How do we reach the Jews with the The Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ?
Reaching Jews with The Gospel might be challenging, but we can show them Bible prophecies regarding the Messiah that have been fulfilled. Unfortunately, this may not be enough for them to acknowledge The Truth that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Here are some reasons most Jewish people do not believe in Jesus.
1) Jews are taught Jesus is only for Gentiles.
2) Belief in Jesus might cause a social stigma.
3) The Jews have been blamed for the death of Jesus.
4) Throughout the ages, Jews have endured atrocities, murders and massacres at the hands of Christians and Gentiles.
5) How could the Messiah hang on a cross, since those who hang on a cross are cursed?
Note: The Jews, the Romans, and the whole world are responsible for the death of Jesus. Yet, it was Jesus Himself who laid down His life. No one took it from Him. For more understanding, visit Who Killed Jesus?
Why is there still anti-Semitism? The answer is Satan. And, he uses people to carry out his dirty work. Satan hates God and he hates what God loves – the Jews and Israel (and Christians and all people). For those Jews who do embrace Jesus, they realize His teachings were a continuation of the Jewish faith and not abandonment of it.
The Cross
The crucifixion cross can be a great stumbling block to the Jews and others. In Isaiah it says, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” How could the promised Messiah King ever hang on a cross? Jesus did hang on a cross. He was cursed for our sins. All these things that were written in the scriptures must be fulfilled. An exchange took place on the cross. Jesus was cursed and died so we would be set free from the curse of sin and eternal death.
Galatians 3:13 (NLT) But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Deuteronomy 21:23 (TLV) His body is not to remain all night on the tree—instead you must certainly bury him the same day, for anyone hanged is a curse of God. You must not defile your land that Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Luke 24:44 (NKJV) Then He said to them,“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Jesus’ 2nd Coming will bring peace to earth
There has also been misunderstanding regarding the following verse. Isaiah 2:4 (NKJV) He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. The rabbis thought the Messiah would fulfill this prophecy when He came. However, this prophecy will not be fulfilled until Jesus’ 2nd coming. Then, peace will finally be found during the Millennium. Jesus’ 1st coming did not bring peace to earth. It did, however, bring peace from God to mankind (a vertical peace, not a horizontal peace among men).
For more understanding, visit Why Do Most Jewish People Not Believe in Jesus?
Old Testament for Jews & New Testament for Gentiles – Rubbish!
The Jews are told the New Testament is for Gentiles. Likewise, the Gentiles are told they don’t need to read the Old Testament. What foolishness and deception! It’s important to read the entire Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation. With a smart phone, tablet or computer, anyone can download the YouVersion Bible App. Bible verses can be read or heard in your language and in the version you like. And, it’s free!
The Old Testament/Covenant
In The Old Testament, God establishes who He is – one God in three persons (The Father, The Son or The Word, and The Holy Spirit) from everlasting. Deuteronomy 6:4 (AMP) “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [the only God]! Genesis 1:26 (AMP) Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (AMP) In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. Isaiah 44:6 (NLV) The Lord, the King of Israel and the One Who saves and frees from sin, the Lord of All, says, “I am the first and I am the last. There is no God besides Me.
The New Testament/Covenant
In The New Testament, the second person of the Trinity (The Messiah/Christ) is revealed. He was veiled in the Old Testament. Hebrews 8:6 (NLT) But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.
The Mosaic covenant was not faultless and was never intended to be an everlasting covenant. God knew His people would not be able to keep the covenant laws which He gave through Moses. Hebrews 8:7 (NLT) If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. Hebrews 8:13 (NLT) When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.
A new covenant is anticipated. Jeremiah 31:31-34 (AMP)“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and with the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” says the Lord.“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the Lord, “I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. And each man will no longer teach his neighbor and his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me [through personal experience], from the least of them to the greatest,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness, and I will no longer remember their sin.”
The New Covenant which was prophesied in Jeremiah is NOT in effect now, but WILL BE in the Millennium for the Jews. When Jesus returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation, all left standing in Israel will acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. They will repent and all Israel will be saved. Now, spiritually, the New Covenant is in effect for Gentile believers.
The whole Bible is like a two act play
Indeed, the whole Bible is like a two act play. Act 1 gives us the background story. Act 2 shows us how we fit into the story and how it ends. We are introduced to a cast of characters and not all are human. The first supernatural being is God who was always present and always will be. He is not confined to time and space, but can step into our world at any time. God is unlike humans. He is one God, yet comprised of three persons (The Father, The Son or The Word, and The Holy Spirit) – each one God. God’s Son, Jesus, is actually the main character of the whole Bible. He is the promised Messiah who finally shows up in Act 2 as God in human flesh. He makes His entrance into this world as a baby. After leading a sinless life (because He’s God), Jesus sacrifices Himself to save the world from sin and eternal death. Jesus is crucified, dies, is buried for three days and then resurrected. He is alive in Heaven and seated on the right hand of God the Father. What other god could do this for a sinful world?
Meet our first ancestors
The next characters we meet are Adam & Eve. They are our first ancestors. And, by the way, the Bible clearly tells us they were humans – not apes. God created and provided everything they could ever need or want including a beautiful place to live – the Garden of Eden. Adam & Eve were set to live forever, along with the animals and everything on earth. But along came Satan, a supernatural being, who enters the scene in the form of a serpent. He began to place doubt in the minds of Adam & Eve and make them think God was not enough.
God had told them not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But Satan deceived them and they ate the fruit of that tree. As soon as they disobeyed God, sin entered the world like a disease. Sin placed an expiration date on Adam & Eve as well as the animals, fish, plant life and everything. Immediately, they knew they were guilty. The bad news for us is that this sin disease has been passed down to every person on this earth. Therefore, we are sinners not because we sin, but because we are born in sin. How many sins do we need to commit to be labeled a sinner? None. But, because of this sin nature all of us have sinned. And, the price for sin is death. Romans 6:23 (NLT) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Physical death comes first and then eternal death and torment – unless we know Jesus.
Who is this Satan character?
One of the supernatural angels God created is Lucifer. He is also called Satan. This character is jealous of God and wants to be God. He uses any means he can to keep God’s promises from being fulfilled, but Satan fails every time. God always keeps His promises. God’s prophecies are always fulfilled. For the time being, God has allowed Satan to operate in this world and run it. But don’t worry. God has Satan on a leash. God is ultimately in charge of everything.
Why would God allow Satan, evil, and sin in this world?
Why would God allow this? Free will is the answer. God didn’t make humans as slave robots who must worship Him. God gave us free will to choose Him (namely His Son Jesus).
But God had a plan and a promise
God knows the end from the beginning. He knew Adam & Eve would sin, but He had a plan and a promise that would save us from eternal death and torment. God gives a promise (prophecy) of one to come – the Messiah (Christ) who would defeat Satan and render him powerless. This Messiah would take away the sins of the world. The Bible tells us the serpent would bruise Messiah’s heal, but Messiah would crush its head, mortally wounding the serpent (Satan). This is the first announcement of the gospel (good news of Christ) and is just what took place when Christ died. It is Christ’s resurrection that was the game changer. What other god could do this for mankind?
With faith in who Jesus is and what He did for us, we can live forever in a supernatural place called heaven. Without this faith, we will reside in a supernatural place called hell until we are thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity. The choice we make now has eternal consequences. Once we physically die, there will be no second chances. And, there will be no bargaining with God to tell Him how good we were on earth. Our deeds are worthless to God.
Satan’s big lie
From the moment we are born we quickly grasp the concept of Good Deeds = Rewards. If we work hard in school, we get a gold star or a good grade. If we do well there, we can go on to college or university. And if we continue to work hard, we get a good paying job. You get the picture. Guess who loves this concept – Satan and the world. We naturally think God will be impressed with our obligatory prayers and praises. And, we think God will see that our good deeds outweigh the bad. We even compare ourselves to others and rationalize our ranking on a good deeds scale. We may even think God needs to be appeased with our prayers and good deeds. This is Satan’s big lie. The Bible tells us just the opposite. Isaiah 64:6 (NLT) We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
Satan loves inclusiveness
The world embraces inclusiveness and Satan smiles. The world thinks God is so loving He couldn’t possibly exclude people from heaven no matter their religion or lack thereof. Yes, God is love, but God is also just. Matthew 7:13-14 (AMP) “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it. The Bible tells us there is only one way to The Father, and that is through His Son, Jesus. John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
We can’t put God in a box and make Him into what we think He should be. We can’t limit His power or deny His Trinitarian deity. God sets the standard and none of us measure up. Jesus is the only one who fulfilled the law by keeping it perfectly. Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Matthew 5:17 (AMP) “Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Yahweh/Jehovah is God, and God attributes those names to His Son Jesus because of His deity. In Exodus, God says of Himself … Exodus 3:14 (NKJV) And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” This gives us the understanding that God is of everlasting. Thankfully, the scriptures give us even more understanding of Yahweh/Jehovah Jesus as the following: I am the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Bread of Life, Water of Life, the Door, the Vine, Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, Morning Star, and the Word. (I am who I am).
For more understanding, visit Is Jesus Yahweh?
Weeding out false religions
Do you think our God would leave us in a state of confusion? Do you think He wants us to wonder which religion is the one we must follow for salvation? Absolutely Not! Using God’s word (the Bible scriptures), it’s easy to weed out false religions.
False religions place the burden on mankind with obligatory good deeds, rituals, prayers, sacrifices and pilgrimages, etc. This takes great effort, yet there is no certainty of salvation. These false religions say, “Do.” God, through His Son, Jesus says, “Done!”
God clearly hates idolatry. When God called out a people from the Gentiles, He began with Abram. Abram’s father was an idol maker. God took Abram out of idolatry and away from that environment in order to separate him and his family line (the Jews) from Satan and the world. Satan loves idolatry because the idolater is focused away from the living triune God and on a person, object or even a philosophy as god.
In the Bible, God does not place Ishmael (Abram/Abraham’s son with the handmaiden) under His wing and begin a religious system through Ishmael’s line. But God does do that with Isaac, the son promised to Abram and his wife, Sarai. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the one we get to know through the word of God. Weeding out false religions, this leaves us with Judaism and Christianity.
If good deeds are in opposition to God’s plan for our salvation, then that rules out any Judaic and Christian forms of religion focusing on good deeds or obligations of any sort.
If God isn’t looking for good deeds, what is He looking for?
God is looking for Jews and Gentiles who acknowledge the second person of the trinity, the promised Messiah (Jesus), to be God. And, God is looking for that group of people to individually claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior with faith, believing Jesus paid their sin debt in full with His death, burial and resurrection. So, what is God looking for? – faith. Once God sees that faith, he stamps us with a big “Forgiven Forever” sign. He takes away our old Adamic sin nature and replaces it with a new nature that desires God, not evil. We are “born again” not in Adam, but spiritually in Christ Jesus. Atonement for our sins has already taken place through the promised Messiah (Jesus). However, it only becomes effectual with faith.
So what is the true religion?
The true religion for Jews would be Messianic Judaism that embraces Jesus. Claiming Jesus as Messiah doesn’t make a person less Jewish. It is actually the most Jewish thing one can do.
For Gentiles, the true religion would be Christianity. This focuses on salvation through grace (the free gift of God) and faith in that free gift – Jesus. For both Jews and Gentiles, God seeks a relationship with us through his Son Jesus, our mediator. To have faith, a Jew doesn’t become a Gentile, nor does a Gentile become a Jew. We can’t change our race. We are who God made us to be.
For more understanding, visit Religion Vs Relationship With God
Why do we need a mediator (Jesus)?
God is holy and humans are not. There is a great chasm between us. Jesus bridges that chasm as He is both God and man. Why did God become a man – to reveal God to mankind and to redeem mankind. Jesus is a prophet as He speaks to us from God His Father. Jesus is our priest – the sacrificer and the sacrifice. John 1:29 (NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! As priest, Jesus speaks to God His Father on our behalf. Without Jesus as our mediator, we are distant from The Father. In Job’s day, God had not yet come to earth in the flesh as our mediator. Job 9:32 (AMP) “For God is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I may answer Him, That we may go to court and judgment together.
Did you know the Jews have been blinded by God?
God was patient with Israel, but they rejected Salvation through His Son, Jesus. Romans 10:21 (NLT) But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.” Therefore, God blinded them and hardened their hearts as He did with Pharaoh. Romans 11:7-8 (AMP) What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking [that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law], but the elect [those chosen few] obtained it, while the rest of them became hardened and callously indifferent; just as it is written [in Scripture],“God gave them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, [a spiritual apathy that has continued] to this very day.” Romans 11:11 (AMP) So I say, have they stumbled so as to fall [to spiritual ruin]? Certainly not! But by their transgression [their rejection of the Messiah] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous [when they realize what they have forfeited].
So how do we reach the Jews with the Gospel?
The question remains. How do we reach the Jews with the Gospel? We don’t. This is the work of the Holy Spirit who draws us to God and His Word. Romans 10:17 (AMP) So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.
We can pray that God will open their eyes, ears, and hearts to receive the Gospel (the Good News of Christ). And, we can pray they will ask God to reveal The Truth. Deuteronomy 4:29 (NKJV) But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Once they have asked God to reveal The Truth, the scriptures will be more than just words. There will be a desire to know more about the Jews in the New Testament. And, there will be a desire to know how they fit into God’s plan and how the story ends. There will be a desire to know The Truth (Jesus). God has not left us guessing. Everything we need to know is in His Word.
God is available 24/7
Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ God is available 24/7 and waiting to hear from us. Ask to know The Truth. God will answer.
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Did you know Jesus (the promised Messiah) can be “seen” in the Feasts (Festivals) of Israel? Did you know that 16 of the 150 Psalms are Messianic Psalms? Without understanding it, David obeyed The Word and The Spirit of God as he wrote about Christ’s crucifixion in Psalm 22. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the Sin-Bearing Messiah in Isaiah 53. Why would that chapter about the Suffering Servant be forbidden to the Jews? Did you know that beginning with creation in Genesis, the pre-incarnate Jesus can be seen stepping into our world in many different forms?
See all of this when you visit Jesus in the Old Testament. You will be amazed!
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