Enrichment Activities for Weave Your Word in Me

 Jews and Jesus —

Jesus was born a Jew and lived in a Jewish family. He was trained in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). At age 30, he began his public ministry as a Jewish Rabbi. John the Baptist identified Jesus as the One who God had promised to send into the world — the Messiah. Yet three years later, most of the Jews rejected Jesus and put him to death. They did not receive him or believe that he was God’s appointed Savior.

But anyone who did receive Jesus became God’s child, and within 2 months after his resurrection, more than 5,000 Jews believed that Jesus was indeed their Messiah. They gave their lives to preaching and teaching about Jesus and took on a new name as followers of Christ — “Christ ones” or Christians.

Ministry among the Jews is still carried on today by organizations like Jews for Jesus and Chosen People Ministries. Listen to the following testimony of a modern Jewish woman named Susan who came to faith in Jesus as her Messiah.

My Prayer

Dearest Father, Thank you for those early Jews who believed in Jesus as their Messiah. Because of them, we have the books of the New Testament that give everyone the opportunity to learn about Jesus as the Savior of the World. Thank you that you are continuing to reach into the hearts of unbelieving Jews. Please open their eyes to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. Turn their hearts from rejection to faith. Thank you. Amen.