Jewish Roots of Christianity

Please do not host a “Christian seder”

Jewish Holidays, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Jewish-Christian Relations /

I’m not suggesting you not attend a seder if your Jewish friend invites you; take that as a big compliment and be a good guest. Ask questions, learn what you can, and follow their lead. Passover is often observed with very close friends and family (or, as has happened to me on a few occasions, with distant acquaintances and strangers who have taken you in because you are far from home), and being invited is genuinely meant as an honor.

But please don’t host your own, especially if you are trying to emulate Jesus or find parallels between Jewish ritual and Messianic Christianity.

There is a trend among Christians — mostly but not exclusively Protestants — towards observing Jewish ritual in general and the seder in particular. There are books on Judaism aimed at Christians, and there is a whole movement, the “Hebrew Roots” movement, dedicated to understanding the Jewish influence on Christianity. They include both more respectful practitioners, who consult detailed books on accurate Jewish practice, as well as ones who adopt a pastiche of (often incorrect) Hebrew.

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2018 Israel 70th Anniversary Tour and March of Nations Report

Israel, Jewish Roots of Christianity, News and Updates, The Holocaust /

Another tour to Israel has been completed, but the lessons and memories live on in our hearts.   Although many among us were first-time visitors to the land, everyone benefited from the insights gleaned and the connection with the people and land of Israel – not to mention the sense of community with old and new

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Passover and Non-Jews

Events, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Jewish-Christian Relations, Judaism 101 /

If there are aspects of the Passover Seder from which all people can learn, how much more so is this true for believers in Messiah? After all, our Master Yeshua chose the wine and the matzah of a Passover Seder to represent his body and blood. More than just learning about and celebrating the concept of freedom from oppression and exile, for disciples of Messiah, the seder celebrates Yeshua’s atoning death and resurrection while remaining firmly grounded and centered on God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt.

Gentiles being drawn to the God of Israel is a significant and beautiful part of this grand plan of redemption as we long for the even greater exodus that will come in the Messianic Era (Jeremiah 16:14-15). Rabbi David Fohrman writes:

The Exodus, as it actually happened in history, did not accomplish everything it might have. There is work yet to do to complete its unrealized vision. The procession that departed Egypt was a shadow of what it might have been. It will be the destiny of Jew and Gentile to one day realize the promise of that journey as it should have taken place: to march side by side and join hands, proclaiming in unison the oneness of a Father they both share.

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Chanukah

Jewish Holidays, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Judaism 101 /

Chanukkah ( חנוכה ) means “dedication.” The Feast of Hanukkah is the Feast of Dedication. The events behind the festival of Hanukkah are found in the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees. Therein the story is told of how Judah Maccabee and his heroic band of freedom fighters overthrew the tyrannical Seleucid forces that had subdued Judea and defiled the Jerusalem Temple.

The Hanukkah Story

In the time of Alexander the Great’s empire, the land of Israel found itself buffeted between world powers that sought to use her as a natural land bridge between Africa and Eurasia. The people of Israel were the victims of great political upheavals. War was never far from their land. In the meantime, another war was being waged among the people of Israel. Alexander’s conquests had introduced the world to Greek language, thought, custom, and philosophy.

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The Restaurant

Biblical Truths, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Jewish-Christian Relations, Language Arts /

“While it is true that at the present time a majority of believers in Yeshua are Gentiles – a fact we celebrate! – Yeshua is truly the Jewish Messiah.  Faith in Yeshua cannot make Jews into Gentiles.

Allow me to illustrate this idea with a story about a Jewish restaurant (the Bible), the food it served (Yeshua, ‘the Bread of Life’, John 6:35), and the mostly Gentile neighborhood where it was located (the world).

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Israel Trip Fall 2016 – Day 20 Mountain Climbing, Oasis, and Sukkot in the Desert

Israel, Jewish Roots of Christianity /

    Early in the morning, just outside our door, down a short sidewalk path, this view of the misty grey sky revealed how close we were to the Dead Sea! A turn of the head and POW! Different scenery! From oasis, to desert, to the Dead Sea… Here we enjoyed the contrast between lush green botanical

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Israel Trip Fall 2016 – Day 12 Shabbat at Kehilat HaCarmel

Israel, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Jewish-Christian Relations, News and Updates /

We spent Shabbat at Kehilat HaCarmel, where David and Karen Davis lead the congregation. The building felt joyful, open, and bright, and in the congregation we noticed some of the friends we had met in Israel.  That day, singer, Robert Stearns, was the special guest speaker. Amazingly, Karen’s music, although beautiful on her CDs, had not prepared us for

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Israel Trip Fall 2016 – Day 13 – Artist Community on a Mountaintop!

Biblical Arts, Israel, Jewish Roots of Christianity /

We traveled to a famous ancient city on top of a mountain, where the Zoar (book of mysteries) was written. It has been a center of Jewish thought and mysticism, the city (never spelled the same way twice!)  Sefad, Zefat, Sfat, ? …  we were told watch for the blue doors. It has something to do with keeping evil

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Israel Trip Fall 2016 – Day 14 Morning in Shiloh, Evening in Natanya

Israel, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Jewish-Christian Relations, News and Updates /

In the morning, we accompanied D’vorah to Shiloh, the ancient site of the Ark of the Covenant.  There, we met D’vorah’s friend, who showed us the Synagogue, and shared her interesting life there, in the orthodox Jewish community.  She fed us a fabulous Ethiopian style lunch and took us on a little walk to the ancient resting

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