A Spiritual Journey …
Some of you might be wondering who this Jewish guy is up here. What’s his story? What’s his deal? So, I’m going to briefly share with you my spiritual journey. I grew up in the holy land – New Jersey – where there are more Jews than in Jerusalem. I went to Hebrew school as a child, was bar mitzvahed, and lost a lot of my family during the holocaust. When I was in high school I was really into basketball. Long story short, I got kicked off the basketball team and joined a wannabe Filipino gang. In this gang, I got into all sorts of trouble and started to do all sorts of crazy stuff.
Eventually, I became a DJ of hip-hop and R&B, and I found myself working under one of the largest recording studios in New York City. In the midst of working with all these famous individuals, I said to myself, “There has to be more to life than just this.” They had fame and they had fortune, but I knew there had to be something more and so I began a spiritual journey. Basically, I became a Jew Bu, a Jewish Buddhist. As a new age Jew, I would go to synagogue and study with my rabbi, but also do Eastern philosophy and religion. I would meditate for hours a day and do yoga.
A Heavenly Encounter
While meditating one day, my soul suddenly began to vibrate and lift out of my body. I was in my room and I could see myself sitting in the meditative position. My soul went through the roof and through the clouds. The next thing I know I was standing in heaven. Under the power and the presence in the glorious euphoria of the Lord, I was shaking. I saw this King high and lifted up. No one needed to tell me who it was. I knew it was Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, even though I didn’t know anything about Him. He said to me, “You’re called to serve me.” The next thing I knew, I was down in my body running around telling my mom, “I’m called to serve Him.”
Truth & Good News from a Vanishing Stranger
I had another experience on my spiritual journey. I was coming out of an ashram in New York City where I walked out the door and this woman stopped me. She said, “Do you think truth is clear, deep and absolute?” The front of my shirt said Truth, but the back said clear deep and absolute, but she couldn’t see the back. Suddenly, everything dissolved around me. I was completely transfixed upon her. It was like time and space stopped. She started to tell me about the Lord and give me the good news. I snapped out of it and the woman was not to be seen.
Jesus’ Crucifixion in Isaiah 53
My friend John called me and said, “Jason, let me ask you a question. You went to Hebrew school. Do you think you could tell the difference between The Old and New Testament?” And I said, “Sure.” He read me a passage about this guy who died on a cross and John said, “What’s that?” I said, “That’s easy. It’s the New Testament.” He said, “Let me read you another passage. He was bruised for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed.” He said, “Old or New?” I said, “Well that’s easy. That’s the New Testament. It’s talking about Jesus.” John said, “It’s Isaiah 53, the Jewish prophet.” I was so provoked to jealousy.
Born Again
I agreed to go with my friend to this messianic congregation – to Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s congregation. Jonathan Cahn was speaking, and at the end of the service they dimmed the lights and played the piano. I prayed with them and raised my hand as I figured I needed all the help I could get. Then they asked those who prayed the prayer and raised their hand to stand up. They said, “You’ve just been born again.”
I had no idea what it meant to be born again. I gave my mother enough trouble when I was born once. God only knows what this meant. They gave me the first New Covenant I’d ever seen. I took it home and was so confused. I hid it in my bedroom. God forbid anyone should ever find it. I read it for the first time. I was blown away about how Jewish it was. What was said to me in that heavenly encounter was actually a verse from the New Testament which I had never read before. I knew that He (Jesus) was the one that Moses and the prophets spoke of and I gave my life to Him. God is good, right?
Called to Serve
One week later, I got a call from a homeless friend in New York City. He said, “Jason, I was sleeping outside and I have to have both legs amputated. I’m gangrene from the knees down and I’m really scared. Could you come pray for me?” I had just read the book of Acts. So I went to the hospital and I lay my hands on my friend and I said, “Silver and gold have I none, but I have the name of Yeshua. Rise, take up your bed and walk.” My friend gets healed, comes to faith and walks out of the hospital a week later!
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Note: Rabbi Jason Sobel is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Rock, The Road, and The Rabbi, with Kathie Lee Gifford and Spiritual Advisor of The Chosen. You can discover more about Rabbi Jason Sobel and his newly released book, Mysteries of The Messiah at FusionGlobal.org.
Also, watch the video, Jonathan Cahn’s Journey to Christ.
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