Why Beit Messiah is not Church!

Why is Beit Messiah not a Church?  The simple answer is "because we are a Synagogue!"  It is not just semantics.  We are a Synagogue that is made up of both Jews and Gentiles who worship the God of Israel.  The words "Synagogue" and "Church" both have the same meaning from the original languages.  They both mean "Assembly." We assemble on Shabbat (Saturday) and worship the God of Israel with Hebrew liturgy, Messianic music and dance.  We are a Synagogue!

In the Torah (Parsha Miketz) we read the story of Joseph.  In Genesis (bereshit) 42:8 there is a simple statement regarding the first time that Joseph sees his brother after many years.  It reads, "So Yosef recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him. "  Why did the ten brothers not recognize Joseph?  Really, the answer is simple.  Joseph was an Egyptian.  At least he looked like one and spoke like one! Scripture tells us that Joseph spoke through an interpreter.  He wore the clothes, he had the makeup.  As far as the ten brothers were concerned the man they were speaking with was a Egyptian not a Hebrew and especially not one of them!


This is very similar to the way Yeshua (Jesus) is perceived by the majority of my Jewish people.  Everyone knows that "Jesus was a Jew."  but look at him.  at least the pictures that have been painted over the years.  Whatever he resembles he certainly does not resemble a Jew.  This is a sad reality since, like Joseph, Yeshua recognizes his brothers, but his brothers don't recognize him.  This is problematic since he actually is one of us!  If the resurrection of Yeshua was a bodily resurrection (as we believe it was) then his circumcision resurrected with him.  If He sits at the right hand of the father as scripture says He does then He sits there as a resurrected Jew.  But the majority of the Jewish world does not recognize Him as their brother because He has been presented as anything but Jewish.  


It is important to consider that Judaism and Christianity were not meant to be two separate world religions.  They are counter parts.  Christianity is the Gentile form of Judaism.  and "Gentile" is not a curse word (as many Jewish people use it today).  While we count ourselves as apart of Israel (both nationally and spiritually) we also count ourselves as part of the body of Messiah (those who worship Yeshua as both Messiah and Lord).  It is important to point out that "Messianic" means "follower of Messiah" from Hebrew just as "Christian" means "follower of Christ" from Greek.  With this in mind you will find that people in our Synagogue will refer to themselves as a "Messianic Jew" or a "Messianic Gentile" meaning that we are Jews and Gentiles that are seeking to follow our Messiah in the way that He lived.  


Many of our Christian friends misunderstand the importance of the Jewishness of the message of Yeshua and the Jewishness of Yeshua himself.  To take Him outside of the context of His people and the Torah that He followed is to miss key ingredients in understanding His message for the world.  (If you would like more on this issue see "Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel" by David Stern).  And so, Yeshua is presented as someone who is not a Jew making it quite difficult for Yeshua's brothers (the Jewish people) to recognize Him for who He really is: the Jewish Messiah.  If He is not Messiah for the Jewish people then He is Messiah for no one.  There is only one.  He came first for the children of Israel and then instructed us to share His message with the world.


Due, in part, to this misunderstanding many Messianic's condemn "the Church" for all kinds of things and tell Christians that they must observe Shabbat, keep kosher, circumcise their sons, and keep all of the Biblical feasts.  Christians are condemned for celebrating Christmas and Easter because of pagan influence in the celebration of these days.  As for our synagogue, we do our best not to condemn.  If a Christian celebrates Christmas as the birth of our Messiah and celebrates Easter as the day that our Messiah rose from the dead I am quite certain that God is cool with it.  We do not celebrate Shabbat or the feasts because "we are doing it right and everyone else is doing it wrong."  We celebrate these days and many Jewish life cycle events because we are a synagogue.  I encourage those within our Messianic movement to not condemn but do what you think is right.  It may be right for you but not right for your neighbor.  The Jerusalem council in Acts 15 as well as Paul (1 Corinthians 7) speak to these issues and give the very same encouragement (as I read them, of course :).  


So, why is Beit Messiah not a Church?  Short answer: because we are synagogue.  A synagogue that is home to many mixed marriages (between Jews and Gentiles).  A synagogue that is home to Messianic Jews.  A synagogue that is home to Messianic Gentiles.  A synagogue that is Messianic and seeks to follow the Judaism of our Messiah Yeshua.  A synagogue that understands the body of Messiah is filled with all kinds of people who all play an important role in the calling both Jewish people and the nations to RETURN (see our "model of return") to our creator who is the God of Israel!  A synagogue with the goal and purpose to make Yeshua recognizable to His (and my) brothers.  For when our Jewish people are able to recognize our brother Yeshua how much more will God pour out His blessings on the whole world (Romans 11:11).