Missionary Renegade: August 2015 Newsletter from Word of Messiah Ministries in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Thursday, July 30, 2015

August 2015 Newsletter from Word of Messiah Ministries in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

August 2015
Newsletter - eShmooze
About Sam Our Bookstore Schedule a Speaker Partner with us

A Wake Up Call
Recently, a friend of ours in Columbia, SC, had a conversation not soon to be forgotten. As *John was talking with his unbelieving Jewish friend,*Dave, the topic of Messianic believers came up. Dave asserted that he, "stays away from those Messianics because they're always trying to get you saved," but that he "doesn't mind Christians because they leave Jewish people alone." John was taken aback by this comment and considered it an "indictment on Christians," including himself. It was stunning to him that Jewish people would generally think of Christians as unengaged when it comes to sharing the Gospel with them.
Read more...A Wake Up Call by Laurel James

Recently, a friend of ours in Columbia, SC, had a conversation not soon to be forgotten. As *John was talking with his unbelieving Jewish friend,*Dave, the topic of Messianic believers came up. Dave asserted that he, “stays away from those Messianics because they’re always trying to get you saved,” but that he “doesn’t mind Christians because they leave Jewish people alone.” John was taken aback by this comment and considered it an “indictment on Christians,” including himself. It was stunning to him that Jewish people would generally think of Christians as unengaged when it comes to sharing the Gospel with them.
Although Dave doesn’t speak for all Jewish people, nor does his comment “paint all Christians with the same brush,” it points to a telling need. Sadly, many Jewish people are not hearing the Good News directly from their Christian friends and acquaintances.
Word of Messiah Ministries is actively working to address this issue in several ways:
1. We are continually training interested churches and individual Christians in ways to share their faith with Jewish people. We want to encourage our family in Messiah with the wonderful news of how Jewish people around the world are coming to faith in Yeshua, and assist them in their outreach to Jewish people in their own communities.
Each week, Sam is invited to various churches across the country, where he speaks on topics such as, “Messiah in the Passover,” “Israel in Prophecy,” and “The Jewish Evangelism Seminar.” After Sam spoke at his church, Pastor Lemmings of Grace Covenant Church in Cornelius, NC, remarked, “Every time Sam has ministered to our congregation, the people have been encouraged, equipped, and excited about serving Jesus. Through Word of Messiah Ministries, we have also caught a new passion and burden for Jerusalem and the salvation of the Jewish people.”
We would love to serve your church in this way as well! To invite Sam to your church, visit wordofmessiah.org or contact our office at 704-544-1948.
2. We also provide books, DVD’s, free downloads, and video seminars in order for Christians to study deeper and be equipped to interact effectively and lovingly with Jewish friends and neighbors. In our Shmooze letter each month, we strive to include articles and materials that will further equip you in your witness. The Shmooze is meant to be shared with friends, pastors, and fellow church members in order to spread the word and further equip the Body in outreach to Jewish people.
Recently, Tim, a subscriber to the Shmooze letter, and non-Jewish member of one of the Messianic congregations we work with, had an opportunity to share one of our books, Messianic Wisdom, with a Jewish friend who is wrestling with what it means to be a believer in Yeshua while not forsaking his Jewish identity in order to share his faith with unbelieving family members. Tim’s friend was grateful to receive teaching on these matters through the book and was very encouraged that a non-Jewish believer would reach out to him in this way.
3. Word of Messiah is actively doing evangelism and planting Messianic congregations in Jewish communities around the world as a testimony of God’s faithfulness in the Messiah to the Jewish people. We support congregation planters and leaders and regularly hold congregation planting and leadership conferences in order to train and equip them in their ministry. Please pray for our upcomingconference this October in San Antonio, Texas, as well as our conference in Phoenix, Arizona in January 2016.
Each of the congregations we help plant works alongside churches in their area to assist them in their witness. As part of the Body of Messiah, we’re here to work with local churches in our shared calling to bring the Good News to Jewish people.
Sam recently had a conversation with a Jewish believer who attends a church. Over lunch, this man shared that he will soon be going to his class reunion and would like to share his faith with Jewish friends who will be there, but doesn’t know how to start conversations with unsaved Jewish acquaintances. Sam gave him several ideas for what to do, as well a copy of “The Messianic Answer Book” to help him in his witness, encouraging him in his role as a Jewish believer in Messiah.
Through healthy Messianic congregations, Jewish believers like Sam’s friend and Tim’s friend are discipled in what it means to live out a testimony of God’s faithfulness as present-tense Jewish believers in Messiah, as we see in the life of Paul (see Rom. 11:1, Acts 21:39) and many others throughout Scripture. Non-Jewish believers are also discipled in such a way as to grow in effective witness to Jewish friends and neighbors.
We see this work moving forward in Columbia, SC, as the first Messianic congregation in the city is in the process of being planted. Please pray for Lew and Debe Wayburn in their quest to disciple Messianic believers to share the Good News with Jew and Gentile alike through the planting of Hope of Israel Columbia Messianic Fellowship. For more information about Hope of Israel Columbia, contact Lew at: HOI.Columbia@gmail.com.
It is vital for all believers in Yeshua to be discipled in such a way as to be able to communicate their faith to Jewish people. As the Body of Messiah grows in this great calling, may it be never be said of any believer that they “leave Jewish people alone,” but rather that they make the Good News an unavoidable reality as they share the love of Messiah with unbelieving Jewish people.
*Names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals
The Suffering Servant

Countless Jewish people have accepted Yeshua as their Messiah as the result of a consideration of Isaiah's description of Messiah as suffering Servant, and this passage which speaks so clearly of Yeshua is often used by believers in their witness to Jewish people. In fact, Isaiah 53 plays a key role in Sam's testimony. When a group of believers first showed this passage to Sam, his thought was, "Nothing can be this clear!" He reasoned that they must have taken a portion "from their New Testament," and put it into his side of the Bible!
Read more... The Suffering Servant by Laurel James

Countless Jewish people have accepted Yeshua as their Messiah as the result of a consideration of Isaiah’s description of Messiah as suffering Servant, and this passage which speaks so clearly of Yeshua is often used by believers in their witness to Jewish people. In fact, Isaiah 53 plays a key role in Sam’s testimony. When a group of believers first showed this passage to Sam, his thought was, “Nothing can be this clear!” He reasoned that they must have taken a portion “from their New Testament,” and put it into his side of the Bible!
Yes, it is incredibly clear, and sadly, in a desire to protect their people from what they see as false teaching, many unbelieving rabbis today are training their congregations in ways to refute the idea that Yeshua is the suffering Servant portrayed in Isaiah 53.
Recently, Sam led a four-part seminar in order to address this issue, offering compelling evidence that Yeshua is indeed the suffering Servant, the only One in all of history who could have fulfilled Isaiah’s words to the letter. The goal of this seminar was to equip believers to confidently share Messiah with Jewish friends; not to enter into debates when objections are brought up, but to lovingly point them to the Truth that will change their lives.
For centuries, Isaiah 53 was actually considered by the rabbis to be a description of the Messiah. However, in the 11th century A.D., a new interpretation developed which suggested the passage spoke not of the Messiah as the suffering Servant, but of the suffering of the Jewish people on behalf of the sins of the Gentiles. Since that time, others have proposed further non-Messianic interpretations.
Through the seminar, Sam explained each of these claims, and then taught why the actual text does not allow for such misinterpretations. A simple consideration of the grammar of Isaiah 53 sheds light on the fact that Isaiah cannot be speaking of Israel as the suffering servant. Throughout the chapter, the subject in question is always referred to as “He” or “Him,” not as “we” or “us.” (“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried…” vs. 4) It’s clear from the text that Isaiah is speaking of a single specific Person, not a nation.
Another point that unbelieving Jewish people may bring up is the fact that in much of traditional Judaism, Messiah is thought of primarily as the Son of David, who will rule and reign as King. They therefore object to the idea that Messiah came as a suffering Servant. To address this issue, Sam pointed to Scripture, where the word “servant” is used to describe kings, even David himself (Ps. 89:20). Likewise, prophets (Is. 20:3), angels (Job 4:18), and Moses (Num 12:7) are all described as “servants” in Scripture.
In addition, Sam pointed to the fact that the thought of Messiah as a servant is historically not a non-Jewish concept. When translating the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah 3:8 into Aramaic, the rabbis actually added the word, “Messiah” into this verse, paraphrasing it to say, “Behold… My Servant, the Messiah.” (Targum Jonathon) They phrased it this way because this was the common understanding of the passage at the time. They did not question the fact that Messiah would be a servant, even a suffering servant.
Although the rabbinical writings are by no means inspired, they can be a powerful tool to use in witnessing. Religious Jewish people hold these historical writings in high regard, and sections like this can help them see that Messianic concepts are not foreign to Jewish thinking.
Lisa, who attended Sam’s seminar, thought that this was remarkable. She said, “I appreciate how Sam focused on Scripture and then brought in the rabbinical writings to show how the rabbis of the past understood Messiah as they observed the Scriptures. I loved studying though this passage and seeing Yeshua the Messiah so clearly.”
This compelling portion of Scripture is not only a tool to be used in witnessing; it also has much to say to our lives as believers. Sam concluded the seminar with a consideration of Isaiah 53’s application for us. As we look at Yeshua’s immense suffering on our behalf, we are humbled by His humility and realize there is no place for arrogance for those who understand Isaiah 53. As a humble people of God, may we respond to His sacrifice for us in service to Him, and sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those who do not yet accept Him.
Isaiah 53 is actually a prophecy not only of the Messiah’s suffering, but also of Israel’s future national confession of Him (see Isaiah 53:4-6, Zech. 12:10). May it be our “heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel’s salvation,” (Rom. 10:1) and may the day come quickly when Israel as a nation will recognize Yeshua as their Messiah and make this very confession. Until then, may we be faithful to serve the Jewish people, even as our Savior did (Isaiah 53, Rom. 15:8), lovingly pointing them to the Living Truth.
Sam’s Isaiah 53 seminar is perfect for use in your Bible study or small group. The seminar DVD, mp3, and outlines are available on sale this month.
Registration is Now Open:

Sam will be Speaking:
August 2, 6:30 pm - Gateway Baptist Church, Newton, NC
August 9, 10:00 am - Providence Baptist Church, Pageland, SC
August 16, 11:00 am - First Baptist Church, Hildebran, NC
August 23, 11:00 am - Mill Creek Baptist Church, Monroe, NC
August 30, 9:30 am - Faith Fellowship Church, Jefferson, NC
September 5 - 7 - Southeast Messianic Men's Conference
To schedule a speaker click here or call 704.544.1948
Isaiah 53:
The Identity of the Suffering Servant
Countless numbers of Jewish people have accepted Yeshua as their Messiah as a result of an honest look at Isaiah's description of Messiah as suffering Servant, and for centuries, Isaiah 53 was considered by the rabbis to be a description of the Messiah. However, in the 11th century A.D., a new interpretation developed which suggested the passage spoke not of the Messiah, but of the suffering of the Jewish people. Since that time, others have proposed further non-Messianic interpretations. This seminar offers compelling evidence that Yeshua is indeed the Messiah, the only One in all of history who could have fulfilled Isaiah's words to the letter, and gives insight in how to lovingly point Jewish people to Him.
A 4- Session Seminar from Sam Nadler: DVD, Mp3, & Outlines