Would you believe that someone loved you if they ignored your cries for help when you were in trouble?
I imagine that many of you would answer no.
I thought about that last month as I sat with 100 academics from around the world at the ISGAP Oxford Summer Institute at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University. For two weeks, I studied, ate, laughed, cried, and brainstormed with a talented group of people who have experienced unimaginable levels of antisemitism over the past year.
After the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on October 7 last year, antisemitism has risen worldwide. In the United States, antisemitic incidents increased 140%, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Antisemitism affects Jewish people of all religious commitments. Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Messianic, and nonreligious Jews have all experienced antisemitism.
Lifting up Zion’s mission is to support the growing Messianic Jewish community in Israel and around the world. The growing Messianic Jewish community is represented by a number of organizations. Membership organizations of Messianic congregations and individuals include the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, the Union for Messianic Jewish Congregations, and Tikkun Global. In addition, there are Jewish mission organizations, including Chosen People Ministries, Jews for Jesus, and Jewish Voice.
This summer, I conducted a study and found that every Messianic Jewish organization listed above has taken a stand against antisemitism. Our Jewish friends are concerned about the increasingly hostile attitudes toward the Jewish people. The ancient hatred that we read about in the story of Esther has surfaced again.
Will we stand with the Jewish people in their fight against hatred and violence? Will we take a stand and offer our support while many turn against them?
I say we have no other choice.
James, the brother of Jesus, was the pastor of the first-century Jerusalem Church. In his epistle, he described faith:
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18
If we truly believe that God is faithful to Israel and will be their deliverance, we must show our faith through our works. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus, who stands with them when no one else will.
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works James 2:22
I invite you to express your faith in one or more tangible ways:
- Pray fervently for the salvation and deliverance of the Jewish people
- Give financially to those enduring difficult times
- Speak up for the Jewish people when you hear or see antisemitism
- Reach out to a Jewish acquaintance and offer your heartfelt support and friendship
