TO THE JEW FIRST IN THE 21ST CENTURY
by Dr. Albert Mohler
The Importance of Jewish Evangelism
I believe in the importance of the issue that has brought us
all here tonight, and the urgency of this mission should be
a sobering reality to us. I want to suggest to you that I
believe Jewish evangelism is the clearest test case
for faithfulness to the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ in this generation. It is very much the case now
has in the gospel when it comes to preaching the gospel to
the Jewish people. Controversy, we know, is inevitable, and
and we should not expect it to be less so now. The gospel is
a secular society that wants nothing of it. The Apostle Paul
told us already that, to those who are perishing, the gospel
those who are being saved it is the power of God. It is our
responsibility to preach the gospel, and judgment will be upon
us if we do not preach the gospel. As the Apostle Paul said,
(1 Corinthians 9:16).
Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who
“I am not
ashamed of the gospel.” What an amazing thing for Paul to
say. He did not say, “I am proud of the gospel.” He did not
say, “I am downright excited about the gospel.” What did
he say? He said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Let me
ask you. In your ears, does that sound weaker or does that
sound stronger? I want to suggest to you it is stronger. Paul
says there is no shame in the gospel. The only shame is in
resistance to the gospel. The only shame comes to the one
who hears the gospel and rejects it, and the only shame
comes to the one who knows the gospel and does not preach
it, and does not teach it, and does not share it. Paul said, “I
am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation.” It is the only gospel that saves, and it is the gospel
that always saves those who believe. It is the power of God
The Foundation for Jewish Evangelism
We need to know why it is so urgent and nonnegotiable
that we preach the gospel to the Jews. Here, we confront
face-to-face the great truth claim of the gospel—that Jesus
of Nazareth is the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One of
Israel. The great dividing line running throughout humanity
is not between Jew and Gentile, or between cultures, or
between those of one socioeconomic status or another. It is
not geopolitical, educational, cultural, but it is theological.
The great dividing line that separates all humanity, one from
the other, comes down to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul understood this. The great truth claim of the gospel is
that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. It is an audacious claim.
It was established by Jesus Himself. It was authenticated
by His words. It was demonstrated in His deeds. It was the
foundation of His substitutionary death.
I got involved in an interesting theological dispute a
few years ago. It was in Washington, D.C., and was at a
conference on the theological integrity of Baptist life. A man
on the far-left fringe who had long ago left the Southern
Baptist Convention said to me, “I don’t want any theology, I
don’t want any doctrine, all I want is Jesus Christ.”
he think Christ was a name stenciled on some Palestinian
mailbox in Galilee? No, that is to say Jesus the Messiah.
and a last name, as if this is a European construct. That is
saying, Jesus the Messiah. Yeshua HaMashiach. Jesus the
Messiah; it is all there in the land of Israel. There among His
own people, Jesus declared Himself to be the Messiah. He
showed Himself to be the Messiah.
When we look at the boldness of Peter in Acts 2, we are
reminded he was speaking to a Jewish audience. He was
speaking to all of those who were gathered there on the great
feast day of Pentecost. You notice, he did not come and say,
“I hope to gain some kind of a hearing that you might give me
“I want to suggest to you a reenvisioning of Judaism.” He
says, “I declare unto you that Jesus is the Messiah.” It is not
Peter had the boldness to declare it to his own people. The
foundation of Jewish evangelism is nothing less and nothing
other than the gospel: the gospel of the Jewish Messiah who
is also King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He is more than Israel knew to expect, but He is nothing
less than Israel was promised. That is a very critical truth.
Jesus Christ was more than Israel knew to expect, but never
less than Israel was promised.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, f ashamed of the for it is the power of God for salvatio or it is the power of God for , g p p o o G o e o e o e o e o e o a a s d s s d a s a a t t t t t w v l r f f r i i h r l h f m h n m I The Chosen People | FEBRUARY 2020 4