2.20.2014 DISAPROBATION

(disapproval, condemnation)

the following is taken from JEWS FOR JESUS february 2014 newsletter.
it is written by david brickner, executive director.

question: what does president george w. bush have to do with Jews for Jesus?
answer: absolutely nothing, if liberal media elites and jewish community leaders have anything to say about it.

maybe you heard, former president george bush accepted an invitation from the messianic jewish bible institute (MJBI, not jews for Jesus) to speak at their annual fundraiser in dallas.
when journalist sarah posner from Mother Jones magazine 'uncovered' this story,
liberal television pundits rachel maddow and bill maher, to name a few, raised a hue and cry
about Bush giving credibility to 'Jews for Jesus'.
(our name is kind of like the 'Jell-O or 'Kleenex' of the messianic world...
any jews who follow y'Shua (Jesus) are likely to be 'branded' Jews for Jesus.)
it was no surprise when denunciations began streaming in.
abraham foxman of the Anti-Defamation League was 'disappointed' that Bush was speaking to the group,
while stephen wolpe, considered our nation's most influential rabbi,
pronounced himself 'disgusted'.
dennis prager, a conservative jewish voice much admired by many evangelicals,
also weighed in, remarking that while he didn't see jews for Jesus as much of a problem, he still despises us.
for what?
for several news cycles on television, radio, in newspapers and especially on the internet,
the disapprobation continued.

what is going on here?
it is a strategy and a time honored one in free societies such as ours.
disapprobation or the voicing of intense disapproval, is one of the most powerful tools
used in attempts to squelch unpopular messages.
the idea is to shame the messengers into silence by attributing motives or attitudes
rather than dealing with the message itself.
but even more, public disapprobation is intended to drive a wedge
between those who  won't be silenced
and anyone who might choose to associate with them.

perhaps some hoped that the former president would back out of his commitment to address the fundraiser.
to his credit, george w. bush did not bakc down despite intense pressure,
even from some within his own circles.
still, a message was broadcast loud and clear.
any public figure had better think twice before having anything to do with
jews who tell other jews about Jesus.
there is a price to be paid in the currency of public opinion.
but can we agree, there is an even greater price to be paid
by those who bow to that public opinion.

i like what jonathan bernis, chairman of the board of the MJBI, said in response to the hoopla:
'the idea seems to be that it is somehow 'intolerant' for jewish believers in Jesus
to share their convictions with other jews.
the real intolerance is coming from those who apparently think that
no jewish person should ever be exposed to the claims of
the most famous jew who ever lived'.

what really and truly heartens me is knowing that so many in the body of Christ today
understand what is at stake
and,  rather than buying into that intolerance,
they are willing to stand with those who are constantly facing disapprobation.
we praise the Lord for christians who demonstrate great love and support for jews who proclaimed Jesus,
despite the price they might pay by association.

of course, some are not so supportive.
during our most recent Behold Your od campaign in israel,
one of our missionaries was arrested fro openly declaring that Jesus is the messiah.
sadly, a local christian leader responded by condemning jews for Jesus via the internet.
another instance occurred when a congregation that had teamed up with us on that same campaign
was graffitied with terrible slurs against Jesus.
sadly, one of their members circulated an email condemning jews for Jesus
and essentially saying, 'see, i knew we shouldn't have had anything to do with their campaign'.

i don't know if that person failed to recognize the slurs scrawled on the church building
were not against jews for Jesus but against Jesus Himself.
and that is exactly the point! in the end, it is with the lord Himself that people's real disapprobation lies.
he forewarned us:
'if the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
if you were of the world, the world would love its own.
yet because you are not of the world,
but i chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.
remember the word that i said to you,
'a servant is not greater than his master'.
if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
if they kept my word, they will keep yours also' (john 15.18-20).

our love for Jesus compels us to share His truth with others
and that truth is offensive to those who don't believe.
you don't have to be in israel or live in a closed muslim society
or under a communist regime like north korea's
to pay a price for being a lover of Christ.
no amount of kindness or generosity on a personal level or even by way of mercy ministries*
(*i think that mercy ministries are an important outworking of christian love,
yet they do not replace a clear gospel presentation.)
will shield us from the disapprobation of those who disapprove of y'shua's message.

if we just believed in Him but never made it a point to tell others,
we might escape most of the disapprobation.
but since jews for Jesus exists to make the messiahship of Jesus
and unavoidable issue to our jewish people world wide,
i guess that pretty much settles it.
we don't especially enjoy annoying the Dennis Pragers of the world
who wish we would just take our message and go live in some dark closet somewhere.
but we echo one of the greatest jews for Jesus ever, the apostle paul,
when we say, woe to us if we don't preach the gospel (i corinthians 9.16).
but conversely, it really is a joy to invite people to know Jesus.

i want to give a shout out to all those brothers and sisters in Christ who love us
and have become family for those of us who have been turned aside from our own flesh and blood
because we identify with Y'shua.
it is such a blessing to know that so many brothers and sisters really do stand with us
and support us in these efforts. 
your encouragement helps give us the courage to stand.
in turn, may we be an encouragement to you and so many others as well.
let's all be willing to risk the world's disapprobation in order to make Messiah known
as widely as possible.
in the end, He is worth it, don't you think?

i add several verses to encourage us to share Christ and suffer with Him.
'for, i think, God has exhibited us apostles LAST of all,
as men CONDEMNED TO DEATH;
because we have become A SPECTACLE TO THE WORLD,
both to angels and to men.
we are FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE,
(but you are prudent in Christ;)
we are WEAK
(but you are strong);
(you are distinguished,)
but we ARE WITHOUT HONOR,
to this present hour we are BOTH HUNGRY AND THIRSTY
and are POORLY CLOTHED
and ROUGHLY TREATED
and are HOMELESS;
and we TOIL, WORKING WITH OUR OWN HANDS;
when WE ARE REVILED, we bless,
when WE ARE PERSECUTED, we endure;
when WE ARE SLANDERED, we try to conciliate
(note: 'conciliate' is katalambanO in greek, meaning literally, to encourage or exhort)
WE HAVE BECOME AS THE SCUM OF THE WORLD,
THE DREGS OF ALL THINGS, even until now. ...
I EXHORT YOU THEREFORE, BE IMITATORS OF ME. I corinthians 4.9-16

for we do not want you to be unaware brethren, of our AFFLICTION which came to us in asia,
that we were BURDENED EXCESSIVELY,
BEYOND OUR STRENGTH,
so that WE DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE
indeed, WE HAD THE SENTENCE OF DEATH WITHIN OURSELVES
IN ORDER THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES,
BUT IN GOD WHO RAISES THE DEAD
WHO DELIVERED US FROM SO GREAT A PERIL OF DEATH
AND WILL DELIVER US
HE ON WHOM WE HAVE SET OUR HOPE.
AND HE WILL YET DELIVER US,
you also joining in helping us through your prayers. II corinthians 1. 8-11

and working together with Him,
we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain...
giving no cause for offense in anything,
in order that the ministry be not discredited,
but in everything commending ourselves as SERVANTS OF GOD
IN MUCH ENDURANCE,
IN AFFLICTIONS,
IN HARDSHIPS,
IN DISTRESSES,
IN BEATINGS,
IN IMPRISONMENTS,
IN TUMULTS,
IN LABORS,
IN SLEEPLESSNESS,
IN HUNGER,
in purity,
in knowledge,
in patience,
in kindness,
in the Holy Spirit,
in genuine love,
in the word of truth,
in the power of God;
by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
by glory and DISHONOR,
by EVIL REPORT and good report,
REGARDED AS DECEIVERS and yet true,
AS UNKNOWN and yet well known,
AS DYING, yet behold we live;
AS PUNISHED yet not put to death,
AS SORROWFUL yet always rejoicing,
AS POOR yet making many rich,
AS HAVING NOTHING yet possessing all things.
our mouth has spoken freely to you, O corinthians,
OUR HEAR IS OPENED WIDE...  II corinthians 6.1-11

blessed are those WHO HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
blessed are you when men CAST INSULTS AT YOU
AND PERSECUTE YOU
AND SAY ALL KINDS OF EVIL AGAINST YOU FALSELY,
O-N  A-C-C-O-U-N-T  O-F  M-E

REJOICE and BE GLAD
FOR YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN IS GREAT
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. matthew 5.10-2