Adventures In Witnessing Vol. 12- Jewish Evangelism

    
When reaching out to Jewish people with the Gospel you will get a variety of responses from people with diverse Jewish backgrounds. First, let me bring some clarity on a point of confusion for some. Just like the very first followers of Jesus in the New Testament, there are Jewish believers in Jesus today called Messianic Jews. Although Messianic Jews represent a small percentage of Jews worldwide they are growing in number. It’s wonderful to worship and fellowship with Jewish believers.

I have encounter non-believing Jews with secular, mildly religious and very religious backgrounds. Many American Jews seem to have a negative view of Jesus so I try to put them at ease by saying “I’m a Christian that loves the Jewish people and I try to support Israel.” 

While doing outreaches with my shofar, Jewish people will approach me with excitement. I share with them how the Rosh Hashanah celebration and the shofar relates to Jesus. Many Jews find joy in the sound of the shofar and ask me to sound it repeatedly.

Most Jews are familiar with the ‘Passover’ and the ‘Binding of Isaac’ passages from the Bible. These are great scriptures to share and show how they point to Jesus the Messiah. Isaiah 53 is one of the most powerful messianic prophecies that has helped many Jewish people come to faith in Jesus.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  Isaiah 53:5-6  

Whether it’s a secular or religious Jew you can always ask them my favorite spiritual question, “If you died tonight and God asked you, “Why should I let you into My kingdom?” What would your answer be?” Most people will tell you about their good deeds and then you can take them through the ‘good person test’ which we covered in ‘Adventures in Witnessing Volume Three.'

The following evidence was put together with help from the teachings of Dr. Michael Brown, showing from the Jewish scriptures and the Talmud that Jesus is the Messiah.

What every Jewish person should know about Yeshua
He is the most influential Jew in the history of the world. More people have come to know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because of Him than any other Jew. He is a light to the nations. (Ref. Isaiah 49:6)  
Because of Him former atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, and all types of God haters from around the world have come to love the God of Israel and the Jewish people. Through Him Gentiles from around the world cherish the Hebrew Scriptures and are able to keep the ethical requirements of the Law. The reason we have a “Common Era- CE” and a “Before Common Era- BCE” is because of Him. (Ref. Isaiah 42:6)

What did the prophets say?
He was born where the prophets said...
Out of Bethlehem shall come the One to be Ruler in Israel. (Ref. Micah 5:2)
He suffered, died and rose from the dead just as the prophets said...
His hands and feet where pierced. They divided His garments among them. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. He was cut off from the land of the living but His soul was not left in Sheol nor was He allowed to see corruption. (Ref. Psalm 22:1-18, Isaiah 53:1-12, & Psalm 16:10)

He lived the way the prophets said...
He preached good tidings to the poor, healed the brokenhearted and proclaimed liberty to the captives. (Ref. Isaiah 61:1-2)

He had to come before the destruction of the 2nd Temple
The Lord, suddenly came to the 2nd Temple to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in everlasting righteousness before its destruction. Haggai states that the glory of the 2nd Temple would be greater than the glory of the 1st Temple. The scriptures reveal that the Messiah had to come before the demise of 2nd Temple. ( Ref. Malachi 3:1, Daniel 9:24-26 & Haggai 2:7-9)

Yoma 39b
The Talmud states that during the Yom Kippur service in the Temple, a red thread would be tied to the doorway of the sanctuary. If the sacrifice was acceptable and Israel’s sins forgiven, then the thread would turn white. The Talmud shows that during the last 40 years of the 2nd Temple, this miracle ceased to occur and the thread would remain red.
Yeshua died and rose from the dead 40 years before the destruction of the 2nd Temple; this signifies that the sacrificial system was no longer effective and that another system for atonement had been established.    
 
The Forever Commandments
The priest shall make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year. It's an everlasting statute. (Ref. Leviticus 16:32-34)
If Yeshua is not the Messiah then God gave Israel commandments and left them without a way to keep them since there’s no standing temple. Yeshua is the Messiah and the Torah commandments are fulfilled in Him. Yeshua said: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Ref.Matthew 5:17)

Yeshua is Jesus
Yeshua took care of the sin problem by going to the cross and dying as the perfect sacrifice, paying the price for our disobedience. He rose from the dead so that whoever follows and confesses Him will have his name written in the Book of Life. He will return again to fulfill the remaining messianic prophecies, establish His kingdom and then be recognized by all the world as the Messiah. Jesus came the first time lowly and riding on a donkey. Died on Passover as the Lamb of God. Rose from the dead on the feast of firstfruits. He sits at the right hand of the Father and will return with the clouds of heaven as the trumpet sounds. (Ref. Zechariah 9:9, John 1:29, Luke 24:46,Psalm 110:1, Daniel 7:13 & Zechariah 9:14)

Yeshua the Messiah said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Ref. John 14:6)

For more tips on Jewish evangelism go to www.realmessiah.com