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been there for them and shown them your love, they will turn to you when the time is right. Remember that the Word of God never returns to Him empty, but always accomplishes what He sent it to do. In Romans 11, Paul says that bringing


a Jewish Person to faith in Messiah can be simple. If God can graft an unnatural branch onto a tree, He can certainly reach the Jewish People. If you can get enough of the Word into your Jewish friend, he will come around. I have some easy-to- understand-and-follow recommendations for speaking with Jewish People about Yeshua and thus hastening our Messiah’s return. We will begin with what not to do:


1. Don’t discuss being converted or being a convert to Christianity At the top of the list of negatives is


anything to do with the word conversion. To a Jew, it comes across as, “You must stop being a Jew and become a Christian.” We need to let Jewish People know that it is possible to be Jewish and believe in Yeshua. Telling a Jewish Person that he or she must “become a Christian” translates for them to, “Leave the Jewish faith and become something else.” This is not the biblical message. It is not good news—and it is not the Gospel. In a perfect world, Christians would


say to their Jewish friends, “I’m not sug- gesting that you convert to another reli- gion or change who you are. You were born a Jew, and you will die a Jew. But this is your Messiah, and I want you to know Him.” God is calling us to step beyond lines of background and culture so we can enjoy a personal relationship with Him. At Jewish Voice, we are not trying to convert people from one culture to another. Instead, we’re trying to work within the framework of their culture and lead them to know their Messiah Yeshua, who identi- fied Himself when He said:


“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”


—John 14:6


2. Church is another word that has a negative connotation for Jews Church is a word that means “the oth- er religion” to a Jewish Person. The word church comes from the Greek language and has no Hebrew origins. It’s a fine word


8 | Jewish Voice Today NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010


in and of itself, which is defined as “the called out ones.” But it is so completely identified with Christianity that it tends to raise a red flag for Jews.


3. Baptize is also a very difficult word I don’t deal with it until the person is a little more open. Even though immersion by water is an ancient Jewish idea, it has come to be identified so clearly with Chris- tianity that it, too, can be a red flag. Further, forced baptisms under threat of torture or death during the Inquisition have left a par- ticularly negative impression.


In a perfect world, Christians


would say to their Jewish friends, “I’m not suggesting that you con- vert to another religion or change who you are. You were born a Jew, and you will die a Jew. But this is your Messiah, and I want you to know Him.”


4. Christ Like church, Christ is a Greek word


that means “anointed one.” I prefer to use Messiah, which is closer to the Hebrew and means the same thing. In the context of sharing your faith with a Jewish Person, it is helpful to understand that many Jew- ish People still long for the coming of a physical Messiah that they articulate in their daily prayers. The word Christ has no meaning in fulfilling this hope and prom- ise. And, of course, I want Jewish People to know that His actual name given from Heaven is Yeshua.


“You are to give him the name Yesh- ua, [which means ‘ADONAI saves,’] because he will save his people from their sins.”


—Matthew 1:21 CJB When the angel says You shall call His


name Jesus, in the NIV you lose the pro- found richness if you don’t understand that Yeshua, the actual name given, means salvation.


5. Cross


Don’t over-emphasize the cross when you speak with a Jewish Person about the


What Should We Do? We’ve talked about what not to do in


sharing Yeshua with Jewish People. Now we need to discuss what we can and should be doing.


1. Learn to share the Gospel from the Old Testament


One of the best ways you can talk to Jewish People about Yeshua is to share the


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Gospel. Some may ask, “How is it possible to over-emphasize the cross?” I don’t mean to imply that we can ever


talk too much about what Yeshua did for us on the cross. When Yeshua was on that cross, He took on the sins of the entire world and shed the blood that cleanses us all from unrighteousness. But we can go overboard if we turn the


cross itself into an object of worship. That cross had no magical power. God did not miraculously preserve it so Believers could bring it out on Easter and bow down to it. The Messianic Jewish version of the


Bible replaces cross with execution stake or tree, which is consistent with prophecy and the Greek references in many cases. Messianic Jews will often say “tree.” I’m not afraid to talk about the cross, but I want to clarify what it doesn’t mean. Of course, I respect Christians who


place great value on the symbol of the cross, while remaining sensitive to both sides.


Dealing with Our Heart This is a love story. If we harbor senti-


ments of superiority, judgment, or anti- Semitism, in what measure can the love of God flow through us to apprehend others? Prejudice? Me? No way! You may be sur-


prised. Any generalization regarding a peo- ple group is prejudicial. The Jewish People are a microcosm of mankind—represent- ing a full spectrum of the human condi- tion—from the worst to the very best in human nature, from the secular to the most spiritual and holy—and everything in between! One cannot say, “The Jews are…” anything defined in earthly terms, for they are all things. All we can honestly say is that they are the Chosen of God and have a spe- cific purpose in His redemptive plan. It is critical that we avoid disparaging the people and things the Jewish People hold dear. Search your heart. Ask God to give you the love and respect that will reveal His heart as you share with His People.


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