For many who have been through the teaching of Sam’s “Share Messiah Seminar,” the fruit continues to grow as they bring the Good News to the Jew first, but not to the Jew only!   “Share Messiah,” available to watch on wordofmessiah.org, is a ten-session training seminar designed to equip believers to lovingly and effectively share their faith in Messiah.  It’s not, however, for those who merely want to learn information in order to store it away, but for those who will put it into practice.  No matter your weaknesses, fears, or limitations, if you’re not sharing your faith, you are missing out on the fullness of what God has for you; for, the more you give your faith away, the more you have to give!  We hope you are encouraged in your own witness as you read these stories of how God has opened doors of opportunity to ordinary people willing to be used by an extraordinary God.

No need to convert

Through “Share Messiah,” Maria gained a great deal of understanding about historical reasons why many Jewish people are resistant to the Good News, and, in light of this, the importance of humility and love in witnessing to them. Recently, God gave her an opportunity to share His love with one He had prepared to hear it:

“Because I love the Jewish people, I like to know what is going on in the Jewish community.  One day, I was at a local conservative synagogue listening to a presentation on how to stand up for Israel when confronted with negative and false accusations.  The information was valuable, but perhaps even more valuable was the conversation I had with the Jewish gentleman sitting next to me.

At first, the man thought that I must be Jewish because of my interest in Israel.  After letting him know several times that I was a Gentile, and then sharing my testimony of how I grew up as a Catholic and later came to faith in Yeshua, he finally believed me.  I shared with him my sadness over the fact that many Gentile believers have been arrogant in thinking that the church has replaced Israel, and how it is wrong and unbiblical to believe that God is finished with His people.  This seemed to put him at ease, as he agreed with me wholeheartedly, and became glued to every word I said.

The gentleman had many questions for me, which his friend next to him was not too happy about.  His mouth opened wide in disbelief when I told him that I celebrate the Feasts of Israel because they are feasts that God established, and that all the feasts of Scripture point to Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel.  (His words were, “How cool is that!”)

He told me that he has read the New Covenant (New Testament), but that he could never forsake his Jewishness.  I told him that he did not need to; that his Messiah is Jewish.  He quickly asked me if I wanted to convert to Judaism.  I answered him that I did not need to change who I was anymore than he did, because both Jews and Gentiles can place their trust in Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, without forsaking their identity.  He then explained that he did not believe that a man could become God.  I was thankful for the teaching from “Share Messiah”  which prepared me to understand  and address Jewish objections to Yeshua, and I agreed with him on this point: no man can become God, but God, his God, can do anything, and He came down in the flesh to restore humanity back to Himself.  I explained that through His atonement sacrifice, salvation is available to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.

I praise God for the opportunity He gave me, and pray for this man almost every time I pass his synagogue on my way to work in the morning; that God through His Spirit will sustain and grow the seeds that were planted in his heart.”​

“After many months of planting seeds of Messiah’s love, and praying for my two Israeli friends, *Shimon and *Avi, God opened up more opportunity to share the Good News with them.  Recently, they asked me why most Jewish people don’t believe in Yeshua.  I was so excited that they would ask this, and told them that I don’t fully know the answer, but that many of their people do believe in Him, and that most early believers in Yeshua were in fact Jewish.  I shared with them that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were looking toward the Messiah to come, and many Jewish people today have the same faith, looking toward the Messiah who came.

Our community is predominantly Catholic.  My Jewish friends asked about Mary (Miriam), and why so many people pray to her.  I told them that there was nothing divine about Miriam; that she was just an ordinary Jewish girl who trusted God.  When they heard this, they were shocked!  “Jewish?” they asked.  “Yes,” I told them, “as was Yeshua, and the rest of His family and close followers.” After hearing this, they were more open to further conversation about Yeshua.  When they asked why He is so often portrayed on a cross, I explained to them that He died for their sins.

We talked more about sin, God’s requirement of sacrifice, and His provision of the perfect Lamb.  They seemed to truly want to know what the Good News is all about and why they hadn’t heard it before!  I also was able to share a great truth I learned from the “Share Messiah Seminar,” “Yeshua’s only credentials to be the world’s Savior are that He is the Jewish Messiah.  If He’s not the Jewish Messiah, He’s not anyone’s Savior!”

I left Shimon and Avi with some Scriptures from Isaiah to study on their own, and will continue to follow up with them as God opens the door to do so.  I’m praying that the seeds planted will grow and that their eyes will be opened to see their Messiah.”

*Names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals