MISSION POSSIBLE
by Nancy C. Gaughan
He took my torment and gave me peace. He took my frustration and gave me a mission. I was raised a cultural Jew and knew I was Jewish because we celebrated the major Jewish holidays. Every Yom Kippur we recited, "Our Father, Our King, we come before you." Every Passover we relived God’s saving power as we recounted the story of His redemption from our slavery in Egypt. So when my sweetheart told me I needed the salvation of Jesus, I thought, "God saved me long ago. Read about it in Exodus."
As a modern liberal Jew, I laughed when he told me I was a sinner. Little lies and unforgiveness weren’t sin, I thought. Sin was only big things like murder and stealing. You can imagine my shock to read in Leviticus that to God even a careless thought is a sin that required sacrifice and that God holds us accountable even for sins we commit of which we are not aware. When a Messianic rabbi showed me that Jesus was the last, perfect sacrifice and our promised messiah, my response was, "Of course, it all fits. God always fulfills His promises. He promised a messiah who would die for our sins, and he kept His promise."
As a new believer, a Messianic Jew, I began listening to Christian radio and talking to both Jewish and gentile believers. I was outraged when I heard gentile Christians talking about Jesus as if He was all there was to the trinity. Where was my Father? What of the Holy Spirit? I was angry when I heard gentile believers ignorant and unappreciative of their Jewish roots. I heard both Messianic and other Jews talk of discrimination by Christians. It hurt because I, too, was a Christian now. It hurt to hear Protestant denominations put down other Protestants and Catholics. There was no love in this Christianity. The world of God’s people was splintered, full of conflict and ignorance. I was confused and upset. The Lord taught love and unity among believers. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus talked of our Father and of the Holy Spirit, Whom we receive when we accept Him as our savior. I had not been a believer long and I was tormented. As a Jew I understood accepting differences and loving family anyway. Jewish families stick together. Now in my Christian family, there was so much anger and division among my brothers and sisters. I was distraught.
Then one night I had a dream. I was walking with Jesus, pouring out my heart to Him. He sat on a boulder beneath a tree. I sat at His feet and wept in frustration. He put His hand on my head and in a voice full of compassion and strength said, "Do not be upset, Child. Know that they have been given what they need for Salvation. They must believe in Me. If they do not know My Father or the Spirit, but if they believe I died for their sins and rose again, that is all they need. You have been given much more for a reason. You are to use what you have been given to build bridges. Use Our Words to build bridges and break down walls."
God has a purpose for everyone who loves Him. Through that dream, took my torment and made me a lady with a mission. I am no longer upset when I meet Christians who, in the glory of Jesus, have lost sight of our Father and the Holy Spirit. They have what they need for salvation. I can let that pass. I have important work to do. Where all can see, I wear a silver Star of David and a silver Cross on a chain. The combination is unusual and opens doors of discussion wherever I go. In churches and Messianic synagogues who preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the differences within denominations are matters of practice, not basic theology. I try never to miss an opportunity to affirm other believers’ denominational uniqueness, yet cut through their cultural biases to the unifying message of the Gospel. The shoulder is different from the hair or the toes or the liver or skin, but we need them all. As Paul wrote, with all our diversity, we believers are one body. We are all grafted into the same tree, by the grace of our Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, one God with whom we now are to be one. It is time to appreciate our differences and work together in harmony to share His good news.
References:
1. John 15:12
2. Romans 8:28
3. Romans 12:4-5
4. Romans 11:17-18
5. John 17: 20-23
6. Mark 16:15