Gospel to the Jews
A Story
One year in Tel Aviv a group of YWAMers found a pile of bread just sitting outside on the ground. So they thought "Oh a blessing" then they went around and gave it to Jews and told them about Jesus!! It was passover. Some family went inside to get the matches and came out to find their bread gone!!!!
Remember yesterday I was talking about circumcision not being a pre-requisite to salvation, well, in tonights reading of Acts 16, right there in the first 3 verses, Paul and Silas arrange for Timothy to be circumcised. HELLO? What? Ok, let's look at something for a minute.
Acts 13:5 Paul and Barnabus go to a Jewish synagogue to preach the word of God.
Acts 13:14 Paul and Barnabus, on the Sabbath went to the synagogue for the service.
Acts 14:1 In Iconium, Paul and Baranbus went toghether to the synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed.
It seems Paul's mission is to the Jews, and as a by-product, the Gentiles believe. So why is it that they get Timothy to be circumcised. Well, when you're mission field is to a certain culture, it's important to be sympathetic to that culture. If you read the story above, you'll see that the YWAM missionaries were not prepared for their mission field. They were trying to give the Jews the Gospel, using a symbol epitomizing sin! What Jew would receive that message? So, as Timothy is going to be ministering to the Jews, the circumcision becomes a symbol of understanding the Jewish culture. It's not about salvation in this context, it's about making the communication smoother.
SHEMA - Hear and understand, Hear and put it in your heart. How can we communicate our message of salvation through Yeshua unless we understand the one who is to hear the message, and present it in a way that person will SHEMA the message.
I don't want to be that fellow offering bread at Pesach, as a symbol representing Yeshua - no matter what the culture or nationality of the person I'm speaking to. May God open my eyes to hear what I need to know, in order to share Yeshua and his salvation with those around me.
One year in Tel Aviv a group of YWAMers found a pile of bread just sitting outside on the ground. So they thought "Oh a blessing" then they went around and gave it to Jews and told them about Jesus!! It was passover. Some family went inside to get the matches and came out to find their bread gone!!!!
Remember yesterday I was talking about circumcision not being a pre-requisite to salvation, well, in tonights reading of Acts 16, right there in the first 3 verses, Paul and Silas arrange for Timothy to be circumcised. HELLO? What? Ok, let's look at something for a minute.
Acts 13:5 Paul and Barnabus go to a Jewish synagogue to preach the word of God.
Acts 13:14 Paul and Barnabus, on the Sabbath went to the synagogue for the service.
Acts 14:1 In Iconium, Paul and Baranbus went toghether to the synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed.
It seems Paul's mission is to the Jews, and as a by-product, the Gentiles believe. So why is it that they get Timothy to be circumcised. Well, when you're mission field is to a certain culture, it's important to be sympathetic to that culture. If you read the story above, you'll see that the YWAM missionaries were not prepared for their mission field. They were trying to give the Jews the Gospel, using a symbol epitomizing sin! What Jew would receive that message? So, as Timothy is going to be ministering to the Jews, the circumcision becomes a symbol of understanding the Jewish culture. It's not about salvation in this context, it's about making the communication smoother.
SHEMA - Hear and understand, Hear and put it in your heart. How can we communicate our message of salvation through Yeshua unless we understand the one who is to hear the message, and present it in a way that person will SHEMA the message.
I don't want to be that fellow offering bread at Pesach, as a symbol representing Yeshua - no matter what the culture or nationality of the person I'm speaking to. May God open my eyes to hear what I need to know, in order to share Yeshua and his salvation with those around me.
posted by Sombra | 11:29 PM
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