Was Jesus Jewish?
Jesus was indeed a Jew. According to the record of God’s infallible Word: “of whom (Israel) as concerning the flesh Christ came” (Romans 9:5).
Fellow Gentile-Christian, what does this profound truth mean to you and me? Does it not challenge us to examine ourselves humbly and sincerely concerning this vital matter of our relation to those who are our blessed Lord’s brethren according to the flesh?
The closing part of Matthew 25 very graphically points out the keen and tender concern our Lord has for the children of Israel, and the implications surely should exhort us to search our hearts before Him and seek to know and do His will while we still have the opportunity.
In the fight of the Holy Scriptures and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, let us look briefly at a few reasons why we should seek, by all means possible, to win Jews to the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHY EVANGELIZE THE JEWS?
Because they are Christ’s brethren according to the flesh. This is repeated for emphasis. We need to really let this truth sink in.
Because they are lost.
Romans 3:9 with 6:23(a).
Christ told the Jews of His day that they would die in their sins unless they believed that He was the Messiah (John 8:24). The way of the Cross is the only way home for Jew as well as Gentile. What a fallacy it is to take the attitude that we have our “religion” and the Jews have theirs, and we should leave each other alone! The stark, sad truth is that the Jew without Christ is LOST!
Because Christ died for them (as well as for us).
Isaiah 53:6, and Romans 10:4, 11-13.
Are we constrained by His dying love to witness only to the Gentile? Surely not, for that precious blood was shed as much for Jews as for us.
Because God wants them to be saved.
II Peter 3:9
If we really want to be “in the center of God’s will” we will be soul winners, because He is not willing that any should perish. If we by-pass the Jew, we are that much off-center as far as His good and perfect will is concerned.
Because Christ commands us to witness to them.
Mark 16:15
Our marching orders are both explicit and all-inclusive. When our Captain commanded us to witness for Him to all the world, He meant just that. This includes the Jew, as well as the Gentile.
Because they are especially precious to God.
Genesis 12:3, and Zechariah 2:8.
This great truth neither condones Israel’s sins, nor minimizes God’s boundless love for Gentiles as well. But the fact remains that in His sovereignty, He has chosen the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for a special token of His affection. As children of our Heavenly Father in Christ, what is our attitude toward those who are the “apple of His eye?”
Because they gave us the Word of God.
Romans 3:1, 2
Fellow Gentile-Christian, have you ever stopped to think that, humanly speaking, we would have no Bible had the Jews not written it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Are we not their debtors, indeed?
Because a Jewish missionary died to give us the gospel.
Galatians 2:8, and 11 Timothy 4:6-8
Paul, the greatest of missionaries, was a Jew. He had a love for lost Gentiles that caused him to burn out his life giving them the gospel – the “good news” that a Jewish Christ had died for our sins and risen for our justification! Are we grateful? Do we show it?
Because they will yet conduct the greatest worldwide crusade for Christ.
Matthew 24:14 with Revelation 7:1-14
The shadows are lengthening and deepening as this age rushes toward its predicted end, to wind up in unprecedented evil and feel the unprecedented wrath of God in the “great tribulation.” We believe the true Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, will be raptured before the judgment-stroke falls. Then the task of preaching the gospel will revert to Israel. And, from Revelation 7, it is evident they will do a masterful job for Christ! Perhaps you and I might have the inestimable privilege of winning some of these future evangelists to Christ if we would only witness to the Jews as we should!
Because they are central in the earthly kingdom to be set up by Christ when He returns as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
It would take pages just to cite the many prophecies relating to the time of Israel’s glorification. Let it suffice for the present purpose simply to state that they will then be the leading nation, and Jerusalem the world-capital, when our Christ personally takes over the reins of the government of the world at His glorious return. Brethren, it is an honor to witness to anyone for the KING OF KINGS, but especially to give the “good news” to His chosen people!
Because they are increasingly eager for the gospel of Christ.
Romans 11:23-27
As the Church-age draws toward its close, and the time approaches for Israel’s purging and restoration (the “day of Jacob’s trouble” the “great tribulation”), their “blindness in part” is beginning to give way to light, and Jews are more and more willing to listen to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Should we not be alert to take advantage of every opportunity to make Him known to them? Many Jews of our acquaintance may be far more anxious to hear the story than we dare hope!
Because Gentile Christendom has tragically neglected and ignored the plain injunction of Romans 1:16.
“The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile).”
The fact that Gentile Christians in general seem prone to reverse this Divine pronouncement (if indeed the Jew is sought at all), should only serve to spur on to greater endeavor those of us whose spiritual eyes the Holy Spirit has graciously opened. All about us the fields are white unto harvest, both at home and abroad. The laborers are indeed few, but we sometimes wonder if there is a needier or more neglected field than the children of Israel, God’s own chosen people! May it please the Lord of the harvest to awaken more of Hs people to the greatness and importance of this task of getting the precious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to lost Jews throughout the world.
The question naturally arises, How shall I witness for Christ to the Jews?
Assuming there is a sincere desire to do so, born of the Holy Spirit, several answers immediately suggest themselves:
First we must live consistently for Christ. This is perhaps the primary prerequisite for witnessing to anyone, and especially so when it comes to presenting Christ to lost Jews. If we present a worldly, inconsistent Christian life to them in addition to the many serious stumbling-blocks already in their path, the testimony of our lips will likely amount to little if anything. Brethren, let’s live Christ so that we can effectively talk Christ to anyone – Jew or Gentile!
Second, we can give our personal testimony as the opportunity arises. In the case of the Jew this means that we must especially be equipped with the Word of God so that we may intelligently answer their questions and objections and answer them with their own Scriptures!
Third, we can pray, and pray definitely for lost Jews. We should have them on our prayer fist by name. The chances are, if we pray earnestly enough for them, we will find ourselves witnessing to them!
Finally, we can support with our means those whom the Lord has especially raised up and fitted as witnesses to His chosen people. We have particularly in mind Jewish Christians who are burdened for their lost brethren and who are eminently prepared to tell them the gospel message, answering questions and objections better than most Gentiles possibly could.
Brethren, our precious Christ was born a Jew shall we not try to win them for His sake?
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