Sharing the Word with Jewish people this Christmas

Sharing the Word with Jewish people this Christmas

“Merry Messiahmas” from Jews for Jesus! What a great time of year this is to be out and about sharing the good news of Jesus’ coming. The warm glow of Christmas lights and the joyful echoes of carols can be wonderful reminders us Messiah’s birth. Though no one knows the exact date that Jesus was born, it’s exciting to have a time set apart to focus on that momentous event. And yet, too many Jewish people are in the dark when it comes to knowing the glorious love that brought Jesus to earth.

I grew up in a messianic home, but most of my people grew up believing that Jesus is not our God and therefore Christmas is not our holiday. Most don’t hear how Jesus was born to a young Jewish woman in the Jewish village of Bethlehem – born just as the Jewish prophets predicted, to be the King of Israel. Your partnership enables us to help our people see that trusting Jesus is the most Jewish thing any of us could ever do. Thank you for helping us shine His light all year round, but especially in this joyous season.

We usually hear the account of Jesus’ birth read from the gospel of Luke, but this year I want to point out the unique perspective of the Gospel of John. Rather than beginning with a genealogy or even the Incarnation, the book opens with John referring to Jesus in eternity past: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). This ties directly to the book of Genesis, and the magnificent account of God speaking this world into existence.

There’s just one verse in the Gospel of John that points to the actual incarnation of Jesus, and it’s my favourite Christmas verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Describing Jesus’ birth as “the Word become flesh” is beautifully poetic but it is much more than poetry. By choosing to identify Jesus as “the Word,” God is telling us about His very nature as the creator and communicator of life. He is also revealing the power and the value of words. As the gospel narratives demonstrate, Jesus not only is the Word incarnate, He also used words to explain His mission.

God has called us to be like Jesus, to use actions and words to proclaim Him, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to be full grace and truth. He calls us to live out His grace and truth, but we need words to communicate so people will hear how to receive that grace and truth for themselves. Even the most holy of lives cannot tell, without words, about God’s wonderful plan of redemption.

That is why we are so committed to sending out missionaries to go and tell the gospel to our people on city streets and college campuses. We also share the gospel through digital content in several languages and a live chat feature on our website. Our staff and volunteers are ready all hours of the day and night to engage with seekers from all over the world. If you were to walk down the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, or Moscow right now, you might bump into your Jews for Jesus missionaries out handing out hot beverages and evangelistic literature or inviting people to post their opinions on a white board. Day in and day out we are finding creative ways to proclaim the good news among our Jewish people, aiming to follow the example that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) gave when he came to dwell among us as the Word of life.

We are so grateful for friends like you who uphold us in our commitment to share Jesus with our Jewish people, and we want to uphold you as well. It’s my prayer for you to be able to share the Word with those that you dwell among. The story of Christmas provides a wonderful opportunity to go and tell the good news, especially to Jewish people who might not even know that the Christmas story is about Jewish people like them!

You might be concerned about Jewish sensitivities at this time, and that’s a good thing. One way to address those sensitivities is to make sure that your friends know that you are aware and appreciate the fact that they are Jewish. You can do that by sending Jewish friends a Hanukkah card rather than a Christmas card. Your friends will appreciate the acknowledgment and may well thank you for the card. This could be an opportunity for you to let them know that Hanukkah is special to you, because if God had not preserved the Jewish people, Jesus would not have been born into this world. Even if the discussion goes no further than that, you will have helped your friend recognize the Jewishness of Jesus. And who knows, the conversation might open even further!

Again, thank you for helping us bring the message of Messiah to God’s chosen people, the people for whom Jesus first came to Bethlehem so long ago. May the Joy of the Word Made Flesh fill your heart and home to overflowing this Christmas season!

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