingness to tell others about Jesus.

   This is key. Today many people by tradition have moved away from willingly, actively talking about their personal faith. It’s easier to talk about the weather, sports, politics or the economy. But when it comes to matters of personal faith, we tend to withdraw or to become uncomfortable. Perhaps we lack self-confidence. Maybe we lack a knowledge of Scripture or feel inferior when dealing with spiritual things. But the Lord has called us to be witnesses and He will equip us to be His witnesses. Our actions and our words are important.