This past year offered some unprecedented opportunities to discuss our faith in the Israeli media. This included the educational television channel (Channel 1) and the largest Hebrew newspaper, Yediot.

During this time I have also attended a local Sephardic orthodox synagogue, because I enjoy studying, praying and fellowshipping with them. A few weeks ago, one of the members identified me from the television program. I affirmed to him my faith as a Messianic Jew. It didn't take long for the word to spread around the synagogue.

The rabbi asked to meet with me. He is a dear man, whom I respect. We talked for over an hour about faith and religion. Although he was polite, he told me that the rabbis in Jerusalem were organizing "harsh" opposition to me and that he would stand with them. That next Shabbat they refused to let me into the synagogue. I realized they were not really rejecting me, but rejecting Yeshua, who loves them more than they know. He and I walked away together sadly.

On Sunday the police showed up at our door. They had a summons for me to appear in court (along with a couple from our congregation). The summons contained 19 pages of unfounded claims. The suit was presented in the name of the parents of a teenage girl who had developed a friendship with the couple in our congregation.

In Israel it is illegal to convert a minor to another religion without the parents' consent. We would not do that under any circumstance, and in this case, we had notified the family in writing that the teenager could only attend with parental permission. Therefore the suit was groundless in the first place.

When we arrived in court, there was a religious lawyer and a representative of an "anti-missionary" group. [It is worth noting that the majority of the Israeli public and the government agencies are not "anti-Messianic." The opposition comes primarily from extremist religious groups.]

Instead of dealing with the suit of the parents, the lawyer simply began to attack us as a cult, calling me repeatedly "a leader of the cult of the Messianic Jews" (Acts 24:4-5). While this was demeaning, it had no legal bearing on the case. The suit was a ploy to defame us and had little to do with caring for the needy young lady.

Finally, the judge became angry and asked what all this religious talk had to do with the legal suit (Luke 23:4, 14, Acts 18:14-15, 19:38). When we presented as evidence our letters to the family requiring parental permission, the judge closed the case. It is a shame that the parents were exploited in the hands of those trying to discredit us. We can only hope for the best for this girl and her family.

When we returned home, we found out about the next "wave" of opposition: an article published in the local newspaper, attacking us as a "missionary" cult. Apparently the court case was part of a "spin" to defame us in the newspapers. Please pray fervently that everything that was meant for evil will be turned to good. I want to thank our lawyer and dear friend Caleb Myers, of Jerusalem Institute for Justice, who represented us in this case.

The spiritual attack of religious persecution is three fold: Rejection, Intimidation, and Defamation. You could say they are trying to get RID of us. Because of your prayers, we were protected by the grace of God and sustained with great peace of mind.

The whole situation was reminiscent of living out a scene from the book of Acts. There we were, sitting in a court room in Jerusalem, accused of being a cult, blocked from the synagogue and plotted against by Pharisees. I suppose it was sort of an honor. The slanders against us are a diversion from the real issue: Either Yeshua is the Messiah, or He isn't (Acts 17:3).

For decades I have taught that we should live like the apostles. Ah, but there is no apostolic revival without persecution. "Now, Lord, behold their threats, and grant to Your servants to declare Your word with all boldness, stretching out Your hand to heal and do signs and wonders ..." (Acts 4:29) Did we expect to get the signs and wonders without the threats?

We are gaining a clearer perspective on the biblical narrative:

• Religious leaders will "incite" normal people to be angry (Acts 6:12, 14:2, 14:19, 13:50, 17:5, 17:13).
• They will hire legal and forensic specialists to accuse us (Acts 24:1).
  
  This is why Yeshua decreed to separate state and religion ("Give unto Caesar..." Matthew 22:21), and Saul/Paul turned to state authorities ("Before the judgment seat of Caesar ..." Acts 25:10).
• We will be accused of being a cult (Acts 24:5, 14, 28:22).
• Instead of dealing with the content of our message, the issue will be diverted to attacking our character, through lies and slander (Luke 23:1-2, Acts 16:20, 17:6, 18:13, 21:28, 22:22).
• They will seek to catch us in one mistake in our words in order to accuse us (Luke 11:54, 14:1, 20:20).
• If we pray hard enough, the modern day apostles will be delivered from jail (Acts 12:5). If we do not, they will not be delivered (Acts 12:2).
• Thinking there will be revival without persecution is a deception (Acts 14:22).
• Everything will be acceptable except one thing: the name of Yeshua (Acts 4:17-18, 5:28, 5:40).

Is all this worth it? Yes. For what reason? LOVE. If we love our people, then pain and persecution are worth the price to show them the love of Messiah. I don't feel in any way offended or hurt. We simply love our people and would be willing to lay down our lives for them (Acts 7:60, 20:24, 21:13). They really just don't understand ... yet (Luke 23:46).

Also in this issue of the newsletter:
Daniel Juster: Universalism, Hell and Immanuel Kant
Moshe Morrison: Yarden
Eitan Shishkoff: His Mercy Endures Forever
Marty Shoub: Welcomed Again to Napoli Bay