Our Relationship With Israel

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our Tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

I'm gonna call I'm gonna call an audible here, and what I would like us to do is have a little bit of discussion this morning. Omaha, Omaha. We're calling Omaha, I think that was a football reference coming from Clay, I'm just gonna assume that it is. You know me and my sports ball knowledge. So what I'd like us to do this morning is just have a little bit of a conversation regarding what's going to happen later today and pay no attention to the two large objects like right in my field of view here.

He's working on it, he's working on it. But this evening, at what time, Liz? Oh, Amanda's right here too. At 5PM, there is going to be a gathering on the town square in support of Israel. How many of you have gotten that text blast?

Okay, so if you've been with us at Tribe for a while, you know that talked in the last year or so long before October 7, we've talked a good amount about Israel. The Lord laid Israel on our heart and as a tribe family, we have dug into what God's word has to say about it. We've looked at some of the historical context of Israel And now we find the nation of Israel at the center stage once again of a global conversation since October sixth and seventh. And if you have had your head jammed into a hole in the ground and you don't know what happened most recently on 10/07/2024 at various places near the territory of Gaza, there was an incursion into the sovereign nation of Israel by radical Islamic jihadists known as Hamas, and they took prisoners, they killed, they raped, they caused chaos and havoc and then retreated back into Gaza and underneath cities and hospitals and schools and mosques in a vast underground labyrinth network. And since then, Israel has moved into Gaza in a military campaign to eliminate the terrorist organization known as Hamas.

And there are so many different aspects and details and nuances to all that I just laid out for you. But what I would like to do this morning is detour from the message that I had planned. I was praying this morning and during worship, ah, like Lord, what do you want to do? And I feel like what he would like us to do this morning is have a little bit

of

conversation about what's going on in Israel, how that impacts us, how we are and should respond to what's going on in Israel and name and acknowledge some of the very real thoughts and emotions that we could be having regarding what's going on over there. And a keyword that I just said was the word conversation. I really would like it to be a conversation, so much more conducive to conversation with these numbers here this morning. It's just us as family. And so what I'd like to start is by directing your attention to the book of, it's in the Old Testament, Zechariah, that's where we're going to start.

We're gonna start in the book of Zechariah and you could put your finger in chapter eight because that's gonna be one of the first places that we read. But I really would like this to be a conversation. If you're new to Tribe or if you haven't been, I don't want this to be a monologue, I want it to be a dialogue. And so Kat is in that back corner, she has a microphone and if you have a question, a comment or a connection, just raise your hand and we'll make sure the microphone gets to you. Today, maybe not so much, we need the microphone for those of us in this room, but the microphone helps our livestream families be able to hear what you're saying or what you're asking and it does a better job of keeping us all in sync together.

And so just raise your hand and the microphone will come around to you. But let me turn there myself. Okay, I'm going to start by asking you a question. Several of the questions that I might ask today, they might seem leading, baiting or a trick question, and I'll try to do my best to phrase those questions so that you don't feel like defensive or like, oh, I should know this, but what is it? Is he asking me a trick question?

All right, so the first question that I'm going to ask you is, in your own words, why would you say it is important that Christians care about what's going on in Israel? What would be your answer? If you were to sit down having some like chips and half and half dip at pikas and somebody said, you're a Christian, right? Why do Christians care about Israel? What would

you say? Well, first of all, in no way do I know everything about why God loved Israel the way he did. But as Christians, we've heard all of our life how important Israel is to God and how much God loves Israel. So therefore, if God loves Israel, I'm supposed to love Israel too. Yeah.

Because I love my God, I love his word, and we're always learning something new about it. And so therefore, I mean, as a Christian, we follow God's Word. That's just black and white Nancy right there.

That's a beautiful answer. I take pictures with my phone and that's about the extent of my photography background. But my friend Corey is passionate about photography and he loves photography and he is amazing at photography. And because our families do lives together and I love Corey, well, I love photography too and I love to see Corey's passion and skill with photography. I mean, you guys know that he's like freaking awesome photographer, right?

Okay, you can give him a little more love than that. And so I love photography because he loves photography and he's passionate about it. So to tie in with what you just said, so you're sitting down at Pikas, you're having some of that really yummy half and half, half guacamole, half salsa, right? And somebody asks you, you're a Christian, right? Which here in Jackson, just to be asked that question is like, uh-oh, where is this going?

In the South, like that's normal, but here in Jackson, oh, it's a little different. But then they say like, wait, you're a Christian, why should Christians care about Israel? I love that answer, what else might you say? And then up here to Colin.

I was trying to think of the word to describe it. Not like not that we feel indebted to Israel or to the Israeli people, but, like, we're bonded to them. And it's because yeah. Grafted in. It's through them that we've come to know the same God and that's just awesome.

So what you're saying is in some way, in a very real way, Christians care about Israel because we're in the same family. Same family. And we have been, what was the word you used? Grafted in. Could somebody look up that verse that's worth like, let's keep your finger in Zechariah, find that.

We're in wild olive branch that has been grafted in, that is so good. So another reason that Christians do, I won't say should because I don't want to should on you. Don't let anybody should on you. But one of the reasons why Christians care about Israel, another reason is because we're family. I love that.

Did you have that?

Romans eleven twenty four.

Romans eleven twenty four, let's at least write that down and somebody, could you look that up and read it for us please? Do you have it Liz? Yeah, all right, Colin, shoot that mic or Kat, shoot that mic over there. We'll Hi, find when I

was hiding behind it. Romans eleven twenty four says, For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree? Beautiful,

beautiful. Maybe one or two more thoughts, Janet, and then let's go back to Clay.

Thank you. It's really how God revealed himself, his character, his love, his plan of salvation, and the covenant through Abraham. It's all that good old testament stuff. So we care about Israel because that was God's plan for all humanity. The plan of salvation and the pictures of Abraham and Isaac, became the sort of foreshadowing of Christ.

It's beautiful, it's amazing.

One of the reasons that Christians love Israel is because Israel among all the nations was specifically and specially chosen by God to be an example of His love, care, devotion, His divine attributes revealed to the nation of Israel. And that's one of the reasons why we as Christians care about Israel. Is that accurate? How many of you grew up in a home where either your mom or your grandmother had like the fancy plateware that only came out for either special guests or special occasions? Yep, yep, yep, yep.

In a way, and we're going to talk about the perfection of Israel, we're going to talk about that, but in a way, we treat the silverware and the plateware that grandmother uses that maybe was in her little hutch in the dining room, we treat it with care because it's special to grandmother and it's only used for special occasions. And when we get to eat from that, we know, wow, this is really special and I better be careful with it. In a similar way, what I hear you saying, Janet, is in a similar way, that's the way that Israel is. Israel was the object of God revealing His nature, His character and His covenant, being able to relate to humans through the nation of Israel, like fine China. That's pretty good.

And to piggyback, I mean, God, Yahweh is the one true God. Sin entered in, everything that he made was good. Enter in sin, Abraham, I mean, whole story, but anyway, through it's the whole story. Here we go, we're starting But the thing is, is that sin entered in, right, through that disobedience. So God's desire that his whole creation be restored and be back in align with how he created to be in relationship with him.

So why it matters to us is piggybacking on, yes, absolutely, the promise made to Abraham goes, and I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing and I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And we know that fulfillment in Jesus.

Will you read that address?

That is in Genesis chapter 12 and I jumped in on verse two. And this is the promise to Abraham because of Abraham's faith in a one true God. And then, now we unravel the entire story of rest like restoration of his creation. This issue of sin needs to be dealt with. And then we know where that can go.

Yes, the issue of, so all the way back to Clay, the issue of sin and restoration. So in some way, so an additional reason why Christians should care about Israel is because, I might make a little jump and connect a few dots, but because the story of Israel is whose story. Take your finger and point to the person of whose story is it? It's our story. The story of Israel and God relating to Israel is our story.

We are, I'm not saying that we have replaced Israel, do not hear what I'm saying, we are Israel, the human heart is Israel. And we're gonna talk more about that in just a moment. But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son for each and every human heart and indicatively as an entire people group, Israel. Paul says in two Corinthians two, These things happened and were written down for who? Us, as an example, Paul says.

Okay, Clay, what do you got? And then we're going to read this passage in Zechariah.

So if anyone here or on the live stream knows me in the past, if I was attacked, I would attack back. I mean, that was just my nature. Oh, we know. And and believe me, it's not it's not easy and I'm trying to use God's word to lead and guide me but Psalms 3four 14 says, Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.

And if you watch the news as this has evolved, you know that the world is trying to dictate what the retaliation should be. And let me tell you something, it ain't seek peace and pursue it. I'll tell you that much. So it is so hard, I mean, for Israel and everyone on either side to wrap their arms around that. And you know, to seek God's wisdom and God's direction when he says love your enemies, Man, that's smacks you right in the face as to how we should be reacting to this.

So I would I would hope that scripture is being sought, wise counsel is being sought and understand that it doesn't matter whether somebody reacts correctly. At the end of

the

day, God has won and this is not something that's going to be left unanswered I in my

think what you said was great. One thing that you said especially stood out to me that you read from Psalms 34 of seeking peace, and we're going to touch on that. The actions of Israel that we see in the news, are they actively seeking peace? Well, that'll divide a room pretty quick, won't it? Are they seeking peace?

Okay, so as Christians, why should we care about Israel? Here's the first place from, we've talked about already about several places in God's word where we see it clearly, not only does God love Israel or have we been grafted in and we are family, not only does Israel specially chosen to reveal God's nature and character, not only can we see our story in Israel, but look at this verse in Zechariah, did I tell you what chapter to turn to? Chapter Ocho, that means eight. Chapter eight, and would somebody with the mic please read verse seven for me? And I'm sorry, don't have a keynote, we're pivoting right here, so you just have to write these addresses down.

Zechariah chapter eight, verse two, please. Would you read it in the

mic? Sure, verse two or verse seven?

Zechariah eight, please read verse two, sorry.

Verse two. Verse two. Okay. This is what

the Lord of heaven's armies says, my love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong. I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem.

Okay. The land, people, and the city of the great king. They're all wrapped together and intertwined. My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong, says the Lord, and I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem. That right there should galvanize our position and our heart and establish it as a baseline for everything else that may be stacked on top of it in regards to how a Christian should view Israel.

Now I want to address just for a moment, this idea, and who knows, maybe you have come from that kind of church background, but there is a movement since the reformation that is known as replacement theology and the idea behind replacement theology is that we have been grafted into the new covenant and essentially we are Israel. Israel had their chance, they blew it and they're out. And in fact, they are under not necessarily the chastising hand of the Lord, but they're under his hand of judgment. And Israel is out and we as the church are in and we are now Israel and Israel has been forsaken by God and whatever happens to them is whatever, and every time it says Israel, that's for us and that is a big load of horse pucky. And that's all I need to say about that.

As a baseline, as a touchstone foundation starting point on what your attitude should be towards Israel can rest right here in Zechariah chapter eight, verse two. God loves and is committed to Israel, the people, the land, and the city of the great king, Jerusalem. So that's where, if we are following the Bible and if our life is surrendered to him, part of that includes we don't get to pick and choose, part of that is we don't allow other sources to form our narrative on this subject, but we allow scripture to form our opinions and narrative. This verse among many and including what I would say you read earlier, would you say that address one more time? Genesis twelve-twelve-fifteen.

Genesis 12, twelve-fifteen?

Through, sorry, two through three, basically Genesis twelve, one through three.

Twelve, one through three of Genesis. I mean, are some big foundation stones. Have any of you ever been to the Pyramids in Cairo? Wow. Anybody ever been to a pyramid like in the Yucatan Peninsula or in the South?

Oh, those stones, those blocks are massive. These are like the stones that form the basis of the pyramid of the theology of Israel, massive foundation stones.

You know, another thing about Israel is the fact that you've got this tiny country, you know, the size of this country and it's like, what is the importance? How can something this small be relevant? And that what God how God is gonna use this piece of land and the people that occupy in the big plan for all of us. Just like David and Goliath, look what David in size wise, what he was up against. Mhmm.

And I I know I I think it fascinate it does fascinate me that how God is gonna use Israel. And even though we can't see it and and no one wants innocent people killed. I mean No one. That's Christian or non Christian. No one wants to see that, but it's part of our world of sin that we live in.

But just the fact that how God is gonna use this tiny country in the big plan of all of our lives.

That's great. That brings me to the next point that I want us to discuss and that is what's so special about Israel? Israel itself. What's so special about it? It's one thing when as parents, you have your favorite child.

Just kidding. Just kidding.

I didn't go over quite as funny as that. Maybe it was my delivery. Maybe it was just my delivery. But when like, it's one thing when you really love and admire and look up to something that like that is faultless. But what is so special about Israel?

What's so special about Israel? Any thoughts?

I mean, they've been through it with the Lord. Oh,

they have context in history.

Yeah, just mean the promises that He made so long ago and that covenant that he has with them, it's I mean, how many times is Israel compared to the Lord as his bride, right? I mean Yeah. As far as the intimacy that he has with the people in the nation.

What is so special about Israel? One answer is look at the context of long history that Israel has with the God that we serve. Yes, they have been through some stuff. Yes, that's good. What else might you answer?

Why is Israel so special? We've talked about why should we care about Israel as Christians, but now let's zoom in a little more specifically, what's so special about Israel?

God has begotten Israel.

All right. Okay, say it again in the mic, here comes Kat.

God has begotten Israel. Israel is his firstborn son.

Okay, that's really important. Yes. So we talked about being in the same family, we talked about being in the same family, but in a way, is our older brother, the firstborn in the family, and he is a better, Israel will someday be a better, bigger brother than the older brother was in the story of the prodigal son. What happened? What was the deal with the older brother in the story of the prodigal son?

He was jealous, he didn't go after his younger brother that squandered the inheritance, he was just trying to be religious and earn that good standing with his father, and then when his younger brother comes back and the dad says, kill the fattened calf, get a robe and a ring and sandals for his feet, we're gonna have a party. What did the older brother do? He pouted. He didn't know what he had all along. So Israel, as has already been said, the story of Israel is not the ink is not being finished written.

Just strike that from the podcast and say it differently, but the story is not done with Israel. Israel will be a better, bigger, older brother.

The geography of Israel seems very special because of all the galaxies and solar systems and planets that God creator has made, this planet, that nation, that city of Jerusalem is where God himself is choosing, you see it in Revelation, to rule and reign when he comes down after the thousand year millennial reign, that's where God himself will put his throne on the geography that you can go visit today. It seems kind of special that

he That's chose really good. In verse three of what we read in Zechariah, and now says the Lord, I am returning to Mount Zion and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the faithful city. The mountain of the Lord of heaven's armies will be called the Holy Mountain. When Jesus returns, he will set up his global leadership headquarters in Jerusalem.

What is so special about Israel? I want us to read a very honest account of how the Lord views Israel. So now let's turn to Ezekiel, go left about this many pages, just go left, find Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 16, and I'm gonna read and we're gonna stop, we're gonna pull over a few places along the highway of Ezekiel chapter 16, We're gonna look at realistically what is so special about Israel and the last thing that we're gonna talk about is how does that impact me today, Monday and this week, right now? That's as far as we're gonna go today. Ezekiel chapter 16, I'm gonna start reading in verse one.

Then another message came to me from the Lord, who is speaking? That's right, Ezekiel. Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable sins. Give her this message from the sovereign Lord, you are nothing but a Canaanite. Talk about some playground insults.

It gets worse, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. Everybody go, oh, On the day that you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was not cut and you were never washed, rubbed with salt and wrapped in cloth. Here is the very real estimation that the Lord has of Israel. There was nothing special about her, of all of the nations of the earth.

Not only was she not special, but God describes her as wholly unwanted. Were any of you rubbed with salt? Keisha, was your baby rubbed with salt after she was born? It's a very old Semitic culture tradition in The Middle East. The idea is it promotes circulation, getting salt rubbed onto your baby soft skin, but there's also the idea, salt was very valuable in that day and age and it was used or if you didn't have blood, you could use salt, the exchange of salt to confirm a covenant and or to renew a covenant.

Now, do any of your parents or grandparents, probably from the South, have a tradition about salt? What is it? Do you know, Connor? Yes, yes, yes. He made the motion of throwing salt over your shoulder.

Why in the world would you throw salt over your shoulder? Under what occasion would you throw salt over your shoulder? If you spilled salt. If you spilled salt, how many of you ever grew up in a house where if some salt was spilled, somebody would take some and throw a pinch over their shoulder? Raise your hand.

Okay, raise your hand if that sounds absolutely silly. All right, no. Put that right on the french fries. So that goes back all the way to Bible times. Salt was poured out as part of confirmation or renewing of a covenant.

And so if salt were spilled as a way of saying, no, no, no, I don't want to waste that salt, I did not mean to or intend to waste salt, so I'm going to take a part of it so that nothing, no bad curse comes up behind me and I'm going to renew the covenant by taking a pinch of salt and throwing it over my shoulder. That's why your grandmother did it, that's the long standing tradition. But here in this passage, it says that after this baby was born, she was not rubbed with salt. There was nothing special about her, nobody wanted her, she was not betrothed to anybody, she did not belong to anybody, she was not confirmed and brought into a family, she was without a family, nobody to care for. Yeah, Verse five, no one had the slightest interest in you, No one pitied or cared for you.

Now we're gonna keep reading and we'll take a few breaks here and there. The subject matter gets rather mature, but you all are. On the day that you were born, you were unwanted, dumped in a field and left to die. I think this is important for us to keep in mind when we think about Israel today, because it is easy, well, I think it's getting a little bit harder since October 7, but historically in the church, it's been easy to have idealistic romantic notions and to have sentimental affection for Israel. Like Israel, the underdog and the outcast and surrounded by enemies and they're just trying to fight for their livelihood and defend their sovereignty and it's really easy historically to look at Israel with these rose colored, they can do no wrong glasses on.

How many of you would agree like maybe that's how Israel's been portrayed? Yeah, absolutely, yeah. After October 7, the rose colored glasses get a little bit thicker like, oh, they can do no wrong, they can do no wrong, but as this war continues to play out and we're seeing how awful just war is on both sides, it's like, The reality is this is what God thinks of Israel. On the day you were born, you were unwanted, dumped in a field, left to die. There is nothing intrinsically special about Israel that the Lord or us should have any kind of sentimental affections for.

Does that make sense? That's really important. But how can we justify what we read earlier in Zechariah with what we're now reading in Ezekiel? They seem paradoxical to each other. What's difficult for us to figure out, God is quite comfortable in a paradox.

He says, my love is passionate and strong for Israel, but at the same time, he can says, you were nasty after you were born, tossed out in a field, not even your umbilical cord was cut, nobody wanted you, ew. Verse six, but I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, as you laid there, I said, live. Apart from God's sovereign hand, Israel stands no chance of living. It is the sovereign hand of God and God's hand alone that keeps Israel from being absolutely crushed and pushed into the sea.

And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full and your body hair grew, but you were still naked. And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declare my marriage vows.

I made a covenant with you, says the sovereign Lord, and you became mine. When did God pronounce his marriage vows to Israel? Bit of a trivia question. You can just say it or take a guess. When do you guess?

And when was that moment? At the geographical location of Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai. God revealed himself as a bridegroom, pronouncing the vows of the covenant to Israel, not because she was pretty, not because she went to debutante school, it was quite the opposite. Among all of the nations of the earth, their wealth, their intellect, their accomplishment, maybe even their moral upright standing laws in nature and character, God overlooked all of that. And he said, the least deserving nation that has been abandoned and rejected by the world, I'll choose that one.

This is part of the nature and character of the God that we serve. Verse nine, Then I bathed you, washed off your blood, I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. Look at the tenderness and care that he demonstrates towards Israel. I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and the sandals made of fine goatskin leather. In the Old Testament, we see that God would bless the outside of a man hoping to work his way into the inside of their heart.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Solomon, David, all blessed with herds and flocks and possession and land and accomplishment. All of those things were done on the outside, trying to work their way into the inside towards a man's heart. In the New Testament, God flips the script and he says, I'm going to start where?

In your heart.

Romans twelve:one-two, no, don't be conformed any longer to the patterns of this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Our hearts don't need to be made new, our hearts are made new when we get born again. So in the New Testament, God says, I'm gonna flip the script and I'm gonna work it from the inside out, so that even if the outside circumstances are complex or crumbling or in chaos, there's this peace that rules and reigns that surpasses all understanding. The richness of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwell within a man's heart. And it looks like the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, mercy, self control, all of those things welling up as an abundance within the human heart.

But we see those things in the material and external right here. I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and the sandals were made of fine goatskin leather. Verse 11, I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces, a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. What line of royalty did she come from? None, But God places on her, he gives to her righteousness, royalty, as demonstrated by a crown.

And so you were adorned with gold and with silver, your clothes were made of fine linen, more beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest of foods, choice flour, honey, and olive oil, and you became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen and so you were. Your fame soon spread throughout the world because of your beauty. I dressed you in my splendor and perfected your beauty, says the sovereign Lord.

This is what we were talking about earlier, a few moments ago, when we can see some of God's attributes demonstrated towards mankind, specifically in the nation of Israel, his goodness, his mercy, His compassion, His favor, all of these things that are demonstrated towards mankind in general were poured out in abundance on the nation of Israel to demonstrate, not because Israel deserved it, but because God says, this is who I am. We thank you and we praise you. You really think that worship on Sunday morning is about you? Oh, we've done this song too much at worship. Uh-oh, I can feel Lissy trying to pull me off my soapbox.

Do you really think worship is about you on Sunday morning? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea of the goodness that God demonstrates to you on a daily basis? On a moment by moment basis, the Bible says that he sustains all things by the power of his word. Without his hand directly intervening into the intimate actions of atoms in the cosmos, you would disintegrate and you have the audacity to come late to worship.

Well, I'll get there for the message. Shame on you and not you, but shame on any person that thinks that worship is about them. You are giving back to God what he deserves. And the Bible says, if there's no human mouth to sing, the stones will cry out. The heavens declare the glory of God.

Oh, you guys, I'm not mad at you. I'm just saying He is worthy. He is so worthy. He is so good. He is unlike any other God in the universe.

He's not capricious, he's

not

vindictive, he's not spiteful. The Bible says in Hebrew that he is long of nose, meaning he's long suffering. And the idea is that when, did that get your attention, Noah? The idea in Hebrew is that somebody that has a short temper, they are short of nose because human reaction, like when we get fired up, like our cheeks flush and our nose can get a bit red, but it is said about the Bible that he is long of nose, meaning he is very patient with a big dumb dumb like me. He is worthy of praise.

Whoops, verse 15. But you thought your fame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking. You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute.

Unbelievable. How could such a thing ever happen? You took the very jewels and gold and silver and ornaments I had given you and you made statues of men and worshiped them. This is an adultery, this is adultery against me. You use the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to dress your idols.

That voice that comes up and out of you that you use to talk to friends, to conduct business, was literally given to you by God to sing worship and praise as an offering to him because he is worthy. You use my special oil and my incense to worship them. Is the anointing and the favor that God has given you, do you use that for your own fame and glory? I'm preaching to myself right now. Or is it used to bring him honor and glory?

Imagine it, you set before them as a sacrifice, the choice flour and olive oil, honey, I had given you, says the sovereign Lord. Israel, tisk, tisk, tisk. Who else did I say we could see in Israel? Who else? Take your finger and point to it.

That's right, Janet. Is this not our own story? Are each and every one of us as guilty as Israel? We have no upper leg, higher ground to stand on, to look at Israel with superiority. The story of Israel is our story.

We should have an attitude of extreme humility towards Israel because as Chris said, they've been through a lot together, Israel and the Lord. Now, the last thing that I wanna talk about, maybe I should check-in. Are you doing okay? Questions, thoughts, comments, let me check-in with you and then I'll share the last thing. Does somebody from my team need to smooth over something that I said?

I already texted.

Oh, hold on, let me read it. Conviction on you, not shame on you. Shame is from the enemy, conviction is from the Lord. Conviction on you. I like that a lot better.

Conviction on you. Yeah, we'll change that in post production too.

Yes, sir. It's just so important to know where we came from because it brings us to where we belong now and that we know where we once were, what we once were, but we died with Christ to it. Yeah. And we were risen with him to where he is, and and that's what

we're gonna see happen for Israel. Yeah. There's nothing, the Bible says, comely about our features that would attract a being like the Lord to us. Paul says that our own righteous deeds are like what? Filthy rags.

When we try to live a life that pleases and honors him out of our own effort. But yet while we were draped in filthy rags, he noticed us by the roadside. I passed along and I saw you abandoned, rejected, and I pulled you out. He is amazing. I don't invite you to do this, but like, go get around some other people who serve other gods besides the God of the Bible.

They're weighed down, they're heavy, they're enslaved. Their religion demands self flagellation, weird pilgrimages, and right standing with the God that they serve is never assured and guaranteed.

Our God, the God of

the Bible is so different. Let's talk about the last thing, we're not gonna spend much time on it. Let's talk about and name what could be difficult for us, either collectively or maybe if you choose to be personally vulnerable, what would be difficult for you about a practical demonstration of caring for Israel by going to the gathering tonight. And this is not a bait, I'm not trying to criss boss you and say, is there any reason why you wouldn't go tonight? I'm not trying to bait you or lead you, right?

You know that, right? I'm not trying to trick you or manipulate you into going. But I think it's important to name what might be either some collective, or if you feel vulnerable, personal reasons why it could be challenging for you to go to something like the rally in support of Israel tonight.

Are you asking why it would be challenging to Why might

it be challenging to to to us to Well,

yeah. Of course, I'm not talking about me because you know, I could care less what somebody thinks but a lot of people are afraid of being ostracized or thinking that I'm a radical if I go and do this when people in Palestine are dying. You know? And I it's funny. I told Clay before we came in.

I said, don't get too political about this. But and here I am but this is not a political thing. This is a right and a wrong. This is a god. This is a Christian thing and like I said before, I don't care which side of the line the party you're on.

Innocent people are dying but if you're a Christian, you know what you're supposed to stand for and you cannot. I mean, we're obviously being persecuted every day as Christians and you cannot go through life worrying about what somebody else is gonna say because you will be in a corner the rest of your life. And I think so many people are afraid to go to something like this because they may end up on the front page of the news and god, praise god. You know, Stand up, be bold, be proud.

Okay, so one reason, we're just naming it, we're just naming it. This could be either collectively or personally, you might feel it's too political. Hey, that's fair. That's fair of you to think that. Fair of you to think that.

Sorry. I think I got a bloody nose. That's what I get for yelling at you. We're doing this.

Piggybacking on that, Janet sent me an email of a talk given by a woman named Bari Weiss It is a profound Jewish exploration of what we've been talking about on a practical level, including what do you need to do about this. And the email address is the f p, f p is short for free press, the f p dot com. The F P dot com. T H E F P dot com. And I would encourage everyone in the room or on the Internet to look it up and read it.

It's long. It's very I need to read it about five more times to get the full import, but she says so many things that are so basic, not just to Jewishness, but to every one of us in this country, in this day. And I I couldn't help but think, well, Jews are being persecuted. Antisemitism is running wild. People are being threatened if they express views that are not in keeping with the majority.

There has been violence, killings, all sorts of stuff in this country. This is not a Middle East problem. It's an American problem. And when minority groups start getting persecuted Christians are becoming a minority group. We've got a real problem and it's our problem.

It's not their problem. Yes. It's our problem.

So, I would encourage you all to read this. It's a great, it's a, is that what you send us, Janet? We send it out. We'll send it out. So good.

Let me encapsulate what you just said, that if we think, and we're just naming things, if we would maybe shy away from this thinking, perhaps it's a bit too political, I love Israel, but this doesn't really involve me. What you're saying is if you think it doesn't involve you personally, just you wait. The reality is it does already involve you as a person and as a Christian. And so it's too late. If you're human, it involves you.

And you are right. Maybe just one or two more things and then let's land the plane.

Succinct answer and then a brief explanation as to why I think that jadedness and doubt coming from a skepticism that do putting my feet on the ground of that square really make a difference? Like, we're in Jackson, we're not in New York City or there's protests going on all around the world, like, what is my presence at this really do in the

grand scheme of things? Oh, wow, hadn't thought of that one. Do you have an answer?

That was my answer to your question.

Oh, like, so so you might you might say, I could go, I could not go. By me standing there out in the cold on the town square, what really good does that do? That I think that's an important one to name, because I think that would prevent a lot of people from coming like,

I think to bounce off of that, it's really hard to

be vulnerable and it's easy to make excuses.

Wow. Mhmm. Brie, two things. Number one, I love your contribution to the conversation here. I don't know that we've got to hear your voice too much.

So I love that you're here. I love your contribution to to the conversation today, number one. Number two, I love specifically what you added to the conversation today. Yeah. It's so good.

As a professional in the community and seeing people from all walks of life. I was expressing last week that if I go and put my stake or draw a line in the sand that I may exclude some people or or there's also just like ego maybe I'll be viewed differently. No matter what the cause may be, it just but I think it's important to align your actions with what's in your heart. So that's one thing that you may feel like will people in the community may look down on you. For like someone like me, I like to make everybody happy.

But there's times when you just you have to draw a line in the sand to stand up for what you believe in like we've talked about today. The other thing that I would say is like a reason to go. It's easy to make it us and them and political but you've got to look at things from a personal level. Like there are people in this community who are Jewish and who are living in fear. I've talked to these folks that I've run into through my work, and they're literally afraid of physically for their lives like setting their alarms in their homes in Jackson, afraid to go travel.

And I think when you look at it from that perspective that showing up and saying, hey, we love you. We're here for you. Will change them. And then they're gonna tell their friend who's gonna tell their friend and their family like, hey, there's people that that are here that care about us and love us and they actually love Jesus too. So, maybe he loves us and maybe we don't have to

live in fear. So. That's really good, Caleb. In the eyes of many, most culturally and religious Jews, even that live here in Teton County, Christians historically at best have a tepid flavor in the mouth of a Jew. And most, and at worst, have a long memory, they collectively have a long memory of persecution against them perpetrated by Christians.

When we experience a little cold in our toes and a little cold in our nose by standing out there on the town square at a gathering in support of Israel and letting the world know that there are still over a 100 hostages in captivity with their whereabouts unknown, separated from their family, not only do we undo some of the historical damage that has been done, but we also lend our strength to them. The last story I'll tell and then ministry time and then worship and announcements. In 2013, my family spent two and a half months in Mongolia and every day while I was in Mongolia there were long periods of time where I was by myself, and I felt very alone. I had my family right there, they would check-in with me all throughout the day as we were traveling across the country, but I was by myself a lot, and there were days and weeks where even though I might even be able to see the support vehicle with my family in there, I felt so alone. I felt all alone.

Nobody should ever feel alone and abandoned. And it's just one more reason why it means so much to the Jewish community when we stand there and support them. Jesus, take all of these things. We haven't replaced Israel, but the story of Israel is our story. There's nothing desirable about us in our own flesh.

But as you were passing by, you saw us. You gave yourself so that we might have life, for that we love you and we praise you. We recognize Israel as your firstborn. And Lord, I'm putting my yes on the table to say I'll love whatever you love and I'll hate whatever you hate. When I go to the rally this evening, Lord, I am not going in in condoning any acts of unrighteousness by Israel as perpetrated by the government or IDF or any of that.

Come on, that's just that's just an excuse, but I'm going because I love you, Jesus, and you love Israel. God, I ask that you would impart a heart, a revelation of your heart for Israel into each and every person here today, as Lissa said, up, could I pray for you? Lord Jesus, thank you so much for a leadership team like Lissa that sends me texts in the middle of service. Thank you for a leadership team like Amanda that just beautifully tied a bow on service. If you're like, what does this have to do with my family and my finances and my relationships?

Jesus said it perfectly like he always does. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all of these other things will be added to you. Father, now I want to pray for all of those other things. As they seek you first, Lord, would you bring into alignment their finances, their health, their marriage, their relationships, all of those things that weigh on our minds on a daily basis. We thank you that we can trust you with each and every one of those things.

I command a blessing over each and every member of our tribe fam here today. And we tell you that we love you and we don't deserve your goodness and your kindness, but oh man, we treasure it. We love you, Jesus. Take just a moment and tell him that you love him, just in the stillness of your own heart. Oh, we love you, we love you, we love you.

Thank you that your goodness and your mercy overflow to our lives. You go before us and you prepare good things. You follow behind us and you clean up our mistakes and our mess ups and our failure. And because of the sacrifice of your son, when you look at us and our lives, you look at us through the lens of your son who you dearly love. And for that, we love you.

We pray these things in Jesus name, the strong son of God, and everybody said, amen. I love you. I want you to have a great week. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible this evening on the town square. Have a great week, and remember Christine Schuler, you got this.

Have a great week. Oh, I forgot to connect. I forgot to see the hand.