The Purpose of Messianic Judaism
We already have branches of Judaism that do a fine job of preserving the Jewish identity. We have many wonderful churches that proclaim Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised Messiah. Why then the need for Messianic Judaism? If I were to capsulize why we exist in one sentence, it would be this: We are a testimony of God's continuing faithfulness to the Jewish people and a testimony of the open door for Gentiles to share in the blessings of Israel; all of this in and through Yeshua the Messiah! (Okay, so it was a run-on sentence).
Consider these verses from Isaiah 49 in describing the role of Messiah...
And now the LORD says, He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him; and that Israel might be gathered to Him-- for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and My God has become My strength-- He says: "It is too light a thing that You should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make You as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:5, 6 from the ESV) Through Yeshua, God is bringing the Jewish people back to Himself. Through Yeshua, the Gentiles are sharing in the blessings of Israel (see Ephesians 2:11-13). As a Messianic congregation that includes Jews brought near to God through Messiah, and Gentiles who now share in the blessings of Israel through Messiah, we are sign of the dual role of Messiah to "raise up the tribes of Jacob" and to be "a light for the nations."
Shalom Aleichem,
Joshua
Consider these verses from Isaiah 49 in describing the role of Messiah...
And now the LORD says, He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him; and that Israel might be gathered to Him-- for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and My God has become My strength-- He says: "It is too light a thing that You should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make You as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:5, 6 from the ESV) Through Yeshua, God is bringing the Jewish people back to Himself. Through Yeshua, the Gentiles are sharing in the blessings of Israel (see Ephesians 2:11-13). As a Messianic congregation that includes Jews brought near to God through Messiah, and Gentiles who now share in the blessings of Israel through Messiah, we are sign of the dual role of Messiah to "raise up the tribes of Jacob" and to be "a light for the nations."
Shalom Aleichem,
Joshua