Latest / Community Spotlight / Understanding Israel's Role in End Times
Transcript
- WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:02.850 <v 0>The Light FM presents Community Spotlight,</v> 2 00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.810 a program designed to focus on what's important to you in your community. 3 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.170 Now here's Braxton with today's Community Spotlight. 4 00:00:11.970 --> 00:00:14.250 <v 1>Thank you so much for joining us on the Light fm.</v> 5 00:00:15.750 --> 00:00:19.110 So many things are happening around the world and as Christians, 6 00:00:19.170 --> 00:00:22.710 keeping up with them can be difficult, but it's important, 7 00:00:22.830 --> 00:00:27.480 especially when it pertains to God's chosen people in Israel. 8 00:00:27.570 --> 00:00:30.510 And if you've been watching the news the past several years, 9 00:00:31.500 --> 00:00:34.980 so many things are happening, of course in Israel, 10 00:00:35.070 --> 00:00:39.960 and the war continues and excited to hear updates about what that means 11 00:00:40.170 --> 00:00:44.520 for Christians everywhere. What that means for end times and how you and I, 12 00:00:44.970 --> 00:00:49.530 even if we're not in Israel, can make a difference. 13 00:00:49.890 --> 00:00:53.340 And in fact, the answer in short is we can. 14 00:00:53.700 --> 00:00:57.900 Sam Nadler is here with us from Word of Messiah Ministries. Hey Sam. 15 00:00:58.500 --> 00:01:00.600 <v 2>Hello Braxton. God bless you, brother.</v> 16 00:01:00.930 --> 00:01:03.960 <v 1>God bless you too. Hey, word of Messiah Ministries.</v> 17 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.780 If someone is listening and they've never heard about you guys, 18 00:01:07.050 --> 00:01:11.370 give me an elevator pitch. What's word of Messiah Ministries? 19 00:01:11.820 --> 00:01:15.480 <v 2>Yeah, well, if they go to word of messiah.org org,</v> 20 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:20.430 they'll be able to see all kinds of free downloads and helps in their witness. 21 00:01:20.440 --> 00:01:24.930 We are a Jewish mission that is committed to planting 22 00:01:24.940 --> 00:01:28.680 Messianic congregations amongst Jewish people around the world. 23 00:01:29.190 --> 00:01:31.920 That means we bring the good news to Jewish people. 24 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:36.750 We see Jewish people saved because God promised that there is a 25 00:01:36.750 --> 00:01:41.280 remnant according to His grace. Right now, Romans 11 five, 26 00:01:41.730 --> 00:01:45.840 we believe that proclaim the good news. We get core groups developed, 27 00:01:46.020 --> 00:01:49.380 discipled and plant them all over the world. 28 00:01:49.950 --> 00:01:54.930 We have all kinds of training that goes on. We have bootcamps for new planters, 29 00:01:55.440 --> 00:02:00.180 development for congregations that are established but need to develop and 30 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:04.380 reproduce leadership training all over the world. 31 00:02:05.250 --> 00:02:07.440 So if they go to word of messiah.org, 32 00:02:07.440 --> 00:02:12.000 they'd be excited by seeing what God's doing because God's at work amongst the 33 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.590 Jewish people and where God's at work is where we want to be at work. 34 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:21.420 They go to our site, they can sign up for our monthly newsletter, 35 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:26.400 get all kinds of information to help them in their witness and prayer life. 36 00:02:27.630 --> 00:02:29.040 <v 1>And you're based in Charlotte, right?</v> 37 00:02:29.640 --> 00:02:34.020 <v 2>Our headquarters is in Charlotte. It's a very good airport,</v> 38 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:37.230 so we travel a bit, but nonetheless, 39 00:02:38.040 --> 00:02:42.270 we want to praise the Lord for allowing us to serve him 40 00:02:42.480 --> 00:02:44.160 wherever the listeners are. 41 00:02:44.160 --> 00:02:47.610 Please understand you're where God wants you to serve as well. 42 00:02:48.540 --> 00:02:53.130 <v 1>What would you say the percentage of Jews today who are Christians,</v> 43 00:02:53.130 --> 00:02:54.000 what would that number be? 44 00:02:54.690 --> 00:02:57.390 <v 2>Depends where we're looking. In the United States,</v> 45 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:02.590 a poll was taken and out of the 46 00:03:02.590 --> 00:03:06.370 8 million Jewish people in the United States, 47 00:03:06.880 --> 00:03:11.050 1.1 confessed Jesus as Lord. 48 00:03:12.190 --> 00:03:15.610 That is an extremely high number, 49 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:17.830 but nonetheless, 50 00:03:17.830 --> 00:03:22.030 there's 7 million more we want to share with in Israel. 51 00:03:22.030 --> 00:03:26.680 If you go there and of approximately 8 million 52 00:03:26.710 --> 00:03:28.210 Jewish people who are there, 53 00:03:29.260 --> 00:03:34.240 there's only about 20, 25,000 Jews who believe, 54 00:03:35.380 --> 00:03:38.850 but we're really working to make a difference there as well. 55 00:03:39.430 --> 00:03:41.560 <v 1>Okay. So I don't think I realized this, Sam.</v> 56 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:44.980 So you're saying if my math is right and I'm terrible at math, 57 00:03:45.070 --> 00:03:49.870 but there's the same amount of Jews in the US as there are in 58 00:03:49.870 --> 00:03:50.703 Israel. Is that right? 59 00:03:51.070 --> 00:03:55.810 <v 2>Yeah, just a little bit more in Israel, a little bit more,</v> 60 00:03:55.810 --> 00:04:00.640 I mean, just the way it is the day we live in. But yeah, a little more. 61 00:04:01.030 --> 00:04:04.720 <v 1>I didn't realize that. Wow. Has that been a thing for a long time?</v> 62 00:04:04.730 --> 00:04:05.680 I've just not known. 63 00:04:06.160 --> 00:04:09.940 <v 2>Yeah, yeah. Next to Israel,</v> 64 00:04:09.940 --> 00:04:13.660 the United States is the most Jewish populated country in the world. 65 00:04:13.750 --> 00:04:17.740 <v 1>Wow, okay. Wow. Tell me,</v> 66 00:04:17.770 --> 00:04:21.910 what's the update right now from your perspective on what's happening with the 67 00:04:21.910 --> 00:04:22.750 war in Israel? 68 00:04:23.200 --> 00:04:27.160 <v 2>Well, what's happening is in the context of scripture,</v> 69 00:04:28.750 --> 00:04:33.610 the Lord told us in Matthew chapter 24 that during 70 00:04:33.610 --> 00:04:38.500 this age there'll be wars and rumors of wars. Now, 71 00:04:38.500 --> 00:04:43.240 he was speaking in that chapter specifically to the Jewish 72 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:45.760 people and Israel as well. 73 00:04:46.270 --> 00:04:49.240 And so for Israel during this age, 74 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.750 there'll be wars and rumors of wars, 75 00:04:53.050 --> 00:04:57.790 and that will not end until the second coming of the Messiah. 76 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:03.430 And it's vital for our listeners to understand the role 77 00:05:03.430 --> 00:05:07.300 they play in these end time events. 78 00:05:08.080 --> 00:05:13.000 This is specific work God has for them now that they need to 79 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.400 be mindful of and committed to. 80 00:05:17.590 --> 00:05:19.150 <v 1>Okay. What would that be?</v> 81 00:05:19.150 --> 00:05:23.320 What kind of advice would you give to someone listening in the states about what 82 00:05:23.320 --> 00:05:24.153 that is? 83 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:24.680 <v 2>Oh, well,</v> 84 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:29.650 it's very important to understand the calling of the body 85 00:05:29.710 --> 00:05:33.580 of Messiah. You may not be Jewish as a Jewish believer. 86 00:05:33.580 --> 00:05:35.710 Maybe you're from a non-Jewish background, 87 00:05:35.980 --> 00:05:40.600 but you have a calling from the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, 88 00:05:41.020 --> 00:05:45.130 a calling to the Jew first to bring the gospel, 89 00:05:45.130 --> 00:05:48.880 the good news to Jewish people. And in the end times, 90 00:05:49.210 --> 00:05:54.070 it's especially necessary to be a sheep nation, 91 00:05:54.250 --> 00:05:56.320 not a goat nation. 92 00:05:57.080 --> 00:06:02.030 A goat nation are those of the nations that do not help 93 00:06:02.060 --> 00:06:06.650 Israel or the Jewish people, the least of his brethren. 94 00:06:06.980 --> 00:06:10.820 If you remember in Matthew chapter 25, he talks about the second coming. 95 00:06:10.820 --> 00:06:15.770 He's going to separate the sheep and the goats. In doing so, he says that, 96 00:06:15.830 --> 00:06:18.680 and all the nations are broken down into two groups, 97 00:06:19.010 --> 00:06:23.150 either your sheep or your goats. And he says, 98 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:26.180 those who help the least of his brethren, 99 00:06:26.180 --> 00:06:29.510 well who are they? That's the Jewish people. That's all that's left. 100 00:06:30.110 --> 00:06:31.520 That's all that's left. 101 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:35.630 And so it's speaking end times of being a sheep nation, 102 00:06:35.840 --> 00:06:40.550 being on the right side of history and eternity being to the Jew 103 00:06:40.550 --> 00:06:42.950 first bring the good news to Jewish people. 104 00:06:43.400 --> 00:06:48.170 This is the way Paul taught the apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, 105 00:06:48.590 --> 00:06:53.480 understood his calling to especially not only bring the 106 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:57.350 gospel to Gentiles, that they might come to faith, 107 00:06:57.470 --> 00:06:59.090 which glory the God he did, 108 00:06:59.690 --> 00:07:04.460 but also to help them understand their calling to 109 00:07:04.460 --> 00:07:07.610 make Israel jealous, Romans 1111, 110 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.590 to make them the word in the Greek, 111 00:07:09.590 --> 00:07:13.100 their zealous for Messiah, 112 00:07:13.730 --> 00:07:15.110 not to make them angry, 113 00:07:15.110 --> 00:07:19.910 but to make them jealous for Messiah that they might come to 114 00:07:19.910 --> 00:07:24.590 faith. And so he says that he wants them to 115 00:07:24.590 --> 00:07:28.820 appreciate their calling in this regard. He says, 116 00:07:28.820 --> 00:07:32.390 for at the present time right now, 117 00:07:32.810 --> 00:07:36.650 a partial hardening has happened to Israel 118 00:07:37.010 --> 00:07:41.240 until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, 119 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:46.400 which has to do with their calling. They fulfill their ministry 120 00:07:46.820 --> 00:07:50.780 to bring the good news to the Jewish people. And then he says, 121 00:07:50.780 --> 00:07:55.610 and thus all Israel will be saved for it says 122 00:07:55.610 --> 00:07:59.750 there a redeemer will come from Zion, 123 00:07:59.900 --> 00:08:03.890 the second coming. And so the Gentile believer, 124 00:08:04.220 --> 00:08:07.160 if you're listening to this, you say, well, I'm not a Jewish believer. 125 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:08.180 I'm not in Israel. 126 00:08:08.570 --> 00:08:13.430 You have a calling on your life to the Jew first to bring the 127 00:08:13.440 --> 00:08:15.650 gospel, not only to the gentiles around you, 128 00:08:15.980 --> 00:08:19.550 but remember the Jewish people bring the good news to them, 129 00:08:19.910 --> 00:08:24.710 understanding that the key issue for the second coming 130 00:08:24.950 --> 00:08:29.090 of the Messiah is the salvation of Israel. 131 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:32.300 And your calling is to make them jealous, 132 00:08:32.330 --> 00:08:37.190 be one of the sheep nations, not a goat nation under the curse. 133 00:08:37.670 --> 00:08:41.840 So there you go, in a nutshell. There you go, Braxton. 134 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:46.730 <v 1>So the line of thin listening area reaches predominantly from Charlotte to</v> 135 00:08:46.730 --> 00:08:47.563 Knoxville, 136 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:52.370 Tennessee and upstate South Carolina in that region. 137 00:08:52.670 --> 00:08:54.260 How many Jews are we talking about? 138 00:08:54.260 --> 00:08:59.250 And for a gentile listening who is a Christian and maybe is realizing for 139 00:08:59.250 --> 00:09:02.790 the first time, wow, I've been trying to reach people, 140 00:09:02.790 --> 00:09:07.560 but I've never really focused on Jew first. What's that first step? 141 00:09:08.070 --> 00:09:08.903 <v 2>Yeah. Well,</v> 142 00:09:10.110 --> 00:09:14.130 there's many tens of hundred thousand maybe in the region you described. 143 00:09:15.150 --> 00:09:20.100 And the believers in this area need to have a ministry to 144 00:09:20.110 --> 00:09:24.120 the Jewish community. Now it turns out our headquarters, as you noted, 145 00:09:24.540 --> 00:09:25.800 is in Charlotte. 146 00:09:25.830 --> 00:09:30.180 We are available to assist in many different ways. 147 00:09:31.110 --> 00:09:35.880 I get invited to speak in churches on this matter every 148 00:09:35.880 --> 00:09:39.780 Sunday. And so if they contact our office, 149 00:09:40.830 --> 00:09:45.630 you can go to Word the messiah.org to get ahold of 150 00:09:45.630 --> 00:09:47.970 our office, or you can call 151 00:09:47.980 --> 00:09:52.800 7 0 4 5 4 4 19 48 152 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.800 and therefore get ahold of Lisa and schedule one of 153 00:09:58.800 --> 00:09:59.700 our speakers, 154 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:04.380 one of our missionaries to come and to share with you not 155 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:06.780 only what God's doing amongst Jewish people, 156 00:10:07.110 --> 00:10:12.090 but how you can make a difference as you pray for the peace of Jerusalem 157 00:10:12.390 --> 00:10:17.370 and proclaim the prince of peace to the Jew first and 158 00:10:17.430 --> 00:10:22.380 speak truth to power. Antisemitism has reared its ugly head, 159 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:26.310 shockingly in our country. Now, 160 00:10:26.310 --> 00:10:30.240 this cannot go on if believers will speak truth to power, 161 00:10:30.930 --> 00:10:35.370 do not give into fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear, 162 00:10:35.760 --> 00:10:39.090 but the power, love, and the sound mind two Timothy one, seven. 163 00:10:39.570 --> 00:10:43.920 So we want to trust in the Lord and therefore proclaim good news 164 00:10:44.400 --> 00:10:46.410 and speak truth to power. Telling 165 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:53.100 Antisemites that being against the Jewish people is being against 166 00:10:53.110 --> 00:10:57.870 God, which was specifically says in Psalm 83, 5. 167 00:10:58.230 --> 00:11:03.180 So we have a role as believers in these days. We must step up, 168 00:11:03.180 --> 00:11:05.850 not give into fear or politics. 169 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:11.100 We must believe God's word proclaiming such great news while we have 170 00:11:11.110 --> 00:11:12.300 the opportunity. 171 00:11:13.350 --> 00:11:15.120 <v 1>You alluded to it earlier, Sam, by the way,</v> 172 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:19.260 we're talking to Sam Nadler of Word of Messiah ministries based in Charlotte, 173 00:11:19.260 --> 00:11:20.093 North Carolina. 174 00:11:20.940 --> 00:11:25.590 Would you consider the United States to be a sheep or a goat nation? 175 00:11:26.520 --> 00:11:28.140 <v 2>They're on the fence.</v> 176 00:11:28.800 --> 00:11:32.910 I once would've thought a sheep nation because of their strong support of 177 00:11:32.910 --> 00:11:36.750 Israel. But we can see politically how it's weakening. 178 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:42.240 We see that people are wanting to hedge their political 179 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.950 bets, and they're not sure if they want a full-blown, full-hearted, 180 00:11:47.160 --> 00:11:49.260 full throated support of Israel. 181 00:11:50.130 --> 00:11:54.580 They therefore are kiting getting against 182 00:11:54.580 --> 00:11:55.413 Israel. 183 00:11:56.410 --> 00:12:00.520 All kinds of nasty things going on in politics right now. 184 00:12:00.880 --> 00:12:03.130 Who would've believed Braxton, 185 00:12:03.580 --> 00:12:07.210 that we have antisemites in Congress. 186 00:12:08.140 --> 00:12:10.900 There are representatives, 187 00:12:10.900 --> 00:12:15.640 state representatives in the Congress who 188 00:12:15.640 --> 00:12:19.780 are against Israel, who are pro Hamas, 189 00:12:20.140 --> 00:12:23.680 who could believe such evil would go on. Well, 190 00:12:23.680 --> 00:12:27.550 we're in a place where believers must pray. Listen, 191 00:12:27.760 --> 00:12:32.290 if you're a believer in the Lord Jesus, you must understand. 192 00:12:32.290 --> 00:12:36.550 Listen carefully. He wept over Jerusalem. 193 00:12:36.550 --> 00:12:37.780 Luke chapter 19. 194 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:42.340 He weeped to this day for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 195 00:12:42.820 --> 00:12:46.270 And if you are unconcerned for the Jewish people, 196 00:12:46.780 --> 00:12:49.930 it's not the Jewish people you're out of touch with. 197 00:12:50.410 --> 00:12:55.330 You're not walking closely with your God for he weeps over Israel 198 00:12:55.330 --> 00:12:59.830 to this day, the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And therefore, 199 00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:04.840 we must pray for the peace of Jerusalem must proclaim the good news 200 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:09.760 to the Jew first and must persevere against all the 201 00:13:09.790 --> 00:13:14.680 onslaught of the enemy because greater is he who's in believers than 202 00:13:14.680 --> 00:13:16.030 he who's in the world. 203 00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:21.250 <v 1>Sam, would you pray for the war in Israel?</v> 204 00:13:21.250 --> 00:13:25.480 And would you pray for believers now listening Absolutely. To understand that, 205 00:13:25.660 --> 00:13:26.493 how to do that? 206 00:13:26.920 --> 00:13:30.010 <v 2>Absolutely. And I want to let them know our materials,</v> 207 00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:34.210 Messiah in the end times one of our books that's available for you. 208 00:13:34.210 --> 00:13:38.350 If you go to our website, we have a lot of materials to be helped to. 209 00:13:38.650 --> 00:13:40.480 We want to help you ongoingly. 210 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:45.010 But let's pray about our calling right now. Father, 211 00:13:45.010 --> 00:13:46.660 in the name of Lord Jesus, 212 00:13:46.660 --> 00:13:51.460 we come before you and we ask that you would move on the hearts of our 213 00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:54.010 hearts and all the listeners right now, 214 00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:58.720 that they would understand that the day they live in 215 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:03.370 like Esther, they are called to such a time as this, 216 00:14:03.550 --> 00:14:08.140 and they need to be an instrument of grace and good news in the world they live 217 00:14:08.150 --> 00:14:12.400 in. They must be of good courage not given to fear. 218 00:14:12.670 --> 00:14:15.760 They must not only pray for the peace of Jerusalem, 219 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:21.130 proclaim the prince of peace to the Jew first and everyone 220 00:14:21.130 --> 00:14:25.630 else. And together, Lord, we stand against antisemitism, 221 00:14:26.020 --> 00:14:29.200 anti-Zionism, anti-Israel, 222 00:14:29.410 --> 00:14:33.670 recognizing this is a work of the enemy, and therefore, 223 00:14:33.670 --> 00:14:37.060 we take that stand by the grace of God, 224 00:14:37.330 --> 00:14:42.220 that we might proclaim the good news to the Jew first and also to the 225 00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:45.730 Gentiles knit our hearts together in love, 226 00:14:45.970 --> 00:14:49.600 that the name of our God and Savior would be exalted for. 227 00:14:49.610 --> 00:14:53.530 Its in Jesus name that we pray. Amen and amen. 228 00:14:54.110 --> 00:14:56.000 <v 1>Amen. Amen. Thank you, Sam.</v> 229 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:58.850 <v 2>God bless you, Braxton. Shalom, everyone.</v> 230 00:14:59.420 --> 00:15:02.930 <v 1>Again, you can find them online, word of messiah.org,</v> 231 00:15:03.380 --> 00:15:06.410 word of messiah.org. They're based in Charlotte. 232 00:15:06.950 --> 00:15:10.670 I want to say a special thanks to our sponsor making today's episode possible, 233 00:15:10.670 --> 00:15:13.760 Turner Business Appraisers, and Matthews North Carolina. 234 00:15:15.590 --> 00:15:17.690 <v 0>We hope you enjoyed today's community spotlight,</v> 235 00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:20.630 covering issues that matter to you in your community. 236 00:15:21.020 --> 00:15:23.510 If you have a suggestion for a future program, 237 00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:27.440 just call 803 3 0 96 48. 238 00:15:27.650 --> 00:15:31.520 That's 803 3 0 9 6 4 8. 239 00:15:31.910 --> 00:15:36.080 Be sure to join us next week for another community spotlight with Braxton on the 240 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:36.920 Light fm.