Category Archives: Missions to the Jews

Building A Jewish religious movement for Yeshua

 

In seeking to be a Judaism, a Jewish religious movement for Yeshua within the Jewish people and for the Jewish people we will ask Jewish questions, seek to give Jewish answers and credibly live out our lives as Messianic Jews as a part of the Jewish community, rather than the missionary model as one who goes into the Jewish community as an outsider to target the “unsaved Jews” for conversion to Christianity. We see the Jewish people as “us” and not “them” and therefore our desire is to live credible Jewish lives that we can make the Messiah seen within Israel as the Messiah followed by Torah honoring, Jewishly connected, Messianic Jews. Our hope is to be a light for Messiah within the Jewish world.

In this identity we embrace our oneness with all of the Jewish people as an act of faithfulness to God and to His Torah and not some act of “seeking man’s approval”. We seek God’s approval by living as he intended as a Torah community that follows the Jewish Messiah.

Yeshua is central to the building of a mature Messianic Judaism, because he is the Messiah that we honor. Our desire is to make him known within the People of Israel and this can only be done by seeing the Jewish community as our community of reference and living within Jewish life embodied in our respect for Jewish tradition and Torah living as we seek to be organically connected within the Jewish community as the Jews who follow Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.

Yeshua can only be properly seen by the Jewish people as he really is as the Jewish Messiah, by being made known by a credible Messianic Judaism that reflects a love for all Jewish people and with a vital connection to the People of Israel.

May we live lives that make Yeshua known within a Judaism, Messianic Judaism.

Defining Messianic Judaism – What about Hebrew Roots?

As we sadly saw in the Ralph Messer/Eddie Long Torah desecration debacle, the names “Messianic Jewish”, “Messianic Rabbi” and “Messianic Judaism” have been used throughout the press to define the actors in this tragic drama.  As stated by Mr. Messer in his own words, he and his group are NOT Messianic and never will be.  And much of the Messianic Judaism world agree with him on this.

In the world of  Messianic Judaism there are organizations and groups like Messer’s that espouse “Jewish roots”, “Hebrew roots” or the archaic sounding “Hebraic roots”.

These groups seek to teach what they call the “Jewish roots” or “Hebraic roots” of Christianity. This is a common message topic for speakers from various missionary groups like Jews for Jesus and Chosen People Ministries to present in local churches. In doing so they seek to teach that at the earliest followers of Yeshua were Jews who lived within Jewish life, which is true.

The problem with the “Jewish roots” model is that it ignores the fact that what we know as Christianity today was developed after the Jewish believers and their influence was stripped from the Church. Christianity as we know it today as a unique world religion owes it’s roots to Constantine and specifically to the Nicene Council, the formers of the “Nicene Creed”, one of the earliest statements of Christian belief. By the time of Constantine (and especially since him) the Church  no longer  is attached to it’s Jewish roots. The Nicene Council excluded Jewish believers from being involved in the Council and it’s formation of the future of what we now know as Christianity. So then based on Christianity as we know it today as a world religion there are no “Jewish roots” that were allowed in a Post-Constantine world.

People like Messer and others are doing “Hebrew roots” separate from Jewish people, the Jewish world and Judaism and they show in their lack of connection to Jewish norms where it could go as was seen in their disrespect of the Torah scroll both at New Hope Church and other times.  Rather than being horrified like Jews of all stripes at this display, Messer and his flock applauded and were honored to have their “rabbi”, perform this bizarre and blasphemous show.  The disconnection of “Hebrew roots” from the Jewish people and norms of Jewish life does a discredit to them and to the Messianic Jewish wing of the Body of Messiah.  It is these kind of people who are at best ignorant and at worst evil that brings harm to the name of Yeshua, to Messianic Judaism  and those that have devoted their lives to building Messianic Judaism for the future.

So then to Messianic Judaism, we are not a “Jewish roots” of Christianity movement, because we are not within Christianity, we are a Judaism, a 21st century expression of Jewish life and faith. We are not just studying or exploring the experience of the early Messianic Jews, we are daily living within Judaism and Jewish life in the 21st century, with the knowledge that we are following the Jewish Messiah.

Our orientation is toward Judaism, our world is the Jewish world, our faith is within Judaism and our daily practice and way of living is guided by Torah, the way of life for the Jewish people.

We can appreciate the desire for Christians to explore the early Messianic Jews and their life, which would go a great deal toward changing incorrect teachings within the Church like anti-Judaism, anti-Torah and anti-Semitic views, but a true Messianic Judaism is far more than a historical study, it is a living breathing peoplehood, that is lived in 21st century Judaism with a faith trust in Yeshua, our righteous Messiah.

Torah-free repentance: The problem with Jews for Jesus and other Missions to the Jews

iPhoto 005972 2008-01-17

Jews for Jesus affirms Jewish believers who, for the sake of honoring our heritage and developing a Jewish testimony, choose to give up some of what grace allows to conform to dietary standards and various other Jewish practices. As long as such practices are not presented as incumbent upon others in the body of Messiah, Jewish or Gentile, we hope to be an encouragement to those who desire to uphold their Jewish identity in this way.

(from Fall 2003 Havurah, a publication of Jews for Jesus)

In the above sidebar to an article in the Fall 2003 Havurah newsletter addresses the view of Jews for Jesus (and I would say is representative of other Jewish missions groups) on the issue of Messianic Jews observing Torah commands like kashrut, Shabbat and others.  It is a huge statement that lays out their view that the observing of Torah and Jewish practices are seen as acts that one is “allowed” to do and by observing Torah and Jewish practices the Jewish believer is giving up of God’s “grace” that in their understanding no longer requires observance of Torah by Yeshua believing Jews.

In this short paragraph the organization, Jews for Jesus demonstrates that they see the Torah as no longer applicable to the life of Messianic Jews and also that obeying the Torah and observing Jewish practices is not doing an act of obedience to the God who gave the Torah but as an acceptable activity that one can do as “evangelistic shtick” for the sake of witness or some kind of heritage attachment.

This is not an expression of Messianic Judaism and despite Jews for Jesus’ many attempts to try to paint themselves within the Messianic Jewish world the above statement clearly puts them outside the realm of being a part of the worldview of Messianic Judaism and outside a life within Jewish space and at odds with the Messiah that they seek to proclaim.
Beside the sociological problem of the statement is the huge issue of Jews for Jesus (a prominent Evangelical Christian affiliated organization) saying that Jewish believers in Yeshua can obey God if they want to, but obeying God’s Torah should not be seen as incumbent!

Stop and think about this, they are seeking to draw Jewish people to believe in the Jewish Messiah, yet they do not take the Messiah’s own example of the importance of living Torah and therefore they are offering the Jewish community a “Torah free” and “Judaism free” Messiah.

Torah observance is an act of obeying God, it is not just an acceptable “abandoning of grace” for heritage connection or witness. Though it is true that obeying Torah and living Jewish life is a way of connection to Jewish heritage and a witness of God to the world, the obeying of Torah is to be primarily an act of obeying God’s commands and His Torah.

The call of missionaries like Jews for Jesus is for Jews to put their faith in Yeshua as Messiah and repent of their sins.  But what is Jewish sin, other than living outside the bounds of Torah?  What is the sign of true repentance but to turn from violating God’s Torah and seeking to live within it’s boundaries.  A call to Yeshua faith and repentance that does not lead toward a life of walking on the path of Torah is not a true call to repentance and can be an example of what Paul called “another Yeshua and another good news”, but this Yeshua is not the true Yeshua and this good news is at best inadequate and at worst leading people to live in rebellion to God with the stamp of approval from Jews for Jesus and other missions groups.

The shape of Jewish repentance is bound up in seeking to live Torah, a Torah-free life of a Messianic Jew is not a God honoring life.  If we are going to call Jewish people to accept Yeshua as Messiah our message must include that following God for all Jews (especially Messianic Jews) is a life tied to Torah.  If the great Messianic hope is Yom Shekulo Shabbat, a time of unending Shabbat, a time of all creation living in the light of Messiah and ordered by his Torah, should we not now who call Yeshua our Messiah begin now to live our lives ordered by the very Torah that the world to come will be lived?

So then for living God honoring lives and the building of a mature Messianic Judaism we need to obey Torah daily because that is what God commands and it is the Torah that is God’s way of living for all Jews (especially Messianic Jews!).

Welcoming a new blog, Chutzpah, to the blogosphere…

messianicjudaism.me

Today a new blog joined the blogosphere, Chutzpah.  Chutzpah is a guest blog on the newly launched, Messianic Judaism Media site.

The opening blog is entitled, Why the Jewish community is right to reject Jews for Jesus.  It is written by Walter Lieber.

This is a powerful post to kick off this new blog and will be the first of many thought provoking posts to come.

Eating Matzo – Meaningful Messianic Judaism

In June 1989, I was in Chicago taking some classes and also visiting the local Messianic congregations. One night I and a few other people went to a local neighborhood to invite people to come to visit the local Messianic congregation.

At one door I came to, the door was answered by a young man about 17 or 18, I think his name was Elliot.

I introduced myself and then told him that I wanted to let him know about the local Messianic Jewish congregation. I told him that we had Shabbat services and that we celebrated the Jewish holidays like Passover.

He responded, “Do you eat only matzo during Passover?”

I and my companion responded, “No, just at the seder, not the whole week of Passover”.

That was basically the end of our conversation.

At the time it hit me that if we ate matzo during the whole week of Passover then our message could have been seen as more credible.

Starting the following Pesach in 1990 to the present, I have made it a point to only eat matzo during Passover and when I have had my own apartment on my own I have also kashered the whole house for Pesach.

This is a vital lesson for us all to learn and that our message about Yeshua as Messiah is more credibly declared by those whose lives showing forth the living reality of being one who walks Torah as a follower of Yeshua. This encounter and the subsequent 20 years of eating matzo throughout Pesach have been a powerful learning experience and a powerful way of living out my commitment to God and also a tangible way to demonstrate a life living Messianic Judaism.

In the act of eating only matzo and avoiding all chametz on Passover we are not only observing God’s Torah which is our duty on it’s own but we are also demonstrating that as followers of Yeshua we are walking in God’s way and thereby we are making our Messiah known as the One followed by adherents of a Torah honoring Messianic Judaism.

http://www.towardblog.com

Conclude Pesach with a Seudat Mashiach/Messiah’s Feast (click below for free PDF)

Hagaddah Shel Seudat Mashiach

Messianic Judaism – A “Jewish Roots” movement?

Under the umbrella of “Messianic” groups there are “Jewish roots”, “Hebrew roots” or the archaic sounding “Hebraic roots” organizations.

These groups seek to teach what they call the “Jewish roots” or “Hebraic roots” of Christianity. This is a common message topic for speakers from various missionary groups like Jews for Jesus and Chosen People Ministries to present in local churches. In doing so they seek to teach that at the earliest followers of Yeshua were Jews who lived within Jewish life, which is true.

The problem with the “Jewish roots” model is that it ignores the fact that what we know as Christianity today was developed after the Jewish believers and their influence was stripped from the Church. Christianity as we know it today as a unique world religion owes it’s roots to Constantine and specifically to the Nicene Council, the formers of the “Nicene Creed”, one of the earliest statements of Christian belief. By the time of Constantine (and especially since him) the Church’s roots are no longer attached to it’s Jewish roots. The Nicene Council excluded Jewish believers from being involved in the Council and it’s formation of the future of what we now know as Christianity. So then based on Christianity as we know it today as a world religion there are no “Jewish roots” that were allowed in a Post-Constantine world.

So then to Messianic Judaism, where does Messianic Judaism fit in the scheme of things. We are not a “Jewish roots” of Christianity movement, because we are not within Christianity, we are a Judaism. We are not just studying or exploring the experience of the early Messianic Jews, we are daily living within Jewish life with the knowledge that we are following the Jewish Messiah. Our orientation is toward Judaism, our world is the Jewish world, our faith is within Judaism and our daily practice and way of living is guided by Torah, the way of life for the Jewish people.

We can appreciate the desire for Christians to explore the early Messianic Jews and their life, which would go a great deal toward changing incorrect teachings within the Church like anti-Judaism, anti-Torah and anti-Semitic views. But a Messianic Judaism is far more than a historical study it is a living breathing peoplehood, that is lived in 21st century Judaism with a faith trust in Yeshua, our righteous Messiah.