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A Spectacular Future
In
his book Jesus the Messiah Donald Guthrie writes, “The Messiah
did not come unannounced. A coming king must have at least one
attendant. It is customary for oriental monarchs to have a special
herald to make way for them, but why should this apply to God’s
Messiah? Could not the heavens be suddenly opened and a heavenly voice
announce to the world His mission? Such a method would have led men to
think that His mission was designed to be spectacular. God chose
otherwise; a human forerunner was selected. The herald’s task was an
honoured one, and it would surely be expected that some notable person
would be selected – yet God’s
choice fell on one among the lowly. The herald was to be born of humble
stock.”
In
one sense the mission of Jesus was spectacular in that God had sent his
Son to be the one who should redeem sinners from their sin, but the way
in which that redemption was to be achieved would be anything but
spectacular. At the end of Jesus’ ministry here on earth it is thought
that only about 500 people believed in him as their Messiah. He was the
greatest preacher this world has ever had, but the results of his
ministry were not spectacular. Today we often hear of some who have
gone to take evangelistic missions in Far Eastern countries through
which thousands have come to faith in Christ. Those results are
spectacular, and many tend to give financially where spectacular
results are seen.
It would be wonderful if we
saw the same results in Jewish evangelism – but we don’t. There are
perhaps more Jews coming to faith now than ever before. Not as many as
we would desire, yet every conversion is in a sense
spectacular. We must recognise the importance of this difficult mission
field. We need to be people of prayer and we need to give, because we
cannot send workers without giving them the “tools” with which to do
the work. Our team of dedicated missionaries – a team of “humble stock”
(to use Guthrie’s words) – are faithful in their task. But, unlike
Paul, who could have a ready-made audience in the synagogue, our
missionaries cannot preach or teach in a synagogue. Their method of
outreach is more through personal evangelism. But God will not let his
word return to him void. It shall accomplish the task to which it has
been sent. Some will come to faith in the Jewish Messiah. Greater is
still to come. When God again fully opens the door of salvation to the
Jewish people Paul tells us that the resultant blessing for the whole
church will be “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15). What could be more
spectacular than one raised from the dead! Are you willing to help us
prepare the way and to share in this future spectacular event?
Ian
Morrison
Rev Ian
Morrison is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
and is at present the Irish Representative of the Lord’s Day Observance
Society and a member of CWI’s Council of Management.
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