By Adam Miller

If were serious about reaching our Jewish friends and the Jewish population as a whole in North America, it will take more than tracts and an understanding of their culture. I heard an interview on National Public Radio in which a Jewish man during High Holy Days talked about Christians proselytizing Jews. He said something to the effect that for a Christian to tell a Jew about Messiah is one of the highest insults he could pay. And of course this seems true in light of the fact that Messiah is a Jewish term and concept. Messiah is someone the Jews have been looking for over the course of four millennia. So for a non-Jew to presume to know Messiah would seem just thatpresumptuous.

The Menorah (based on Exodus 25:31-40) is a seven- or nine-branched lamp stand used in synagogues and Jewish homes today as a reminder of the Jews mission to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

Plus the insults Christians have paid Jews since the time of the Roman Empire make it difficult for Jews to hear about Messiah from a follower of Christ, especially in an attempt to make another converta term reminiscent of the Crusades.

However, were not trying to convert Jews. We are not asking them to turn from their Jewishness. Instead, we are pointing them to the fulfillment of their identity.

When Stuart Lee (Lipschultz), who was raised a conservative Jew in Skokie, Illinois, started reading the New Testament out of curiosity when he was engaged to a Christian, he realized the New Testament was a Jewish book. The truth was there. It all connected with the Torah and the sages and what Jews have believed for thousands of years. I realized that I can be a believer in Jesus, and yet I can stay Jewish. Jan Dorward was an agnostic Jew whose family taught her that anyone associating themselves with Jesus hated Judaism. When she was able to tie the Old Testament and New Testament together, it absolutely turned on a light bulb. At that point I started looking at Jesus as a Jew. And she began referring to herself as a completed Jew.

Rick Worshill used to take out the Bible and beat up my Christian friends. I was taught to defend Judaism against Christianity. Rick grew up in an orthodox synagogue, aspiring to be a cantor (a Jewish ceremonial singer) to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and great grandfatherthis is how ingrained Jewish life and culture were in Ricks family. When Rick made the connection between what he had known all his life and what a friend showed him in the New Testament, he began to worship Jesus as Messiah.

Jews for Jesus, Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, American Messianic Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship, an organization in partnership with the North American Mission Board, are contemporary examples of the model the apostles set in the early church. They introduce Jews to the Messiah written about so extensively in ancient scripture.

In the New Testament, there are only two kinds of missions: Jewish missions and Gentile missions, says Jim Sibley, a national missionary for the North American Mission Board. The dominant view among believers today is to view Jewish people as just another people group, but there is a uniqueness of the Jewish people in Gods plan.

Jim works to help form Messianic fellowships and assists existing fellowships in reaching Jews by networking with other congregations, the North American Mission Board and other Messianic ministries. Jim also has been instrumental in forming the Pasche Institute for Jewish Studies at Criswell College, believing its important that we train believers to carry on the task of reaching the Jewish population in North America and beyond.

Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship

Both Rick Worshills and Stuart Lees journeys brought them to Bnai Ohr Beth Tefilah, a Messianic fellowship in Chicago where pastor Steve Barack has seen Jews realize their Messiah. Former president of the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship (SBMF), a NAMB partner, Steve has worked alongside Jim to reach the Jewish population in North America.

Rick, Stuart and I are examples of what can happen when someone takes a step toward sharing the gospel, Steve says. All three men are deeply involved at Bnai Ohr and are zealous for sharing the gospel with their kinsmen.

As with many of the fellowships joined with SBMF, Bnai Ohrs worship is culturally Jewish but centered on Christ and His fulfillment. In a typical Messianic service, each scripture from the TANAKH (see page 36) is read followed by its fulfillment in the gospels.

And while Messianic fellowships still observe High Holy Days, the Jewish holidays in which atonement and hope for Messiah are emphasized, completed Jews celebrate the atonement through the crucified and risen Messiah. Messianic fellowships not only provide an effective outreach, they also help Gentile believers better understand their own faith. Learn about SBMF at www.sbmessianic.net. 

The Gospel of Isaiah

While all scripture reveals the need for Messiah and specifically points to Him, Isaiah has a great concentration of writings revealing the nature, purpose and plan of Messiah. This book, written prior to Israels captivity in Babylon, refers to both a military deliverer and humble servant deliverer who will liberate Israel through His own sacrifice.

Isaiah 9:6-7 refers to a child who will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.

But the prophet also knows this same princely person must become the ultimate sacrifice when he writes in Isaiah 53:8 that he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. And in verse 12 the Messiah poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah is a prophet your Jewish friend may know, but does your friend know the One of Whom Isaiah wrote?

Common ground

I sat through the Jewish High Holy Days in September. As most Gentiles would, I stumbled over Hebrew pronunciations, kept forgetting to turn pages right instead of left and had to acclimate myself to traditions that probably would never show up in my church.

The Magen David, or Star of David, represents the shape of King Davids helmet.  The symbol became widely known as Zionist movements grew in the late 1800s and is used today on the Israeli flag.

Dont get me wrong. These were not hindrances to my experience. These foreign religious rituals did nothing but add to the beauty of the meaning from which the ceremonies derived. What became wonderfully clear was how in line with much of my own tradition is the Jewish tradition. After all, we were praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we were studying passages from the five books of Moses, and we celebrated the holiness of God and the power of His scripture. I gained new insights into the life and times of Jesus.

But what made me anxious for the Jewish men and women around me was their expectation of a Messiah who had not yet arrived. I knew they would walk out of the synagogue into their lives thinking that what they had just done with their scriptures and prayers would be enough to rid them of sin guilt and foster a relationship with their Creator. Anxiety turns to grief when I think of how lost they are though surrounded by so much of the Truth. Part of me wanted to raise my hand. Ummmrabbi, I know Messiah. And when they mentioned the blasting of the shofar at the coming of Messiah, I wanted to correct them. Ummmrabbi, actually thats the second coming of Messiah. But how do you communicate Jesus as God to a people whose entire history centers on the Lord our God is One God. Their job has been to proclaim this monotheism. So how can you show them that Jesus is the Holy One of Israel?

Dreidel is a game played during the Jewish holiday Chanukkah. Each side of the toy features a Hebrew letter, which, together,  represent the phrase a great miracle happened there.

Just as we share the gospel with those whose concept of God may be miles away from the Holy One of Israel, we must meet Gods Chosen People where they are in the traditions and laws of both our prophets and fathers. And we must show them who He is, using the scriptures they know so well. Otherwise, the remnant who believe will continue to shrink and our potential co-heirs of Gods promise will miss the fruits of Gods promises made directly to them.

Use common language
While we may be comfortable with how we talk about God, His people and His law, a little tweaking in terminology can help us find common ground with our Jewish friends.

ChristIf you use the term Messiah when referring to Jesus, you are talking in a language both Jews and Christians understand, appreciate and revere.

Old/New TestamentWhile most Jews are familiar with this terminology, they typically dont respect the New Testament. Keep in mind that everything necessary for recognizing Messiah and understanding the gospel existed before the New Testament was penned.

JehovahSometimes written JHVH, this is the ineffable name. Jews traditionally view a name as representing the essence of the thing or person named, so to speak the Lords name is to decrease its value. To show respect for your friend and for God Himself, use the terms Hashem or Adonai (or simply Lord).

About the Jewish Bible
The entirety of the TANAKH points to Christ. The TANAKH (an acrostic for the works it contains) is a collection of writings including the Torah (Books of Moses or first five books of the Bible). The collection of works containing Isaiah, Jeremiah and others is called the Neviim, the Hebrew word for The Prophets. The Writingsincluding Psalms, Proverbs and othersor Kethuvim are the last to appear in the collection. Christians refer to the collection of these works as the Old Testament. And, in fact, there is no difference between the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish TANAKH except for the order in which the books are arranged. Though we are accustomed to using Old Testament to refer to these foundational books of our faith, it is useful as we speak with our Jewish friends to use the word Torah or TANAKH as a means of bridging the language gap. Remember, most devout Jews dont believe there is a New Testament from God, so theres no need in early conversations to make the distinction.

Adam Miller is associate editor of On Mission