The following are notes that accompany a message "What is a Messianic Congregation?":
- We believe Yeshua is the
promised Messiah come to bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. "In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form". He is the incarnate God, the Word become flesh, "the same yesterday, today and forever". - We may be one of the clearest expressions of the One New Man here on earth, where Jew and Gentile worship together within the context of the "commonwealth of Israel."
- We are a viable, authentic expression of Jewish faith, contending with other Judaisms for legitimacy. - "Do you keep
kosher ? Do you read Hebrew? Do you wear a kippah? Is there a cross in your sanctuary?" - We are restoring the Jewishness of the gospel. (From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is a Jewish book.)
- So that a Jewish person may not think believing in Yeshua is something weird
- To remind the Church of its Jewish roots
- To counter the historical anti-Semitism within the Church
- We do not believe the Church has replaced Israel (i.e. Replacement Theology). Israel has had, does have and will have a unique role to
play in God's eternal plan of salvation of all mankind. - The Church began in Genesis 12
- The Land Covenant - The Land of Israel belongs to and is the rightful possession of the Jewish people (Gen 13:14-18 17:7-8 and Gen 23:16-20; I Chron 21:24-26)
- The Olive Tree - Romans 11
- We see the Old Covenant (Testament) and the New Covenant (Testament) as one cohesive, unified covenant. We reject classic dispensationalism.
- We believe the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) is the foundation of the entire Bible and still applicable for our lives today. (Matt 5:17; Romans 10:4; Gal 3:10-12)
- We celebrate the Feasts of the Lord and worship on the Sabbath.
- We
practice a Biblical, not rabbinical, kashrut. (Ex 23:19: Lev 11) - We boldly proclaim our love for the nation Israel and the Jewish people. (Deut 7:6-8, Psalm 122:6)
- We believe God will fulfill His promises to the Jewish people as a nation.
- They will
return from Exile/Diaspora/Galut to possess and inhabit the Land of Israel. (Isaiah 11:11-12; 43:5-6; Ezekiel 36:24) - The Kingdom of God will be re-established with Yeshua HaMashiach, the Son of David, on the throne. (Matt 23:37-39; Romans 11:28-29)
- We use Jewish liturgy and tradition as long as it does not conflict with our understanding of Biblical truth. Our worship style is Hebraic in nature incorporating music and dance.
- We, as a Messianic congregation, are in process. We are "working out our salvation with fear and trembling", growing in grace as the Lord provides. We are a small part of the Church because Yeshua/Jesus is the
Head of the Body.
It is our desire to live out the words of Messiah when He said, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you: abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command you."(John 15:9-14)
Ahmen! In faith, let it be!
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