I hope you're enjoying all that the Christmas and Hanukkah seasons bring.
I'm always moved by the presence of lights strung on homes and trees and even the lights burning on the Hanukkah menorah. They remind me of when Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
For believers like us, this passage means peace and salvation for us. But for our Jewish brothers and sisters who still await a coming Messiah—they can’t see through the dark.
But, Christ has come! The light of the world came to bring his people out of darkness and into His marvelous light!. It is our honor and calling to share that good news.
As we look ahead to the coming year, I am reminded that we cannot share the hope-filled message of the Messiah to our non-believing Jewish brothers and sisters on our own. We need your help.
Would you consider making a first-time gift to us today? There is no better time than now to help change someone’s life with the truth of the gospel.
I want to make this as easy for you as possible. If you go to this link: store.jewsforjesus.org/ap16e12, you will be able to safely and securely make your gift.
I appreciate you!
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600-------
Need you to know from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States for Thursday, 15 December 2016
“You’re weird!” she blurted out to me. I was in the fifth grade and was trying to win a young girl’s affection. Her remark assaulted my confidence, so I slunk away hot-faced with embarrassment. I thought about this incident recently when I participated in a special Jews for Jesus outreach in New York City. One of the slogans our team came up with caught my attention as well as that of many New Yorkers: “Keeping Jewish weird since 32 a.d.” We focused our efforts primarily on three college campuses: New York University, Baruch College and Brooklyn College. We wore it on T-shirts, used it in literature and in social media. So I certainly needed to have the meaning of this particular slogan explained to me and perhaps you do as well.
What I discovered is that for young people today, weird has a positive, not a negative, connotation. To be called weird is considered a badge of honor. Weird now means different and unique—qualities which younger audiences value and identify with. They want a break from the expected, standard conventions of society. We adapted our slogan from a movement in the more hipster cities of Portland and Austin. They employed the expressions, “Keeping Austin Weird” and “Keeping Portland Weird” as positive statements for younger residents. I witnessed first-hand how our “Keeping Jewish Weird” slogan made a favorable impression on many Jewish college students in New York. People who were curious about our statement would stop and ask us for an explanation. One Jewish student came up to me and said, “I just love this. I have one of your cards on my bulletin board in my dorm room.” Over and over again, our catchphrase became a prompt for in-depth gospel conversations (see pages 6–7 of this newsletter).
I became intrigued by this evolving concept of “weird.” I discovered that this “newer” definition is actually more in keeping with the original old English meaning of the word, initially spelled “wird,” but always pronounced as we do today. The meaning not only described something as unique and different, but it also intimated an element of the supernatural—something to do with a special act of God.
As I reflected on this and considered the meaning of our Advent season, at the risk of sounding irreverent, it seems appropriate for us to say that the incarnation of our Messiah Jesus was weird. Stop and think about it. The fact that the Creator of all heaven and earth was willing to humble Himself and take upon Himself the form of sinful humanity, that He entered this world uninvited and mostly unwelcomed in order to save us from our sin—this is astounding, unique and supernatural. Only God could do something so unexpected and different and loving and yes—weird—and we should be praising and thanking Him for it every day.
Unfortunately, most people do not see, nor do they understand, the wonder of the incarnation. If they do acknowledge the season, they are caught up in the more mundane, banal, “non-weird” elements of the holidays. We have a powerful opportunity to communicate God’s story this month. Now I am not suggesting we print up T-shirts and literature with a slogan, “Making Advent Weird since 3 b.c. give or take a year,”* but I would like to think we could convey in a fresh sense the wonder, the unique and awesome truths of God’s grace in the birth of Christ.
It seems to me that those who hear the claims of Scripture concerning the incarnation have a choice as to whether they believe it is weird, or truly weird. Many people believe the incarnation to be weird in the sense of my elementary school understanding of the word. I remember one time several years ago, while handing out literature, I was approached by a Jewish skeptic who challenged me, “Do you really believe Jesus was God?” “Yes, I do,” I responded. “Well,” he smirked, “don’t you think it strange that God had to have his mother change His diapers?” I was initially taken aback by the irreverent tone and manner in which his challenge was put to me and I simply answered, “No, I don’t have a problem with it.”
I wish I could have that moment back, because this man didn’t realize that in his sarcasm he was actually approaching the unique truth behind the glory of the incarnation and the wonder of the gospel. I would have liked to have told my cynical passerby, “You have touched on the most phenomenal part of this story, something the Jewish Scriptures actually foretold. The prophets indicated that the Messiah Himself would be born a human being, and that He would experience every aspect of human flesh—all in order that God might lovingly rescue His lost creation, people like you and me. More than the normal indignities of diapers, through this incredible event Messiah became a man in order to suffer all the humiliations we humans can undergo in this life, even that He would be despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53).
Think about the rejection and pain Jesus endured and all that eventually led Him to the cross. He knows our pain because He carried it. He knows our rejection because He endured it. It was because Jesus was rejected that we can now be accepted by God. His humiliation and rejection purchased our salvation, our forgiveness of sin and our welcome into God’s presence. Because of this we can have the hope of spending forever in His presence where there will be no more tears, no more pain and no more rejection. So diapers are the least challenging part of the story for me to believe about Jesus. It is just a very small detail in the demonstration of the deep, abiding love of God for you and for me.”
I don’t know that this man would have stuck around to hear my answer, but I am praying the Lord will give each one of us many opportunities to tell this weird and wonderful story in the days to come. Let’s pray that He does and that many hearts would be open to receive God’s greatest gift to humanity—Yeshua—His salvation.
Find out more about David Brickner, his writings, speaking schedule and possible availability to speak at your church.
*Historians and calendar experts originally got it wrong and now most believe Jesus was actually born 3 or 4 b.c.-------
Watch Christmas would never have happened if it weren't for Hanukkah.
-------
-------
Top Stories
Our Moishe Rosen Center in Tel Aviv opens its doors to the local community.
Flourishing in Florentin
Young Israelis pose at our “Made in Florentin” photo booth.
Tel Aviv’s Florentin neighborhood is the bohemian capital of Israel’s largest city. Up-and-coming actors and musicians, aspiring writers and designers, fine artists of every stripe from all over the country—all travel to this southern Tel Aviv enclave for its art scene.
Our Moishe Rosen Center, located in the very heart of Florentin, is a ministry hub used to host missions teams, Bible studies, youth groups and more. Just last month the Moishe Rosen Center participated in a community fair called “Made in Florentin,” which supports local artists, craftsmen, restaurateurs and small business owners. This opportunity fit right in with the vision of Eli Birnbaum, the director of the Moishe Rosen Center. Eli says, “Our vision is to open this space to local artists in the community while forming relationships with them and sharing our faith.”
Seeking to be a light in their community, our staff at the Moishe Rosen Center hosted the work of a local Messianic artist at “Made in Florentin,” as well as offering two free lectures and free plant seedlings. They also held a book exchange where they gave out New Testaments and other biblical literature.
Gefen Skvortsov, who works with youth and young adults at the Moishe Rosen Center, reported: “We had 80 visitors to our gallery, lectures and other activities. We deepened relationships and got to share our faith in the Jewish Messiah with new acquaintances at ‘Made in Florentin,’ just one of the many occasions we have to give back to the community we live in, by giving of what God has so generously given us.”
Read more about our ministry at the Moishe Rosen Center, and find out more about Gefen and her husband Boris!
Hosting a Bible study for IDF soliders at the MRC-------
This Jewish man came to faith on our LiveChat platform!
-------
Celebrate
Get ready for the Festival of Lights with resources from our Jews for Jesus store.
-------
Follow us
RealTime
RealTime delivers breaking news and views on Jewish evangelism, as well as inspiring perspectives from executive director David Brickner. Check back often for the latest updates. You'll find reasons to praise — and opportunities for prayer.© Copyright 2016 Jews for Jesus All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
Phone 415-864-2600
-------
A gift for you from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How is your day going?
I sent you an email a few days ago to draw your attention to a wonderful opportunity called “Giving Tuesday.” What makes me so encouraged about this opportunity is that it is a day set aside during this holiday season to give back and show support and gratitude.
I want you to know just how much I appreciate you and your desire to reach the many Jewish brothers and sisters around the world who don’t know Christ as Messiah.
Our missionaries are working around the clock, finding creative ways to meet our Jewish friends with the saving message of the gospel. It’s so important that we all do our part in sharing Christ with the Jewish community worldwide.
As a token of my gratitude for you today, on Giving Tuesday, I want to share a special gift with you. It is one of my favorite resources, “Devotions from the Field.” This is a 52 week devotional eBook that I am confident will encourage you in your faith and spur you on to share the good news.
During this busy time of the year, I can’t think of a better way to fix your eyes on Christ, grow in your knowledge and faith in Him and understand the urgency of evangelizing God’s chosen people. You can get your free 52-week devotional at this link: resources.jewsforjesus.org/givingtuesday16
I hope you enjoy this excellent resource!
Thank you for your support of Jews for Jesus, especially on this Giving Tuesday.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
A gift for you on Giving Tuesday from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
I hope this finds you and your family well.
Did you know Giving Tuesday is coming?
“Giving Tuesday” was created as an international day of giving at the start of the holiday season. Over the next few days you will have an opportunity to give to many organizations as a way to show support and gratitude.
But Jews for Jesus wants to do something a little bit different on Giving Tuesday. As a token of our gratitude for you — we want to invest in you on Giving Tuesday. I will be sending you a special gift next week to help equip you in your own faith and encourage you to boldly share the good news of the Messiah.
I anticipate the resource we have for you on Giving Tuesday, Gary , will bless you. My prayer is that as each person grows in knowledge and faith in Christ, that we would all invest in the proclamation of the gospel worldwide.
Please keep an eye out for my email on Tuesday.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
Need you to know from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States for Thursday, 15 December 2016
How are you doing?
I was just reflecting on the past year and all the Lord has done. In 2016, the Lord continued to show Jews for Jesus that His mighty hand is upon us.
This could be seen and felt in many ways over the past year, like when we conducted 10 different children’s camp programs around the globe for hundreds of Jewish children. Their parents were happy to have us ministering to their kids and we got to share the gospel with each and every one!
Throughout the year, we also saw firsthand, the lives of many Jewish brothers and sisters change as a result of the one-on-one ministry from our missionaries sharing the gospel. This is the most powerful testament to the work God allows us to do through the support of so many faithful people.
We have so much more in store for 2017. But before we jump ahead, I need to share something with you.
Even though we were able to reduce our expenses to a level below what we budgeted for, our income has fallen dramatically. As the end of the year draws near, we face a half a million dollar ($500,000) budget shortfall. We are not fearful, but rather confident that we will reach our goal, but to do so we need your help.
By finishing 2016 strong, we will be ready to take on the ambitious goals we have for 2017. The need to reach more of our Jewish brothers and sisters with the message of the Messiah in new and innovative ways is more important than ever.
Would you consider making your first gift to Jews for Jesus before December 31? Your gift will be invaluable in spreading the gospel to those who need it most.
Here is a link where you can make your special year-end gift: store.jewsforjesus.org/ap16e12.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
I need to share something with you from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How are you doing?
I was just reflecting on the past year and all the Lord has done. In 2016, the Lord continued to show Jews for Jesus that His mighty hand is upon us.
This could be seen and felt in many ways over the past year, like when we conducted 10 different children’s camp programs around the globe for hundreds of Jewish children. Their parents were happy to have us ministering to their kids and we got to share the gospel with each and every one!
Throughout the year, we also saw firsthand, the lives of many Jewish brothers and sisters change as a result of the one-on-one ministry from our missionaries sharing the gospel. This is the most powerful testament to the work God allows us to do through the support of so many faithful people.
We have so much more in store for 2017. But before we jump ahead, I need to share something with you.
Even though we were able to reduce our expenses to a level below what we budgeted for, our income has fallen dramatically. As the end of the year draws near, we face a half a million dollar ($500,000) budget shortfall. We are not fearful, but rather confident that we will reach our goal, but to do so we need your help.
By finishing 2016 strong, we will be ready to take on the ambitious goals we have for 2017. The need to reach more of our Jewish brothers and sisters with the message of the Messiah in new and innovative ways is more important than ever.
Would you consider making your first gift to Jews for Jesus before December 31? Your gift will be invaluable in spreading the gospel to those who need it most.
Here is a link where you can make your special year-end gift: store.jewsforjesus.org/ap16e12.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
God with us! from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How are you?
Last week I told you about how the first Christmas cards were Jewish and that they were the promises of the coming of the Messiah as spoken by the Jewish prophets.
This week I’d like to share another one of those Christmas cards with you.
Let’s look at an amazing Christmas card from the prophet Isaiah who, like Micah, wrote about our Messiah 700 years before his birth: Isaiah wrote, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). A child is to be born and this child will be the Messiah.
This idea of Messiah being born is not very well understood in today’s Jewish community. We see him as a grown man perhaps riding into Jerusalem on a white horse to throw off all the oppression and give us all a four-day work week. But this Christmas card clearly says that he is going to be born rather miraculously and it’s going to be a sign. Not only that, but it’s going to be a shock because he is going to be born of a virgin, someone who never knew a man and is nevertheless going to be pregnant. Now that’s a miraculous thing.
Once Larry King told me the person he most wanted to interview was Jesus and the first question he would ask is, “Were you really born of a virgin?” The rabbis will challenge this idea: “Virgin, Where do you get that?” The Hebrew word here is almah and almah does not literally mean virgin. Almah means a young woman of marriageable age. Now today I know that doesn’t necessarily mean a virgin, but back then it did. Not only that, but there is another word, betulah, that literally does mean virgin. The rabbis will say if Isaiah really meant virgin, he would have used betulah and not almah.
However, the word betulah shows up numerous times in the Bible not referring to a virgin. For example, in Joel 1:8, betulah refers to widows. Hmmm. So that word is not as precise in its context as almah, which again means a young woman of marriageable age but not yet married, and therefore in normal parlance in Isaiah’s day a virgin. Not only that, when the rabbis who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek in Alexandria 400 years before the coming of Jesus translated “virgin,” they used the Greek word parthenos. Parthenos is the definitive Greek word for virgin. So this amazing text gives us more information. Micah tells us where Messiah would be born, and Isaiah tells us how he would be born.
This Christmas card was received gratefully by Matthew and the Jews of his day and again by us today as we send out our greetings. Matthew tells us about the Isaiah 7 Christmas card, “So all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23).
Matthew emphasizes the name Immanuel meaning that God is not just on our side, but he actually tabernacled in our midst. He came to dwell with us. Kedem ha olam. The One who is born who is from eternity is God with us. There is such power in these words, there is such depth, there is such theological profundity that if you study these Christmas cards, you cannot avoid the theology of Messiah from the Hebrew Bible; it’s all there. It’s written large and it’s deep. We look in wonder and get just a little taste of glory.
Hoping you experience God with us this week and during this Christmas season!
God bless,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
A Christmas card from David Brickner, Jews for Jesus
in San Francisco, California, United States
I hope this finds you well and preparing for the Christmas season.
Early in December, I start receiving Christmas cards from family and friends all around the world. It is something I really look forward to each year!
Today’s Christmas cards are much different from what initial Christmas cards were. Did you know that the first Christmas cards were Jewish?
But if you look at any encyclopedia, they’ll tell you the first Christmas card was produced in England in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, and the first American Christmas card was produced by Dr. Prang, who is considered the father of the American Christmas card. Maybe you thought it was Hallmark all this time!
Well, I insist, and I hope you’ll agree with me, that the first Christmas cards were Jewish and that they were the promises of the coming of the Messiah, as spoken by the Jewish prophets. These greetings were not just for the Jewish people, but for all of us.
Let’s look at one such card sent by Micah. Micah was a nice Jewish boy who wrote 700 years before the birth of Christ. He penned a startling announcement: “But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from of old, from everlasting.” This amazing prophecy identified that Bethlehem (one of the smaller cities within the tribal region of Judah) would be the birthplace of the Messiah and that the Messiah would come from the household of King David.
All this was written 300 years after David’s rule on the earth and 700 years before the coming of Jesus! And here’s the twist with which Micah intended to shock us: this one who was to be born is actually “from of old.” The Hebrew word kedem means “ancient times.” So, this someone who is born in Bethlehem is actually from ancient times. Born, and yet ancient. And then Micah uses one more phrase to describe him, ha olam: from everlasting, from eternity. So, we’re not just talking about ancient, we’re talking about from forever. This shocking Christmas card tells us where the Christ who is to be born is from, and from whose very human lineage he derives, and yet he is actually very ancient, indeed from eternity.
Think about it. If anybody ever argues that Messiah can be human and/or divine, but not both, tell them that Micah knew better—700 years before Jesus ever came.
Are there any Jews in Bethlehem today? Not a one. Anyone from the tribe of Judah or the lineage of the household of David? We don’t even know the tribal distinctions anymore. Most of the records were destroyed when the Second Temple was destroyed. So how’s the Messiah going to be born now? This conundrum may cause a few rabbis to scratch their heads today. But we have this Christmas card from God, and it’s a beautiful Christmas card, don’t you think?
I’m planning to send you a short Christmas devotional or thought like this one each Sunday in December to help keep your focus on our Messiah this Advent season. I hope these thoughts lift your day as you focus on Jesus.
Praying God’s blessings to you during this very special season!
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
'Twas the Night Before...Hanukkah? from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
View Online
Christmas and Hanukkah are on the same day!
From David Brickner
Read Is the Incarnation weird? Spoiler alert: Yes, and that's a good thing..
Weird by David Brickner
I was just reflecting on the past year and all the Lord has done. In 2016, the Lord continued to show Jews for Jesus that His mighty hand is upon us.
This could be seen and felt in many ways over the past year, like when we conducted 10 different children’s camp programs around the globe for hundreds of Jewish children. Their parents were happy to have us ministering to their kids and we got to share the gospel with each and every one!
Throughout the year, we also saw firsthand, the lives of many Jewish brothers and sisters change as a result of the one-on-one ministry from our missionaries sharing the gospel. This is the most powerful testament to the work God allows us to do through the support of so many faithful people.
We have so much more in store for 2017. But before we jump ahead, I need to share something with you.
Even though we were able to reduce our expenses to a level below what we budgeted for, our income has fallen dramatically. As the end of the year draws near, we face a half a million dollar ($500,000) budget shortfall. We are not fearful, but rather confident that we will reach our goal, but to do so we need your help.
By finishing 2016 strong, we will be ready to take on the ambitious goals we have for 2017. The need to reach more of our Jewish brothers and sisters with the message of the Messiah in new and innovative ways is more important than ever.
Would you consider making your first gift to Jews for Jesus before December 31? Your gift will be invaluable in spreading the gospel to those who need it most.
Here is a link where you can make your special year-end gift: store.jewsforjesus.org/ap16e12.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
I need to share something with you from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How are you doing?
I was just reflecting on the past year and all the Lord has done. In 2016, the Lord continued to show Jews for Jesus that His mighty hand is upon us.
This could be seen and felt in many ways over the past year, like when we conducted 10 different children’s camp programs around the globe for hundreds of Jewish children. Their parents were happy to have us ministering to their kids and we got to share the gospel with each and every one!
Throughout the year, we also saw firsthand, the lives of many Jewish brothers and sisters change as a result of the one-on-one ministry from our missionaries sharing the gospel. This is the most powerful testament to the work God allows us to do through the support of so many faithful people.
We have so much more in store for 2017. But before we jump ahead, I need to share something with you.
Even though we were able to reduce our expenses to a level below what we budgeted for, our income has fallen dramatically. As the end of the year draws near, we face a half a million dollar ($500,000) budget shortfall. We are not fearful, but rather confident that we will reach our goal, but to do so we need your help.
By finishing 2016 strong, we will be ready to take on the ambitious goals we have for 2017. The need to reach more of our Jewish brothers and sisters with the message of the Messiah in new and innovative ways is more important than ever.
Would you consider making your first gift to Jews for Jesus before December 31? Your gift will be invaluable in spreading the gospel to those who need it most.
Here is a link where you can make your special year-end gift: store.jewsforjesus.org/ap16e12.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
God with us! from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How are you?
Last week I told you about how the first Christmas cards were Jewish and that they were the promises of the coming of the Messiah as spoken by the Jewish prophets.
This week I’d like to share another one of those Christmas cards with you.
Let’s look at an amazing Christmas card from the prophet Isaiah who, like Micah, wrote about our Messiah 700 years before his birth: Isaiah wrote, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). A child is to be born and this child will be the Messiah.
This idea of Messiah being born is not very well understood in today’s Jewish community. We see him as a grown man perhaps riding into Jerusalem on a white horse to throw off all the oppression and give us all a four-day work week. But this Christmas card clearly says that he is going to be born rather miraculously and it’s going to be a sign. Not only that, but it’s going to be a shock because he is going to be born of a virgin, someone who never knew a man and is nevertheless going to be pregnant. Now that’s a miraculous thing.
Once Larry King told me the person he most wanted to interview was Jesus and the first question he would ask is, “Were you really born of a virgin?” The rabbis will challenge this idea: “Virgin, Where do you get that?” The Hebrew word here is almah and almah does not literally mean virgin. Almah means a young woman of marriageable age. Now today I know that doesn’t necessarily mean a virgin, but back then it did. Not only that, but there is another word, betulah, that literally does mean virgin. The rabbis will say if Isaiah really meant virgin, he would have used betulah and not almah.
However, the word betulah shows up numerous times in the Bible not referring to a virgin. For example, in Joel 1:8, betulah refers to widows. Hmmm. So that word is not as precise in its context as almah, which again means a young woman of marriageable age but not yet married, and therefore in normal parlance in Isaiah’s day a virgin. Not only that, when the rabbis who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek in Alexandria 400 years before the coming of Jesus translated “virgin,” they used the Greek word parthenos. Parthenos is the definitive Greek word for virgin. So this amazing text gives us more information. Micah tells us where Messiah would be born, and Isaiah tells us how he would be born.
This Christmas card was received gratefully by Matthew and the Jews of his day and again by us today as we send out our greetings. Matthew tells us about the Isaiah 7 Christmas card, “So all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23).
Matthew emphasizes the name Immanuel meaning that God is not just on our side, but he actually tabernacled in our midst. He came to dwell with us. Kedem ha olam. The One who is born who is from eternity is God with us. There is such power in these words, there is such depth, there is such theological profundity that if you study these Christmas cards, you cannot avoid the theology of Messiah from the Hebrew Bible; it’s all there. It’s written large and it’s deep. We look in wonder and get just a little taste of glory.
Hoping you experience God with us this week and during this Christmas season!
God bless,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
A Christmas card from David Brickner, Jews for Jesus
in San Francisco, California, United States
I hope this finds you well and preparing for the Christmas season.
Early in December, I start receiving Christmas cards from family and friends all around the world. It is something I really look forward to each year!
Today’s Christmas cards are much different from what initial Christmas cards were. Did you know that the first Christmas cards were Jewish?
But if you look at any encyclopedia, they’ll tell you the first Christmas card was produced in England in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, and the first American Christmas card was produced by Dr. Prang, who is considered the father of the American Christmas card. Maybe you thought it was Hallmark all this time!
Well, I insist, and I hope you’ll agree with me, that the first Christmas cards were Jewish and that they were the promises of the coming of the Messiah, as spoken by the Jewish prophets. These greetings were not just for the Jewish people, but for all of us.
Let’s look at one such card sent by Micah. Micah was a nice Jewish boy who wrote 700 years before the birth of Christ. He penned a startling announcement: “But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from of old, from everlasting.” This amazing prophecy identified that Bethlehem (one of the smaller cities within the tribal region of Judah) would be the birthplace of the Messiah and that the Messiah would come from the household of King David.
All this was written 300 years after David’s rule on the earth and 700 years before the coming of Jesus! And here’s the twist with which Micah intended to shock us: this one who was to be born is actually “from of old.” The Hebrew word kedem means “ancient times.” So, this someone who is born in Bethlehem is actually from ancient times. Born, and yet ancient. And then Micah uses one more phrase to describe him, ha olam: from everlasting, from eternity. So, we’re not just talking about ancient, we’re talking about from forever. This shocking Christmas card tells us where the Christ who is to be born is from, and from whose very human lineage he derives, and yet he is actually very ancient, indeed from eternity.
Think about it. If anybody ever argues that Messiah can be human and/or divine, but not both, tell them that Micah knew better—700 years before Jesus ever came.
Are there any Jews in Bethlehem today? Not a one. Anyone from the tribe of Judah or the lineage of the household of David? We don’t even know the tribal distinctions anymore. Most of the records were destroyed when the Second Temple was destroyed. So how’s the Messiah going to be born now? This conundrum may cause a few rabbis to scratch their heads today. But we have this Christmas card from God, and it’s a beautiful Christmas card, don’t you think?
I’m planning to send you a short Christmas devotional or thought like this one each Sunday in December to help keep your focus on our Messiah this Advent season. I hope these thoughts lift your day as you focus on Jesus.
Praying God’s blessings to you during this very special season!
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
'Twas the Night Before...Hanukkah? from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
View Online
Christmas and Hanukkah are on the same day!From David Brickner
Read Is the Incarnation weird? Spoiler alert: Yes, and that's a good thing..Weird by David Brickner
“You’re weird!” she blurted out to me. I was in the fifth grade and was trying to win a young girl’s affection. Her remark assaulted my confidence, so I slunk away hot-faced with embarrassment. I thought about this incident recently when I participated in a special Jews for Jesus outreach in New York City. One of the slogans our team came up with caught my attention as well as that of many New Yorkers: “Keeping Jewish weird since 32 a.d.” We focused our efforts primarily on three college campuses: New York University, Baruch College and Brooklyn College. We wore it on T-shirts, used it in literature and in social media. So I certainly needed to have the meaning of this particular slogan explained to me and perhaps you do as well.What I discovered is that for young people today, weird has a positive, not a negative, connotation. To be called weird is considered a badge of honor. Weird now means different and unique—qualities which younger audiences value and identify with. They want a break from the expected, standard conventions of society. We adapted our slogan from a movement in the more hipster cities of Portland and Austin. They employed the expressions, “Keeping Austin Weird” and “Keeping Portland Weird” as positive statements for younger residents. I witnessed first-hand how our “Keeping Jewish Weird” slogan made a favorable impression on many Jewish college students in New York. People who were curious about our statement would stop and ask us for an explanation. One Jewish student came up to me and said, “I just love this. I have one of your cards on my bulletin board in my dorm room.” Over and over again, our catchphrase became a prompt for in-depth gospel conversations (see pages 6–7 of this newsletter).
I became intrigued by this evolving concept of “weird.” I discovered that this “newer” definition is actually more in keeping with the original old English meaning of the word, initially spelled “wird,” but always pronounced as we do today. The meaning not only described something as unique and different, but it also intimated an element of the supernatural—something to do with a special act of God.
As I reflected on this and considered the meaning of our Advent season, at the risk of sounding irreverent, it seems appropriate for us to say that the incarnation of our Messiah Jesus was weird. Stop and think about it. The fact that the Creator of all heaven and earth was willing to humble Himself and take upon Himself the form of sinful humanity, that He entered this world uninvited and mostly unwelcomed in order to save us from our sin—this is astounding, unique and supernatural. Only God could do something so unexpected and different and loving and yes—weird—and we should be praising and thanking Him for it every day.
Unfortunately, most people do not see, nor do they understand, the wonder of the incarnation. If they do acknowledge the season, they are caught up in the more mundane, banal, “non-weird” elements of the holidays. We have a powerful opportunity to communicate God’s story this month. Now I am not suggesting we print up T-shirts and literature with a slogan, “Making Advent Weird since 3 b.c. give or take a year,”* but I would like to think we could convey in a fresh sense the wonder, the unique and awesome truths of God’s grace in the birth of Christ.
It seems to me that those who hear the claims of Scripture concerning the incarnation have a choice as to whether they believe it is weird, or truly weird. Many people believe the incarnation to be weird in the sense of my elementary school understanding of the word. I remember one time several years ago, while handing out literature, I was approached by a Jewish skeptic who challenged me, “Do you really believe Jesus was God?” “Yes, I do,” I responded. “Well,” he smirked, “don’t you think it strange that God had to have his mother change His diapers?” I was initially taken aback by the irreverent tone and manner in which his challenge was put to me and I simply answered, “No, I don’t have a problem with it.”
I wish I could have that moment back, because this man didn’t realize that in his sarcasm he was actually approaching the unique truth behind the glory of the incarnation and the wonder of the gospel. I would have liked to have told my cynical passerby, “You have touched on the most phenomenal part of this story, something the Jewish Scriptures actually foretold. The prophets indicated that the Messiah Himself would be born a human being, and that He would experience every aspect of human flesh—all in order that God might lovingly rescue His lost creation, people like you and me. More than the normal indignities of diapers, through this incredible event Messiah became a man in order to suffer all the humiliations we humans can undergo in this life, even that He would be despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53).
Think about the rejection and pain Jesus endured and all that eventually led Him to the cross. He knows our pain because He carried it. He knows our rejection because He endured it. It was because Jesus was rejected that we can now be accepted by God. His humiliation and rejection purchased our salvation, our forgiveness of sin and our welcome into God’s presence. Because of this we can have the hope of spending forever in His presence where there will be no more tears, no more pain and no more rejection. So diapers are the least challenging part of the story for me to believe about Jesus. It is just a very small detail in the demonstration of the deep, abiding love of God for you and for me.”
I don’t know that this man would have stuck around to hear my answer, but I am praying the Lord will give each one of us many opportunities to tell this weird and wonderful story in the days to come. Let’s pray that He does and that many hearts would be open to receive God’s greatest gift to humanity—Yeshua—His salvation.
Find out more about David Brickner, his writings, speaking schedule and possible availability to speak at your church.
*Historians and calendar experts originally got it wrong and now most believe Jesus was actually born 3 or 4 b.c.-------
Watch Christmas would never have happened if it weren't for Hanukkah.-------
-------
Top Stories
Our Moishe Rosen Center in Tel Aviv opens its doors to the local community.
Flourishing in Florentin
Young Israelis pose at our “Made in Florentin” photo booth.
Tel Aviv’s Florentin neighborhood is the bohemian capital of Israel’s largest city. Up-and-coming actors and musicians, aspiring writers and designers, fine artists of every stripe from all over the country—all travel to this southern Tel Aviv enclave for its art scene.
Our Moishe Rosen Center, located in the very heart of Florentin, is a ministry hub used to host missions teams, Bible studies, youth groups and more. Just last month the Moishe Rosen Center participated in a community fair called “Made in Florentin,” which supports local artists, craftsmen, restaurateurs and small business owners. This opportunity fit right in with the vision of Eli Birnbaum, the director of the Moishe Rosen Center. Eli says, “Our vision is to open this space to local artists in the community while forming relationships with them and sharing our faith.”
Seeking to be a light in their community, our staff at the Moishe Rosen Center hosted the work of a local Messianic artist at “Made in Florentin,” as well as offering two free lectures and free plant seedlings. They also held a book exchange where they gave out New Testaments and other biblical literature.
Gefen Skvortsov, who works with youth and young adults at the Moishe Rosen Center, reported: “We had 80 visitors to our gallery, lectures and other activities. We deepened relationships and got to share our faith in the Jewish Messiah with new acquaintances at ‘Made in Florentin,’ just one of the many occasions we have to give back to the community we live in, by giving of what God has so generously given us.”
Read more about our ministry at the Moishe Rosen Center, and find out more about Gefen and her husband Boris!
Hosting a Bible study for IDF soliders at the MRC-------
This Jewish man came to faith on our LiveChat platform!
-------
Celebrate
Get ready for the Festival of Lights with resources from our Jews for Jesus store.
-------
Follow us
RealTime
RealTime delivers breaking news and views on Jewish evangelism, as well as inspiring perspectives from executive director David Brickner. Check back often for the latest updates. You'll find reasons to praise — and opportunities for prayer.© Copyright 2016 Jews for Jesus All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
Phone 415-864-2600
-------
A gift for you from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
How is your day going?
I sent you an email a few days ago to draw your attention to a wonderful opportunity called “Giving Tuesday.” What makes me so encouraged about this opportunity is that it is a day set aside during this holiday season to give back and show support and gratitude.
I want you to know just how much I appreciate you and your desire to reach the many Jewish brothers and sisters around the world who don’t know Christ as Messiah.
Our missionaries are working around the clock, finding creative ways to meet our Jewish friends with the saving message of the gospel. It’s so important that we all do our part in sharing Christ with the Jewish community worldwide.
As a token of my gratitude for you today, on Giving Tuesday, I want to share a special gift with you. It is one of my favorite resources, “Devotions from the Field.” This is a 52 week devotional eBook that I am confident will encourage you in your faith and spur you on to share the good news.
During this busy time of the year, I can’t think of a better way to fix your eyes on Christ, grow in your knowledge and faith in Him and understand the urgency of evangelizing God’s chosen people. You can get your free 52-week devotional at this link: resources.jewsforjesus.org/givingtuesday16
I hope you enjoy this excellent resource!
Thank you for your support of Jews for Jesus, especially on this Giving Tuesday.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
A gift for you on Giving Tuesday from David Brickner of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States
I hope this finds you and your family well.
Did you know Giving Tuesday is coming?
“Giving Tuesday” was created as an international day of giving at the start of the holiday season. Over the next few days you will have an opportunity to give to many organizations as a way to show support and gratitude.
But Jews for Jesus wants to do something a little bit different on Giving Tuesday. As a token of our gratitude for you — we want to invest in you on Giving Tuesday. I will be sending you a special gift next week to help equip you in your own faith and encourage you to boldly share the good news of the Messiah.
I anticipate the resource we have for you on Giving Tuesday, Gary , will bless you. My prayer is that as each person grows in knowledge and faith in Christ, that we would all invest in the proclamation of the gospel worldwide.
Please keep an eye out for my email on Tuesday.
Your brother in Him,
David
-------
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102, United States
415-864-2600
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment