November Update - 2022

Welcome to my Romans 15:8 blog for November and December. I am combining these two months into one blog, as I will be away on holiday during the latter part of December.

I hope and pray that this blog finds you in a ‘good place’. I would like to thank especially all of you who have signed up to the Romans 15:8 network during 2022. It is good to see this network growing.  I hope and pray you will all know the LORD’s blessings during Advent and into 2023.

With kind regards and shalom

Alex

Teaching Reflection of the month

For this month’s reflection I have put together some brief notes on how Joseph ‘prefigures’ Jesus in terms of prophetic roles and ministry functions. These notes are based in part on our recent Shofar teaching event led by Amy Orr-Ewing  and my own reflections.

Joseph is one of the seven key characters in the book of Genesis. I suggest these seven characters give shape to the narrative – the seven characters in chronological order are  Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob  and finally Joseph. Joseph is inspirational on many levels yet especially as he went through times of great trauma and injustice, yet he overcame. Joseph shows a deep trust in God and he points to the Messiah as indeed does other key Biblical characters such as Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses and Jonah.

Joseph points to and links to Jesus in many ways- I will outline the following 8:

1. Joseph is the ‘beloved son’
2. Joseph is sent by the Father (see Genesis 37:14  and John 3:16)
3. Joseph resists sin (Genesis 39)
4. Joseph remains silent when falsely accused
5. Potiphar is not convinced about the guilt of Joseph yet there is little he is willing to do about this  (Potiphar is like Pilate in the crucifixion texts)
6. The Prison Warden (see Genesis 39:21) is like the Centurion at the cross
7. The cupbearer and the baker (see Genesis 40) links to the responses of the two criminals executed alongside Jesus
8. Joseph is finally delivered and is ‘raised up’ to save others.

Ministry News Update

Let me share four points with you:

Firstly, I am pleased to share that my interview with Canon J.John (Facing the Canon) continues to receive new viewings via YouTube and currently the total stands at 2285. If you have not viewed this yet please do, and if you can like and share it widely via any social media connections you may have this will be very helpful.

Secondly, I am looking forward to teaching at the London School of Theology on 5th December.

Thirdly, the interviews for our new (third) Community Based Evangelist took place on 15th November and subject to receiving affirming  references we will be announcing the new appointment soon.

Fourthly, the staff team had a ‘mini retreat’ on 10-11th November- during this time we worked together (with helpful input from Robin and Sue Aldridge) through the Kesher Course. If you are not familiar with the Kesher Course it provides (over 10 sessions) an excellent insight into the Jewish context of the ministry of Jesus and God’s ongoing faithfulness to Israel.

Book Review – Jesus-Believing Israelis -Exploring Messianic Fellowships . A Survey by David Serner & Alexander Goldberg (Caspari Center for Biblical and Jewish Studies, 2021).

This book provides a far ranging and well researched survey of  Jewish Believing Israelis. This work is based upon the previous study led by Kjaer -Hanson undertaken in the mid 1990’s yet it is far more extensive and ‘digs deeper’ into the demographic and theological issues around identity which shapes the answers around what it means to be Jewish, Israeli and a Believer in Jesus.

David Serner presented this research at the recent LCJE meeting in Haslev, Denmark. I appreciated his presentation and it was good to be able to share in the Q &A session which followed his presentation.  I believe this book reflects an amazing piece of detailed analysis and it is a desirable resource for anyone interested in the depth and breadth of recent grow within the ‘Messianic Jewish Movement’ in Israel. As Dr Michael Brown states-“This is now the definitive go-to source detailing the current state of the Messianic Jewish Movement in Israel. It asks the right  questions , provides detailed, reliable answers , and systematically summarizes salient information.”

Monthly Memory Verse

“Yes, I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be plucked up out of their land that I have given them.” ADONAI, your God, has said it.

Amos 9:15 (MJFB)