Excerpt from Shomair Yisrael

Who is Yeshua?

Judaism is not some abstract religion, it is the vine Paul spoke of in Romans 11. Our covenant of salvation is based upon the New Covenant which was given to Israel and Judah. Many Christians may be shocked to know that Jesus according to his natural or human nature was not a "Christian" according to his customs. Of course we know that Jesus was God Incarnate.. the Son of God become flesh and dwelling among us. But according to His human nature, He was definitely and beyond any doubt Jewish... He wore tassels on His garments according to the law of Moses, followed the customs of His people, very certainly celebrated Hanukkah, and the Bible he studied was the original testament that by no means is "Old", but merely "Older". The word "Christian" to most Jewish people is synonymous with the idea of the destruction of the Jewish identity and its culture. To become a "Christian" for a Jewish person more than likely means to completely renounce their heritage and customs and align themselves with an "anti-Jewish" religion. It is recorded that many Jews on the way into certain Nazi extermination camps were greeted with the message "You killed our Lord, now we will kill you." There is a great need today for an honest look at things done historically in the name of "Christianity" to the Jewish people and our heartfelt sorrow and apology for them as a result. Church history has re-made Jesus into a Gentile savior and "Christianity" into an anti-Semitic Gentile religion.

The truth is that the vine has never changed.. Gentile believers in Jesus the Messiah are merely grafted as a wild olive branch into a vine they had no part in creating. Paul asks the question in Romans 11, "Then how much more readily will the natural branches that fell away be grafted back into the vine??" And that is the point... what should be a natural fulfillment of Judaism has become transformed into something that is feared, hated, and rejected outright by most Jewish people. This is the message the Church needs to bring to the Jewish people today: accepting Jesus as Messiah does not equate with renouncing your Jewish heritage... it is by all means the absolute fulfillment of everything that is Jewish! This is also the message to the Church: repent of your attitudes and callousness toward the Jewish people and Israel... you are just a wild branch grafted into an olive tree by grace... now go find out about the olive tree that supports you!


Messianic Rabbi: H. Michael Weiner
Worship Location: Knoxville Christian Center,
818 N. Cedar Bluff Rd, Knoxville, TN.

Phone: 865-414-4527;
Fax: 865-689-1011;
Email: weinerm@attglobal.net

Excerpt from Olive Tree Congregation

The Son

God the Son became flesh (Isaiah 9:6-7) in the person of Yeshua of Nazareth, the promised Messiah of Israel (Jeremiah 23:5-6, Micah 5:2), who was conceived by the Spirit of God and born of the Jewish virgin, Miriam (Mary) (Isaiah 7:14). He is both fully God and fully man, united forever without division or confusion.
Messiah Yeshua died as a substitutionary sacrifice for man's sin (Leviticus 16:15-16; 17:11, 2 Corinthians 5:14) and all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood (Romans 5:8-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18). The Messiah's substitutionary death (Psalm 22:16, Isaiah 53:4-6; 10-12, Daniel 9:26, Zechariah 12:10) was the purchase price (Mark 10:45) for our redemption and was foreshadowed in the Tenach in the slaying of the Passover lamb, the sin and trespass offering, and the sin offerings on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
Messiah Yeshua arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will one day return for all who believe in Him (Romans 3:24-26). Presently He serves as our Cohen Gadol (Great High Priest) according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. As such, He is intercessor and advocate before the Father in behalf of all believers (Hebrews 7:1-25).

Dan Strull
Olive Tree Congregation
203 E. Camp McDonald Rd.
Prospect Heights, IL 60070

Phone: 847.222.1230
Email: info@olive-tree.org